Zephyr - Kato USA

50-foot Rib-side Boxcar from Fox Valley
Kato’s New
Silver Streak
Zephyr
Volume 19, Issue 1 • January 2013
Flatcar Loads from Models11
Bachmann HO-Scale GP38–2
WalthersProto MILW SW1200
$5.99 US/CANADA
7
25274 24091
01 >
3
Cover Story
Pioneer Zephyr
Successor
Kato’s E5A and Silver Streak Zephyr Cars
Review and Photos by Tony Cook
CB&Q EMD E5A & Silver Streak Zephyr
6-unit Set
#106-090, MSRP: $250
EMD E5A CB&Q #9910A “Silver Speed”
#176-5401, MSRP: $110
EMD E5A CB&Q #9911A “Siler Pilot”
#176-5402, MSRP: $110
Kato USA, Inc.
100 Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
847-781-9500 • Fax: 847-781-9570
w w w.katousa.com
K0D8-E DCC Decoder
#1481, MSRP: $42.75
Kapton Tape
#KT, MSRP: $9.75
Train Control Systems
845 Blooming Glen Road
P.O. Box 341
Blooming Glen, PA 18911
215-453-9145 • Fax: 215-257-0735
w w w.tcsdcc.com
S
leek and impressive are the first
words that come to mind as one
opens the handsome case holding
Kato’s N-scale Burlington Silver Streak
Zephyr set. The set includes new tooling
cars and EMC-built E5A diesel power.
E-units
Electro-Motive Corporation early
streamline diesel production included
Baltimore & Ohio and Santa Fe’s E1s
Burlington No. 9911A “Silver Pilot” is one of three N-scale E5As now available
from Kato. This E5A and No. 9910A “Silver Speed” are sold separately from
Kato’s Silver Streak Zephyr set. The individual E5As retail for $110 each.
last E9s arrived in 1964, closing the book
in 1937. Rock Island owned the unique
on production for this famous passenger
TA diesels. Union Pacific purchased
hauler.
bulbous-nosed E2s that ran The City of
San Francisco in the late 1930s. These exQ’s E5
amples began setting the stage for regular
Burlington took delivery of 16 E5s
production E-units to come. Progression
beginning in 1940. Retaining the signature
continued with the replacement of the
looks of its Pioneer Zephyr, CB&Q kept
early Winton 201A engine to the famous
stainless steel fluting on the lower pan567 prime mover. The very pronounced
slanted nose with protruding headlight ap- els of the unit and had mock grille work
peared with UP’s I think you’ll agree Kato has added on each side
of the headlights.
City of Los Angeles
done another outstanding
Technically, three
E3s, arriving in
railroads owned
the spring of 1939. job on this release.
E5s: CB&Q, Colorado & Southern (C&S),
Seaboard switched its Orange Blossom
and Fort Worth & Denver (FW&D). Both
Special from steam to E4s, and next came
C&S and FW&D were Burlington subChicago, Burlington & Quincy’s E5s. The
sidiaries, and those E5s included the same
first regular production E-unit arrived
styling and dress.
soon after Burlington’s E5s. More than
Burlington’s E5 collection was the
a hundred E6 examples with a more or
largest,
with nine E5 As and a trio of
less standard design and appearance hit
booster
E5Bs. An E5 A-B pair each was on
the rails before WWII’s War Production
the
roster
at C&S and FW&D. All were
Board disallowed production of this diesel
provided
names,
similar to Burlington’s
type in 1942. Following WWII, EMD
practice
employed
for passenger cars. E5s
introduced its E7 to great success and
in
Burlington
service
hauled a variety of
followed it with E8s and finally E9s. The
Based on the previously released E8/E9 drive mechanism, Kato has created its new E5A model. The fuel tanks and skirting are
plated plastic pieces that snap onto the die-cast frame. The model weighs five ounces and provided above-average pulling power.
50
January 2013 — Model Railroad News — www.ModelRailroadNews.com
By-The-Numbers
trains and were certainly not exclusive
to use on the Silver Streak Zephyr. This
makes Kato’s new N-scale model welcome
by many modelers for a number of uses.
Burlington’s E5s racked up many miles and
lasted in service into the mid-1960s. Many
went to General Electric for trade-in credit
on U25Bs.
Silver Streak Zephyr
Silver Streak is a familiar name in railroading. Burlington’s Pioneer Zephyr was
dubbed “Silver Streak” for its appearance
in “The Silver Streak,” a 1934 movie fictionalizing the record-breaking trip made
by the Zephyr. Other Silver Streak usage
has included the 1976 comedy movie with
Canadian equipment starring in Amroad
dress as “Silver Streak.” TYCO produced
a gaudy red and chrome Warbonnet Alco
Century 430 with Union Pacific shield
and called it “Silver Streak” in the late
1970s.
The actual Burlington Silver Streak
Zephyr was CB&Q Trains 20 and 21,
operating 250 miles between Lincoln,
Nebraska, and Kansas City, Missouri, in
about five and half hours. The train began
serving this route in the spring of 1940
and was powered by articulated Pioneer
Zephyr equipment. Non-articulated
equipment replaced the original Zephyr,
and this is what Kato is presenting in N
scale. The set in this make up included an
E5A pulling a baggage, baggage-RPO, a
pair of 52-seat coaches, and a combination
diner-parlor observation. Counting the 22
seats in the obs, this set had 126 tickets
to sell per trip before running completely
full. The dining section included with the
observation seated two dozen guests.
