Guest Closed Account 1 Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 It sure does. Ran the JR500 for 3 hours straight and then ran the 800. Oh my. Had it full throttles for a long time with no issues on the Ntrak modules today at the show. Crowd pleaser. Do the nose pieces really contain couplers? Very tempted to connect 2 800 bullets. Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Not sure about the nose couplers, will be picking mine up tomorrow. But you will only see them in a 6 car set here in Kyushu, as that is all that is needed.. Link to comment
Guest Closed Account 1 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Just figured it out. In the nose piece is just a forked tongue to transmit light to the headlight. Well, all ready for the DCC upgrade next weekend. Link to comment
Martijn Meerts Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 The tail light construction make it difficult to have a working coupler in the 800 series I guess. Don't think they ever run the prototype coupled together either though. At least, I never saw a picture video of it, and I'm sure there would be a picture/video of it on the forum ;) Link to comment
Spaceman Spiff Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Just figured it out. In the nose piece is just a forked tongue to transit light to the headlight. Well, all ready for the DCC upgrade next weekend. DCC upgrade for the motor was relatively easy ie: I was able to do it myself. The lighting for the end units not so easy as I had a fellow club member do those lol. Spiff Link to comment
Guest Closed Account 1 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 DCC upgrade for the motor was relatively easy ie: I was able to do it myself. The lighting for the end units not so easy as I had a fellow club member do those lol. Spiff Do the cab light work properly forward/reverse? Link to comment
Spaceman Spiff Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Yes they do. As I said a fellow club member did it for me as it was too complex for me. I'm not good at soldering Spiff Link to comment
Spaceman Spiff Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Not the best video but it shows how both Shinkansen cab lights switch in opposite lighting (rev/fwd). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpwjBEpJ3Yg Spiff Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I have had mine for over a week, and havn't even taken it out of the box.. It's killing me, because I can't do anything until I get home.. Link to comment
Guest Closed Account 1 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Of my 2 bullets, I love my 800 over the JR500. It's such a smooth quiet runner. Sticks to any track as if it's not moving fast. It is. Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I don't know what the expensive Tomix 500 goodbye set is like. But my Tomix 4 piece JR 500 starter set is a piece of crap that is not only loud, but always loses power... Sometimes it won't even run in a reverse direction.. Just crap... That's a shame, because I love the design... Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I don't know what the expensive Tomix 500 goodbye set is like. But my Tomix 4 piece JR 500 starter set is a piece of crap that is not only loud, but always loses power... Sometimes it won't even run in a reverse direction.. Just crap... That's a shame, because I love the design... That's a shame because the 500 Nozomi is a nice design. I have the Kato version and have never had any problems with it. There is one thing I will say about the Shinkansens in regards to flex track...because they are set low to the track they are very sensitive to flaws when track laying especially in soldered curves. Other trains are more forgiving. Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I don't know what the expensive Tomix 500 goodbye set is like. But my Tomix 4 piece JR 500 starter set is a piece of crap that is not only loud, but always loses power... Sometimes it won't even run in a reverse direction.. Just crap... That's a shame, because I love the design... That's a shame because the 500 Nozomi is a nice design. I have the Kato version and have never had any problems with it. There is one thing I will say about the Shinkansens in regards to flex track...because they are set low to the track they are very sensitive to flaws when track laying especially in soldered curves. Other trains are more forgiving. Hi Bernard,. It is a shame, because it is a great design, but I too will look at getting the Kato offering some time down the track.. As for the Kato 800, I am still yet to run mine, so havn't seen how she goes. But I might set up some track tonight and give her a run. It really is a nice set! Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Chris - Here is one suggestion....and you might not like it.....I would open up the motor car and check all the moving parts (gears, motor, etc) take the motor out and check it with the transformer running it forward, reverse and at different speeds. Clean all the parts and then oil them. Before you put the shell back on test the chassis. Hopefully this will help. Link to comment
clem24 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I would open up the motor car and check all the moving parts (gears, motor, etc) take the motor out and check it with the transformer running it forward, reverse and at different speeds. Clean all the parts and then oil them. Before you put the shell back on test the chassis. Hopefully this will help. +1. Kind of weird that it would run so bad. I usually do this too - just take everything apart, clean it all up, and re-lube. I also hook up the motor directly to my power pack just to rule it out, and in 9.. no wait, 100% of the cases, the motor is always good even if the train is squealing. Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Yeah, well, when I get back to Aus, I will give it a good once over... Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Well, I couldn't wait to get back to Aus, so I set up a shinkansen track last night and gave my Kato 800 a good run.. I gotta say that I think the Kato offering is far more superior to the Tomix 800.. The couplers alone far exceed those of the Tomix set, and I find that the 6 car Kato set runs alot smoother and quieter than my Tomix 3 piece starter set... Only thing that I wish it had would be the power going to all wheels like the newer Tomix Shinkansens.. I will be giving my new Tomix N700-8000 Sakura a run today! Chris Link to comment
