Tomix and DCC

[Kiran]

3 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

Shouldn't be too hard, it may be slightly visible through the window but tomix trains are usually a pretty straightforward wired install.

I can send them your way Kiha66 when you have some time to work on them. Don't suppose ESU makes any locsound for Shinkansens.

[chadbag]

38 minutes ago, Kiran said:

I can send them your way Kiha66 when you have some time to work on them. Don't suppose ESU makes any locsound for Shinkansens.

 

Use whatever you are standardizing on.  I believe you can load your own soundfiles if you have the ESU programmer.  (I am standardizing on D&H decoders and sound modules for that reason)

[Kiha66]

Sadly as far as I'm aware there are no sound files on the market for a shinkansen.  Hopefully someone will make one eventually!  I have a feeling kato will do a sound card sooner or later, but I really wish they'd sell the sound files for decoders as well.

[Kiran]

42 minutes ago, Kiha66 said:

Sadly as far as I'm aware there are no sound files on the market for a shinkansen.  Hopefully someone will make one eventually!  I have a feeling kato will do a sound card sooner or later, but I really wish they'd sell the sound files for decoders as well.

I wonder what this is? 

 

[Gryphr]

In another video he states that he recorded the sound and created the sound project by himself, which can be done using ESUs Lokprogrammer.

 

I remember seeing a japanese website that sold Loksound decoders with sounds for japanese trains on them, but they were quite steep at 23000 Yen per decoder and I'm not sure if they had some for Shinkansen.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Gryphr

[Martijn Meerts]

I've done a sound decoder install in an H0 E5, which had mostly custom sounds. For the base running sound I ended up using some ICE sounds considering I couldn't find any usable Shinkansen running / motor sounds. I did add several typical station sounds and jingles and such, partially from some CDs I have, and partially from Youtube videos.

 

I also ended up creating a custom little soundbox using some 1mm MDF, since the standard plastic soundbox sounded absolutely terrible. Even with the MDF one, the sound quality in general was reasonable at best.

[DD13]

Anyone did a decoder install in a Tomix DD13?

[Marcin]

On 11/24/2019 at 7:15 PM, DD13 said:

Anyone did a decoder install in a Tomix DD13?

Not DD13, but DD51(similar construction). One locomotive is Kato, one is Tomix. Decoder is Locommander II micro, Train-o-Matic. Is not complete, because I waiting for tantalum capacitor.

[DD13]

Did you install leds?

[Raicho485]

Last year I got this Tomix EF81 locomotive and twilight express passenger car set from auction site.

Seemed last owner didn’t know how to use digital converted locomotive at his layout at all.

Sold as a junk set. Kinda gambling to bid the set. Some improvement required, but I am happy to run this set because I had a chance to take this real train just before terminated the service. 
 

Found out DCC address is 81 with my DCC controller.
Definitely DCC lover sold this set to previous owner for some reason.

 

 

[kenjidm]

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but dont want to start a new one.  Dumb question but once you say convert a train to DCC, do you need a special controller to control that specific train?  Do you need a special program to control that train?

[cteno4]

Kenj,

 

DCC is short for digital command and control. Basically it’s putting a chip in each loco/train that can receive communication via the rails to control each train individually via a controller that sends out the signals to the train. This allows a lot more flexibility than the traditional just control the power to the track to control the train. You can use dcc throttle to controls manually or use computer programs to control the trains automatically with dcc.

 

jeff

[Wolf]

2 hours ago, kenjidm said:

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but dont want to start a new one.  Dumb question but once you say convert a train to DCC, do you need a special controller to control that specific train?  Do you need a special program to control that train?

 

As I feel @cteno4s answer does not bring out the answer you wanted (but its a great and absolutely correct explanation), i wanna rephrase this a bit.

 

When you want to run DCC, you need a DCC Controller. In DCC, Locomotives (once they got a DCC chip like @cteno4 said) get an "adress" (either short 2 digit or long 4 digit) and the Controller can be set to that specific adress and control that train. You can change the adress of the "to be controlled" train on the Controller anytime and switch around to run multiple trains at once.

 

Normally, no specific Software is needed, unless you want to start creating automatisations.

 

Keep in mind that normally, dcc trains and dc trains cant be run at the same time

[KomachiMaster427]

Hello, everyone. I apologize for my absence. I'm looking at possibly getting a Tomix Kintetsu 50000 Series Shimakaze bu am leery to make the jump as while it is one of my favorite trains, I'm worried as to how difficult it would be to convert to DCC given the history and constant battle with Tomix and DCC. Any advice on if it would be doable and how difficult it would be?

