Ed,
Now that's an idea! If I can just buy a replacement truck/motor (Kato calls it a "powertruck") for about $50 and use that to experiment on. I don't know if replacements are available, but if they are and if that works, I'll do it again for the other three (I have two of these trains and the power car has two power trucks, of course). That will leave me with four unconverted power trucks, and four DCC power trucks. I've installed decoders before, but, again, this is an expensive train set and the instructions are in Japanese, so that's why I'm hesitant to do it myself. And yes, I definitely want to use a modern sound decoder. The Shinkansen doesn't make much sound besides "whooosh" as it flies through the station as fast as a plane, lol.
And that's NOT a straightforward install in those Kato NW2s. It's pretty involved - especially milling out part of the chassis to make room for the decoder.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
George Nefstead at TVW Miniatures does good work, but can't say if he's still at it. Been a number of years since he installed a DCC sound decoder in my Kato HO NW2, it's still working hard on my layout and running as fine as frogs hair to this day.
Regards, Peter
rrinkerThe truck mounted motors should make it EASIER to install a decoder, since there's no motor taking up hald the space in the frame.
I was simply refering to the tight tolerances and delicate wiring to the motor. One wrong tug and you're looking for a new $50. truck/motor assembly:
You could use the existing bronze tabs to bring the rail pickup to the input side of the decoder then you have to drill a hole in the floor or find a way to run the wire back into the motors from the decoder. So I said it can be done but if it is the OP's first decoder install he may want to bone up on his surgical skills. Steady hand, good eye.
Then the lighting boards will have to be isolated from the rail pickup strips. Might be easy, might get involved. The Shinkansen model is somewhat unusual in this regard.
BernieAnd it looks like you have time bubble on your layout! Just kidding :-) That's beautiful scenery work there!
Thanks Bernie! It is usually 1955 on my layout but I tend to fudge that date a little, sometimes
Ed
The truck mounted motors should make it EASIER to install a decoder, since there's no motor taking up hald the space in the frame. So more room for the decoder and speaker.
All having a coreless motor means is - don't use an ancient decoder. Use one made in the past 20 years. It just has to have high frequency PWM to not damage the motor - which any known brand of decoder has had for at least 20 years now. Some of those uber cheap CHinesium ones that show up on AliExpress or eBay may be questionable, but if you're doing sound, don't skimp, use TCS, Soundtraxx, or ESU. And all of those are high frequency drive. In other words - you really don't have to worry about anything damaging the loco. You really don't have to understand a word of what I just said.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
These trucks are used by some in dead rail because of how easy it is to isolate the motor.
Yes, I'm gonna leave this job to the pros. I don't want to damage my train. Nicholas Smith just replied to me via email, so I'm gonna have them do it.
And it looks like you have time bubble on your layout! Just kidding :-) That's beautiful scenery work there!
BernieThanks, Ed! I actually have two Kato P42s, but I bought them already DCC equipped.
Same here
Amtrak_P40s by Edmund, on Flickr
When I heard about the new "coreless power-truck assembly" I thought I'd leave the decoder install to the "pros". In hindsight, I'm glad I did.
Regards, Ed
Thanks, Ed! I actually have two Kato P42s, but I bought them already DCC equipped. Yes, using a separate decoder for each truck seems wise, and just give them the same address. I might still try to find a hobby shop to do the conversion for me on this one. This was a very expensive train and I don't want to risk damaging it. Best to leave this one to a professional.
Typically, Japanese languae instructions for disassembly./assembly are a bunch of pictures with callouts in Japanese text. You can usually figure things out by looking at the pictures. Kato's hooper car kits were like this - can't read the instructions, but really, you don't have to. Thankfully, Japan uses Arabic numerals, so if things are steps in order, they will have a familiar 1-2-3 by them. Even if you can't read the accompaning text.
Unless they just used a wall of text instructions with this loco and no pictures or exploded diagrams. But then part of the fun is trying to figure out what a particular screw holds in. It's hard to truly damage a model by backing out the wrong screw, unless you pretty heavy handed. Just take your time, you can do this.
