Here you will find videos on repair, customization, operation and even product reviews of all sorts! Specializing in repairing N, Z and even HO scale locomotives, cars, products and tech.
I learned long ago when I was in my O scale faze. Put a drop or 2 of transmission fluid on your tracks. Let trains work it around layout. It keeps tracks clean. It has conditioners in it. Also lubes wheels on rolling stock. Grime can't stick to rails. Trust me it works. I had way less shorts, Loosing contacts and less cleaning intervals. Idk if it will be necessary on n scale ? I use my hair clipper oil on my locomotives.
This video was very helpful for fixing one of these that had a broken truck that need replacement. Getting the shell off was the difficulty I was having.
Absolutely fantastic video. Your presentation skills are superb and very thorough. I have an Atlas GP7 that needs this service performed and since I am 77 years old I usually pay someone to do these for me but after watching this video I am going to attempt to do this myself using your video step by step. PLEASE make more video tutorials of this quality. Thank you very much !
Would be cool to see scaletrains do locomotives that aren't just new ones. I don't think they should venture into steam yet, but I'd love to see stuff like E8s and GG1s and prototypes like a sharknose, or centipede.
After waiting almost 5 years I finally received my preordered Intermountain PRR F7 . The newest / latest version of these the number boards light up very well and there is a reverse light now to . The overall details are even better . Time will tell if it runs as good as my older ones .
OUTSTANDING VIDEO. One of the best I have seen on servicing older locomotives. Thank you for posting and doing such a thorough job. Camera and Audio were spot on as well.
Thanks, GREAT video. Really easy to watch. You gave me the knowledge and confidence to disassemble and lube my rough-running Atlas SD-60 and it runs fantastic now. Please make more videos.
I have two Kato N Gauge EMD F7’s (an A and a B) with MRC Sound decoders in them. I’m using the MRC Tech 6 and walk around handheld to run them. Can you tell me if it’s possible to turn the sound up on these? At the present, the sound is very puny… Any help is greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Bruce
Excellent video! I'm just sad to find out that you only made a couple :(. Here's hope that you come back at some point and share more knowledge - I'm subscribed in anticipation!
Oh boy. I'm getting my soldering iron in the mail today to properly install a dcc chip in my kato p42. I'm nervous but this video helped so much. Thank you!
Nice video, I'm having a problem with a Kato E8 Loco. I have converted it from DC to DCC using the appropriate decoder form Digitrax, (No Sound) This was my first ever doing anything like this. It works very well, except, when I put the Loco shell back on, very gently, nothing works. I removed the shell and tested it 4 times, getting the same results. Why!!?
Sry but the best are clearly minitrix Fleischmann and kato.. Fleischmann is piko minitrix is märklin the details are the best of the best .. kato has the best tram (in n scale)
Fleischmann is NOT to be confused with Piko, but actually made by Roco, and they were bought out by Roco many years ago. Roco has been making good long lasting N-gear gear since the 90s, but I cannot vouch for their earlier production. The always safe bet until the 90s was Arnold! Old Arnold was not always the prettiest or truest looking, but they ran flawlessly, which I cannot say some of my older Minitrix locomotives, which often stuttered along and needed full power to run. Arnold is now a Hornby brand, nothing to do with the old German models, but they are nice! Piko is a former East Germany (i.e. GDR) company that was privatised. They make very nice gear on the mid and upper end, but also have simplified entry level trains in G, H0, and N-scales at amazing prices nobody else offers. I have N and H0 Piko locomotives and am quite happy with them. Bachmann cannot hold a candle to anybody else, especially since their price advantage is gone. Bachmann costs as much or more than Kato as of maybe 10 years ago, so I know where my money is going (NOT to Bachmann).
I have been trying to do this installation for the past few hours. I did not solder the motor contacts because I have never soldered before. The light comes on but the loco will only move if I put my finger down on top of the clip where to motor leads are held down. Is the soldering a mandatory step in order to make this work? Do you have any possible suggestions? I have also made sure to install the kapton tape correctly as shown. Anyone else with a similar problem?
Hey bud! So those clips are THE weak point of this system. If it runs when you press down on the gray motor contact retaining clip in the middle of the board, then you did the install right. Take off the clip, fold the tabs up gently, and use a pair of flat (not toothed) needle nose pliers to bend the last 1/2MM (1/32 inch or so) of the tabs downward at a 45 degree angle to make contact with the pads even with a worn-out clip. Gives it the extra "tooth" needed to contact that pad better. If this fails, your clip is too worn out and I recommend siimply soldering those tangs to the pads there instead. There are no other hacks I can recommend as those two methods have always worked for me. Solder works best when used sparingly!
What gets me, these manufactures don't make enough of the geeps and they always sell out. Intermountain finally made a Milwaukee Road F7 freight locomotive in N scale which nobody has ever done before. They also made the sky blue Great Northern F7 in N scale and that's my next one. I like the GP7's and 9's.
Atlas and Kato had the "make a bunch" overrun business model back in the 90's and those locos are still on shelves. While I understand the reason they don't do it anymore, it's mostly about overhead reduction in the face of extreme costs of production. They have to run a tight ship, so if you want a model get a bunch of folks to request it from said manufacturer! It's worked in the past...
Fantastic tutorial! Would appreciate part numbers. Like you, I also custom paint my equipment, to my freelance railroad, the Pacific Belt. I'm starting my 8th layout soon in N scale, and just subscribed!
Great video and very handy. Always enjoy watching other people working on N HO etc locomotives and rollingstock and refresh the mind and pick up little tips. 👍🇦🇺
Try holding the coupler screw onto the screw driver with a tiny dob of 'Bluetack', or even a tiny dob of vaseline from the chemist or local stupa market. Also worth inducing magnetism into a screw driver by stroking on a magnet. Work over a cloth so dropped screws won't bounce. That is a first rate shell moulding. Thanks: Pete
Thoroughly enjoyed that - at 20 past 2 in the morning. Spending too much time watching Utube. Not sure of the current situation with spares, but historically Kato's spare parts service stood them out wonderfully. Most importantly brushes were obtainable (see Dave Ramirez ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-E5W0xy2SMyM.html Why didn't that go blue?). It means a loco lasts longer than its first set of brushes. Also, replacement motors can be obtained when magnets weaken. I have no experience with the very latest productions of N scale, but the Kato/Atlas pick-up system has historically been a winner. The weight of the loco kept the contacts between the trucks and the chassis touching, and the spring system did not crush or weaken. Hopefully the other three locos are as good as historical Kato and Atlas, and hopefully Kato and Atlas are not slipping. Long my spares be obtainable. Many of the folk who rely on these models to brighten up their lives are unable to service them. Trouble-free running and serviceability matter; and mostly they matter because of the challenging circumstances of many of the owners. Shall keep an eye on your channel and occasionally bore the fur off you. We who read have a responsibility to contribute at least something. Be encouraged: Peter
Been looking all over for a 101 series on locomotives. Yours are wonderful. I hope you do more, esp in getting some running again as well as the servicing. Thank you! Know you can...John
You didn't show how to reinstall the front coupler, I followed everything else and then huh!!!!! Left in the dark. Thinking I will pull another F7 shell off and hopefully see more clearly. Still, very informative. Thank you!
Really appreciate this video- lots of great, clear info. I only have a couple Kato locomotives for now but absolutely love them for the reasons you’ve stated. Have you tried any of the scale trains offerings? I’m curious how you would rank them in this mix
