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Kato Announce N Scale British Class 800 IEP


Kiran

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I haven't heard any updates since the announcement.  My guess is we'll get an update closer to 2021 as they're not scheduled for a release untill sometime then.  Kato usually seems to work in approximately 5 month announcement then release cycles.

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Class 800 5 car sets in GWR and LNER liveries are now available for preorder!

 

https://railsofsheffield.com/news/articles/3670-n-gauge-class-800-gwr-lner

 

I wonder if "DCC ready" means they take in an EM13 decoder or a 6-pin decoder like the Thalys/TGV. It also needs to be seen if it would be cheaper to order from RG-Rokko or Rails. I find that shipping from UK tends to be cheaper and because there is no VAT on international shipments, the cost is GBP 178-20% = GBP142. Also, I have to decide if I want 1 set or 2. Or 2 sets of GWR or 1 set of GWR and 1 of LNER. I travelled on both last year. Decisions, decisions.

Edited by Kiran
Correcting the prices
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1 minute ago, Kiran said:

Class 800 5 car sets in GWR and LNER liveries are now available for preorder!

 

https://railsofsheffield.com/news/articles/3670-n-gauge-class-800-gwr-lner

 

I wonder if "DCC ready" means they take in an EM13 decoder or a 6-pin decoder like the Thalys/TGV. It also needs to be seen if it would be cheaper to order from RG-Rokko or Rails. I find that shipping from UK tends to be cheaper and because there is no VAT on international shipments, the cost is GBP 170-20% = GBP136. Also, I have to think if I want 1 set or 2. Or 2 sets of GWR or 1 set of GWR and 1 of LNER. I travelled on both last year. Decisions, decisions.

DCC will hopefully be 6 pin like the TGV’s, but then look at the ICE 4, plug and play so who knows!

 

Im ordering from RG-Rokko, got two of each on order, it will probably work out just a bit cheaper than ordering in the UK and I like to put as much business through them, their service is fantastic!
 

Guy

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3 minutes ago, GCS said:

DCC will hopefully be 6 pin like the TGV’s, but then look at the ICE 4, plug and play so who knows!

 

Im ordering from RG-Rokko, got two of each on order, it will probably work out just a bit cheaper than ordering in the UK and I like to put as much business through them, their service is fantastic!
 

Guy

Oh yeah, 2 of each is an option as well! And you are right about the ICE4. I wonder if they go with plug and play for EMU/DMUs (like ICE4) and 6-pin for trains with actual locomotives (like Thalys)?

 

+1 to service from RG-Rokko. They are fantastic.

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Funny how RoS says arrival early 2021/Q1.. I wouldn‘t count the end of May to either of those time frames 😄

 

EDIT: RG-R‘s pre-order price should be around 6000¥/£45 cheaper than RoS.

Edited by roadstar_na6
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54 minutes ago, Kiran said:

Oh yeah, 2 of each is an option as well! And you are right about the ICE4. I wonder if they go with plug and play for EMU/DMUs (like ICE4) and 6-pin for trains with actual locomotives (like Thalys)?

 

+1 to service from RG-Rokko. They are fantastic.

I’m hoping it’s 6 pin, the UK is IMO a very DCC oriented market so it would make sense. I wouldn’t be angry if it was plug and play though.

 

Can’t wait to see all 4 sets running together on my V11/V12 layout! 🥰

 

Guy

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30 minutes ago, GCS said:

I’m hoping it’s 6 pin, the UK is IMO a very DCC oriented market so it would make sense. I wouldn’t be angry if it was plug and play though.

 

Can’t wait to see all 4 sets running together on my V11/V12 layout! 🥰

 

Guy

Kato's plug and play system is really nice for getting up and running quickly. I wish they used a more serious decoder manufacturer than Digitrax though.

 

I have a special fondness for GWR. I lived in Reading for 4 years and used to commute to work on the HSTs. They were just testing the class 800 in 2016 (I think) when I moved to the states. 

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2 hours ago, Kiran said:

Kato's plug and play system is really nice for getting up and running quickly. I wish they used a more serious decoder manufacturer than Digitrax though.

 

I have a special fondness for GWR. I lived in Reading for 4 years and used to commute to work on the HSTs. They were just testing the class 800 in 2016 (I think) when I moved to the states. 

Pre-COVID I used to travel on them regularly to London, and even now I still see them on my commute to work so the GWR 800 has a special spot in my collection just waiting!

 

And agreed about decoders, do Kato have an agreement with Digitrax or something?

 

Guy

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I believe kato has worked with digitrax in the past.  The digitrax base throttle station is clearly designed with the look of the kato throttle in mind, and the EM13/FL12 system is done by them as well specifically for kato trains.  I suspect they have some collaboration going on for their DCC offerings.  

