Kato N scale "GEVO" Unitrack Starter Set (Product Review)

[@sprintertrueno1985]

This looks far more superior as what I'm used to see in other brands on videos, Japanese quality !

[@aidensypolt]

I have been wanting a new N scale Train set for years. Thanks for the review.

[@frankm4019]

dude, you killed it with this review. i learned alot and have wanted to get kato bit also looking at others as i have 3 bachman locos and def grtting kato now knowing it can work alongside my bachman locos. it looks smooth and you caught it wrll on camera and are well spoken. thanks again.

[@dannydanbo58]

Due to your excellent review of this set, I purchased the CSX version of this set. It is well made and looks great. I plan on buying two baby blue Great Northern hoppers and two black coal cars to add to this consist. I think this will make a great freight train.

[@dannydanbo58]

Thanks, great video. Nice bit of info on the origin of the look of the hoppers. I saw them and had to have a set, so, them being "not normal" only makes sense that I would be drawn to them.:)

[@landhopper4296]

My first North American locomotive was a CP Rail GP 35 bought from you guys in 1993. I think I must’ve bought Greg McDonnell’s book ‘Signatures in Steel’ at the same time. I still have both. I’d been bowled over by the CP through the Rockies on that trip and just happened to be walking along Fort St towards the Craigmyle Guest House near Craigdarroch Castle. Nearly 30 years ago. Wow!

[@GALE_HOBBIES]

Bought this set last year, it's a great start to N Scale! Plus, Kato makes sooo many accessories and add ons for their track ... You really can't go wrong! 👍

[@Trains1536]

I got this exact set at the beginning of the year, and I have easily built a 8' by 4' layout with extra track sets. The layout is still in progress. This set I give a 5 out of 4.5. Comes with more track and cars than most other n scale starter sets. Worth the price. The cars could have been better as American cars, but everything else was great.

[@SkunkMonkey991]

Thank you. Hands down best beginner video I have seen. Thanks for going through details.

[@edcrane4438]

Love the Kato N guage I’ve bought, plan on buying much more of Kato product!

[@thesoundvault508]

Thanks for the high production quality

[@johns8249]

Good review, dude! Thanks for the info. I just started getting into Kato products.

[@manderschannel2275]

Great presentation! A video well done!

[@CraftyFoxe]

Very nice quality video, just wanted to let you know though, you kept saying Kay-to, but the correct Japanese pronunciation to say it is Ka-to

[@bchobbies]

So I've been informed. Everyone I've heard in Canada says Kay-to, but I had a feeling it probably wasn't correct.

[@mercury9576]

Hey crafty

[@theelginrailfan9489]

You said that too craftyfoxe lol!

[@whateveryt0]

Crafty do you like bokmen

[@jamieolberding7731]

@@bchobbies I'm actually NEW to your channel, and I'm currently thinking about asking my parents to one day buy me a N scale starter Train set that's very easy (and Not hard) to set up. Now I have heard of KATO because they're featured in every Model Railroader Magazine. Which N scale Train sets by KATO that are cheap to buy and is it possible to get a passenger Train set?

[@bkdexter79]

Great job young man!

[@chicagorc3967]

Awesome video man

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

Nice update.Enjoy it thanks.

[@massari4u]

This set is becoming hard to find. I am starting in the hobby and would really like this set.

[@shiftintohigh5564]

Good review! Nice catch on Japanese freight cars. Dont look bad some are just off a tick. I have Kato track years old. Agreed, its the Gold standard.

[@sethkimmel7312]

I would recommend adding two srub end spur sidings and one double ended passing/run around track for reasonably realistic operations. One spur can act like an interchange track so you can add and remove cars by hand to represent cars coming from and going to other railroads in the rest of the world the other spur can act like a team track so it can be an industry that can recieve any type of freight car. The double ended spur can act as a passing siding. It can also act as a storage track for a second train, or allow an engine to run around its train so it can push and pull cars from a facing switch as easily as a trailing switch. Lastly the oval loop is still there when you just feel like running trains in circles and sit back and just watch...

