Will it Run? Train Show N Scale Kato SD9. Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range. Trains with Shane Ep83

Today's Will It Run actually belongs to my brother Chris. He has become interested in N scale and this is one of his recent train show scores. It's an older but pretty decent Kato SD9 custom painted for the Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range railroad. He got this in a pack with I think 7 freight cars for $100. If this thing runs it'll be a super deal!
Spookshow's Page on the Kato SD7/9 (which apparently they made for Atlas as well)
www.spookshow.n...
Our Patreon - Still only have one Patron :(
/ i_saw_it_online

[@owenlaprath4135]

That is a very fine custom paint job! Enjoy the model
If you have take a loupe, microscope, or a macro-lens to see imperfections, it serves the purpose, since most people do not even have a loupe! There was a time, when model makers like Wiking (famous for their model cars in H0 and N) and Arnold with their Rapido trains (the old German company of the 60s through 80s, NOT contemporary Canadian Rapido) deliberately made very simplified models to allow hobbyists to have crisp toy-models at LOW cost, that you could place into a landscape, that looked real from a bird's perspective, which is really what you have in N-scale! Arnold really had mechanically TOP quality trains with somewhat bolder looks than Minitrix and Fleischmann, but cost on average only 2/3 of all competitors! US-model makers, like Athearn and Bachmann were not sold in Germany, the reasons for which I learned the hard way in USA in the 80s.
Back to simplified looks:
Look at old post cards and tell me, if you can see headlight chrome trim-rings or read license plates on cars, or read all details on train data-plates, or count freakin rivets. You can NOT! That kept everything affordable. I for one do NOT want a $30thousand Rolex, when a $99 Seiko-5 or $50 Timex will do just fine for looking at the time, and the same was and is true for N-scale. It was a huge part of the attraction 50 years ago for me to switch to N as a kid, to trade simplified looks fit a smaller scale in exchange for excellent mechanical operation and lo cost!
1978 Momsy gave me one of the best Xmas gifts ever with the first N-scale set, and I had so much fun with my Minitrix old Western pack with the UP 0-6-0 steamer freight train, building a desert mountain layout with a trestle made from match sticks (literally!) and 3ftx5ft landcape sprinkled with bird-cage sand from our canary bird's stash! (his name was Tweety, and he sang beautifully until he died at almost 17)
CRIKEY, these are TOYS that are supposed to RUN, not fine jewellery under a microscope!

[@fezzolare]

Good morning Shane I'm not an N scale or any scale railroad operator / hobbyist I am a RC scale model builder military crawler trucks. Just to let you know you are my sanity in the morning before work I found you a while ago and I've seen almost every one of your videos. You seem like a pretty straight up cool dude love to watch you love to watch what you're doing and the bad part about it is you get me into going into scale trains. That's all I need is another expensive hobby but just wanted to say thank you so much for your content keep going and like I said I really enjoy your videos

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Thank you! I've also done RC car and scale model stuff. I've still got quite a few old Losi off road buggies, trucks, a few ancient Traxxas Nitro Hawks, etc. And I even raced on carpet a few years ago as well. Mostly VTA and I dabbled in 1/12th scale but I was pretty horrible at both, lol.
Model railroading is great but it can get very expensive very quickly. Especially N scale. If I had the room I'd model H.O. scale because it seems to still be the sweet spot of affordability.

[@engineerpat5290]

ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO! Keep it up Shane!

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Thanks Pat!

[@nomadsempirebuilder9461]

I know the Channel in Pa lol sweet vid!!!

[@Trains-With-Shane]

It's not a big secret but gotta be paying attention so know 🙃

[@MattKonsol]

Very nice locomotive!

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Thanks! Chris really likes it a lot. I'm going to have to try to trade him something for it. He really likes Santa Fe so I can probably come up with a few things.

[@MattKonsol]

@@Trains-With-Shane that’s really cool that he likes the Santa Fe railroad. I hope the trade will work out.