Kato has made another great loco, it’s a smooth runner and looks great. it has a cab (a rarity on an N scale loco), and a very well done scheme (BN for me). I don’t know how they pulled off the lighting in the cab on the back of the loco but there is no over illumination in the cab. It has a nice slow speed characteristic, and doesn’t hate switches. because I have a ton of BN passenger cars this loco and it’s counterpart(once I get it) will also serve passenger terminals so I will test to see how many passenger cars it can handle before massive wheelslipping occurs.
Unfortunately every good thing has drawbacks, the rerun loco like the original is a tad weak. It was stalled and there was a lot of wheel slip with a 14 car train, 6 cars was manageable though it slowed a little in the curves, 8 cars was a bit of a battle requiring more throttle. Finally the Kinectimatic couplers very small and very stubborn they will not connect without help from the five fingered switcher. But a quick coupler swap to MTL’s 2004-1 or 1015 with some filing will solve that problem.
I plan to purchase another one, but at the moment a slot in my roster has been filled because this loco will be able to make short car switches and run short distance locals. I have also done a video review, if you wish to see it click on the link in my signature. I bought mine for $80 nearly $30 less than MSRP, I feel like I got a good deal. All BN units are numbered for ex CB&Q locos 500-545, but BN isn’t the only roadname http://www.katousa.com/N/NW2/index.html. Thank you for reading.