Kato Suburban Station 23-126

[tantousha]

Ahoy-hoy!

 

Does anyone have any experience with the Kato Suburban Station for Double Track? I am building a layout using the double track kit V14 and while I assume the two work together I want to make sure before I plunk $100 down on a station and platform set for it...

 

Here is an auction with pictures from the lovely Plazajapan:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/360390785285?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1804wt_1007

[clem24]

Uhh... it's $200 for the station and platforms.  Your link only shows the station. You also need the platforms:

 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Suburban-Platform-Set-Double-Track-Plate-Kato-23-127-/360199115184?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item53dd8a51b0

 

This set works fine with the V14 but do realize that this set is actually quite old and is based on the old double plate track which is very different than the V14 set. The plate track is just regular Unitrack that's been screwed to some double plates (so you can easily add scenery), so the ties are black wood while V14 is concrete ties. Also the height will be different. The plate track is ever so slightly taller. But the distance between tracks are the same.

 

I think Kato discontinued the double plate track quite a long time ago.

[KenS]

$75 is probably overpriced. Current Japanese list is US$98, but it's been selling in the U.S. for years at around $75 - $80 new and no longer appears on Kato USAs stock list. I suspect the reason there are several on ebay is that stores are trying to clean out obsolete inventory (I know I've seen these gathering dust in more than one store, and on clearance sale for around $40 - $50).

 

That part number includes the building, base, and two 248mm (I think that's the length) side platforms with a plate section between them.  You could certainly use the building with other platforms, but you might have to do some work to mate them.  The Japanese description on Hobby Search's entry seems to say the standard 23-100 platform is incompatible.

 

While you probably could use it with a V14, you'd have to deal with running the track over the plate section (or remove that; not sure how easy that would be).

 

And as clem24 noted, the double-track plate line has been discontinued.  The station itself hasn't been discontinued, and Kato's Japanese stock list shows it as in stock, but Hobby Search says it's "sold out", which may mean the stock list is out of date.

 

It's not a bad model, and Kato doesn't have anything else similar, but just be aware it may not be as simple to use as their other buildings.

[clem24]

While you probably could use it with a V14, you'd have to deal with running the track over the plate section (or remove that; not sure how easy that would be).

 

Why? The plates come with track. The entire station and platform kit all come with track. You'll just need additional pieces of double track to integrate it into the V14. As I mentioned, the real issue (or maybe non-issue) is the height difference between the plate track and regular Unitrack, and as I mentioned, it's a very small difference, but it is there.

[KenS]

The plates do raise the track up a couple of mm.  If you connect 248mm straights to it, the angle is pretty small. Also, it's not "double track" in the modern, concrete tie sense, it's a pair of brown-tie single tracks screwed to the plate.  It is at the usual spacing, so you can connect it to CT double-track if you want. I just think it would look a bit odd.

 

I actually have a couple of the platform plates (no station, just the platforms).  I'd forgotten I'd bought them, but remembered I had something related to the plates and found them when I went burrowing through my storage shelves.  I could post some photos tomorrow night if you're interested.

[tantousha]

Thanks but I think I'm going to go other another direction... I found a similar station that doesn't have a platform attached and uses the modular Kato platforms...

[Krackel Hopper]

I'm a little late to the party here.. but if you're using a V14 and don't want any track issues..

 

Kato makes the exact same station (23-211) that is not their "plate track" design..

 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Suburban-Station-Kato-23-211-/120446391621?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c0b2a1545#ht_1703wt_932

[KenS]

Well I'll be.  I'd known they made versions of that station with two different roof colors, but I'd never noticed they were for two different types of platform.

 

Note, however, that if you are planning on using the 23-211, from the photos on Hobby Search, it uses a single S-joiner connection to the platform, not two. And while I can't be sure, the structure appears to be that used with Kato's Rural Platforms (a narrow side platform using a single S-joiner).   While you could connect the more modern side platforms, the new ones are a full 2mm higher than the rural platforms, and the distance to track from the S-joiner is slightly different so there's be a small (1mm?) alignment problem. That would mostly be hidden if the station were in front of the track, but it's something to be aware of.