Kato’s E5A
Kato’s first N-scale E-unit sold in
North America under its own name was
its E8/E9 introduced in 1993. Now, Kato
steps back a few years in prototype history for its E5A release. Three of the nine
Burlington E5s are present in Kato’s first
EMC E5A
Kato
N 1:160 • Type: Diesel
Pull Power (Ozs @ Full Slip)
Pull ÷ Loco Wt = Efficiency
1.35 26
Analog DC
Volts
Amps Scale MPH
1.7
.06
3
6.0
.10
74
12.0
.14
160
DCC
Minimum 2.8
Mid 68.0
Maximum158.0
offering: No. 9909 “Silver Bullet,” No.
9910A “Silver Speed,” and No. 9911A
“Silver Pilot.” The Silver Streak Zephyr
Set includes “Silver Bullet” in its contents.
Kato has individual releases of “Silver
Speed” and “Silver Pilot” available for $110
each.
The model follows Kato’s proven design
with twin flywheels powering all six axles,
bettering EMD’s A-1-A set up that left the
center axle to operate as an idler between
powered axles. Kato’s E5 weighs in at five
ounces and is both a smooth operator and
Power for Kato’s new N-scale CB&Q Silver Streak Zephyr set is E5A “Sliver Bullet” No. 9909. The shiny finish recreates the look of the
prototype. Kato’s design includes skirting for each truck mounted to the sideframes, allowing problem-free mobility around curves.
The All-Scale News Monthly — Model Railroad News — January 2013
51
Kato provides interiors for both coach cars and the
observation car in its Silver Streak Zephyr set. The
one-piece plastic interiors snap out for detail painting
and figure installation if desired by the modeler.
Bringing up the rear of the five cars included
with Kato’s Silver Streak Zephyr is “Silver
Spirit.” This O bser vation car includes
factory-installed LED lighting to illuminate
the end lights, marker lights, and drumhead.
above average puller. While its top speed
of 160 scale miles per hour is beyond
anything the prototype could do, you will
find ample speed range in the drive to allow proper cruising speeds on your layout.
Kato includes a golden hue LED light that
illuminates the dual headlights and number boards during operation.
As delivered from the factory, the
model features a single-piece front coupler
shroud or cover. Provided with the model
is a front coupler and bracket, allowing the
modeler to double head E5s. The plated
finished on Kato’s E5 is excellent — not
too shiny to appear
toy-like, but
enough gloss to replicate the prototype.
Black lettering is razor sharp and accurate.
Burlington later painted some E5s with red
nose stripes; Kato’s first release provides
the original black striping. Cab window
material is nearly flush and side windows
include a tinted clear plastic.
DCC for Kato’s E5
Train Control Systems (TCS) has released its K0D8-E decoder for use in Kato’s
E5A. This decoder, retailing for $42.95,
is a simple drop-in install, requiring only
minor DCC knowledge and expertise and
maybe a minute or two to complete the
project. Though it’s basically a drop-in
operation, one step is very important to
remember and must be done. Kato’s design
includes two long bands running on the
outside of the upper portion of the drive.
Once you’ve removed Kato’s original DC
board and have the two contact tabs bent
up and out of the way, you’ll see the pair
of electrical bands. Using
TCS’ Kapton
Tape,
Brake
wheels and
diaphragms are
included on car
ends on each model in
the set. Roof details
include separately applied
vents. Couplers are mounted to
the trucks on all cars in this set.
52
January 2013 — Model Railroad News — www.ModelRailroadNews.com
remove the bands and wrap the section
directly near the contact tabs with tape.
This insulates the band from the contact
for DCC usage. Without doing so, you’ll
destroy the DCC decoder and have to start
over. TCS’ website (www.tcsdcc.com) provides excellent step-by-step images of the
process. Train Control Systems’ decoder
has eight functions with built-in onboard
resistor for LEDs included on the unit.
Instructions provided are simple to follow
and provide a chart allowing the user to
enter values programmed for future reference. The main features of TCS’ K0D8-E
decoder include back EMF, which provides
excellent slow speed and speed control;
Quiet Drive, reducing drive noise without
interfering with performance; Autodetect,
which allows a decoder-equipped model to
detect a DC set up and operate normally
in this standard mode; and much more.
TCS provides additional information on
its website to support its decoders and
includes a warranty for this and other
decoders in the company’s catalog.
Digitrax DN163K0E is a DCC decoder
board made to replace the board provided
for standard DC ops. Digitrax’s decoder
is a simple drop-in installation. Digitrax’s
decoder is a 1.5 amp, six-function unit that
retails for $36. Digitrax will also have a
sound decoder, SDN144K0E, available to
provide DCC control and sound for Kato’s
E5s.
Kato’s Silver Streak Zephyr
Cars
Five plated passenger cars are provided
in Kato’s Silver Streak Zephyr set. Kato’s
streamliners include truck-mounted
knuckle couplers, which allow the cars
to navigate tight-radius curves. The end
coupler on the Obs is body mounted. The
baggage car “Silver Light” and baggage/
Head-end cars in Kato’s Silver Streak Zephyr include a baggage and baggage/Railway Post
Office. Note the mail bag arm included on the RPO car and roof details on both examples.
A pair of 77-foot coach cars is provided matching the original prototype consist for Burlington’s
Silver Streak Zephyr. Coaches“Silver Gleam” and “Sliver Glow” have accurate 52-seat interiors.
The multi-tasking Observation “Silver Spirit” provides both lounge and dining services to riders aboard our N-scale
CB&Q Silver Streak Zephyr. This car is the longest in the set at 86 feet and makes for an impressive finish to the consist.
Aftermarket DCC drop-in decoder boards are now available from Digitrax
and TCS. Here is Train Control Systems’ 8-function DCC decoder in place
and ready to make Kato’s E5 roll. A gray plug needs to be removed and
then slid forward toward the nose of the diesel and out comes the factory
DC board. Simply reverse the process to install a DCC decoder board.
The All-Scale News Monthly — Model Railroad News — January 2013
53