Super View Odoriko train

[Bernard]

Alpineaustralia this is for you. Here are some photos of my Super View Odoriko. There are a couple of thing you should know about it. It is a unique train and beautiful in design (well...I like it.) Wiring it for a decoder is fairly easy but the tricky part is hiding the decoder wires since the motor is in a car with "super" wide windows.

 

Also if you intend to use interior lighting, you will have to purchase a special kit. (It looks fantastic lit up.) Here a 2 photos, one show the light on it's own the other comparing it to a regular 206 lighting kit. I have post a lot of photos of my roster in the gallery (I might have over done it) I hope this helps.

[alpineaustralia]

Thanks Bernard. The kit I have on order comes with factory fitted lights but I was wondering whether they are the newer LEDs. Also have you tried to fit the 29-353 decoders to them?

[Bernard]

That's great that it comes with the light sets! Of all my trains, that one looks the best when it's lit up, your son is going to love the Odoriko.

I've never used the Kato decoders they are very had to find in the USA. I really like the Lenz decoders (forgot the model #) and I think that's what I installed in my Superview, but they stopped making that particular decoder. Lenz puts out a "gold model" but it is about twice the price plus, Lenz is also not easy to come by in the USA.  Recently I've been using the Digitrax DZ123 or DZ125 decoders and have had few problems plus Digitrax has a great return policy in case something does go wrong.

As for the LEDs Kato does put out a light kit just for DCC, I think the model # is 209 for the regular light kit instead of the 206 kit which is for DC operation. (The Odoriko set will have a completely different model # because of it's shape) Is it too late to check with the place you ordered it from letting them know you are running DCC? But I think other members might know about the light kits and running them on DCC, you just don't what them to over heat and melt the car.

    I hope you post some photos of the new train when it arrives. Oh, I forgot to mention, I have the older version of the Odoriko in light blue. Is your's the new version with a different paint scheme?

[alpineaustralia]

Hey Bernard

 

I currently already install the 11-209s LEDS (6 pack being the 11-210) and, where possibly either plug in the 29-353 decoders or solder them in. I can only assume that you have rigged it up (or more accurately not rigged it up) so that the lights are on all the time? Not a bad idea if the train looks good with the light on anyway.

 

The train I have ordered is the latest model (10-474) with the factory fitted lights which is turquoise and white. The all japanese Kato catalogue doesnt say whether they are LEDs or not and so I assume that they are not. While the lens seems peculiar, it may be that I can still the LED bulbs which should be the same shape. All the conjecturing. I'll know soon enough and will post the photos. I got it from a japanese only site on the web for AUD$151 (about USD $141). By Aussie standards that is a good price. Not sure by US standards.  If it is good price, I am happy to provide the website address and tell you more about the way the operate.

[Bernard]

Apline - With lights included that is not a bad price by US standards but I don't know what shipping would be to the USA. Right now the US dollar is very weak, and the cost of gas keeps rising ($4.35 a gal. today in NY) All of our prices have gone up because of the gas situation.

[alpineaustralia]

Petrol in Australia is about AUD$1.65 - 1.70 per litre (ie about AUD $7.74 per gallon).

In US terms, thats about USD $7.26 per gallon.

But if you think thats bad, in the UK, it is about GBP 1.30 per litre. Thats about USD $12 per gallon.

In Europe there are demonstrations in the streets over the prices.

The US is probably fairing better than most on price but because countries like the US (and Australia) has not traditionally invested in alternative transport infrastructure (eg. rail, trams, other forms of public transport) funnily enough they are suffering worse.

I was talking to my investment adviser the other day about the possibly resurgence of sub-prime issues and he made a very sad quip that a lot of people who had been kicked out of their homes because of the sub-prime issues have had to live in their cars. With the fuel price hikes, they are effectively paying extra rent!

Sadly true.

[CaptOblivious]

I got it from a japanese only site on the web for AUD$151 (about USD $141). By Aussie standards that is a good price. Not sure by US standards.  If it is good price, I am happy to provide the website address and tell you more about the way the operate.

 

Care to share?

[alpineaustralia]

Sure the details of the store are:

 

 

Popondetta Co., Ltd.