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I ended up ordering 1 set of each. According to wikipedia's class 800 page, the typical consist is either 5 car or 9 car. So I am not sure if 10 car is supposed to be prototypical.

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On 12/3/2020 at 5:37 AM, Kiran said:

I ended up ordering 1 set of each. According to wikipedia's class 800 page, the typical consist is either 5 car or 9 car. So I am not sure if 10 car is supposed to be prototypical.

I can’t speak for LNER, But for GWR two 5 car sets linked together occasionally work the Cardiff to London line, but generally are used for Devon and Cornwall services, the 800/2 9 car is used on the main great western Cardiff to London line.

 

Guy

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Email from Hattons today says "Digital capability has been confirmed via a selection of custom decoders. Individual decoders are required for motor and lighting functions and these are available separately or as part of one pack. You can also control interior lighting using individual decoders in each car." I think EM13 and FL12 and FR11 unless they developed something custom with another decoder manufacturer (Zimo?)

 

They also show CAD images in their video 

 

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Seeing as the power car is the second coach and not an end car, I feel very safe in forecasting this will be an EM13/FL12 style model.  I believe the 6 pin/board type have only been found on the TGV where the motor was in the end car.  

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A little bird told me that KATO is contemplating using Zimo made decoders in the future on all their trains (implying instead of Digitrax).  Given the ICE4 I would assume the form factor would remain the same, but the info I got did not specify if KATO management would decide to change the form factor as well for future models.  So, if KATO decides to go through with it, we could have either Zimo made EM13/etc style decoders marketed and sold by KATO or KATO could adopt a new form factor for new trains using a new Zimo form factor.  (The info indicated that this is just something that KATO is thinking through and discussing right now and no decisions have been made).

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, chadbag said:

 

A little bird told me that KATO is contemplating using Zimo made decoders in the future on all their trains (implying instead of Digitrax).  Given the ICE4 I would assume the form factor would remain the same, but the info I got did not specify if KATO management would decide to change the form factor as well for future models.  So, if KATO decides to go through with it, we could have either Zimo made EM13/etc style decoders marketed and sold by KATO or KATO could adopt a new form factor for new trains using a new Zimo form factor.  (The info indicated that this is just something that KATO is thinking through and discussing right now and no decisions have been made).

 

 

 

I heard this too. I don't know if a change, if it is happening, will happen so soon. I tried the Zimo version of EM13 in a few trains and it doesn't really fit well and doesn't seem to run the trains. The Zimo one seems to have a capacitor which makes the decoder thicker and I don't know if the contacts line up properly for anything other than the ICE4.

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2 hours ago, Kiran said:

I heard this too. I don't know if a change, if it is happening, will happen so soon. I tried the Zimo version of EM13 in a few trains and it doesn't really fit well and doesn't seem to run the trains. The Zimo one seems to have a capacitor which makes the decoder thicker and I don't know if the contacts line up properly for anything other than the ICE4.

 

I talked to an engineer at Zimo about using their decoder in other KATO trains.  There is nothing in the decoder to prevent it and they have gotten reports back with people using them in various trains (Japanese) but they did nothing to facilitate it or make it work (or not).  Their contract on that was limited to the ICE4 and that is what they did it for and worried about.

 

I was having a problem with the ICE4 with Zimo not stopping with an emergency stop and he was helping me debug that issue.

 

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1 hour ago, Kiran said:

What do folks think about ordering spares for new models? Do folks order spares when the new models are released?

I’ve preordered a bunch, and I’d recommend at least the pantograph if you are getting multiple sets like me, they’re always flimsy so worth a back up in case. I’ve gone for the front covers as well.

 

Guy

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It‘s always smart to have some assy parts ordered which might be needed at some point in the future. Otherwise you‘re in bad luck bc sourcing assy parts is a pita 😄

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I usually stock up on spare parts for either prize models where I know a part is fragile (the kato 0 series shinkansen pantographs) or where the part will fit a number of models and I know I'll likely need it at some point (replacement wheelsets, couplers, ect).  Usually Japanese models are so reliable that I haven't needed many parts on hand other than general upgrade parts.  

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Not sure I’ve seen it posted anywhere else but my YouTube feed showed a random video which happens to have an 800 series coach, looks really impressive so far! (it’s at the end of the video).

 

 

Guy

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The GWR version has hit the shelfs in Japan. I have a couple of them on order with RG but waiting for LNER version to come out before having a package shipped.

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Yes the LNER livery looks very nice. I’m sure if they sell well, we’ll see a 9 car set at a later date.

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