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 Ah, the classic lines of the original Bullet Train. The DCC installs are back. I’ve got a ton of photos, and I doubt I’ll post all of the work I’ve done in the past several months, but with Kato’s recent re-release of this model, it seemed appropriate for the latest update.  651系 cab car. Finally, a return to my long neglected 651系! In the first and and first-and-a-half parts, I upgraded the factory-fitted interior lights from bulbs to warm LEDs. Now the time has come to deal with the headlights. Thankfully, this conversion proved quite easy using a TCS FL4 function decoder, which is both small and capable of handling the in-rush current from the bulbs. Just an update on this project. I managed three more cars in one evening, for a total of four out of seven. It’s tedious going, but I’ve got the hang of it now. What’s slowing me down is cleaning the trucks: They’re filthy! Spent the evening with a bowl of rubbing alcohol and a [...]  Kato 10-173 651系 'Super Hitachi' So, you have just purchaed Kato 10-173 651系 (651-series) “Super Hitachi”, and want to know how to convert it to DCC. I’ve just begun this process myself; here is part one (of many!) of my report. The 651系 is factory-fitted with interior lighting, a nice touch. But, being bulbs, those lights have to go. For one, they draw a ton of current—55mA/bulb @ 9 bulbs = almost half an ampere!—which limits the number of trains that my Digitrax Zephyr can drive simultaneously from two to one. For another, bulbs get hot when powered by AC, and DCC is AC. Some people have reported that Kato’s bulb-based interior lights cause meltdowns when run on DCC. I don’t have a link, because I think this claim is largely apocryphal, but Kato nevertheless cautions against using their bulb kits with DCC. Or at least they did until they discontinued those sets. Anyway, Kato’s LED interior lighting kits aren’t compatible with the 651系. You’ll see why below. This means we’re going to have to improvise something new if we want to run out 651系 on DCC. The EF81 done, I’ve been trying to decide what DCC project to tackle next. I’ve settled on my Kato 651系 for several reasons. First, the set is being re-released next month, which means a new wave(let) of interest. It also means a new wave of spare parts if I mess up. Too, the pre-fitted [...] This has been an awful week, for reasons I won’t dwell on. But as is often the case, I attempted to wrest control over my life by relaxing with my trains this weekend. And, as is increasingly the case, this attempt led me only to frustration. Before me are four models that have issues. [...] My latest purchase is a Kato model of the 651系 “Super Hitachi”. It’s quite the handsome model, and it includes interior lighting for all the coaches, out of the box. What a nice feature, ne? A few minutes of running the train, however, and I begin to wonder. My throttle is very warm to [...]  Both models are exceptionally detailed Here’s a comparative review: Kato’s E231-500 Yamanote Line (part nos. 10-261, 10-262 / repackaged as 10-578, 10-579, 10-580) vs. Tomix’s 209-0 Keihin-Tohoku Lie (part nos. 92329, 92330, 8917). The Kato has since been repackaged and given a new set of part numbers, but is otherwise unchanged from what I describe here. Tomix has just announced that they are re-tooling their E231-500: The differences between the models would be interesting to compare. Trying to figure out what to put in your Kato EF65 or DD51? Click through, and perhaps I can assist you. [...] Still looking for the perfect decoder for your shinkansen (bullet train) or commuter train? Click through: I’ve got what you’re looking for. [...] |
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