Thank you Mike, very good information, I have 4 of the Kato and 2 of Bachman so I will use your information but I think I will use the landscaping very lightly around my turn outs.
Very glad I found your channel! My dad retires in a few days, and I'd like to build him a small set, small because it has to fit in the backseat of my truck as I drive it across country. Question: In order to power the set, the controller has to connect to the tracks, right? Does it have to be a special track depending on the controller, or will any work? N-scale if the matters.
Darn it Mike, I just went to Harbor Freight! I will put down that brass wire brush down on my list for next time. One tip for ballasting or painting around the turnouts. I always put a small piece of masking tape over the hole to keep things out. Cheers. Maurice
Mike, I have (and am still using) that same MRC controller. It still has the price tag on it $26.50. Bought it in the late 70's at Don's Raceway and Hobbies in Greeley, Colorado
That is cool! Those old school MRC units were (are) bullet proof. I am actually running an old Troller unit from around 1989. It has worked flawlessly through all the years. Think I paid like 25-30 dollars for it new back then.
Great tip on using powdered graphite in turnouts. Powdered graphite also works wonders on rolling stock wheelsets. Remove the wheels, rub some on the tips/hubs of the wheels and replace them. You'll be amazed at how much easier/faster the cars roll over the track. It makes a very noticable difference in how many cars your loco's will pull, especially up a grade.
Thanks Mike. I have a similar problem with my double crossover. This has been bugging me for over a year, despite a thorough cleaning. Now to get some graphite and see what happens.
About that DC converter, can it be powered directly from the bus line? I have a simple Kato set up, but have been using the controller from a Kato M2 layout to power the turnouts, while powering the DCC track through a NCE Power Cab. I have one of the converters, but have been afraid of blowing something if I attached it to the bus.
Excellent tip. Just ballasted my OO Gauge UK layout (Kato HO track). First time I have ballasted, generally happy but ended up with three points (turnouts) giving problems. Sort of eighty per cent sorted but just ordered some graphite powder after this video. Think that will help bring me back to or near 100%. Many thanks.
I like to simplify things. I never have a problem with Kato N gauge switches. I wouldn't go near N gauge at the point of a gun. Lol At almost 80 years old I don't have the eyesight or the patience for it LOL I give you a lot of credit though. Thanks for posting... S gauge is the smallest I will go now...
I bought a load of Kato points second hand two years ago for a static diorama but have just converted it to a working layout. The 718 points are fine and work great but the 481 points are nothing but a pain in the arse and don't work half the time! Luckily I don't really need to have them powered because they are in easy reach so I've taken the wires out!
I just did something really dumb - I got a dab of Liquid Nails into the points of one of my turnouts! So far I've given it a good soak with isopropyl alcohol, and it helps a little. Any advice? If worse comes to worse, I can simply replace this turnout, but I'd rather try to get this one back to proper working order first.
Thanks for the tip on cleaning KATO turnouts....bought a box of turnouts for real cheap. They need cleaning and the #6 need rewiring because someone cut the wires off and the #4’s are missing the connector cables.
hey Mike, I've been preaching the benefits of powdered graphite for years now and been getting a few sneers over it. However I would like to add that I have given up on track and loco wheel cleaning since I've started using this religiously on my layout. I apply a minute amount of powdered graphite to the contact points of the wheels on my locos and a graphite rod on my rails like a cleaning pad. I need only treat the rails and locos once a year or so and can leave it set without covering or cleaning for entire seasons and begin operations like I just left the layout the night before. Man all the money I've spent on cleaning cars and track cleaning products I've replaced with a 6 dollar jar of graphite that will last a lifetime a graphite rod I found along some abandoned tracks. The graphite also improves. continuity at rail joints and have had no problems with slipping wheels. The one thing you need to be careful about is applying the graphite to over lubricated wheels and axles as this will cause sludge. Best to clean all excess oil from the track and locos before applying and then you are worry free.
@@N-Scale Thanks and let me know what you think. Feel free to spread the word after all it's practically free compared to the cost of some track cleaning solutions.
I have to think they would be the same. Graphite is graphite, no matter what brand name it has on it. Long as it is the powdered type, it should work the same.
Thanks for this video Mike. Since powder graphite is a conductor, are there precautions we should be aware of related to electrical short? I could not find pictures of the anatomy of a Kato turnout to check.