[@BattleshipOrion]

It's a nice set, il have to get in in orange. That starter count of 6 would be used as fillers later. Im a multi-scale scale person, if it's from the 80's, built by LLW (Lima Locomotive Works), or is in orange, I'll see to acquiring it. Otherwise I'm a truck & ww2 collector.

[@lackawannarailfan]

Great review!

[@alexxxxdark08]

Is N scale really that small, im really confused between n and ho , as a European i can't know the difference well but im totally in love in US rails

[@bchobbies]

N scale is very small. The track gauge is 9 millimeters. HO scale is roughly twice the size, with 16.5 millimeter gauge track.

[@Jeanie363034]

have a look at Z scale if you want small

[@bcdrummer1962]

Hey my friend nice review. Just one note - it is not KAYTOE it is KAH-TOE . Other than that little note, well done.

[@donutgaming1619]

im not sure of the maximum pulling weight of the locomotive, but i can run mine with 14 cars and it runs perfectly smooth.

[@bchobbies]

Kato N scale locos tend to be pretty heavy for their size, so they pull very well.

[@kenfolstad1346]

Just wondering if the power pack can handle running 2 locomotives? Thank you 😊

[@bchobbies]

It's rated at 1.2 amps, so it should be able to handle at least 4 or 5 N scale locomotives at once. You won't have separate control over them, of course, but there's more than enough power available for 2.

[@kenfolstad1346]

Thank you very much!!!!!

[@crystalboutte9880]

That is very cool

[@TacticalJackalope]

I'm gonna nit pick but it's pronounced "kah-toh" with the emphasis on the 2nd syllable. Othewise thank you for sharing!

[@bchobbies]

Thanks for the feedback! I've heard every possible pronounciation used for Kato, including some weird ones. I used "kay-toh" because it seems to be the most common version in English, but I'm not surprised to hear it's incorrect.

[@miniaturegarage9471]

Can we run two locomotives on this set?

[@bchobbies]

The transformer has enough power for two. Unless they're identical, they will run at slightly different speeds, but if that's not an issue, it should be no problem.

[@miniaturegarage9471]

@@bchobbies thanks 😊

[@crazygamer0518]

Question to anyone that can answer this. I just bought this set a week ago and I was wondering for the power pack. Can I leave it on all the time and have the switch on off mode? Or do I actually have to un plug the pack Everytime I'm not using it?

[@bchobbies]

Kato's power packs are weird about this. The indicator light stays on as long as it's plugged in, so unlike other brands' power packs, there is no fully "off" mode. It probably won't hurt anything to leave it plugged in, but if you want to be extra safe, you can plug it into a power strip and use the on/off switch on that. (It can double as a switch for other layout accessories if you plug those into it as well.)

[@crazygamer0518]

@@bchobbies Ok thank you!!

[@potatohead5910]

Heck yeah!

[@nineoneoh]

looks great!

[@정민-h2x1t]

I have EMD SD70 This diesel locomotive is my first N scale

[@jacksonsdrones]

Very Nice in-depth Review! Would an N scale Bachmann train work on Kato Track?

[@bchobbies]

Yep, N scale Bachmann trains will run great on Kato track. The track gauge is a universal standard between manufacturers.

[@jacksonsdrones]

@@bchobbies Okay Thank You!

[@Trains1536]

@@jacksonsdrones any train company's N scale locomotives and rolling stock are compatible with the track, but you can't connect Kato and Bachmann track

[@TrenUluxo]

I got this set twice and I kept having this issue where it would stop running, I would have to re plug it in only for it to run for like 3 minutes after that

[@bchobbies]

Check the connection where the wire plugs into the underside of the track. Sometimes that comes loose over time.

[@TrenUluxo]

@@bchobbies I had it for three days each time😂

[@bchobbies]

@@TrenUluxo Hmm. Must just have been bad luck. We've found Kato to be pretty consistently good quality.

[@John-q1y6s]

I have ten cars it pulled great

[@John-q1y6s]

I have 12 mix freight cars comming plus 4 more locomotive

[@catgoreeestudios9460]

question do you ship to the united states

[@bchobbies]

Unfortunately, we are only able to ship within Canada right now.

