N Scale KATO E5A CB&Q w/Red Nose Stripes With Factory DCC Item #176-5403-DCC

in2tech Oct 22, 2021

  1. in2tech

    in2tech TrainBoard Member

    2,703
    7,639
    78
    So apparently I like the CB&Q and Burlington as I have 3 U25B's Burlington and a CB&Q Intermountain FT A&B unit which I love. The item in the title is listed with factory DCC, brand new, and KATO for $124.00 shipping. Sounds like a good deal to me? Anyone have or know about this locomotive, and how about 11" radius?

    Thinking about getting it. Never owned a Kato but everyone speaks highly of them. Any idea the year it was made? Time to go to Spookshow I guess!

    Kato website states drop in decoder, SOLD! Other questions coming about the weight and rolling stock for it.

    Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2021
    BNSF FAN likes this.
  2. freddy_fo

    freddy_fo TrainBoard Member

    1,091
    4,328
    47
    The E5 uses the same chassis as the E8 where the latter is what I have. Very smooth and heavy. It's the only loco I own without traction bands that can pull my CMS track cleaner unassisted. I've only ran mine on 14" so I can't give any input on 11". I believe the non kobo version of the CB&Q was produced in 2012. Mine is a 93 model but the differences in the chassis are very slight. If you like the style and it's running (it better for that price) I think you will be very happy. My E8 was my first Kato and it impressed me enough to make them my preferred loco for a long time.
     
  3. in2tech

    in2tech TrainBoard Member

    2,703
    7,639
    78
    Well it's first NEW DCC locomotive, my first KATO one, and everything I liked was about the same price or more, so I should be happy. One thing I like abut my Intermountain DCC FT A&B unit's are the weight of them. I hope this one is heavy feeling too? I also have a E6A DC locomotive that's works on my 11" radius, when test running DC stuff, so I should be fine with that! Especially when I add my second base to form an L? What is traction bands? And my E5A with or without it?

    It also stated that the E5A has a TCS drop in decoder? I never want wired again!
     
  4. freddy_fo

    freddy_fo TrainBoard Member

    1,091
    4,328
    47
    I'd be surprised if the E5 wasn't able to negotiate an 11" radius. Most kato are rated for 9-1/2". They are pretty long engines. Some manufacturers put little rubber bands on some of the drivers to help with traction. Kato and atlas seem to be averse to that concept as I've never owned one of either brand that had them. I haven't had a recent production kato since they released the UP heritage series of SD70ACe's (2009) and those were still all metal drivers.
     
  5. freddy_fo

    freddy_fo TrainBoard Member

    1,091
    4,328
    47
    I got my E8 back in 98 used which I did have to wire up a decoder but the PCB boards are almost identical to the recent version per what I can see on spookshow.net. Was one of the easiest wire jobs I've ever done but plug and play is always ideal. Just the other day I was thinking about putting sound in mine but to do that I'll have to mill out the chassis to make room for a speaker which is what they did at the factory for the recent model sound equipped versions. I've always meant to get a B unit just for looks when pulling the 10 cars I got with my E8. Problem is the loco and cars while in UP colors are Milwaukee Road which I've never seen anywhere else. There are UP E8B units to be found pretty easy and will probably go that route when I am ready.
     
  6. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

    4,325
    1,424
    77
    Kato did produce a replacement driver wheel set for their 2-8-2 Mikado. It had traction tires.
     
  7. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

    4,332
    5,037
    93
    What ever happened to 'Frog Snot'? A paint on traction enhancer. It did wear down and needed replacement but really worked. Of course like the rubber band tires it didn't pick-up electrical current.
     
  8. freddy_fo

    freddy_fo TrainBoard Member

    1,091
    4,328
    47
    That loco had a horrible traction problem. I've a first run mikado of theirs which I updated to that driver but you are right.
     
  9. freddy_fo

    freddy_fo TrainBoard Member

    1,091
    4,328
    47
    It's still around. I've been experimenting with different thinning solutions so it goes on smoother without clumping up which is my biggest complaint about it. Mr. Color thinner leveler works good I've found but it does slow the dry time a bit.

    My point I was trying to make though is that the E5 and E8 are excellent pullers without any mods. I pull a 10 car passenger set with mine up grades in stock form and it does it well. I have one of those CMX tank car track cleaners and the only loco that will pull it around the track without ganging up engines or using one with traction enhancement is my E8.
     
    Doug Gosha likes this.
  10. in2tech

    in2tech TrainBoard Member

    2,703
    7,639
    78
    Well being my first brand NEW DCC locomotive and KATO, I hope it is a good one. It looks really cool and I am a fan of the CB&Q and Burlington although I don't really know much about the real ones. Guess I need to so some research :) I'm more about buying what looks cool to me then anything else really. I just hope my information is correct and this is a drop in decoder? Had a few Bachman wired decoders when starting DCC, not a fan of them when trying to clean the locomotive, etc...
     
  11. JBrown

    JBrown TrainBoard Member

    167
    150
    16
    CB&Q and Burlington are the same railroad.
     
    in2tech likes this.
  12. freddy_fo

    freddy_fo TrainBoard Member

    1,091
    4,328
    47

    Even if it was wired the decoder would be attached directly to a PCB board that clips onto the motor and can be removed from the chassis without messing with any wiring. This will make it relatively painless when disassembling for cleaning the drive mechanism.

    When I converted mine to DCC I wired everything to the PCB board and based on the pics of the factory DCC sound version install kato did the same thing. Most locos when sold as drop in mean some kind of plug like next18/NEM651 etc. but at least in the case of their first E8 release they meant wire to the PCB board which is drop in and is what I had to do.
     
    BNSF FAN likes this.
  13. muktown128

    muktown128 TrainBoard Member

    88
    75
    15
    I own several Kato PRR E-8 DC units from a few different production runs. Like all of the Kato 6 axle units I own, these run great other than the unprototypical high speed at the upper end of the throttle. They are reliable and well designed. If the DCC units perform like the DC ones, you won't be disappointed.
     
  14. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

    4,325
    1,424
    77

    Likewise, I have four of the Kato PRR E8's, all with drop in decoders. I liked the styling of the E8's over the E5's plus Kato never made an E5 in PRR paint. I am not aware if PRR had any E5's. PRR never had any E8B's but they did have E7A's and B's. Fortunately the LifeLike E7 bodies will fit the Kato mechanism perfectly and so I now have 2 PRR E8's plus PRR E7's in an ABA configuration. The B unit is a dummy which I plan to install a sound decoder and maybe two speakers if that is technically possible.
     
  15. muktown128

    muktown128 TrainBoard Member

    88
    75
    15
    Now that Kato released an E7 for the 20th Century Limited, a PRR E7 is more likely. BLI has done PRR E7 A&B units along with E8 A units that have DCC and sound. I've got several of these as well since they have some PRR specific details like the trainphone antenna and lift ears on the front. The BLI units also run well and look good with separate handrails.
     

Share This Page