Kato E26+EF510 Cassiopeia instruction sheet

[Melandir]

I have a request for anyone with the Kato Cassiopeia set

 

is it possible for you to scan the instruction paper that come with it and send it to me?

 

I need the carriage and loco instruction paper

 

I'd like to know if the set is DCC ready and how many decoder it will need

 

if you have also the paper from the cassiopeia light set that will be appreciated, I like to see if they are dcc compatible

 

Thanks

[Kamome]

Hi Melandir

 

FYI I have no experience in DCC although am looking at the possibilities of adding decoders in future.

 

I have the Kato Cassiopeia set with the lighting kit added. The cars and loco are not DCC ready as such but I am aware that Digitrax do produce replacement DCC light boards for most of the Kato Locos. Kato Custom shop recommend DN163K0a (29-141) for the EF510

 

I have the older car sets 10-833, 10-834, 10-835 (there is a newer version being released in Jan 2016 http://www.katomodels.com/product/poster/files/2016_1.jpg ) and there is no DCC ready decoder slot so you would need to hard wire a decoder to the end of each end car to control the taillights. If would be interesting to see whether this has changed on the newer 12 car set.

 

The lighting kit installed is the older 11-208 lighting kit for the E26 coaches. These use filament bulbs so have a yellowy glow and need some serious track power to keep a 12 car consist lit at a reasonable level and they obviously get hot.  It looks like Kato are releasing a new LED lighting set in Jan 2016 along with the 12 car set release.

 

I have been looking for a way to upgrade the lighting in this set to LED with limited soldering experience so this may be my answer, depending on whether the new lighting kit fits the older models.

 

The dining car has table lighting in addition to coach lighting so this gives another element to consider how much you want to control with DCC.

 

I hope this information on the current model helps.  I am sure some of the guys on this forum should be able to assist you with the decoders needed.

 

Regards

[inobu]

It think the EF210 has the same chassis but not sure. Here is the link to that install. I had to cut the shell hopefully it will help.

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/2155-kato-ef210-3034-dcc-digitrax-dn163k0a/#msg24824

 

Inobu

[Melandir]

Thanks for the information

 

Following my experience with latest kato release most of the Kato loco are moving to use Digitrax DN163K4A decoder replacement, unfortunately TCS is not doing a replacement (as I usually prefer TCS over Digitrax)

 

the latestTwilight express set has been done DCC ready you can install decoder for end cars lights and also there is space for a decoder to control the dining car has table lighting and I was not expecting that because Orient Express that also has table lighting doesn't have spare for a decoder

 

I think I'll go and get one, in the worst case I'll have that both end cars will have the end lights and sign on at the same time, but I can leave with that