[@catgoreeestudios9460]

@@bchobbies ok thanks

[@pippoisback9844]

I burned out the engine of this locomotive, where can I find the spare part?

[@bchobbies]

I'd suggest emailing Kato directly.

[@tim3172]

Wow, thank you for asking this question. I was about to buy a bunch of Kato stuff and this led me down a rabbit hole. Firstly, Kato only offers "exploded parts diagrams" with.... no part or replacement numbers (what use is that???) online. For Bachmann as an example, I'd just look up the parts diagram and rattle off a number for you to order. Kato doesn't offer this information. Okay, fine... let's see what the repair would be out of warranty. $45 or a DC Diesel. That seems very reasonable. Oh... out of warranty service doesn't include shipping. How much does Kato charge for return shipping? They don't say. Maybe it's still in warranty (free with free return shipping)? The warranty from Kato is a measly 60 days. Annnnnnnd I'm off the idea of buying Kato products. I don't buy from companies that don't stand behind their products nor offer a reasonable way to repair them.

[@thetwogardens6048]

Do you have a store in Australia ?

[@bchobbies]

Unfortunately not - our only location is in Canada.

[@ozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Got a bachmann and a year later with more track it wont run at all so im going kato Japanese quality is the best for all my hobbies apparently

[@grandriverrailfan6088]

The engine can pull about 15 cars alone. But I use two units for 15 car trains

[@sethkimmel7312]

As an example of pulling power my 38 car auto train can be pulled by two kato P42s in level 0 degree grades without breaking a sweat. The P42s are 4 axle locos as well not 6 axle locos..

[@khrishbon8799]

Where do I buy it?

[@bchobbies]

If you're in Canada, you can order it from us at bchobbies.com. If not, any hobby shop that carries Kato products should be able to find it for you.

[@sourodeepsarker1314]

I love n scale from india.

[@codyrapp7253]

It's not a es44ac I looked at the detail and it's a es44 dc in stead and it can tack 20 cas be for wheel slipping

[@bchobbies]

Kato sells versions of this model marketed as both an ES44AC and an ES44DC depending on the roadname. I suspect they may be changing only the paint job, not the details, between versions.

[@vidiottheowl2825]

I think the freight cars being modeled after japanese cars is a deal breaker for me. they just look out of place

[@bchobbies]

That's fair. Kato also makes a couple of passenger sets with correct American rolling stock (a 1950s Santa Fe set and a modern Amtrak set), so those might be worth a look as well.

[@vidiottheowl2825]

@@bchobbies yeah, but those don't come with the set now do they?

[@bchobbies]

@@vidiottheowl2825 They are available as complete sets with the same track and power supply as the freight set.

[@davidsheriff8989]

Very expensive like all model railways ie Hornby & Bachmann...Mehano & Frateschi are far, far cheaper...

[@bchobbies]

You tend to get what you pay for, as with anything. Kato is expensive, but you get a lot more quality for your money.

[@stephencampbell2018]

Nice review. Now then...do society a favor and get a real job. Making videos does absolutely nothing to make this a better world. Be a carpenter (or a plumber, electrician, truck driver, police officer, fireman, farmer, etc). You are young...do something worthwhile. Thanks.

[@rayopeongo]

The set looks great, but the freight cars not being North American kind of kills it for me. I am not really an ultra realistic “rivet counter” kind of guy, but this is too far off prototypical even for me. I have my own Kato N scale locomotive and love it, and was thinking of buying this set as a gift for a friend. Ah well, back to the drawing board.

[@InobuZ]

Never heard of a "Kay Wha Sha Kee" Motorcycle.....(Kah Wha Sha Kee) so its (Kah Toe) Kato .............

[@christopherdelgaudio9484]

400 dollars!! U must be mad!!

[@bchobbies]

Those are Canadian dollars. It works out to about $315 US.

[@christopherdelgaudio9484]

It's still to much!! it's worth 150 tops!!

[@specialkgunit]

@@christopherdelgaudio9484 eBay for you

[@NgenicKMicroTrains]

Great explanation. Big cheers from Japan