Kato F shell on Intermountain F chassis

Tad Jul 31, 2021

  1. Tad

    Tad TrainBoard Supporter

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    First of all, I am not wanting to start a discussion on Kato F’s vs. Intermountain F’s.

    The situation is that I have an Intermountain F7A, an F7B and an F3A I got these on clearance when the LHS went under. They are NIB and have only ever been test run on my test track.

    These Intermountains are not in road names that I can use. I have extra Kato shells, an F7A, an F3A, and two F7B’s, in a road name that I can use. All of these are already on hand. Since I already have the Kato shells, I am not interested in doing a paint job. I want to mount the Kato shells on the Intermountain chassis.

    I have looked for Intermountain shells and they don’t come up often and when they do they are not ones that I am looking for.

    I’ve searched and found plenty of information on mounting Intermountain shells on Kato chassis, but not the other way around. I even found magazine articles about machining Kato frames to enable mounting of Intermountain shells

    The Kato shell will not fully seat on the Intermountain chassis. It appears that this may be because of the coupler mounts on the Intermountain chassis as has been discussed in the threads on correcting the height on the Intermountain units.

    I know that someone has to have done this. I would appreciate any insights from someone who has done this before I start experimenting.

    The Intermountains all run well and I like them. I also have an ABBA set of Kato F7’s and an ABBBA set of Kato F3’s. I like them.

    I even have an ABBA set of Bachmann Spectrum F’s that are okay, not as good as the Kato or Inermountains, but they are okay. I got the Bmann’s on clearance, too.

    If anyone is interested in trading some Kato or Intermountain Santa Fe red & silver war bonnet F’s for a set of NP freight F7A & B and/or a BAR F3, I’d do that. All of these are DC and are the older chassis that take the decoders with shoes.

    I don’t mind doing the work to make the shells fit the chassis, but I don’t need reinvent the wheel if someone already knows the best way to go about it.
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2021
  2. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    If I were you, I would sell the IMR units complete, but the cheapest Kato's I could find with matching chassis and swap shells.
     
  3. Tad

    Tad TrainBoard Supporter

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    What would be the fun in that?

    Believe it or not, the cheapest, even looking at that auction site, Kato F Units that I can find are brand new ATSF Warbonnet units from an online dealer. On the auction site, usually the Warbonnets are the ones that if you watch out for them are the cheapest ones that you can luck into. That doesn’t really fix anything for me.

    Even if I sell the IM’s, I still will have the extra shells.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, though.

    It’s not like I really have to have these units, but I do. And since that I do, I figured that it might be interesting to make it work.

    I’ll figure it out. I guess it will give me a unique modeling project and experience. :)
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2021
    mtntrainman likes this.
  4. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    The reason all you can find is IMR shells on KATO chassis is because it involves a higher detailed shell, in many more road names onto the superior mechanism. Now compare that with what you are proposing.
     
  5. Tad

    Tad TrainBoard Supporter

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    The Kato shells are fine for me.

    The IM mechanisms are on hand.

    I’m proposing to make use of both the shells and the mechanisms that I already have instead of none of them being of use to me as they are.

    That is all that I am am planning on doing.
     
    mtntrainman likes this.
  6. NorsemanJack

    NorsemanJack TrainBoard Member

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    It likely depends on if you'll ever want to recoup any of your investment. Complete IMR units have resale value. Hybrid units comprised of Kato shells on IMR chassis likely have minimal value. I obviously don't know your situation. Like many here, I'm aging and have felt the need to stop accumulating and start liquidating. That doesn't mean that I don't buy the new thing that catches my eye. It just means that for every two new things I buy, I may try to sell two or three. The absolute easiest thing to sell in our N scale universe is complete Kato locomotives, in like new condition, with original packaging. That may be surpassed by complete Kato passenger sets, but very little else. Everything else? Perhaps not so easy. I speak from experience. YMMV.

    I used to have quite a few IMR and Atlas locomotives as well. As of last year, the total combined is zero. There are a lot of fine products in those areas. I just no longer own any.

    If I wanted to find Kato mechanisms, I wouldn't be looking on ebay. I would post a wanted in our swap meet sub-forum and also on Nscaleyardsale. Best of luck.
     
  7. Mark St Clair

    Mark St Clair TrainBoard Member

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    Tad,

    Unfortunately I can't answer your original question, but I am interested in seeing the solution you come up with. Somewhere in the bowels of my storage unit are several old Kato F shells without mechs. These date back to pre-DCC design. They may find their way onto IM or BLI mechanisms in the next couple years. I estimate getting ready-made solutions to about half my inquiries here. However, almost all my questions seem to be shared by other folks who hadn't gotten around to asking yet. Besides, I think it is great fun to solve a problem using the tools, materials and skills I have on hand. So whatever solution you come up with, please share the results.

    Stay safe,
     
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