Bernie I can figure out how to install the decoder myself from there!
Yes, it can be done BUT keep in mind you have to deal with the extremely delicate wires coming off each motor. These would be wired to the orange and gray outputs of the DCC decoder. IF I were making this modification I would use a separate motor decoder for each truck rather than driving two motors from one decoder. Maybe both motors in parallel would be OK?
You then have to isolate the track pickup from the trucks and feed these to the black and red wires to the decoder.
For an overview of how it is done on the Kato P-42 (with similar coreless motor drive trucks) look here:
https://www.katousa.com/HO/P42/maint/DCC-install.html
Good Luck, Ed
Ed! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That's my exact train! That video shows me how to disassemble the power unit! I can figure out how to install the decoder myself from there! Thank you so much!!!
Bernie I emailed Tony's Train Exchange. They were the first I contacted. They never replied to me. I also emailed Nicholas Smith Trains and a few others, with no reply. That's why I asked here.
I emailed Tony's Train Exchange. They were the first I contacted. They never replied to me.
I also emailed Nicholas Smith Trains and a few others, with no reply.
That's why I asked here.
You may want to call them as some of these companies are working remotely or may have limited hours and/or staff. I had emailed a company and it took them almost a week to reply.
I know Litchfield Station does custom installations https://www.litchfieldstation.com/
I would keep trying, don't get frustrated.
Neal
Nice compact railroad you got there :-)
My email is [redacted].
But I've already tried to remove the body shell with no luck. Normally with most "American" models, I'd pull the shell sides apart and let the mechanism just plop out to remove the shell. This model doesn't seem to be like that. Plus it has an unusually complex close-coupling-tilting mechanism that's very fiddly and I'm afraid will break into a gajillion pieces if the shell is removed. I thought the trucks/bogies might pull off (as is common with some "foreign" locomotives [and, yes, I know most everything is actually made in China these days]), but, again, they seem to be attached quite securely and I don't want to apply too much force to pullt hem off.
From what I gather the HO Kato Shinkansen uses a coreless motor truck assembly similar to their Amtrak P42 Genesis locomotives. A DCC conversion of these are definitely not something that should be attempted by the casual modeler.
In the case of the Genesis models, even Kato "farmed-out" the DCC install to a third party (Kobo Custom).
This video has an overview of the construction:
Note that the "power car" is where the propulsion system is located. The concealed nose coupler is an amazing bit of engineering!
I can not make any suggestion as to who might provide a DCC decoder conversion, sorry.
No need to be rude to me, wvg. I live inside a dome on Mars and it's very expensive shipping model trains here. Anyway. the disassembly/assembly instructions are in Japanese, not English. That's my biggest problem.
Thanks, Tom!
Bernie,
You may want to define "reasonable". Not knowing the locomotives but making a good guessimate, a sound decoder install (i.e. decoder, speaker, speaker enclosure, and labor) is probably going to run you $200-$300 ea. I know Tony's Train Exchange does installs. Google "DCC installation+services" and you may even find a place that is in your neck of the woods.
lol, i'm not sure where you've been the last twenty years, but -most- locomotives are made offshore, the majority in china or it's republics ...
the cost to DCC these -should- not be any more than normal, whatever that may be ...
I have a Kato HO Shinkansen train set 3-516. I also have a Kato HO Shinkansen train set 3-518 that uses the exact same locomotive. I would like both locomotives converted to DCC (preferably with sound but that's not essential). Are there any hobby shops that can do this conversion. Only the locomotives, not the whole train. Fortunately, there is no electrical connection between the locomotive and the rest of the train as is common with many Japanese HO trains. My problem is the instructions are in Japanese and I don't know how to open the locomotive without damaging it to do the conversion myself. I'd rather have a hobby shop do the conversion for me if the price is reasonable, though I understand that the cost for these locomotives may be higher than is typical for an American made product.