D51 Questions

[AlcoRS3nut]

Hi all, new member here. Heeeelp!! 

 

Been wanting an N gauge JNR fleet for a while, but just ordered a D51 (#498)  (Kato brand). I have a couple questions, because the seller (on eBay) didn’t specify these:

1) does it have an operating headlight?

2) is it DC from the factory?

3) will it work in the US? I saw something on the eBay page about being sure the plug was type A and 95-100v. Now, all the other stuff I have from Kato works fine (I have unitrack and a Kato power-pack) but I really don’t want to have to buy a transformer or whatever just to be able to run my train. 

 

It’s the 2016-7 model, of that helps at all. Sorry if this is the wrong place to put this, like I said I’m new. 

[Gryphr]

1. It has an operating headlight. If the rear headlight works, not sure.

 

2. It comes DC from factory, which is the de facto standard in Japan.

 

3. It will work fine with N-Scale tracks and any DC power pack that supplies <=12V DC, such as your Kato Power Pack. The part about Plug type/Input Voltage seems to belong to a Powerpack or similar and most likely made it's way into the description by mistake.

Edited December 13, 2018 by Gryphr

[AlcoRS3nut]

Okay, thanks so much. Fears alleviated. 

 

Can I put in a link to show you?

[katoftw]

Directional lighting. White headlights both ends.

[AlcoRS3nut]

8 hours ago, katoftw said:

Directional lighting. White headlights both ends.

Thanks! This makes me even happier.

[GDorsett]

That note about electricity is more for European buyers than American, as the US electric system is the same voltage and plug type as in Japan. The European system is much different.

JP train models will run on standard HO or N track, as they are scaled up to fit the gauge.

I have yet to see a locomotive without directional lighting at both ends, however very few models have both head and rear marker lights on locomotives. That is generally found on E/DMU sets and NPCU cars.

The default in Japan is DC, as Gryphr stated. Some locomotives (such as the Kato EF510) have light boards that can be replaced (called DCC-Ready), but not all and I haven't found any Tomix locos yet that are ready. Do not know about Greenmax.

 

[AlcoRS3nut]

On 12/15/2018 at 11:51 AM, GDorsett said:

That note about electricity is more for European buyers than American, as the US electric system is the same voltage and plug type as in Japan. The European system is much different.

JP train models will run on standard HO or N track, as they are scaled up to fit the gauge.

I have yet to see a locomotive without directional lighting at both ends, however very few models have both head and rear marker lights on locomotives. That is generally found on E/DMU sets and NPCU cars.

The default in Japan is DC, as Gryphr stated. Some locomotives (such as the Kato EF510) have light boards that can be replaced (called DCC-Ready), but not all and I haven't found any Tomix locos yet that are ready. Do not know about Greenmax.

 

Thanks! This helps.

[katoftw]

On 12/14/2018 at 5:30 PM, katoftw said:

Directional lighting. White headlights both ends.

Somehow I read DD51, not D51. Working headlight on funnel end.

[GDorsett]

Most steam engines will have headlights at both ends if they are tanks, not all tendered locomotives will have lights at both ends.

[AlcoRS3nut]

17 hours ago, katoftw said:

Somehow I read DD51, not D51. Working headlight on funnel end.

But not directional on tender

[katoftw]

Correct.

[Kamome]

The C56 is the only tender engine from Kato I have with a working light on the tender. As it’s a short tender engine, I’m sure these frequently ran in reverse.

 

I’ve not come across any images of the larger locos running this way so perhaps it was a lot less frequent if at all, hence lack of feature on the larger SL models.

 

This is certainly the case on the Kato D51s, C57s, C59s and C62s I have:

[AlcoRS3nut]

5 hours ago, Kamome said:

The C56 is the only tender engine from Kato I have with a working light on the tender. As it’s a short tender engine, I’m sure these frequently ran in reverse.

 

I’ve not come across any images of the larger locos running this way so perhaps it was a lot less frequent if at all, hence lack of feature on the larger SL models.

 

This is certainly the case on the Kato D51s, C57s, C59s and C62s I have:

Thanks, very helpful!

[Fenway Park]

The Kato 9600 has a working headlamp on the tender. Again these could be found working tender first in many area in Japan.

[AlcoRS3nut]

12 hours ago, Fenway Park said:

The Kato 9600 has a working headlamp on the tender. Again these could be found working tender first in many area in Japan.

