Search results


  1. R

    Advice Needed With Rapido Wide-Vision Caboose RESOLVED

    Before you cut ANYTHING, look for all points of possible interference. In this case the photo shows possible problems with the wheel flanges hitting the corners of both the coupler box and the sides of the stairs. I had a similar problem with a Walthers caboose, and was able to fix it without...
  2. R

    Not another "Can anyone identify this locomotive?"

    Hard to tell from just a photo, but the trucks are definitely from either Athearn or LifeLike Proto 2000 (Protos were a copy of Athearn, most of their parts could be interchanged).
  3. R

    Kato power supply issue?

    Kind of late to the party here, but it sounds like the transistors inside the variable speed controller may be blown. Unfortunately, Kato doesn’t want anyone tampering inside their controllers, so they are assembled with one-time locking housings at the factory, making replacement your only...
  4. R

    Superelevation

    The best way to use superelevation for N is to use the appropriate Kato UniTrack sections. They have entry-exit transitions that go from level on one end to super-elevated on the other (available in 22.5 degree curves of several different radii), and pieces available in 45 degree sections that...
  5. R

    Con Cor Kato Pa-1 Diesel engine

    Early ConCor PA’s were excellent, and made by Kato (then known as Sekisui), but ConCor switched sources to China and Mexico over 20 years ago, so any ConCor/Kato product is far from “Brand New”. Perhaps a good cleaning to remove old coagulated lubricant (I like nahptha, or Zippo or Ronsonal...
  6. R

    Bachmann train set and Bachmann trains in general

    There are much better F-7 locos made in N scale than Bachmann. Minitrix comes to mind, made in Germany, and they came with Rapido couplers. I don’t know if they are still being made, since they are an old design from the 1970’s, but the factory made many, so they should still be able to be found...
  7. R

    Auto Reverser for DC?

    If kb02 is looking for an automatic control of a “stop, then reverse, stop, & go back” dc power for a single track (like you might see with a trolley), then santafewilly’s reverser should work. If he’s looking to automatically control a reverse loop or a wye, to sense when the loco needs the...
  8. R

    Mantua 2-6-2 prarie stopping and going

    Make sure all pickup wheels are clean and shiny, and also clean where the trucks are screwed onto the tender. I’ve had several Mantua locos and when the contacts got dirty they would run erratically. The one exception was one of them had a very thin (almost like a foil) corrugated copper washer...
  9. R

    Centerline Track Cleaning Cars malfunctioning

    I don’t use rubber bands, I just wrap the towel with a loop or two of thread and tie it off. I’ve never had a problem with the factory cut wipes supplied by Centerline, try to match the type and size of the factory ones if you can. The made from “bamboo” towels may work better than plain paper...
  10. R

    Bachmann ON30 engines

    Consider yourself very lucky! My three Porters were still sealed until earlier this year, the one with DCC but no sound works fine, the two with sound overload immediately and begin the shut down/restart cycle. I wish they didn’t have sound, because the sound is so quiet, it’s pretty much...
  11. R

    Bachmann ON30 engines

    My Heisler ran great when we last set up my On30 modules, but then COVID came along and it sat in it’s box for over a year, when I then tried to run it, the motor was seized up. My two Porters with sound would run a foot or two, then the sound decoders would overload, cut off, and then restart...



Back
Top