Kato DX platforms & Overhead Transit Station

[nah00]

So I'm considering some station remodeling on my layout (I never really like the set-up on my big station to begin with) and was looking to replace the station building with the Kato Overhead Transit Station and use the new DX platforms to replace my older ones. Looking the two though does the station interface with the platforms the same way it did with the island flag stop platforms? It looks like it should except for possibly different roof color but I can fix that. 

[bill937ca]

Sumida Crossing has probably the most complete review of the Overhead Station

 

http://www.sumidacrossing.org/ModelTrains/OverheadTransitStation/

 

I believe the DX platforms came after Ken's flurry of layout building and article writing. But I suspect the DX platforms may be a lighted update of the tile platforms.

 

http://www.sumidacrossing.org/ModelTrains/PassengerPlatforms/

[bill937ca]

Here is a Kato 23-160 box opening and assembly video which may help.

 

 

At the end the author lists the items used:

 

23-160 x 1   Island Suburban Platform DX Set   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10542546

23-150 x 1    Island Suburban Platform DX A   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10542539

23-151 x 1    Island Suburban Platform DX B (with Staircase) https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10542541

23-000 x 2   Suburban Platform DX Lighting Kit (Lighting Unit 10 Pieces)   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10542553

24-818 x 1   Unitrack Terminal UniJoiner (Feeder for Joints) (35``) (1pc.)   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003112

24-829 x 1   Unitrack Accessary Adapter (1pc.)  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003117

 

 

Edited April 6, 2019 by bill937ca
Added item list shown at the end of the video.

[bill937ca]

Here is another video. 

 

 

At  0:20  you can see a picture of the Kato Overhead Transit Station  on the  23-160 box which suggest they are compatible.

 

At 5:49 you can see the suggested track layout for the 23-160 and it appears to be no different  than existing suggested track layouts.

 

 

 

One thing I have noticed is that the 23-160 is longer than the 23-120.  The 23-160 has tapered ends and a total platform length of 896mm (200+248+248+200). The 23-120 has square ends and a total platform length of 638mm ( including 2 x248mm, plus 2 short end pieces).

Edited April 3, 2019 by bill937ca

[Yavianice]

To be honest I would wait and see if KATO will ever produce a DX version of the station buildings....

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Are the floors of the 23-160 and 23-120 the same color for possible kit bashing?

[Yavianice]

@PhilipS They are not the same color. The 23-160 is much darker.

[JNR4915]

I have the same problem.  I have the overhead transit station and extension kit. I also have two Kato 23-160 sets and two V15 sets side by side.  I cant figure out how to mount the station to the dx platforms.  Has anyone figured out how to do it yet.  Would appreciate any help.

Edited June 14, 2020 by JNR4915

[Yavianice]

I don’t think the poles are removable, so you probably have to permanently remove them (cut them). I personally was thinking to buy D platforms and then sacrificing some spare track to connect the two sides.

[JNR4915]

The poleso on the DX platforms can be removed.  I dropped one by accident and the whole thing came apart.  Inside the centre poles is a copper strip running from top to bottom which touches the unitrack rails beneath the canopy and under the platform. I'm assuming this is lighting.

[Trainfanz]

Has anyone looked further into this? The old style city platforms are presumably long discontinued. The only video I find on YouTube says you need to make cuts to the Overhead station and I’d rather not do that if possible.

 

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by Trainfanz
Added video.

[nacnud777]

I have done some testing and research on the 23-122 transit station and the new 23-160 DX series of platforms. They are are not compatible. The overall size is completely different and the lighting system prevents removing the pillars to used in the way the old ones were designed to fit. I'm sure with a lot of kit bashing you could make it work, but no plug and play here. Hopefully as they have discontinued the older platforms they will update the buildings to match and include DX features and dimensions. For now I'll wait and see.

[nacnud777]

So, after a couple of cocktails I decided to have a go at making this work!!!! I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for Kato. Turns out that its not too bad: 

 

Here are the steps:

1. Remove the roof of a section DX island platform
2. Carefully remove the pillar and upper light assembly. this will snap out and the center pillar electrical contacts will come out with the whole upper unit. (put this aside as you may be able to part it out for something else.)
3. You now have a bare platform... Line up another platform with one end, place the station assembly over it so it lines up flush with the roof and mark where you need to drill six 3/32" holes to allow the building to fit to the platform.
4. That's it unless you are using Kato Double track, in which case simply pop off the center building pillar support base strip.
5. Oh one last thing... When you add a third platform on the other end there will be about a 1/4" gap between the building and the platform roof. You have have a leftover spare roof that you removed earlier so simply cut a piece off and glue it to the roof as needed to fill the gap.

 

Now i need to pull it all apart, add weathering and lights!

 

Hope this is helpful

 

 

 

Edited October 10 by nacnud777

[Kamome]

This is the one part I don't like about this station building. You have to waste a couple of not so cheap canopies. I actually purchased a set of 23-173 basic straight platforms and drilled some holes to fit this building. These are very basic, without the yellow strips but could be easily customized.  The building itself is very in-keeping with many suburban stations in my area so it's design is great, just not its implementation. Kato could've easily included a platform.   I don't have the DX platforms, rather the "older" new urban platforms, so obviously the HO gauge track that provides power in the platform frame is missing. For a permanent set up you could possibly feed the building section from another feed and install LED strips to the stairwells and connecting bridges as well as the canopy. Just ensure the DX canopies each side have their own feed.  This seems better than wasting some DX platform canopies. The older urban platforms didn't really fit together flush so would have to be glued and have filler added to make them look like a solid construction. How about the DX?  I also found there were numerous variations in the colours of the cream platform tiling and even the separately fitted yellow platform edge strips. 

 

I will update to some nice DX platforms with lighting eventually.

[nacnud777]

The DX canopies are pretty much a flush fit as you can see, although for some reason the gutter spacing is slightly fatter on the station. Colour too is different but that wont matter as i will be painting and weathering all parts.