[chadbag]

6 hours ago, KomachiMaster427 said:

Hello, everyone. I apologize for my absence. I'm looking at possibly getting a Tomix Kintetsu 50000 Series Shimakaze bu am leery to make the jump as while it is one of my favorite trains, I'm worried as to how difficult it would be to convert to DCC given the history and constant battle with Tomix and DCC. Any advice on if it would be doable and how difficult it would be?

 

It all comes down to how handy you are with simple wired decoders.  I've not done anything more than the Tomix Shinkansen from Tomix (and started an EF210 locomotive) but I would think it should not be too hard if you are comfortable with soldering irons and wired decoders.

 

If we could see a pic of the inside it would be easier to say how easy it would be.

 

 

[Damo Jr.]

HI KonichiMaster427,

Conversion of a Tomix Shinkansen motor car should not be too difficult, as it is only the motor, but I see some issues where the power to the head an tail cars is distibuted via the couplings, from the motor car.   To do the  mtotor conversion, you would need to isolate the motor from the body connections and solder the Orange and Grey wires to the motor terminals.     The black and red wires would then be connected to the power supply from the wheels.    That would take care of running the train, but the front and rear lights will need to be fitted with thier own decoder to operatate correctly.    The interior lighting can be left to stay on constantly while there is power to the track, but you might prefer to add decoders to control them.    Each part presents it's own problems, but not insurmountable.    Kato make specific decoders for motor cars and head/tails cars, whcih can be adapted.     I only have one Shinkansen model nad haven't had a look at converting it yet, so please excuse my lack of detail.

[Kingmeow]

Damo, I have been lurking regarding DCC in Tomix equipment (but not on this forum :D).  I'm pretty good in installing decoders in US market equipment but have never done a hard wire for Japanese stuff.  But, I have been thinking about how to do it since I got a Tomix Shinkansen set (Mickey Mouse) when I was in Japan last September.  Your reasoning and logic seems to be the same at what I arrived at.  My biggest fear is breaking a part and I'm half way around the world!

 

Oooh, light bulb!  I should try this NOW as if I break anything I will be back in Japan in October so I can get spare parts!  🤣  I have hard wire decoders lying around but more importantly I have two spare Kato light decoders for the front/tail cars that I can probably adap.

[chadbag]

8 hours ago, Damo Jr. said:

HI KonichiMaster427,

Conversion of a Tomix Shinkansen motor car should not be too difficult, as it is only the motor, but I see some issues where the power to the head an tail cars is distibuted via the couplings, from the motor car.   To do the  mtotor conversion, you would need to isolate the motor from the body connections and solder the Orange and Grey wires to the motor terminals.     The black and red wires would then be connected to the power supply from the wheels.    That would take care of running the train, but the front and rear lights will need to be fitted with thier own decoder to operatate correctly.    The interior lighting can be left to stay on constantly while there is power to the track, but you might prefer to add decoders to control them.    Each part presents it's own problems, but not insurmountable.    Kato make specific decoders for motor cars and head/tails cars, whcih can be adapted.     I only have one Shinkansen model nad haven't had a look at converting it yet, so please excuse my lack of detail.

 

There are several posts here on JNSForum that detail, with pictures, conversions of Tomix Shinkansen to DCC (some of them are from me).  The cab end cars do require their own decoders.  If you use bi-polar function decoders it's very very easy.  (I used the NGDCC bi-polar function decoders from Japan).

 

My question is how close the non-Shinkansen DMU or EMU are to the Shinkansen models.  I have a JR 321 from Tomix but it is packed away at the moment so I can't check.

 

If someone can take their non-Shinkansen EMU/DMU from Tomix and pop the shell of the motor car and end cab cars we can take a look and maybe give some guidance.

 

I've converted both old and new Greenmax (older motors and newer brushless) EMU/DMU as well as a bunch of other things (older European locomotives, KATO non DCC prepared items, etc) using wired decoders so there is almost always a path if you think about and understand how it's wired up.  The split-chassis older style locomotives being the hardest because the whole chassis is part of the electrical path,

[chadbag]

6 hours ago, Kingmeow said:

Damo, I have been lurking regarding DCC in Tomix equipment (but not on this forum :D).  I'm pretty good in installing decoders in US market equipment but have never done a hard wire for Japanese stuff.  But, I have been thinking about how to do it since I got a Tomix Shinkansen set (Mickey Mouse) when I was in Japan last September.  Your reasoning and logic seems to be the same at what I arrived at.  My biggest fear is breaking a part and I'm half way around the world!

