Question about Kato Super Hitachi

[CaptOblivious]

Apparently I have an older version of the Kato 651系 "Super Hitachi". Kato is re-releasing the newer version in a month or so. I'm wondering what the difference might be, and if I might want to sell mine on eBay to upgrade to the newer one.

 

pictures:

10-173 (newer version): http://www.modelrailwaymuseum.com/museum_183.htm

10-165 (older version): http://www.modelrailwaymuseum.com/museum_088.htm

 

One difference the photos on that site bring out is the couplers. Mine, like the 10-165, uses knuckle couplers. And let me tell you, they are not the most reliable couplers ever. Nor are they especially close. And they are truck-mounted, which I dislike. On the newer one they are Scharfenberg. But that's not enough reason to upgrade.

 

Does anyone here own the 10-173 and can comment on the couplers? Are they reliable? Are they close? Are the body-mount? Body-mounts would be a reason for me to upgrade, definitely.

 

A reason not to upgrade: I don't know that I plan on getting the 4-car add on. The 10-165 carriages are numbered sequentially 1–7. Nice. (The 4-car expansion has cars 8-11.) The 10-173 are numbered, as near as I can tell, non-sequentially: 1–6,11 (car 11 having the coupler cover). (The 4-car expansion has cars 7-10.)

[angusmclean]

May I suggest that you change all your coaching stock to Kato Scharfenberg, a task which is simple, and gives a reliable connection which also looks good with simulated air hoses, and are very cheap.  I have many sets from the three main manufacturers, and all but one have been converted.

 

Angus McLean

[jappomania]

Hi! I hope this help you..

 

....

One difference the photos on that site bring out is the couplers. Mine, like the 10-165, uses knuckle couplers. And let me tell you, they are not the most reliable couplers ever. Nor are they especially close. And they are truck-mounted, which I dislike. On the newer one they are Scharfenberg. But that's not enough reason to upgrade.

 

Does anyone here own the 10-173 and can comment on the couplers? Are they reliable? Are they close? Are the body-mount? Body-mounts would be a reason for me to upgrade, definitely.

 

A reason not to upgrade: I don't know that I plan on getting the 4-car add on. The 10-165 carriages are numbered sequentially 1–7. Nice. (The 4-car expansion has cars 8-11.) The 10-173 are numbered, as near as I can tell, non-sequentially: 1–6,11 (car 11 having the coupler cover). (The 4-car expansion has cars 7-10.)

 

no, the coupler aren't body mounted, if you want you can upgrade your rapido coupler with Sharfenberg spare parts (Kato 11-703 grey or 11-704 black). Don't worry, Kato coupler work very well ;-)

the only difference is a little improvement of painting scheme with some writing alredy factory applied, but if your old set have the decals paper is the same..another little difference I know are the pantograph (a better new version that you can find like spare parts, sorry I don't know the code....)

The new set, like you see on Kato catalog, need the addictional set to have the correct end car for 7 cars formation

(note: only the 2 head cars in add-on set can be coupled, the head coupling in the start set are fake)

this model is not DCC ready like the last Kato release, the old have lamp, I don't think the new have led light...

 

ciao

Massimo

[CaptOblivious]

Very helpful all around. The couplers on mine are in fact Kato couplers, but of the knuckle variety. They are terrible; I'll order up a set of the scharfenbergs and hopefully that will fix the problem.

 

So, thanks for the info, both of you! I've decided to keep my set. This evening I'm going to go ahead and order up the couplers, and everything I need to do a DCC conversion on it, including bits to replace all the bulbs with LEDs.

[CaptOblivious]

OK, this is weird. My set is marked "10-173", but it looks more like the older set, based on those photos. It doesn't have the red "no smoking" markings. It comes with knuckle couplers installed. The couplers on the cabs are functional and not shrouded (BTW, I was wrong about have the full sequence 1–7! I have 1–6,11 after all!). The booklet lists Sharfenbergs no 11-706 (not 11-703) as an optional upgrade (which I will be purchasing).

 

Was perhaps set 10-165 remarked as 10-173 before being upgraded? Why would that be? The train very clearly matches the photos and descriptions in my booklet, so I am sure that this isn't simply a case of model-case mismatch.

 

So weird.

 

On a side note, the Kato FL12 decoder fits perfectly in place of the stock lightboard, which is awfully convenient!

[NozomiFan]

Has anybody noticed that when the Imperial train comes through a station, the Super Hitachi is always before it?

[inobu]

Has anybody noticed that when the Imperial train comes through a station, the Super Hitachi is always before it?

 

I can only come up with 651 comes before 655 other than that I :dontknow:

 

Inobu

[NozomiFan]

I must have mistaken the 651 for a Super Hitachi.