Mike on the Kato double crossover there is a magnet in the motor. If by any chance you get any small like track nails get caught on the bottom of the switch the points will NOT move. It happened to me twice.
I sincerely hope that you never gave that do do that slopped glue and paint all over a Kato x over a full refund. Clearly it was his stupidity that caused the point to not work.
A very nice and informative video. I have a number of Kato 2-840 and 2-841 turnouts on my layout plan that I'm thinking of converting to remote/electric, as these are located on the opposite side from where my controller will be. I also tried incorporating the Kato remote turnouts into my layout, but found that would not work for me, as the smaller switch length drastically changes track configuration. I've read that it's relatively easy to convert the manual turnouts by using the DC Switch Machines and the Turnout Control Switches, but I'm wondering if these items would still work if I'm running my trains using a DCC controller, specifically the Bachmann EZ Command.
@@N-Scale Ah, that's good to know; I was afraid I'd have to invest large sums of money into a handheld DCC controller that I could walk around the layout with and throw the switches by hand. If my understanding is correct, then (and please correct me if I'm wrong), rather than attempting to wire or plug the switch machines to my EZ Command Controller, I should instead simply have the turnout control switch(es) connected separately to the layout.
@@N-Scale That's good to know :). I've found that Kato sells an Accessory Power Supply (22-081) that can power up to eight Turnout Control Switches, which would be ideal for my layout. I've also watched your video on choosing accessory power supplies, but am wondering, though, if using more than one such power supply (for extra accessories such as crossing signals, traffic lights, etc.) would potentially overload the layout.
How in the World did I miss this was I out of the Country🤨 Uncle Mike I think I need to Kick myself hard in Da Butt what a Great Tatorial.. I need your Help uncle Mike.. On one of my KATO #6's I'm having some slight jumping of the Trucks to sometimes a full Derailment of one of my Cars, this happens Mike as I'm backing my cars into the Siding over the the Right hand Turnout they pass over the left Turnout coming off the main with no issue make it over the short track that's in-between the 2 turnout but as they roll over the Right hand Turnout I can hear the wheels catching on the slide rail I've done several slight adjustments to the slide rail slightly Bending the area where you fastenet to the Turnout but it seems not to help it much as last effort I bent the slide bar as flat as I possibly could and the set screw is just snugged ever so slightly the cars that have a problem with turnout are my Microtrains Autoracks, my Microtrains Ortner and few others.. The cars with Metal Wheels the turnout don't seem to bother them Mike.. I'm gonna do a Video Soon on my You Tube Ch. RDA N Scale and it will be on this Turnout causing the issue I let ya know Sir when I post it.. Thanks for your Time reading this Uncle Mike you & Mrs Robin Stay Safe & Be Well & give Em' Puppies some Big Big Hugs from me😊🐕 & Happy Halloween 🎃🎃🎃👻👻🎃🎃🎃
Thank you Mike, very good information, I have 4 of the Kato and 2 of Bachman so I will use your information but I think I will use the landscaping very lightly around my turn outs.
Great video 👍! Love that old 1960-80's, 501 Throttle pack by MRC.
Thanks , Mike
Very good tip! Got to get some. Nice job on the car boxes also.
Really helpful Mike, Thanks! And I loved the western style music on this one too!
Thanks Michael , Mike
Mike this is a super tip. Thanks for sharing. Dave
Mike thank you so much for your how to videos. They are so helpful to me. Thank you.
Thanks Bill, Mike
sounds great when I start getting turn outs I will graphite them, thanks for sharing
Great info Mike, I must 3 of those old MRC Transformers. Bob
Nice vid, great info. I have the same MRC controller also. Using NEC now.
Great tip!
Thanks Mike! Good tip.
Thanks John
Thanks Mike. I would imagine that the same graphite used on pinewood derby cars. I might try it. Have a nice evening. - Drew
That is actually what we carry
Thanks, Mike. I’m going to get some of that powdered graphite. ...Roy
Very glad I found your channel! My dad retires in a few days, and I'd like to build him a small set, small because it has to fit in the backseat of my truck as I drive it across country.
Question: In order to power the set, the controller has to connect to the tracks, right? Does it have to be a special track depending on the controller, or will any work? N-scale if the matters.
