KATO 10-510 Shinkansen 500 is there two different versions?

[The_Ghan]

The resistor is also for reading back CVs on the programming track, and acknowledging programming. Ever wonder why your train does a little dance when you program a CV? That's how it acknowledges the programming took: By drawing a little bit of power, by jiggling the motor. So you can't use a resistor that's too too big, on pain of losing the ability to confirm programming, or read back CVs on the programming track. I think the magic number was 8 or 10mA? In which case, 120ohms is about right…

 

Good point, but I think you dropped a zero.  I=V/R = 12/120 = 0.1 (100 mA), not 0.01 (10 mA).  A kOhm might be a bit large, and backing down to 680 (another standard 10% size) gives 18 mA and 211 mW, although it would exceed 250 mW on a 14-volt system like a Zephyr. An 820 Ohm resistor would give 15 mA (which might be a bit low) on 12 volts, but 239 mW on a 14-volt system, which would be safer.

 

And aside from wasted power, and unnecessary heat inside the car, quarter-watt resistors are going to be easier to find than 1 - 2 watt resistors.

 

 

Ken,

 

I've got an email from digitrax that suggests 120 Ohm 1/4W ... I had previously suggested a 2W resistor to them - which I can also get on eBay.  Now I'm thinking of going back to the TF4, but I'll run the math past the guys at Digitrax again ...

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

 

Just to put this little puppy to bed ... I've received another email from Digitrax.  The resistor can be 120 Ohm to 1k Ohm 1/4W.  I'm going to get some 1k resistors and give it a shot.  With Ohms Law, the decoder will only be drawing 0.014A - a much more modest and acceptable solution. 

 

Cheers,

 

The_Ghan

[Spaceman Spiff]

Martjin,

 

I've nicknamed the Kato stuff "plug and pray".  In some models the decoder does not sit in the correct position because the tolerances are not tight enough.  In my opinion, this is a design fault.  They should be relying on a pin and socket connection rather than a miniature PCB cutout template.

 

Cheers,

 

The_Ghan

 

I've had problems with the pin and socket ones as well, especially the NEM651 can be a pain, and that one happens to be the most common in European N-scale =)

 

 

I know I have had issues with my Kato TGV. I have had intermittent contact issues since day one.

 

Spiff

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Hi, I am new to Japanese railroading and thinking about picking up Shinkansen 500 train as my first foray into Japanese railroading. Is there two different versions of the set ie: loco in the front or power supplied by a coach car? Is this correct? If so is there any difference between versions ie: newer, easier for decoders installs, better running?

 

Thanks

 

Spiff

 

Found a sweet kickin deal online for the starter set and a 4 car add onset.  Saw no difference between the starter 10-003 or 10-510. I compared both Japanese and American sites (price and content).

 

Also ordered V11 track set.  At least now I can run my Kato 500 and 800 Bullets as I brainstorm about the layout boards. DCC will come later. Soon.

[Spaceman Spiff]

You have to tell us where you found this deal. 

 

Spiff

[Guest Closed Account 1]

In comparison to other sites and sometimes you have to put items in a cart to see if they sell less than m.a.p which is jeopardizing their franchise, I found that model train stuff was a good deal.

 

I bought the Kato shikensen 500 nozuki starter set because it was less than then ala carte price and also the 4 car set.

 

Anyone know a way to cover these N scal trains to display on a shelf? That where they need to be when idle.

[KenS]

Anyone know a way to cover these N scal trains to display on a shelf? That where they need to be when idle.

 

It might be a bit pricey, but you can get display cases that will fit on a bookshelf (I have a couple of similar ones I picked up at a train show, with hardwood bases and acrylic covers, alhough mine are for HO and O scale trains).

 

I don't have any experience with this store, but this is similar to the ones I have:

 

http://www.usadisplay.net/modeltrain.htm

 

You can also get wall-mount multi-shelf cases that can hold multiple trains.  I don't have one of those, although I have thought about it from time to time:

 

http://www.tracksidetrains.com/HTML/N%20PAGE.html

[Guest Closed Account 1]

My cabinet maker would make one purposely for the long bullets for less. He has the computers too.

 

Simple multilevel case with a glass door.

 

Maybe we need to push this into a new topic?

[Guest Closed Account 1]

I stand corrected.

 

Paying attention to detail.

 

Finally opened the starter set and broke in the motor. Mmm new train smell.

 

The difference between the Starter Kit and the model set is that the ala carte set comes with a Kato set volume case or whatever is called that holds 8 pieces and the Train Name on the spine.

 

I bought the starter set and a four car add-on set. Now the case states train name plus the words add-on. Not a deal breaker but the unknowing will think it's an add-on for the case next to it on the shelf. Hope this is clear.

[KenS]

Kato's annoying like that.  Sometimes you get the case with the expansion set, and the name's not quite right.  On the other hand, when I added a pair of non-motorized 3-car expansion sets to my original red Narita Express, each came in a case with room for six cars. I combined them, and one case (marked "253 Narita Express" on the front, and "10-409 253" on the spine) will go on the shelf next to the basic set's case, and the other will eventually get used to store freight cars (and no doubt confuse me more than once).

 

Recently, Kato's taken to selling the basic set (typically three or four cars, with the cab cars and the motor car) in simple boxes, and making you buy the first expansion set to get a case with room for both the basic and expansion cars. At least this way it's marked correctly.

 

If it really bugs you, they sell several cases separately that are marked more generically and come with a stick-on white label you can place where the cutout on the front goes, and write on with a pen or marker (I buy the 4 and 8-car cases and use them to store freight cars).

[David]

Recently, Kato's taken to selling the basic set (typically three or four cars, with the cab cars and the motor car) in simple boxes, and making you buy the first expansion set to get a case with room for both the basic and expansion cars. At least this way it's marked correctly.

 

Lets not even get into the 10+5 sets, where 2 cars from the 10 car set are boxless unless you buy the 5 car powered attachment set.

 

Oh, and you say you use the 8 and 4 car boxes for freight (I assume you mean the "E" case for 8 cars). Do you recut the foam or how do you get the cars to sit correctly?

[KenS]

So far, I've done it twice.  The KOKI flatcars with containers fit perfectly.  The TAKI 1000 tank cars used about 2/3 of the space, and fit okay (not perfect) if I put them at one end, so I cut off a chunk of the foam I removed and used it to plug up the rest of the space.  I'll take a couple of pictures tonight to show how they look.

 

I cut the foam with scissors, but more complex shapes should be easy enough to cut with a razor-blade cutter if necessary since you can pop out the foam and work on it on a cutting board.

 

And it's a lot more convenient than opening those plastic boxes every time.