Ah but you see I do not have this one

[Fenway Park]

The 9600 has not been produced for sometime sadly.

[marknewton]

On 12/18/2018 at 9:22 PM, Kamome said:

I’ve not come across any images of the larger locos running this way so perhaps it was a lot less frequent if at all, hence lack of feature on the larger SL models.

 

I think the amount of tender-first running would entirely depend on what depot an engine was allocated to and what duties that depot’s engines were rostered for. I have photos showing tender engines from all the standard JNR classes fitted with tender headlights. I’ve also got photos showing most of the standard types working trains tender first. One very interesting photo I’ve seen - in a book published by Australian photographer Greg Triplett - shows a pair of D51s banking a Hakubi line train out of Niimi while running tender first. 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Kiha66]

I know C59s and C62s regularly ran tender first with ten car trains on the Kure line while in commuter duties, probably due to the lack of turning facilities at both ends.  As always, there's a prototype for everything!

[gavino200]

None of my Kato steamies have come with a working rear light. But all have the lens and light guide in place. So if you're converting to DCC it's really not much bother to get the rear light working. A 1206 white LED with an SMD resistor held in place with some adhesive putty works perfectly.

 

[shadowtiger25]

On 12/15/2018 at 11:51 AM, GDorsett said:

That note about electricity is more for European buyers than American, as the US electric system is the same voltage and plug type as in Japan. The European system is much different.

 

Did not know that, I thought every other country ran on 50 Hz. Then again I guess it makes since that Japan would opt to transmit at 60 Hz based on the US helping to rebuild their infrastructure, make whats familiar after all!

There was a guy I was talking to just a couple of weeks ago about this exact topic, and I would have liked to have known that then...

[cteno4]

The 50/60 hz in east and west japan was set way back i.pn the 19th century with AEG of Germany helping with east japan (hence 50hz from Europe) and GE working with Western japan (hence 60ht of north and Central America.

 

Also Japan is 100v, close to US 120v but best to use a down converter. But beware insurance will may not cover you using a 100v device in 120v if it starts a fire even if in a converter.

 

jeff

[Kiha66]

110v range countries generally run on 60 hz while 220v range countries generally run on 50 hz.  Japan is weird as it has two separate power grids which both are 110v but the northern half of the country is 50 hz while the southern half is 60 hz.  This has caused them issues where one half of the country will be having blackouts while the other half has excess power, I assume they will eventually create some DC interties so the grids can finally be connected.  I remember it well cause my ship had to use generators 24/7 even in shipyard as the shore frequency didn't play nice with our onboard equipment.

[EdF]

Los Angeles used to be 110v50hz, conversion is possible.  They electrified well before any sense of a national grid we happening.

[chadbag]

Most 100V appliances will work at the nominal 110-120V (117V where I am at) you see in the US.  We've been running a rice cooker for 15 years without issue.  And we also have a Tiger brand table top grill we regularly use.

 

Things like hair dryers and other high power resistive heat based appliances are the most dangerous.  (I assume the grill and rice cooker use resistive heat? but at no where near the power level (watts) of a hair dryer).   Anything high current should be re-considered.

 

And make sure motors are 60hz compatible when running in the US.  If in doubt, don't do it or use a down converter.

 

IANALAIDPOOTV

 

[cteno4]

Most systems are built to handle a good variance and should work fine, especially things with an internal drop down circuit or just operating a simple low current heating element.

 

I found out about the insurance thing way back when reviewing my business liability policy. I did a fair amount of equipment and wiring stuff (non ac) when installing exhibits so I had to have a more comprehensive policy and it was a mess to make sure it covered my dos and the donts didn’t matter for my work. The use of non us 120 ac equipment was one of them that was in there and when discussing with the agent I just asked about it and a few other details out of curiosity and he said yep something an investigator will nail you on if there is a fire even if not sure if they caused it as they said specifically don’t use them. He said it was in the fine print of many home owner’s policies as well. Things may have changes this was quite a while ago, but I’ve found insurance is one of those industries that doesn’t seem to change much...

 

i only get concerned about this sort of thing as I had a friend with a house fire where it the insurer tried to find ways out of the coverage. Finally went to court and judge slammed the insurance company ang gave a good settlement but that didn’t lessen the 2 years of living without a house.

 

jeff