Kato N Gauge Hong Kong-Canton Railway

[Hambal]

Hi everyone.

 

I am rather excited to join this forum especially to learn about the latest developments in Kato N Gauge models. I bought a 2nd train model set in London in 2003 (my 1st set Tomix was bought in Tokyo in 1985). My Kato locomotive (the Hong Kong Kowloon-Canton Railway ktt Double-deck Through Train 'Hong Kong-Guangzhou' Precision Motor Train Model N Gauge 3 Car Set - Item No:99044 Special Limited Edition 2000 pieces) recently was damaged due to short circuiting. Anyone out there can suggest on how I can repair OR replace its locomotive ?.

Edited July 16, 2020 by Hambal
Spelling mistakes

[Yavianice]

The locomotive is the same as the KATO SBB RE460. Spare parts should be "somewhat" easy to get, and everything under the hood is interchangable. Ask your KATO representative/retailer to help out. If you are desperate, you could even purchase a brand new SBB RE460 and just exchange the shell and couplers.

 

The parts that are not replaceable is the shell or the couplers on the loco. Be mindful that you do not damage those. This train is almost impossible to obtain, let alone for a good price, and replacement parts are long long long gone. Trust me, I tried.

 

 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Yavianice

[Cat]

Welcome; and good luck, that's a very pretty locomotive!

[cteno4]

Welcome, glad you found us!

 

have you tried opening the engine up at all? As long as you are gentle removing the shell if the mech is shot anyway then worth at least poking around to see what you can find. Do you know any other train folks in your area at all? If so ask around someone may be willing to open it up and see if it’s repairable. When you say short circuit, what exactly happened when it stopped working?

 

jeff

[Nozomi329]

There are a lot of stuff that could be damaged in a locomotive. What's the symptom after the short circuit? Do the lights work? Any burnt smell? Have you ever modified it? DCC installed?

If you're uncertain of how to take the shell off without damage, we could try to think about what might be damaged from these symptoms, although the best way is still to take it apart.

[Hambal]

 Thankyou guys. I just dropped back into the forum. I thank all of you for the suggestions and will look into it. Hopefully the locomotive can be repaired 😅

[Hambal]

On 7/17/2020 at 1:36 AM, cteno4 said:

Welcome, glad you found us!

 

have you tried opening the engine up at all? As long as you are gentle removing the shell if the mech is shot anyway then worth at least poking around to see what you can find. Do you know any other train folks in your area at all? If so ask around someone may be willing to open it up and see if it’s repairable. When you say short circuit, what exactly happened when it stopped working?

 

jeff

Hi Jeff, Just to let you know that my problem is still unresolved ... after almost a year. I have sent the locomotive to someone for repair almost a year ago and his frequent reply is he could not find the spare parts  - to replace the eroded carbon brush. I am trying to get it back from him and try to purchase a brand new SBB RE460 and just exchange the shell as have been suggested b y.Yavianice. Maybe I come back here just to express my great disappointment with the guy. Hu hu hu.

[cteno4]

Yeah unfortunately usually the best you can do is replace the whole motor, rarely do you find n scale motor brushes and other sub parts for sale and some motors are sealed so you can’t even get at them. Good news is I’ve never had a motor go out in any of my Japanese trains in 25+ years of collecting  them. At worst yes you could get a whole new power chassis and transplant the shell.

 

best of luck!

 

jeff

[Yavianice]

Have you tried to ask a KATO representative for these spare parts? Since the RE460 is sold also through Lemke for European distribution, they -usually- also have spare parts available (at least the smaller internal parts), since they re-released the RE460 not THAT long ago. You could try sending them an e-mail. See here https://www.lemkecollection.de/de/servicepartner 

TIP: Ask them specifically about replacement parts for an RE460, probably they don't know about the KTT, but I can confirm that the KTT and the RE460 is exactly the same under the hood (apart from the couplers).

Edited May 5, 2021 by Yavianice

[Jaco3011]

One notice: watch out for bumpers, as european network uses screwlink couplers and PRC network uses buckeye couplers, therefore there's no bumpers.

[jappomania]

17 hours ago, Jaco3011 said:

One notice: watch out for bumpers, as european network uses screwlink couplers and PRC network uses buckeye couplers, therefore there's no bumpers.

 

yep! right! , but Kato had only repaint the swiss version, so you can buy a junk old model (original red, pepsi, bls) for transplanting engine (sometime on ebay at 80-100€ or less with panto/shell damaged, broken bumpers etc..)
and take care when you replace the shell, if the f...k bulb lamp is not correctly fixed in his place, if it contact with the front window can burn this one

[Hambal]

Thank you guys. You all have been helping me a lot. Now that I have finally got back the Ktt loco I will be contacting the company as suggested by Yavianice. Thank you !!!. Will update in the forum on my progress ....

[Hambal]

On 7/17/2020 at 1:36 AM, cteno4 said:

Welcome, glad you found us!

 

have you tried opening the engine up at all? As long as you are gentle removing the shell if the mech is shot anyway then worth at least poking around to see what you can find. Do you know any other train folks in your area at all? If so ask around someone may be willing to open it up and see if it’s repairable. When you say short circuit, what exactly happened when it stopped working?

 

jeff

Well actually I have connected to the wrong terminal outlet (the AC) of controller. Thankyou for your concern ... Jeff.

[cteno4]

Ah that would do it! Now you’re cookin with gas, er DC!

 

jeff

[Hambal]

On 5/16/2021 at 3:46 PM, Hambal said:

Thank you guys. You all have been helping me a lot. Now that I have finally got back the Ktt loco I will be contacting the company as suggested by Yavianice. Thank you !!!. Will update in the forum on my progress ....

Finally I am able to repair my Ktt by replacing its motor and making some adjustment to the new motor's "carbon brushes". Thankyou for all the ideas ans suggestions. I found this JNS Forum is very helpfull. Sorry could not place the video I made showing the moving Ktt. Its not allowed ... 

[Hambal]

30 minutes ago, Hambal said:

Finally I am able to repair my Ktt by replacing its motor and making some adjustment to the new motor's "carbon brushes". Thankyou for all the ideas ans suggestions. I found this JNS Forum is very helpfull. Sorry could not place the video I made showing the moving Ktt. Its not allowed ...