I occasionally see reference to “Kato” powered HO Atlas FP7’s. There is one on Ebay right now.
I have owned quite a few Atlas FP7’s and they were all made by ROCO. The early ones had the flat can motor with one big silver flywheel. The later ones had a small open frame motor with 2 small brass flywheels. Even my E-R Models FP7 uses the same ROCO trucks but with a large flat can motor and one large brass flywheel.
Is there any truth to this persistent rumor about Kato powered Atlas FP7’s?
I may be wrong but I think Atlas used Kato drives for a while. Now they make there own drives. Tim
I think Atlas used Kato drives for a while
Yes, they did for the GP7, RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RS-11 and maybe some others, but not for the FP7 as far as I have ever seen.
Atlas was the first company to use the Kato drive in 1984 for their RS-3. Soon after this is when Kato began producing their own HO locomotives. Atlas changed to drives made in China for a while.
[#ditto] I cannot recall Atlas using a Kato drive in the FP7 either. I don’t suppose it would be too hard to hack one together though. One of the drive shafts would just have to be extended 4 scale feet or so.
Stewart used Kato drives for their original runs of F units, but I don’t think they have never made and FP.
I’m pretty sure it’s Roco as well, My father in law has one. Runs well, as good as a Kato would. Other than incorrect aution information, I wouldn’t worry too much.
–Randy
Same as you, I have 5 Atlas FP7’s, all are Roco powered.
I have never seen or heard of the Kato rumour for any of the older Atlas loco’s (FP7, SD24, GP38, GP40, SD35). All I have seen have Roco drives.
I’ve never heard of the FP7s having Kato drives at any time. Roco would have had to have sold the tooling to Kato, and then buy it back so they could make them for E-R Models.
Atlas still does make their engines and cars in China. The gearing in most of their engines is a copy of Kato’s drives, only with a plastic worm instead of a brass one.
Yes the FP7 was made by Kato in the old days
Atlas and kato had a big falling out and then Roco took over and finally it is all made in China now.
Yes the FP7 was made by Kato in the old days
Hi CurtMc, I have a few questions:
Did you own a Kato powered FP7?
What was the motor and drive like?
What years are you talking about?
Do you have any kind of photos or anthing else you can show us?
So they had a big falling out and then kissed and made up for the RS3?
When were these Kato powerd Atlas FP7’s on the market? I bought mine in the late 70’s and they are all Roco.
Would be interesting to see the guts of one of these 70’s Kato units.
I seriously doubt that any Atlas FP7’s were built by Kato.
| 1975 | SD24 | ROCO-AUSTRIA | HI-HOOD One piece body |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | SD35 | ROCO-AUSTRIA | LO-HOOD One piece body |
| 1975 | GP38 | ROCO-AUSTRIA | LO-HOOD One piece body |
| 1975 | GP38 | ROCO-AUSTRIA | HI-HOOD One piece body |
| 1975 | GP40 | ROCO-AUSTRIA | LO-HOOD One piece body |
| 1975 | FP-7 | ROCO-AUSTRIA | Original body 36" DB Fan |
| 1985 | RS-3 | KATO-JAPAN | Separate body & Walkway |
| 1985 | RS-11 | KATO-JAPAN | Separate body & Walkway |
| 1985 | RSD-4 | KATO-JAPAN | Separate body & Walkway |
| 1985 | RSD-5 | KATO-JAPAN | Separate body & Walkway |
| 1985 | RSD-12 | KATO-JAPAN | Separate body & Walkway |
| 1985 | C-424 Ph1 | KATO-JAPAN | Separate body & Walkway |
| 1985 | C-424 Ph2 | KATO-JAPAN | Separate body & Walkway |
| 1985 | C-425 | KATO-JAPAN | Separate body & Walkway |
| 1988 | RS-1 | KATO-JAPAN | Cast Metal Chassis |
| 1990 | GP-7 | KATO-JAPAN | Cast Metal Chassis |
| 1990 | FP-7 | ROCO-AUSTRIA | 4 new body styles |
| 1991 | S2/S4 | ROCO-AUSTRIA | Cast Metal Chassis |
| 1993 | C-424 Ph1 | KATO-JAPAN | 2nd release |
| 1993 | C-424 Ph2 | KATO-JAPAN | 2nd r |
I have one from 1985 it has a kato japanese motor in it and 2 flywheels
Can you show us a photo?
Maybe a Stewart loco? They used Kato at first but are not the FP style, only F.
Roco was with Atlas long before Kato was. I don’t know that they had a big falling out either, my guess is that it was a simple business decision based on cost reduction (I’ve written Marcia at Atlas an e-mail to ask).
A Kato motor does not a Kato drive make. Flip the unit upside down and each truck should have a rectangular stamp in the bottom of it. Normally it will say “Atlas made in Austria”, “Made by Roco for Atlas”, or just “Made in Austria”. A Kato drive will have the little crown symbol instead, or the little crown symbol and KATO inside the rectangle.
The FP-7 was never made or powered by Kato. The falling out happened at the time of the GE U-Boats (1995).
Stewart’s F-3 was the Kato powered F unit.
both of mine are Roco; one says “Atlas Austria” the other “Atlas made in Austria” is it possible that the trucks, or at least the frames from a Kato GP found their way onto a FP?
Correction…Atlas and Kato DID NOT have a falling out.They departed company in a friendly manner…This was told by Paul Graf when the debate came up on the Atlas forum some time ago.
For those of you that may not know Atlas help design the Atlas/Kato drive…
I don’t ever recall seeing a Atlas/Kato FP7.
Atlas never used a Kato motor in the FP-7. They sold 2 different versions, both with Roco motors. The first version used 10.T gearing, no circuit board, a flat can and one flywheel. The second used 14.T gearing, a circuit board, an open frame motor and two flywheels. The body was also upgraded when the second version came out with some headlight and dynamic brake options available. The falling out happened between Roco and Atlas.
Jim
My FP7 is Roco.