Rail Way BLDG

3-3-3 Sotokanda

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0021

JAPAN

TEL: 81-3-5297-5530

FAX: 81-3-5297-5538

URL: http://www.popondetta.com/

E-mail: tu-han@popondetta.com

 

 

On their website, they have second hand, new and 'yet to be released' categories for Kato, Tomix, MicroAce etc.

 

You copy the item (and all the rest of the details of the item) from their webpage into an email and send it to them.

 

They will respond with a confirmation email reciting back the order and asking if you are happy to pay and asking you to choose between EMS shipping and seamail.

 

If you want to add to the order you must add additional items under a heading <Additional order>. If you do this, then you can expect another email reciting back the order and asking if you are happy to pay and asking you to choose between EMS shipping and seamail.

 

Once you confirm the order and tell them you are happy to pay, they will then send another email with the total and postage and asking if you are happy to pay.

 

Once you confirm that you are happy to pay, they will send another email with a hyper link to a Japanese Paypal type of arrangement with instructions on how to interpret the japanese only page.

 

Once you make payment, they will then confirm that they have recieved payment and quote an EMS or seamail tracking number.

 

It is all really quite japanese in the way it is done... somethings just dont get the benefit of their fabulous efficiency.

[CaptOblivious]

I had no idea Popondetta would take orders and ship them overseas...that is excellent and very welcome news, alpine! That doesn't sound much different from ordering from Rainbow Ten (whom I use quite a lot—great customer service), if just a little more arcane (with RT, you can skip the first step and move directly to "give me a quote with shipping").

 

Do they read/write English, or am I going to have to communicate in machine-translated Japanese?

 

Thanks!

[alpineaustralia]

English is fine with them.

[to2leo]

Thanks for the info alpineaustralia.  I went to Popondetta before in Akihabara, Tokyo.  At least one of the staff speaks English.

 

I also love the Super View Odoriko Train, I rode in one and was amazed at the floor to ceiling window overlooking the busy tracks on the way to Ido from Tokyo.

[alpineaustralia]

Well my Superview Odoriko arrigved today in the new colour (set 10-474). It is an absolute beauty.

It came with factory fitted lights.

Now all I have to do is install the decoder. Does anyone have any pointers on how to open the shell on one of these. I tried but feared that I would break something.

It is tightly fitted and well constructed.

[Martijn Meerts]

It's a Kato right?

 

Usually the shells are just clamped on, but they can be very tight. Using a bit of thin, fairly hard plastic you might be able to pop it open.

 

In case of the end cars, in some cases you need to unscrews the bogies. The screw that holds them in place might also secure the shell in place.

[Bernard]

Hi Alpine - Martijn is right it is a very tight fit, it is also of all my Kato trains the hardest shell to get off. In the set you got look at the back page photo of the leaflet that comes with the set.

It shows what the train should look like with the shell off so you can see where the seams are. The shell comes off in a "U" shape.

And as Martijn also said take the screws out in the head & tail cars.

Look forward to photos of the decoder installs.

[to2leo]

Congrats on getting your Super View Odoriko, I love mine very much. 

 

I also went to Pondetta when I was in Japan 3 years ago.  I remembered there was a lady who spoke good English.  She was very helpful.  Although, I did not get what I wanted (the second hand Sunrise Express was defective), I will visit them again when I have a chance to.

 

Now that AlpineAustralia mentioned I can purchase from them online, I will certainly do!  BTW, how long does it takes for the shop to send to you?

[alpineaustralia]

If you chooe EMS then the quickest that I have recieved stuff from Japan to Sydney Australia is an amazing 3 days! thought more typically it is about a week.

If you choose seamail - 1  3 months.

[CaptOblivious]

If you chooe EMS then the quickest that I have recieved stuff from Japan to Sydney Australia is an amazing 3 days! thought more typically it is about a week.

If you choose seamail - 1  3 months.

 

I have often ordered stuff from Japan on Friday, and had it on my doorstep (in St Louis, USA) via EMS the following Monday. You can't ship stuff that fast via USPS within the US! (without using a courier and paying through the nose, anyway.)