 

Oooh, light bulb!  I should try this NOW as if I break anything I will be back in Japan in October so I can get spare parts!  🤣  I have hard wire decoders lying around but more importantly I have two spare Kato light decoders for the front/tail cars that I can probably adap.

 

This is one thread for converting Shinkansen from Tomix to DCC.  It has my contributions as well as others.  I've done a couple (700 Railstar, hello Kitty 500, JR West N700) and they're all pretty  much the same.

 

 

Here is my JR West 700.    It was my second ever DCC install that was not a plug in or slip in (so it  may not be as sleek as others).  Ths is motor car only I believe.  It was like 6 years ago and it's currently packed away.  I may need to add the NGDCC bi-polar decoders to the end cars

 

 

Here is another one I found (I am not involved in this one and have not done more than skim it at the moment -- I may have read it in detail at some point in the past)

 

 

 

[Kingmeow]

^ Oh Thank You Very Much Sir!  This will certainly keep me busy for awhile!

[Damo Jr.]

5 hours ago, chadbag said:

 

This is one thread for converting Shinkansen from Tomix to DCC.  It has my contributions as well as others.  I've done a couple (700 Railstar, hello Kitty 500, JR West N700) and they're all pretty  much the same.

 

 

Here is my JR West 700.    It was my second ever DCC install that was not a plug in or slip in (so it  may not be as sleek as others).  Ths is motor car only I believe.  It was like 6 years ago and it's currently packed away.  I may need to add the NGDCC bi-polar decoders to the end cars

 

 

Here is another one I found (I am not involved in this one and have not done more than skim it at the moment -- I may have read it in detail at some point in the past)

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the links Chad.   The installs look great and to be honest, I didn't know about bi-polar decoders and willl be looking into those.    My only shinkansen is the Tomix E3-700 series Joetsu and you have me wanting to dig it out and look!   

I should be concentrating on my DD51 project!  😆

 

[chadbag]

1 hour ago, Damo Jr. said:

 

Thanks for the links Chad.   The installs look great and to be honest, I didn't know about bi-polar decoders and willl be looking into those.    My only shinkansen is the Tomix E3-700 series Joetsu and you have me wanting to dig it out and look!   

I should be concentrating on my DD51 project!  😆

 

 

i think the E3 is a little different.  Not necessarily harder.  I have a Tonic E3 (the one with the fireworks and stuff livery) and I think the motor car is an end car.   I’ve not done that but it should probably be similar to the Shinkansen 400 link I posted above that someone else did. 
 

The bi-polar function decoders don’t require you to flip leds or anything like some of the other ones do (since they’re made to work on the voltage polarity switching).  You can just add them straight in like a motor decoder. 
 

 

[Wolf]

11 hours ago, chadbag said:

(I used the NGDCC bi-polar function decoders from Japan).

 

Wich item no is this, I am still searching for a decent polarity switching decoder for easy headcar conversions.

[chadbag]

7 minutes ago, Wolf said:

 

Wich item no is this, I am still searching for a decent polarity switching decoder for easy headcar conversions.

it’s one of the bipolar they have here.  I think they have a couple listed as bi-polar and I think  I have both.  I have not looked at it in a few years but I bought from them a few times (once shipped to me in the U.S. and once shipped to my SisIL in Japan) and I think I’ve bought both the bi polar they had listed at the time.  Sorry to not be more specific but my stuff is packed away currently and I don’t remember the model numbers.  You can turn on browser translation and look at their offerings. 
 

https://snjpn.com/ngdcc/indexj.htm

 

there is a topic on the forum About ordering from them. 
 

 Vielleicht kannst Du Händler für Sie werden.  

Edited August 4 by chadbag

[Wolf]

Found them, most basic being the DF11

 

https://snjpn.com/ngdcc/df11/df11r6j.htm

 

You would think something like being bi-polar would be a function you advertise in the list, but no its only mentioned on description. DF11 has 2 FX switched bipolar by direction of travel and thats it. Exactly what I need, a lot. I lately used Lenz SILVERmini+ switched to bipolar headlight mode, but they act up ever so often and are quite pricey for "just" a headcar decoder.

 

32 minutes ago, chadbag said:

Vielleicht kannst Du Händler für Sie werden.  

 

Completely OffTopic but yes, I have a few NGDCC boards on the shop, but only the common Kato replacement boards for locos and the Tomix cleaning car one. NGDCC is cool with me selling them but does not want to deal with international shipping or any special discount so I order via Third Party, so honestly people will always get then cheaper if someone buys directly at their place. Still, many customers gladly take them as a "side item" on an existing order, or even ask "put the one that fits the loco I purchased in the package".