As I was moving stuff around between the clutter, tools, rolling stock, track etc while doing testing of the Helix 2nd rebuild.....it happend. I brushed a KATO BNSF SD40-2 (latest run) down onto the concrete floor where it blew apart in about 20 parts!!!!!! To my surprise....nothing appears to be broken!! just the seperate parts came apart. I have everything back together except for the drive shafts and trucks. All of the parts are there but I need to reference some photos for proper reassembly. I will be doing this and testing the loco when I get home. If is still works well.....I will have to eat my harsh words of the Kato SD40-2 locos mid production runs. Stay Tuned.....
Yikes. I have almost done similar things. It gives me motivation to stop whatever I am doing and to clean up. Eric
Funny...I did the same thing BUT now I am missing several small parts from the drive shaft assembly - small washers and the u joint. I notice that Kato does not list these particular parts so I will probably have to get the whole drive shaft assemby?? Note to myself: Do Not let the trucks fall out of the SD40-2 or (for sure) the drive shaft assembly will follow shortly thereafter. The multi color carpet doesn't help much either! Brian
Here is the PROPERLY exploded view of the Kato SD40-2 Mid Production. The U-Joints is what the truck snaps into right?
Just a Note of Caution...although Matt's method of Disassembling worked quite well...it is NOT recommended.....
I thought the U joints held the brass bushings that hold the worm gear. If this is the case, the U joints would already be in the black pieces that hold the worm gears (and the trucks?). So, maybe this newer Kato design does not have those U joints that come out separately.
Gotcha... MTaylor +5 points for disassembly flair & style -5 points for unsafe N scale railroading practices (not parking the train on the rear straight) KATO SD-40-2 -5 points for making a locomotive frame assembly that blows up (due to lack of screws, leading to mass hysteria and lack of parts and no vacuuming the floor until new parts arrive). +5 points for physics of force being distributed throughout the model thus not damaging any parts (most importantly the shell) Winner: MTaylor (by decision 'cause he still has a usable model left)
Oh... the horror!!! If this had happened at my home I'd have to put a blanket over it, call a priest for last rites, schedule a wake/funeral and expect a call from CSI-Miami.
something kinda similar happened to me as well, except it was the ex-wife that went to town mine. she got mad at me one night and decided to see how well all twelve of my kato engines would react if thrown against the wall. needless to say the locos were not very happy. the good news was that i was able to get 11 of them working again. the even better news is notice i said "ex-wife"
Wow that's bad but then good at the same time! good that it is able to be put together again and all the pieces fell apart in a orderly fashon, and bad that it fell to the floor. instead of pop goes the weasel, it's pop goes the -2 ! hope it never happens to me!!!
I love some of these comments You have to find humor when things dont go quite as planned. Here is the outcome: 1. No damage that I can see to the shell (that is just amazing to me) 2. Motor and all gears work!! 3. The locomotive works!! 4. The was some minor damage to one truck as the wiper hangs down from the truck slightly. This does not effect performace just looks bad. 5. One truck is damaged. The four "prongs" that hold the truck now only has two. I will do some more tinkering but I think to be safe I am going to order new trucks for it. Well Kato.....I must now eat crow. While I am still not a raving fan of the new trucks....the fact that this locomotive even runs at all despite almost like factory new is simply amazing. WOW!!
there is a small plastic part -right before the worm gear that inserts into the female end (me thinks) that is lost in the carpet along with the 2 very small metal washers. The solution for me is to not let them fall onto the carpet (I keep telling myself!!!!)
I had an older Kato and the prongs that held the truck in were gone. The truck would not stay on the engine; when you picked it up, the truck stayed on the track. It did not affect operation at all. It was still very smooth and pulled very well. So, maybe you don't need a new truck.
I was going to tell you how to put it back together, but I guess you've done it. Anyway, I'll still attach the edited picture. It tells you where the u-joints are.
I once bumped one of my N-scale 2-8-8-2 Mallets onto the floor. I was sweating profusely for while until I had it all back together and ran it. It was surprisingly durable save for the few detail bits that did break off. Miraculously it all went back together with the help of some magnifing glasses, tweezers and some CA glue. I will be a LOT more careful next time. What's more, after noting a missing bell or two on my diesel fleet, no-one handles my locos but me anymore.
now might be a good time to thank the train gods, Install that decoder youve been putting off, OH! Wait thats me!! and have a couple :beer: :beer:
