Kato n-scale Super-Ozora?

[nik_n_dad]

We keep thinking about getting the Kato Kiha 283 "Super-Ozora" Diesel Express 6 Car Powered Set, and realize it's going to be a wire-in with all the fun and joy that brings, but has anyone done this one?  I vaguely remember reading somewhere (?) about some of the Katos being very difficult to disassemble or to wire-in.

 

thanks

[Bernard]

I don't have that train but I make a bet inside it's similar to most the other kato passenger trains.

I believe it is also a "tilt train" which is a lot of fun going around a layout especially when it goes around a curve.

 

For this train you probably have a choice of which type of decoder you would like to install. You can either use a solder type of decoder and there are a lot to choose from or the Kato EM13 which is a "slide in" decoder (but you probably know this from you other posts)

Here is the link on the tutorial for the EM13 which a lot of member have contributed to:

http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,951.0.html

 

If you want to solder the decoder in here is a link on a 500 Nozomi I did with a Digitrax DZ125 decoder (A bullet train is actually a little harder to take apart than most other Kato trains):

http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,155.0.html

[nik_n_dad]

Bernard-

 

i followed your instructions on getting a decoder into the motor car of a kato n500, and it worked out ok (it seems to stall on a couple of the kato #6 turnouts, but a number of our trains do).

 

I never could find a posting on converting the end cars- the twonky led changes that need to be made.  Did you post those?

[Bernard]

For the head and tail cars you are going to need a different decoder. CaptO has a tutorial here (somewhere but I can't find it....help Don reply ) on how to do a solder in type decoder and I believe there has been a problem with using the Digitrax brand decoder for this application.

Or you can use the Kato slide in decoder FL12.

[nik_n_dad]

Oh- I was planning on using a TCS or Digitrax function-only decoder-  just need help on figuring out how to get started on it (ok, I'm lazy enough lately that rather than putting the thing on a bench with a power supply and drawing out the circuit I thought I'd follow someone's experienced path)

 

thanks

[CaptOblivious]

Skip the Digitrax function-only decoder; it doesn't support automatically reversing the headlights and markerlights when you reverse the throttle :( The TCS does, however.

[nik_n_dad]

wow- goofy.

 

Thanks for the heads up.  i would have been up til 4am scratching my head on that one ("....it's gotta work %#$@ it!!....it's just gotta work....)

[CaptOblivious]

nik_n_dad: here are some (hopefully) helpful links:

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,847.0.html

an overview of decoders for end cars, including a discussion of programming TCS function-only decoders and the Kato FL12

 

http://www.katomodels.com/hobby/dcc/dcc_tips/light_kato.shtml

You're gonna have to modify the lightboards to wire them for DCC. Here's how Kato recommends doing it for each of several common boards (the board should have a number on it that you can match to the page). Be careful though! Sometimes your board will vary slightly from Kato's depiction, and the recommended alteration won't work! Just pay close attention to the orientation and location of each LED on your board, and on Kato's diagrams, and you should be OK.

 

(Interpretation tips for the Kato page:

 

a red 'x' means cut that lead from the board, e.g. on 4352, it means to disconnect the anode on the red LED from the board

a red arrow indicates that you should rearrange something, e.g. on 4352, it means to reverse the polarity on the red LED

the colored dots indicate where to attach each wire: e.g.

A yellow dot means "yellow wire here"

白 = white

黄 = yellow

青 = blue

赤 = red

黒 = black

削る = cut here

)