E6 Akita Add-on 4-car set

[velotrain]

I was looking at the Kato and Tomix versions of the E6 on HS, and while the basic 3-car set is very close in price for both manufacturers, the Tomix Add-on 4-car set is almost 50% more than the Kato one.

 

I'm wondering if there's any substantive reason for this?

 

[Robert46]

I thought the price different was caused by power coupler feature on Tomix add-on set..

 

Kato add-on set is just standard rolling stocks with no special feature..

[velotrain]

That could be, but I should think it would also have some impact on the price of the basic set, although I appreciate that the add on has more couplers.

[kvp]

The front and motor cars need power pickups in both cases. The power coupler system requires pickups on all intermediate cars. So the main difference in the basic sets are the power couplers (4) only, while in the expansion sets, the Tomix set needs 8 more pickup bogies and 8 more power couplers. For the intermediate Kato cars, the pickups are usually supplied with the lighting kits only.

[Welshbloke]

All of the Kato stock I've bought recently had pickups pre-installed (the lighting kits are just a couple of brass wipers which slide in on top of the factory fitted ones, and a light module which slots in against those).

 

I'd guess the extra is for the couplers, as they're more complicated than the Kato ones.

[kvp]

 

the lighting kits are just a couple of brass wipers which slide in on top of the factory fitted ones

So the Kato cars come with pre installed springs in the bogies that act as secondary suspension or they use the classic bent brass plate contacting solid vertical brass plates like on many Tomytec models? Also, the Kato cars seem to use the classic single piece close coupler while the Tomix ones use the spring loaded seamless diaphragms, mounted independently from the power couplers. The part counts for these solutions seem a bit different for me. (i don't know if this worth the price difference though)

[katoftw]

Greenmax is the only brand that doesn't offer pickups and brass connecting strips as standard.