Darn it Mike, I just went to Harbor Freight! I will put down that brass wire brush down on my list for next time. One tip for ballasting or painting around the turnouts. I always put a small piece of masking tape over the hole to keep things out. Cheers. Maurice
Great Idea , Thanks
3:50
I've seen them at my local Harbor Freight.
Mike, I have (and am still using) that same MRC controller. It still has the price tag on it $26.50. Bought it in the late 70's at Don's Raceway and Hobbies in Greeley, Colorado
That is cool! Those old school MRC units were (are) bullet proof. I am actually running an old Troller unit from around 1989. It has worked flawlessly through all the years. Think I paid like 25-30 dollars for it new back then.
Great tip on using powdered graphite in turnouts. Powdered graphite also works wonders on rolling stock wheelsets. Remove the wheels, rub some on the tips/hubs of the wheels and replace them. You'll be amazed at how much easier/faster the cars roll over the track. It makes a very noticable difference in how many cars your loco's will pull, especially up a grade.
I Agree !!
Good advise. I see you have an MRC collectors item. I had one for 30 years until I blew it up on an experiment.
Thanks Mike. I have a similar problem with my double crossover. This has been bugging me for over a year, despite a thorough cleaning. Now to get some graphite and see what happens.
instablaster...
I can't believe a customer expected to be able to return a piece of track that they had painted!
Oh . we have seen it all
About that DC converter, can it be powered directly from the bus line? I have a simple Kato set up, but have been using the controller from a Kato M2 layout to power the turnouts, while powering the DCC track through a NCE Power Cab. I have one of the converters, but have been afraid of blowing something if I attached it to the bus.
Excellent tip. Just ballasted my OO Gauge UK layout (Kato HO track). First time I have ballasted, generally happy but ended up with three points (turnouts) giving problems. Sort of eighty per cent sorted but just ordered some graphite powder after this video. Think that will help bring me back to or near 100%. Many thanks.
Glad to help
Thanks, useful tips. I use an old suede shoe brass wire brush.
That works as well !!!
It seems counter intuitive, "ballast no good, powdered graphite good", but I'll give it a shot anyway
I like to simplify things. I never have a problem with Kato N gauge switches. I wouldn't go near N gauge at the point of a gun. Lol At almost 80 years old I don't have the eyesight or the patience for it LOL I give you a lot of credit though. Thanks for posting... S gauge is the smallest I will go now...
I bought a load of Kato points second hand two years ago for a static diorama but have just converted it to a working layout. The 718 points are fine and work great but the 481 points are nothing but a pain in the arse and don't work half the time! Luckily I don't really need to have them powered because they are in easy reach so I've taken the wires out!
I just did something really dumb - I got a dab of Liquid Nails into the points of one of my turnouts! So far I've given it a good soak with isopropyl alcohol, and it helps a little. Any advice?
If worse comes to worse, I can simply replace this turnout, but I'd rather try to get this one back to proper working order first.
Thanks for the tip on cleaning KATO turnouts....bought a box of turnouts for real cheap. They need cleaning and the #6 need rewiring because someone cut the wires off and the #4’s are missing the connector cables.
Good Luck .
Mike
nice video again
Thanks for sharing this video and information
Thanks for checking it out
hey Mike, I've been preaching the benefits of powdered graphite for years now and been getting a few sneers over it. However I would like to add that I have given up on track and loco wheel cleaning since I've started using this religiously on my layout. I apply a minute amount of powdered graphite to the contact points of the wheels on my locos and a graphite rod on my rails like a cleaning pad. I need only treat the rails and locos once a year or so and can leave it set without covering or cleaning for entire seasons and begin operations like I just left the layout the night before. Man all the money I've spent on cleaning cars and track cleaning products I've replaced with a 6 dollar jar of graphite that will last a lifetime a graphite rod I found along some abandoned tracks. The graphite also improves. continuity at rail joints and have had no problems with slipping wheels. The one thing you need to be careful about is applying the graphite to over lubricated wheels and axles as this will cause sludge. Best to clean all excess oil from the track and locos before applying and then you are worry free.
I like the idea and will try it.
Mike
@@N-Scale Thanks and let me know what you think. Feel free to spread the word after all it's practically free compared to the cost of some track cleaning solutions.
