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Kato USA - 176-4109 - Locomotive, Diesel, Alco PA/PB - Wabash - 1053

5  of these sold for an average price of: 77.9777.975 of these sold for an average price of: 77.97
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N Scale - Kato USA - 176-4109 - Locomotive, Diesel, Alco PA/PB - Wabash - 1053
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Stock Number176-4109
Original Retail Price$94.00
BrandKato USA
ManufacturerKato
Body StyleKato Diesel Engine PA-1 (A+B)
Prototype VehicleLocomotive, Diesel, Alco PA/PB (Details)
Road or Company NameWabash (Details)
Road or Reporting Number1053
Coupler TypeKato Operating Knuckle
Wheel TypeChemically Blackened Metal
Wheel ProfileSmall Flange (Low Profile)
DCC ReadinessReady
Release Date1998-06-01
Item CategoryLocomotives
Model TypeDiesel
Model SubtypeAlco
Model VarietyPA-1
Prototype RegionNorth America
Prototype EraNA Era III: Transition (1939 - 1957)
Years Produced1946-1953
Scale1/160



Model Information: Model introduced in 1998 and re-run in 2004, 2008, 2018 and 2019.
The 1998 model was fitted with dummy knuckle couplers that were replaced from the 2004's run by Kato automatic knuckle couplers. Printed and lighted number boards appeared as of model year 2008. Since 2018, the model is offered in factory DCC-equipped versions in addition to the usual DC version.

The model sports everything that you can expect from a modern model engine: hefty metal chassis, 5-pole motor, dual flywheels, all-wheel drive and pickup, low-friction current collection, directional LED lighting, low-profile / blackened wheels. A and B model share the same chassis, the only difference being the lack of LED on the circuit board of the B units.
The couplers are truck-mounted, except for the front coupler of the A units that is body-mounted.
The model comes in different variations depending on the roadname:
- large or small light boards.
- single or dual headlights.
DCC Information: Since 2018, the models are offered factory-equipped with a TCS DCC decoder (model suffixed -DCC) in addition to the DC version.
Models accept the following plug-in decoders:
- Digitrax DN163K0a : 1 Amp N Scale Mobile Decoder for Kato N scale P-42, PA-1 & E-8. Note: This decoder has a front and a rear LED that need to be turned off as appropriate for the PA or PB unit; no need to remove the unnecessary LEDs, as they fit under the shell.
- TCS K0D8-A: 8 Function Drop-In for Kato PA1, E8A/E9A and P42 Genesis. Note: Front and rear LEDs.
- TCS K0D8-E: 8 Function Drop-In for Kato PA-1, E5A, E6A, E8A and E9A. Note: One front LED only.
- TCS K0D8-D: 8 Function Drop-In for Kato PB-1, F3B, F7B and E9B. Note: No LED.
- NCE N12K0A: Plug and play decoder for Kato N-Scale E8, PA1, etc. Note: One front LED only.
Prototype History:
ALCO PA (DL-304/DL-305) refers to a family of A1A-A1A diesel locomotives built to haul high-speed passenger trains that were built in Schenectady, New York, in the United States by a partnership of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and General Electric (GE) between June, 1946 and December, 1953. They were of a cab unit design, and both cab-equipped lead A unit PA and cabless booster B unit PB models were built. ALCO's beautiful PA-1 is one of America's most famous locomotives. It was ALCO's entry into the passenger train diesel craze, competing directly with the E-Units from EMD. The first PA1 celebrated Alco's 75,000th loco to roll out of the erecting shop.

The PAs, as well as their cousins, the ALCO FAs, were born as a result of Alco's development of a new diesel engine design, the Model 244. In early 1944, development started on the new design. In 1946, this new locomotive made its debut on the Texas and New Orleans Railroad. Southern Pacific PA's #6055 and 6056 were later put into service on the SP's coastal division, pulling trains such as the Morning Daylight.
Having more horsepower than their leading competitor, Alco felt that they had a fleet-ready competitive product. PA1's were sleek, stylish, powerful, and were very well suited for America's passenger and fast freight trains. Additionally, their 65' 8" bodies became excellent billboard advertising for the railroads that they served with pride.
The PA-1/PB-1 were rated 2,000 hp (1,490 kW) and the PA-2/PB-2 2,250 hp (1,680 kW). A total of 297 PA/PB have been built between 1946 and 1953.

