Anyone install DCC in the Portram yet?

[nik_n_dad]

Has anyone installed a DCC decoder into the Kato Portram yet?  I just looked around the forum and saw some chats we had when they were introduced with some speculation, but no updates.

[CaptOblivious]

I don't think anyone here has; but if you've got one you'd like to have experimented upon… ;)

[IST]

Until I do not have any information about switches in the Unitram system, I won't install decoder into my trams.

But I can imagine a good tramway net with different routes based on timetable workings. 

[scott]

Seems like this would be an ideal use of DCC -- you could set up a fairly complex route and run several different trams at the same time.

 

I'd like to try something similar eventually, but right now the cost of converting from DC is too daunting. Maybe on some future small layout.

[FFISKIV]

I've had my portram apart (not by choice just despiration) and I can tell you it didn't look easy.  The board is held in by the upper plate (the one you see when looking inside or where the people go) and this would have to be removed to get a decoder in.  I think Kato will have to get together with Digitrax and come up with a direct replacement board.  Word of advice; Don't disassemble the Motor/wheel assembly.  If I remember correctly there are 13 gears and some of them are so small I had to use my stereo microscope to reassemble the right and left wheel/gear/plate assemblies.  Dont get me wrong it can be done it's just a pain, I consider myself a marginally competent mechanic and I'd think twice and probably cry a little before I tried it again.  The portram went back together and works thankfully.

 

I take all this back. I posted the disassembly picks in my gallery.  Please excuse my whining

[CaptOblivious]

Yuck! That may just seal it then! How critical is getting the trucks apart, do you think, to a succesful install?

[IST]

I've had my portram apart...

 

Did not take pictures about it?

My friends always tell me that I should look inside the tram, but I am not so brave. :-)

[alpineaustralia]

If it doesnt do DCC, I wont buy it!

Do you need to take the trucks apart to install DCC or was there another problem?

[Martijn Meerts]

Doesn't the Kato portram have 2 tiny motors pretty much right on top of the trucks, or even partially built into the trucks?

 

I guess you wouldn't need to take the trucks apart, and I'm pretty sure it can be done. I'm also 100% certain you won't be able to hide the decoder, so it'll be visible through the windows ;)

[nik_n_dad]

Hiding decoders has been tough on some of these little things.  We've installed decoders in the Kato Hiroshima-Hannover Tram and the Tomix  MCR600 snowplow and the decoder peeks through the windows like some sort of octopus.  I've been thinking about tinting the windows on both

[FFISKIV]

Look in my gallery.  I've posted pictures of the portram disassembly. 

[westfalen]

It's on another post somewhere, but I've got a decoder for the Portram on its way from Japan as we speak.

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,2319.0.html

[David]

From what I've seen of the insides I don't think the decoder install would be impossible.

 

First is that you don't need to take apart the trucks - there is a clear seperation between the power pickup (the 2 brass/copper spikes) and the motor power (the 2 wires). The lights might present a challenge with their integration (maybe just replace them and the lightboard completely?). The final challenge would be voltage - part of the circuit limits how much voltage goes to the motors, which can only take I assume about 4.5V (instead of the full 12/14/16V DCC will blast them with). I'm wondering if the spot where the voltage control board currently is would be big enough to put a DCC decoder

[inobu]

I think Westfalen found the drop in decoder and has ordered it from Japan.

 

 

 

I think he's the guy to watch.

 

Inobu

[bill937ca]

Kato now says DCC is not recommended for the Portram & Centram trams.

 

http://www.katousa.com/N/JSE/LRV.html

 

 

 

• *Due to space constraints restricting DCC board installation and the low voltage motors built into the trucks, these Light Rail Vehicles are not recommended for use with DCC systems

[CaptOblivious]

5-6V motor drivers have become very common nowadays, with the increased popularity of these low-voltage motors. NGDCC has, as we've seen, made a decoder—it isn't hard. I simply wouldn't use anything that wasn't purpose built, however!

[westfalen]

As mentioned earlier I have four of NGDCC's decoders for my portrams but one thing after the other keeps pushing them to the bottom of the to-do list. I haven't even gotten the trams out of their boxes for about a year.