Steam Locomotives

[Kamiyacho]

Among my first purchases many years ago were some Kato passenger cars: Oha 31, Oro 30 and Ohani 30.  I'm thinking that I would like to run these cars on my new layout as a tourist train but want to combine them with a new steam locomotive to take advantage of any improvements in the technology.  Can anyone suggest an appropriate locomotive which could also be suitable for DCC?   

[westfalen]

The Kato C11 tank loco is an easy DCC conversion and is used on tourist trains by JR Hokkaido and Oigawa Railway. The photo in the Kato catalog illustrating the cars you have shows a C11 pulling them.

[Martijn Meerts]

Kato's C11 isn't the best though if it comes to detailing. It does run quite nice.

 

I believe MicroAce announced a C11 as well, although it's a lot more expensive than Kato's version.

[Kamiyacho]

I believe MicroAce announced a C11 as well, although it's a lot more expensive than Kato's version.[/quote

 

Wow, almost twice the price.  I wonder what you get for that.

[angusmclean]

The Kato  C11 product code indicates to me that this is just a repeat of their earlier product (30 years old, perhaps), so the price is probably the same as it was 30 years ago!!

 

Angus

[Kamiyacho]

I have a Kato C50 and C57 from 20+ years ago.  Perhaps I should wait for MicroAce - is there any issue with DCC install?

[westfalen]

I have a Kato C50 and C57 from 20+ years ago.  Perhaps I should wait for MicroAce - is there any issue with DCC install?

Micro Ace steam locos are fairly easy DCC installs, my brother has done a C12 (wish they'd rerun that one) so a C11 should be feasible.

 

If this link works this Japanese site has a good comparison of the Kato and Micro Ace C11's along with shots of the mechanisms.

http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~toyoyasu/c11n.htm

[David]

The Kato  C11 product code indicates to me that this is just a repeat of their earlier product (30 years old, perhaps), so the price is probably the same as it was 30 years ago!!

 

Angus

 

Yes, the Kato C11 being sold is an old, old tooling. The pros are that it runs well (simple and robust mechanism designed for when tooling was not as precise) and is very inexpensive even compared to electric locomotives (saying the Microace C11 is double the price is somewhat misleading with regards to how expensive the MA model is). Despite the small size it does not handle tight curves well - R249 is about as small as you can go before the very loose pilot wheel derails or the drivers start grinding. It is pretty low detail, but the main downside in the looks department is that the incorrect scale is really obvious in person - it looks big and fat next to just about everything, even Kato's out of scale 9600.

[stevenh]

Note that Kato has released more than one version of the C11 and the latest has many improvements. For one, the front pilot wheels have spokes instead of being solid metal... as well as a functioning headlight.

[Martijn Meerts]

I quite like my C11, it looks great in front of those 3 cars (even though I only have 2 of them, the one with the blue stripe was sold out ..), and for the price of the thing you can't g wrong really. Sure, it might not be the most detailed engine, and it probably can't pull much more than those 3 cars, but still :)

[David]

My comments are based on the 2009 version (with the wheel spokes). Just to clarify, I think it's a good model for the money, with the size being the only thing that stands out for me.

[Kamiyacho]

Thanks - all very helpful comments (and links/photos). 

[stevenh]

...and it probably can't pull much more than those 3 cars...

 

I was about to write "In real life it can!"... but then I looked at my photos of Oigawa Railway...  3 cars!

All photos are taken from this album... ...please excuse the photo-spam.

 

 

 

...and to take it home... they cheated...

 

[bikkuri bahn]

Thanks for posting those pics, Steven.  I didn't know about that electric at Oigawa- it looks a bit bigger (maybe camera angle) than the usual private railway loco.

 

ED 501, Hitachi 1956, originally for Osaka Cement:

http://www.oigawa-railway.co.jp/ed_501.html

[westfalen]

...and it probably can't pull much more than those 3 cars...

 

I was about to write "In real life it can!"... but then I looked at my photos of Oigawa Railway...  3 cars!

 

I've posted this video before but when I rode behind C11 207 in Hokkaido in February 2006 it had six cars including the little 4 wheeler.

[bill937ca]

Oigawa Railway in 1978.

 

 

Later videos:

 

 

[westfalen]

Interesting to see how little the Oigawa has changed since 1978, except that the run around track was still connected a Kanaya so they didn't need the electric loco to tow the train up from Shin-Kanaya. They've really got her rolling in that last video, shows the C11 could not only haul five cars but could manage a decent turn of speed as well.