ALCO locomotives were also used in service with the famous "California Zephyr" passenger train, adopting a number of paint schemes, the most famous of which was perhaps the "Prospector" paint scheme. This paint scheme was a striking two-tone silver and gold arrangement, highlighted by a series of four black stripes going down the side of the body.

Read more on Wikipedia
and on American-Rails.com
Road Name History:
Wabash was the product of an 1889 restructuring (under the leadership of Jay Gould) of several railroads centered around the Wabash St. Louis & Pacific. Wabash was unusual in that it evenly straddled the border between “eastern railroads” and railroads west of the Chicago-St.Louis-Memphis-New Orleans border. In the west, Wabash connected Kansas City, Omaha and Des Moines. Heading east from those points, Wabash reached St. Louis, Decatur, and Chicago. Then, clearly in the eastern territory, Wabash reached Fort Wayne, Detroit, Toledo and finally Buffalo. Total length was about 2500 miles. The Detroit to Buffalo line cut though southern Ontario, Canada on Canadian National trackage rights. That route also required a car float operation across the Detroit River. As a result, Wabash’s Buffalo traffic was a fraction of that of competitors Nickel Plate and New York Central. However, Wabash’s Detroit-Kansas City and Detroit-St. Louis service was a force to be reckoned with and well patronized by Michigan’s automakers. The Wabash Cannonball was the name of the daytime passenger run between Detroit and St. Louis. The song of the same name was a hit long before it was ever applied to the train itself. Wabash bought control of the Ann Arbor in 1925 and soon after, Wabash and Delaware & Hudson jointly bought control of the Lehigh Valley (Wabash’s principle connection in Buffalo.) This got the attention of the Pennsylvania Railroad who bought control of Wabash under the auspices of their “Pennsylvania Company” subsidiary in 1928.

As PRR planned their merger with New York Central, it became obvious that they could not take Wabash with them. The first step was to transfer control of Ann Arbor from Wabash to Detroit Toledo & Ironton (also in the Pennsylvania Company family.) Up to that point, Ann Arbor was routinely included in the official Wabash system map. Then PRR arranged for Wabash to be included in the Norfolk & Western-Nickel Plate-Pittsburgh & West Virginia merger that was being planned. PRR didn’t overtly control the N&W but they did have considerable influence over them. The deal was made and the new, larger Norfolk & Western leased the Wabash for 50 years in October of 1964. At that point, Wabash became a paper railroad. They were finally merged out of existence by N&W successor Norfolk Southern in the 1990s.
Brand/Importer Information:
KATO U.S.A. was established in 1986, with the first U.S. locomotive model (the GP38-2, in N-Scale) released in 1987. Since that time, KATO has come to be known as one of the leading manufacturers of precision railroad products for the modeling community. KATO's parent company, Sekisui Kinzoku Co., Ltd., is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

In addition to producing ready-to-run HO and N scale models that are universally hailed for their high level of detail, craftsmanship and operation, KATO also manufactures UNITRACK. UNITRACK is the finest rail & roadbed modular track system available to modelers today. With the track and roadbed integrated into a single piece, UNITRACK features a nickel-silver rail and a realistic-looking roadbed. Patented UNIJOINERS allow sections to be snapped together quickly and securely, time after time if necessary.

The Kato U.S.A. office and warehouse facility is located in Schaumburg, Illinois, approximately 30 miles northwest of Chicago. All research & development of new North American products is performed here, in addition to the sales and distribution of merchandise to a vast network of wholesale representatives and retail dealers. Models requiring service sent in by hobbyists are usually attended to at this location as well. The manufacturing of all KATO products is performed in Japan.

Supporters of KATO should note that there is currently no showroom or operating exhibit of models at the Schaumburg facility. Furthermore, model parts are the only merchandise sold directly to consumers. (Please view the Parts Catalog of this website for more specific information.)
Item created by: gdm on 2017-01-14 13:44:47. Last edited by gdm on 2020-05-25 11:30:40

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