Kayto, Kahto, Potato, Patato... whatever! It's all bueno! Thanks Mike!
It's pronounced Kato as in Kit Kat! Kayto is the name of the Chinese guy in the Pink Panther movies!
It's a good idea to use graphite in your car door key slot or any key slot for that matter
Yes sir thanks , Mike
Hi Mike, do you think that lock graphite is the same or similar to the Kadee graphite?
I have to think they would be the same. Graphite is graphite, no matter what brand name it has on it. Long as it is the powdered type, it should work the same.
You can get a set of those brushes on Amazon
Whst if your cross over don't do nothing not even click but its wired right and it's new?
Think micro trains sells Greas Em, which is grafite lubricant.
Thanks for this video Mike. Since powder graphite is a conductor, are there precautions we should be aware of related to electrical short? I could not find pictures of the anatomy of a Kato turnout to check.
I don't think so , 100's of people have done it.
Mike
Mike on the Kato double crossover there is a magnet in the motor. If by any chance you get any small like track nails get caught on the bottom of the switch the points will NOT move. It happened to me twice.
Yep , you gotta keep stuff out of there.
Mike
I sincerely hope that you never gave that do do that slopped glue and paint all over a Kato x over a full refund. Clearly it was his stupidity that caused the point to not work.
I've found it very easy to open these double crossovers up to clean them from the inside. Maybe I should make a How to....
You should !!
A very nice and informative video. I have a number of Kato 2-840 and 2-841 turnouts on my layout plan that I'm thinking of converting to remote/electric, as these are located on the opposite side from where my controller will be. I also tried incorporating the Kato remote turnouts into my layout, but found that would not work for me, as the smaller switch length drastically changes track configuration. I've read that it's relatively easy to convert the manual turnouts by using the DC Switch Machines and the Turnout Control Switches, but I'm wondering if these items would still work if I'm running my trains using a DCC controller, specifically the Bachmann EZ Command.
Yes they would and you NEVER want to power any accessories from the DCC bus.
Mike
@@N-Scale Ah, that's good to know; I was afraid I'd have to invest large sums of money into a handheld DCC controller that I could walk around the layout with and throw the switches by hand. If my understanding is correct, then (and please correct me if I'm wrong), rather than attempting to wire or plug the switch machines to my EZ Command Controller, I should instead simply have the turnout control switch(es) connected separately to the layout.
@@Stussmeister To a separate power supply.
Mike
@@N-Scale That's good to know :). I've found that Kato sells an Accessory Power Supply (22-081) that can power up to eight Turnout Control Switches, which would be ideal for my layout. I've also watched your video on choosing accessory power supplies, but am wondering, though, if using more than one such power supply (for extra accessories such as crossing signals, traffic lights, etc.) would potentially overload the layout.
@@Stussmeister No it will not.
Mike
I did not know you had two channels. I was subbed to the other one, but not this one.
Well thanks for being here !!!
How in the World did I miss this was I out of the Country🤨 Uncle Mike I think I need to Kick myself hard in Da Butt what a Great Tatorial.. I need your Help uncle Mike.. On one of my KATO #6's I'm having some slight jumping of the Trucks to sometimes a full Derailment of one of my Cars, this happens Mike as I'm backing my cars into the Siding over the the Right hand Turnout they pass over the left Turnout coming off the main with no issue make it over the short track that's in-between the 2 turnout but as they roll over the Right hand Turnout I can hear the wheels catching on the slide rail I've done several slight adjustments to the slide rail slightly Bending the area where you fastenet to the Turnout but it seems not to help it much as last effort I bent the slide bar as flat as I possibly could and the set screw is just snugged ever so slightly the cars that have a problem with turnout are my Microtrains Autoracks, my Microtrains Ortner and few others.. The cars with Metal Wheels the turnout don't seem to bother them Mike..
I'm gonna do a Video Soon on my You Tube Ch. RDA N Scale and it will be on this Turnout causing the issue I let ya know Sir when I post it..
Thanks for your Time reading this Uncle Mike you & Mrs Robin Stay Safe & Be Well & give Em' Puppies some Big Big Hugs from me😊🐕 & Happy Halloween 🎃🎃🎃👻👻🎃🎃🎃
Sounds more like a trip pin catching the frog.
Mike
Harbor freight. For them