Opinion on KATO units

How are they? I was looking at the SD80MAC. Is it a good model?

Kato locos run like a dream. My RS-2s are quiet and powerful. (I assume you are talking about HO, I have no idea about N but would expect high quality there as well)

Nick is 100% correct. The details are nice, they are pretty easy to assemble, and in the case of the SD80MAC you speek of, they pull like a team of mules. All the while being whisper quiet and smooth as silk. I have 2 Kato SD90/43MACs and in my book, you can't go wrong with 'em! (Just my two cents worth.)

I have 2 sd mac and rs3 by kato. would not trade them for any locomotive they are great runners and well worth the money

I am going to buy more and more of them over time.

Like the above, you can not get better running engines! The only weakness is that they are not the best detailed. Best combination would be Kato inards with a Proto or Atlas shell....

Detailing shouldn't be a problem. just hope Family hobby has something worth buying! They usually fly out of there, so i know why now! I'm glad to hear that they're worth it though!

I'm thinking about getting the F40PH at some point.

thrdkilr wrote:

Like the above, you can not get better running engines! The only weakness is that they are not the best detailed. Best combination would be Kato inards with a Proto or Atlas shell....

I agree.....at least when it comes to N-scale Kato. They are very smooth and quiet running engines, they just lack the detail that Atlas, and even Life-Like engines have. This is especially true in regard to the lettering and graphics. My N-scale Kato engines only seem to have numberboards and basic lettering while my Atlas engines have warning labels, builders plates, even the 'F' marking on the frame.

I like that idea of a Kato mechanism with an Atlas shell....now that would be an awesome N-scale engine.