I think the problem is so big that if IM were to fix it, it might bankrupt them. It might have gone to the point of no return, so to speak. They are caught between a rock and a hard place. I too will not pre-order IM stuff given their (bad) track record. And I probably won't touch their locos. Basically I will not own their stuff. Very unfortunate.
You need to be careful with the replacement frames as well. The last time they sent me a replacement frame for one that had crumbled to pieces, well it was an SD40-2 Tunnel Motor unit. The problem there was the frame was about 1/3 of an inch too short for the shell. If you pick up the locomoitve by the shell, the drive unit stays behind. It even looks funk as the shell moves back and forth on the drive unit based on the cars behind it. It actully slides back and forth as it is running.
Ugh - I have a preorder for some Western Maryland F7's. I almost hope they don't get produced now. I usually never preorder anything, but these showed as "queued for production", and in the circus scheme, which will never be produced by Kato. Now even if I do get them I feel like it's a time bomb waiting to go off.
The only one I had problems with was the early F3's. All my F7's are fine... The new F units will more than likely be different because of sound being offered..
This; IM sells products based on prototypes that I want. Due to this Zirmac rot problem, I am afraid to buy them. I am constantly checking all of my few remaining IM locomotives. There have been some complaints about the FTs and the F-7s, but the tunnel motors and F-3s seem to have the most. Tunnel motors are out of my era, so I do not have any. I sold all but one of my FT pairs (I always did like the MT FTs better, anyhow), all but one of the F-3s, all of the FP-7s and a few of the F-7s. I have one F-3 remaining, a late phase Old and Weary and one FT pair, an Old and Weary.. As several posters have mentioned, IM sells models not available anywhere else. It is the only one that ever has sold any plastic NYO&W power in N scale (Atlas did sell a caboose). Further, it is the only one that I know that sells late phase F-3s in plastic. Further, I have two A-B pairs of F-7s (B&O). I constantly check them for zirmac rot. The other thing about the IM shells is that you can swap out parts. You can bash your own curious F-units, such as the WM F-3s that the railroad shipped off to LaGrange to be rebuilt into F-7s. Those units came back with F-7 grilles but retained their high F-3 fans. To bash them, all that you need do is swap out the low F-7 fan piece for the high F-3 piece. It is too bad that they will not fit the Kato chassis. This; IM sells prototypes, road names and paint schemes that no one else does. I am constantly checking my Old and Weary late phase F-3 and the FT pair for the zirmac rot. Thus far, none is showing. Can you modify the chassis, shell or both to fit, or does it just not work? I am aware that this is a reach, but would it fit either the B-mann metal frame or LL plastic frame? The latest issue of the B-mann Fs, with the factory DCC, run nicely. The decoder fries easily, but, once you wire around it, still, they run nicely. The slow speed control is excellent. I use DC only, so that might have played a part in the decoders' frying. The LL plastic frame does not run poorly, for what it is. There is also the B-mann SPECTRUM F chassis, which runs acceptably. As you are no doubt aware, you do want to stay away from the PLUS F-unit chassis, as those show the typical B-mann gear cracking. OUCH! No wonder that you never will buy another IM product. I have all of four IM locomotives left (I suppose that it is seven, if you count B units as separate, despite the FTs' being drawbar connected.). Despite that, for the present, at least, I am not interested in anything that IM might have to offer, either. I am guessing that more than a little of this is that IM is unwilling to send five hundred some chassis to one owner. There is the possibility of lack of availability. My guess tends more to the difference between sending one frame and five hundred some frames. I had a problem with an FT pair. I posted it on the old Atlas forum. The IM guy replied to the topic and told me to send them to him. The problem was that the B-unit was stalling frequently. I hardwired the pair together, which stopped the problem. IM did fix the thing but never told me what the problem was.. A later posting to that topic on the Atlas board complained about the same stalling. That poster opened up his and found excessive grease. He cleaned up the grease and that fixed the problem. I had the same problem recur in my O&W FT pair. I opened up the things and found excessive grease. I disassembled them, cleaned out all of the grease with alcohol, re-assembled and used a tiny bit of LaBelle 106 (I think that this is the catalogue number of the stuff in the tube). That fixed the problem. An official of IM later posted that there were many complaints of overgreasing. He added that he had been scheduled for a trip to China and promised to bless out the supervisors in the factory for it. Parts seem to be a real problem in N scale. I always have been TRULY amazed at what I have gotten on FeePay for junque. Can you not sell them because of the reputation, particullarly due to the zirmac rot problem? This might also be a factor. Until I see better from them, I will not, either. It is sad, as they sell models and paint schemes not available anywhere else.
I wouldn't worry too much. With IM's track record actually producing something, you'll probably never see them!
Well...all that stuff I mentioned is doable by contacting a company that would take your dimensions and custom mill tungsten pieces. I don't know if there would be a minimum number to order though. The next step would be 3D print to hold the tungsten and support the motor and drive shafts. There could be enough space to install DCC/SOUND as well. Check out Midwest Tungsten Service. They will make custom parts with very tight tolerances (.0005). Must supply CADD drawing for quote.
