God bless America

(hmm, that will get me a stack of hits from the loony right I think..)

I arrived home tonight to find a package from the states, only 8 days after I placed the order.
for ~$100 ( I have not seen the credit card bill yet, but nor has my wife), I have in my sweaty palms the mechanism for a Kato Mikado (minus the cylinders and trucks). In the first of what should be a more definitive series, heres the low down on it. The main drivers are 9mm in diameter and 10.5mm over the flanges. The wheelbase is approximately 11mm + 11mm + 11mm. Holding it up to the plan, the outer wheels match ( the Ed had an unequal setup) which is good enough for this 2 foot modeler.

So, how does it run? Putting it on the track, and it shorts. Hmmm, it appears that one of the insulators is on backwards. Quickly sorted, and away it goes, off up the steep grade to show it can haul itself around unlike the pathetic Bachmann offerings. Might buy another one next month, and get started on making a couple of tops.