No rear light on Japanese Lokomotives?

[Sascha]

A friend from the German forum would like to know how it comes that his Kato EH500,Tomix EF64 and his Micro Ace DD13? have no rear lights. He wonders if they are build without them, since they maybe don't run solo and are always in front of a wagon, so they wouldn't have the need for it?

[katoftw]

In real life they have them.  The model companies don't include them for the reason you explained.

 

Tomix does do a EF210-300 that has operational tail lights.  And there are many third party companies that offer operational tail lights for varying models.

 

http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/report/n/nj_165.htm

Edited March 1, 2016 by katoftw

[ToniBabelony]

A friend from the German forum would like to know how it comes that his Kato EH500,Tomix EF64 and his Micro Ace DD13? have no rear lights. He wonders if they are build without them, since they maybe don't run solo and are always in front of a wagon, so they wouldn't have the need for it?

 

Locomotives usually run in front of trains with very few exceptions, and show their front lights only. In real life, the locomotives of course have red rear lights, but because this is rarely seen, the models don't have these lights installed (probably to reduce costs and limit complexity). IIRC the only locomotive series to show their rear lights regularly are banking locomotives, like the EF67.

 

EDIT:

 

Tomix does do a EF210-300 that has operational tail lights. 

 

Ah yes, another banking locomotive. A replacement for the EF67 actually :P

Edited March 1, 2016 by Toni Babelony

[Sascha]

Thanks guys. That is very interesting.

[bikkuri bahn]

Some prototype examples:

 

[kvp]

One of the reasons many european locomotives have working tail lights is the widespread usage in push-pull mode, where the locomotive ends up on the tail end of a train half the time. Btw, some real european locomotives still don't have tail lights, mainly those built many years ago and they use red colored lenses inserted into the headlights. In Japan, imho almost all in service locomotives have tail lights and keep them properly turned off most of the time (unless running solo) as there is no passenger push-pull operation. In turn, european models have another problem, mainly the lit headlights while pushing and the lit tail lights while pulling. Many japanese emu/dmu models have a switch under their cab ends, which allows disabling the lights when running in a consist. For european models, some models have working tail lights, while some don't (for example the new m62 because it's not push-pull capable and only pulls trains, so the designers at fleischmann only painted the tail lights like on most japanese locomotives).

[Welshbloke]

Given the lengths I had to go to with a Marklin Br.111 to have tail lights which didn't look daft (four function decoder, tail lights on f3 and f4 so you could switch them on when pushing an S-Bahn or Silberlinge set but they weren't on all the time) I can see why Japanese manufacturers don't bother.

 

Although, talking of which, I do find it a bit weird how some Kato multiple units have switches but others don't. My Kiha 52s have switchable head/tail lighting at each end, but my KiHa 47 doesn't. So it'll always have to lead a train or be at the back, meanwhile they advise putting the powered coach more or less in the middle of the train...

[nah00]

 

Although, talking of which, I do find it a bit weird how some Kato multiple units have switches but others don't. My Kiha 52s have switchable head/tail lighting at each end, but my KiHa 47 doesn't. So it'll always have to lead a train or be at the back, meanwhile they advise putting the powered coach more or less in the middle of the train...

 

It's irritating when running a Twilight Express with a pair of Kato DD-51s and not being able to switch the lights off of the second one...

[katoftw]

It's irritating when running a Twilight Express with a pair of Kato DD-51s and not being able to switch the lights off of the second one...

A strong case for attempting to construct a dummy loco.

[kvp]

 

A strong case for attempting to construct a dummy loco.

Not really, it just needs two pieces of paper under the contacts for one of the lights in each locomotive. (the ones facing each other) This way if they remain coupled and the duo does a runaround, the correct light will still be on.

[katoftw]

True.  But was also thinking the second power unit isn't really required.  It is really there just for looks.

[katoftw]

DD51 with working red tail lights.

 

 

Wiring link:- http://jbwid.com/art82j.htm

Edited March 3, 2016 by katoftw

[Kamome]

I have a largest range of locos, mainly from Kato with a couple from Tomix.

 

The only locos that have working tail lights out of the box are my 2x Kato EF63s. These were used as banking locos over the Usui Pass so were often at the back of a DMU/EMU to push them up the incline.

 

Kato have added on/off switches for each end under roof parts to allow you to have relevant lights on or off.

 

It is a shame that this isn't common practise in the modelling but considering that most locos are around ¥5000 compared to what we have to pay in the UK, you can understand why they don't.

[railsquid]

It is a shame that this isn't common practise in the modelling but considering that most locos are around ¥5000 compared to what we have to pay in the UK, you can understand why they don't.

 

Yes... UK locomotives... ouch, even when ordering from abroad without the 20% VAT. And you have to pray they don't have split gears (must call Bob at BR Lines) or PCB burnouts (heading to the post office soon with a parcel bound for DCC Supplies).

[nah00]

A strong case for attempting to construct a dummy loco.

 

I wish they did make dummy DD-51s, there's enough consists that use them for it to make sense. I don't really need two engines to pull 12 Kokis. On a Hokutosei or Twilight Express though I don't mind the extra pulling power since the cars are kind of heavy.

 

 

Not really, it just needs two pieces of paper under the contacts for one of the lights in each locomotive. (the ones facing each other) This way if they remain coupled and the duo does a runaround, the correct light will still be on.

 

Huh I never thought about that, I'll pop off the shell when I get home. 

[Welshbloke]

I would use the paper trick with my KiHa 47, but it'd disable the interior lighting too due to the way the unit is designed (lightbulb holder fits inside the U-shaped contacts which pass power from chassis to headlights, so you couldn't have one without the other).

[nah00]

I tried the paper trick but the LED runs right off of the motor contacts. I was frustrated and considered snipping the LED...and then remembered duct tape (especially black duct tape) fixes everything and just tape over the diffuser in the front of the locomotive shell. Problem solved.

[westfalen]

It's irritating when running a Twilight Express with a pair of Kato DD-51s and not being able to switch the lights off of the second one...

DCC.

[Welshbloke]

I would not be surprised if this is why the Tomytec series with the KuMoYuNi/KuMoNi units sold so well.

 

I have one of them fitted with Kato tightlock couplers and wheels. It looks perfectly at home as the second KuMoYuNi between a Kato one and an EMU. The lack of lights is actually a bonus here, as they'd be switched off anyway!