Martijn Meerts Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I have both the Kato 6-car set and the Tomix 6-car set limited edition. The Tomix 6-car runs just as well as the Kato 6-car. No idea about the Tomix 3-car set, whether there are any differences, or if the 3-car set in the starter kit is any different.. Can't imagine though. But yes, the Kato 800 series runs extremely well :) Link to comment
keitaro Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 the 3 car tomix runs greatr i have it can take 280-45 curves easily and runs really smooth and i have had it since 2004 - 2005 Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hi guys, I just wanted to bump this thread up and talk about a few things that are kinda bugging me with the KATO 800 Tsubame.. I am running it next to my Tomix N700-8000 Sakura and I am in full understanding that they are completely different beasts. But I was just playing with my daughter "Sakura" and even she noticed that the 800 didn't seem right? I don't know if its the difference between the Tomix all wheel power feature, and the lack of said feature in the Kato 800, but it simply doesn't like going around on my Tomix slab rail at low speeds. (I am also using a Tomix N-1 controller brand new yesterday). There is one point in particular at the end of one of the straits that joins to a bend that the motor skips a beat, and that is even on the highest speed.. I find that the Tomix N700-8000 doesn't notice it, as it is getting power to the motor from all over, but the Kato 800 isn't.. Its just in that one spot when the motor carraige hits it. I have checked the join, and no problems, I have checked for dirt, and no problems, and it is only in that one spot? Another thing that my daughter noticed, was that at high speeds, the motor seemed to sound uniquely different to the Tomix, in that it had a kind of dragster sound to it, instead of a winding electric motor sound that it should have? Anyone else have any similar experiences with it? I know that Kato and Tomix equipment should mix together with no problems. But I just wanted to check and pick your brains about what it could be.. I am also working on some plans for a DIY power system through the wheels like Tomix has in order to make it a little more efficient.. Any suggestions? Chris Link to comment
Martijn Meerts Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 My Kato 800 runs great actually. Both before and after I installed a DCC decoder in it. Usually, when it does run bad it's because of dust on the track, or dirty wheels. I have to say though, if the problem is always in the same spot, I would guess it's the track that's the problem somehow, not the train itself. Hard to explain why a train has a problem on the same piece of track each time :) Difference in motor noise can have multiple reasons. Different brand of motor, possible 5-pole vs 3-pole motor, skewed vs unskewed motor, different flywheel sizes, etc, etc, etc. I don't think a DIY power system is easy for Kato's shinkansen (or other trains). You'd need to completely replace their diaphragm coupler, or at least modify it heavily. The couple needs to transmit the power somehow. Of course, if you don't ever need the ability to uncouple the train, you can just solder wires between the cars, but it'd make cleaning/transporting etc kinda difficult ;) Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Thanks Martin.. I will take out that track piece tomorrow and have another go.. I love the train heaps, but I think Tomix hit the nail on the head with the all wheel power system! Link to comment
Guest Closed Account 1 Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I'll pay close attention to this when I run at the train museum this weekend. I remember it as my whitest smoothest bullet yet. Used the solder station to level the peco tracks and a Centram Tram to find the gaps. The bullets can run at top speeds in both directions now. Link to comment
Bernard Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Chris - I have the Kato & Tomix 800 Shinkansens and on the outside except for the couplers they look exactly the same. Before I converted the 2 trains to DCC, I test them out on a DC loop to make sure everything is working. There is where I found a big difference in the 2 trains....the Tomix flew around the track and when changing speeds it was abrupt, the Kato was smoother when it was DC....but that can be because of the model I got it might not be the same for all the trains. (I have 2 Kato White Sonics and they are very different in performance.) When I converted them to DCC, there was no difference in their performances, the Tomix improved, but neither train has the new Tomix connection system between cars. Link to comment
Samurai_Chris Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Thanks guys.. In fact I like the Kato 800 over the Tomix.. They are pretty well much identical, but the couplers on the Kato are more realistic.. I just wonder what motor is in mine, and why it has a more aggressive sound to it? Other than that, I love it, and just wanted to check what everyone else thought.. Sorry for the thread hijack Webskipper... Link to comment
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