first HD300

[miyakoji]

I've seen many videos of the prototype HD300-901, always being pulled by another loco.  Well, it appears the HD300 type has entered production.  Here's the first video I've seen, this is HD300-1.  And... it's being pulled by a DE10!  I expect that someday, these will replace the DE10s, but for now, look who is doing the actual work!  (video by tobu2181)

 

 

[disturbman]

Wonder who of the big three will announce that one first... For sure it will look nice to have it work some freights on a layout along some DE10 and DD51.

[keitaro]

i have been following this for a long time. they are very pleased with it's performance from what i read.

 

Also they were even more surprised on the test ones performance in cold regions.

 

though i beleive they have made modifications i'll see if i can find the page about it later today

[disturbman]

I gather they are yes.

 

The new locomotive uses lithium ion batteries' date=' and is designed to reduce exhaust emissions by at least 30% to 40% and noise levels by at least 10 dB compared with existing Class DE10 diesel locomotives. Tests conducted at Tokyo Freight Terminal in June 2010 demonstrated fuel savings of 36%, NOx emission reductions of 62%, and noise level reductions of 22 dB compared with a class DE10 locomotive.[/quote']

 

I hope for them it's also more economical to operate.

[westfalen]

Wonder who of the big three will announce that one first... For sure it will look nice to have it work some freights on a layout along some DE10 and DD51.

I hope it's Kato so it will be more DCC friendly but I bet we get one from somewhere before any US manufacturer decides to do a Genset.

[Martijn Meerts]

I think World Kougei has already done a version of the prototype.. Pre-built though, so not cheap :)

 

Does Kato actually have any locomotives that are DCC friendly? I know the GS4 has a slot for Kato's own decoder, but haven't heard of any Japanese locomotives being DCC friendly.

 

Of course, Kato is only DCC friendly if you use their decoders, and even in that case, it's not always all that friendly (like the 151 Kodama ;))

[keitaro]

I think World Kougei has already done a version of the prototype.. Pre-built though, so not cheap :)

 

Does Kato actually have any locomotives that are DCC friendly? I know the GS4 has a slot for Kato's own decoder, but haven't heard of any Japanese locomotives being DCC friendly.

 

Of course, Kato is only DCC friendly if you use their decoders, and even in that case, it's not always all that friendly (like the 151 Kodama ;))

 

they had to cancel it :( rights issues .... some one bigger must have bought the rights in other words

[westfalen]

I think World Kougei has already done a version of the prototype.. Pre-built though, so not cheap :)

 

Does Kato actually have any locomotives that are DCC friendly? I know the GS4 has a slot for Kato's own decoder, but haven't heard of any Japanese locomotives being DCC friendly.

 

Of course, Kato is only DCC friendly if you use their decoders, and even in that case, it's not always all that friendly (like the 151 Kodama ;))

Most Kato locos are DCC ready in that a light board replacement decoder is available, either a stock US model from Digitrax etc or from NGDCC. I've just put NGDCC decoders in my two ED16's, the hardest part was soldering on the surface mount LEDs for the headlights, the new board just slides in. NGDCC had a decoder for the Kato DE10, my DE10 has one, although he doesn't have it listed at the moment so one for a Kato HD300 should one ever exist wouldn't be beyond the realms of the imagination.

[Martijn Meerts]

So Kato is only DCC Friendly because external companies build custom light board replacements with decoders for them...

 

I guess, considering I hardly ever have an issue installing a decoder, pretty much every train is DCC friendly in my case =)

[keitaro]

anyway there are some cosmetic differences in this -1 to the 901.

 

 

Mainly the railing and the lights are positioned different and look different slightly.

i can't find the article now but i'm sure they changed batteries with a better modified one or maybe better storage in the unit

 

901

http://www.railway-technology.com/uploads/newsarticle/646152/images/135715/large/1%20-%20hd300.jpg

 

-1

 

http://traintrain.jp/blog/detail/mid/35054/date/2012-01-17

[Martijn Meerts]

Hmm.. Wonder who got the rights.. If it's going to become a common loco, I can't imagine only 1 of the big 3 is allowed to do a model of it...

[linkey]

the HD looks very squarish at either end, so they could use the DD51 but change the cab design and have a boxy ends and there ready to go HD. But that is what it looks like from my point of view. Plus knowing TOMIX and KATO, they both will go at it in having these babies into production.

[Martijn Meerts]

http://www.eff-andreas-rudolf.de/custom/6461.jpg .. Different paint scheme, change the lights a bit, and they're almost done =)

[disturbman]

Lights are going to be problematic for the model, placed on the railings like that I'm not sure we are going to have a loco with functional lighting on either end.

[KenS]

This could kill off not just the DE10 but the DD51.  One Japanese blog notes that the DD51 has a 14t/axle loading and the HD300 has 15t/axle, so it will likely be able to work the same routes (limited by horsepower, but you can mu units to overcome that). I can't quite tell if the blog is saying that, or something else (silly translation software).

 

And if "highest tension" means tractive effort, per wikipedia the HD300 outpulls the DD51 "20,000 kgf" to "16,800 kg".

 

And it's almost certainly going to be more efficient in yard work and hilly track as it has regenerative braking, so it can recover power normally discarded as heat on brakepads, and the ability to shut down the diesel engine when not needed during switching or coasting.  The only place it might be less efficient is in mainline freight haulage, where an "always on" small motor may be less efficient than a big one, but Japanese freights are light/short enough that this might not be a problem. Few places likely have long/heavy trains and track that won't support a DF200.