Powered Motorized Chassis KATO 11-106 (japan import)

Works well. Can crawl. Very lightweight. No traction without weight. Traction wheels makes for fewer pickup wheels. Overall needs a shell for weight. Also very irritating noise without a shell.

I used the Kato 11-106 to bash up a powered “ghost” or “pusher” boxcar to help my steam engine pull long trains up the 4% grades of my layout - I fabricated a 30’ reefer ( not prototypical, I know, but doesn't look half bad...!) from a 36’ wood sided reefer by carefully cutting two 3’ sections out from each end about halfway between the door and the ends with a razor saw then carefully gluing it back together with MEK. Painted and lettered and it passes inspection of probably 99 people out of 100... and does what I wanted beautifully! My big 2-6-6-2 can now crawl up into my mountain pass with 20 cars, when before it was slipping and stalling out with just six. I run old-school DC, btw, would have no idea how you’d solder in a decoder if you were trying to DCC-ify things... Plus, fast and courteous shipping direct from Japan - all this for less than $20! Thanks for reading!

I bought this just to play with, and to move stock around a layout. Surprisingly strong! By itself it is lightweight, and tends to derail if run too fast. It wiil make a great drive unit for whatever.

Because of light weight, it doesn't stay on track at fast speed. Also, no pulling power.

Everything is good about this except the goofy (Rapido) couplers. It doesn't look easy to change them either. I'll make something out of it, though.

Using this motorized chassis as extra power to move my muti rail car train set works great now to find a suitable body to put on the chassis

It’s a KATO® so it’s perfectly made and well worth the price. Overall the design & detail of assembly/execution are excellent. I have needed one for a custom built box loco that has been a “static model” for far too long. ONE DETAIL - it’s a product line standard that was manufactured prior to N scale industry changing over from Rapido toggle couplers to knuckle couplers, so you will have to swap them out for your preferred knuckles or you could make an “adapter car” with a toggle end and a knuckle end.

Works great! First model train I’ve gotten that has a motor so I can pull the little cars I’ve collected :) (used a 9 volt battery hooked up to tracks and I have zero complaints!)