E353 Questions

[SuperAzusa]

Hi all,

 

First proper thread here. Hope you can help:

 

1. My newly arrived E353 set came with these tiny tiny plastic pieces that are supposed to be installed just below the couplers. Thing is, I'm not sure what they're for, or if I should be putting them on at all. The japanese is 電連 (I think), so it's something to do with electricity transfer, perhaps between the 9 set and the 3 set? Can anybody clear this up?

 

2. I'd like to motorise the 3 set and I know KATO do a kit for this (28-232). But am I right in thinking that it's not a good idea to have two motors in the same train as they may run at different speeds at a given power setting? If so, is it possibly to cobble together a duplicate of the car in the 3 set to be motorised from ASSY parts?

 

3. I finally figured out that KATO have a store in Kyoto station, and THAT is where all the "special open-door cars" (not sure of the lingo) can be purchased. But why are they so expensive? Just two E353 cars (seen here: https://www.katomodels-kyoto.com/e353) is over 20,000 yen. Is there any good places to get these a little cheaper? Or perhaps make them yourself? (although I'd loathe to take a hobby knife to a expensive n-scale model...) 

[katoftw]

1. Electrical transfer heads. They just clip on underneth. Very easy. Follow the instruction sheet that came with the set.

 

2. When you motorize the 3 car set. You still have the trailer parts to swap back at any time. So non issue.

 

3. Expensive as to make them you need to take the knife to 4 shells to make these open doors.

[SuperAzusa]

1 hour ago, katoftw said:

2. When you motorize the 3 car set. You still have the trailer parts to swap back at any time. So non issue.

Are you confirming that it isn't a good idea to have two motors in the same train? I'm pretty sure but it'd be nice to get a definite yes or no.

 

1 hour ago, katoftw said:

3. Expensive as to make them you need to take the knife to 4 shells to make these open doors.

 

Why 4 shells? Not 2?

[Kiha66]

Multiple motors in the same train shouldn't be an issue.  Since they both have the same drive system they should be pretty well speed matched, many larger sets have more than one powered car.  My 115 series from kato has two powered cars for example, and it runs great.

[katoftw]

Second motors also normaly have no traction tyres. So the second motor hhas the allowance to have wheel slip if motor speeds are different.

 

I would assume but cannot confirm Kato's process of cuting shells. But with some confidence in saying that some one cutting a shell wouldnt get a clean cut. Hence using 2 shells per end car. Or four in total.

[Kamome]

The Kyoto store has a lot of custom additions to the range. Most look like in-house modifications rather than factory produced products so the majority of the cost is probably due to the manual workmanship. 

Last time I visited they had a fully-lit SL Yamaguchi set (10-1499)with all parts added and custom lights on the veranda ends (like the Tomix version) This added another ¥15,000 to the regular cost of the set.

[SuperAzusa]

Found this guide on how to it yourself:

 

https://www.orientalexpress.jp/10-1522_e353_3/