Kato Tram DCC?

[Sascha]

Can you put a DCC decoder in a Kato Tram?

[kvp]

If you mean the small and light 2 axle units, then yes, it's easy. You just have remove the capacitor and the top plastic clip, flip up the motor tabs and solder the 2 track wires of the decoder to the long pickup strips and the 2 motor wires to the motor tabs and isolate everything.

 

However the same can't be said about the flow floor articulated portrams as they are quite tricky with real bogie mounted traction motors, that i would never dare to open up.

[Sascha]

If you mean the small and light 2 axle units, then yes, it's easy. You just have remove the capacitor and the top plastic clip, flip up the motor tabs and solder the 2 track wires of the decoder to the long pickup strips and the 2 motor wires to the motor tabs and isolate everything.

 

However the same can't be said about the flow floor articulated portrams as they are quite tricky with real bogie mounted traction motors, that i would never dare to open up.

I mean this one. Some friends in Germaby want to add a tram to their club layout.

 

http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=RAIL-06051&page=top%2Fsearch%2Flist%3Fs_cate2%3D9604%24s_saleitem%3D1%24pagemax%3D40%24getcnt%3D0%24pagecnt%3D4

[kvp]

That's the flow floor articulated one and so far the hardest to DCC (or even assemble) unit possible. Not to mention it has multiple tiny motors with their own control circuits. Adding a decoder would need some patching in the decoder code too, so it would work with 2 motors and no direct feedback.

 

I would suggest something easier from Tomyec. The same trams (and many more) are available from Tomytec and they are easier to DCC as the Tomytec units have large conventional 12V DC motors and meant to be assembled/modified by the owners. They are very cheap too. No headlights though and the interiors are mostly filled with the mechanical parts, but it's possible to add a smaller decoder by soldering in only 4 wires (2 pickups, 2 motors). You can get the shells and the motor separately and they can be assembled by simply putting the two half shells on the motor. The motor has two tabs that get power from the two pickup strips running through the tram. You have to isolate and solder there. If the decoder doesn't fit, remove one of the weights (the larger one), then paint the wires and the decoder black to hide them.

 

Tomytec also makes longer, 3 section trams, that have a similar center motor structure. They can be DCC-d the same way by isolating the motor tabs and soldering in the 4 decoder wires.

[Sascha]

Thank you. I will pass your answer to the Club. You are very much appreciated!!!

[Martijn Meerts]

There is actually a sort-of drop-in decoder for the Kato Portrams, although they're not THAT easy to install and I think some modifications are needed. You may also need 2 of them since the Kato Portrams have 2 motors. You might be able to get away with a single decoder and use some very flexible wires to connect the 2nd motor to the same decoder, but they sell them per pair anyway.

 

http://www.snjpn.com/ngdcc/de28/de28TLRKj.htm

[kvp]

Two motors on one motor output would confuse the decoder since there will be two feedback signals coming from the two motors. At least the programming documentation is available online and the decoders seem to replace the two original control boards, including reusing some of the original parts. DCC-ing a Tomytec unit is still easier, but the Kato trams have full interior details thanks to the tiny and very delicate bogie mounted motors.

[Martijn Meerts]

I've never had any issues running 2 motors on 1 decoder, and I've done it a few times already.

 

But yes, the Tomytec is obviously easier, but the Kato looks much better. Tomytec also has no lighting whatsoever, not even head/tail lights.

[kvp]

 

I've never had any issues running 2 motors on 1 decoder, and I've done it a few times already.

It all depends on the feedback of the decoder being active or not. Some decoders don't even support it. The japanese decoders have this feature and it's active (at least it looks like that based on the programming sheet), so they can't be used to drive two motors reliably. (the usual sign of a feedback problem is jerky motion at low speeds) Not to mention the decoders are needed to control the lights in both halfs as they replace the analog control circuits. (and as it seem from the installation pictures, some components have to be moved from the analog boards to the new decoder boards)

[Martijn Meerts]

Yeah, it's definitely not the most straight forward install in the Kato Portram. I do have one of them myself, as well as 3 motorized Tomytec Portrams, and well, the Kato does look much better and runs better as well. I think the Tomytec might last longer though, due to it being a more standard motor rather than the 3 volt mini motors in the Kato.

[cteno4]

In our experience here in the club the kato portrams have pooped out quite s few times. Not had a tomytec have issues yet I've heard of. While it's a big narly mechanism, it seems robust! Love the tiny below floor kato mechanism, but it comes at a cost of being very fiddly. Trade offs...

 

Jeff

[westfalen]

There is actually a sort-of drop-in decoder for the Kato Portrams, although they're not THAT easy to install and I think some modifications are needed. You may also need 2 of them since the Kato Portrams have 2 motors. You might be able to get away with a single decoder and use some very flexible wires to connect the 2nd motor to the same decoder, but they sell them per pair anyway.

 

http://www.snjpn.com/ngdcc/de28/de28TLRKj.htm

I bought four pair of these to do my Portrams a few years ago when they first came out, (looking at the date on his website five years ago!), but I still haven't done anything with them because I've never got around to building anywhere to run the trams so I keep putting them aside in favour of other projects.

[Martijn Meerts]

I bought four pair of these to do my Portrams a few years ago when they first came out, (looking at the date on his website five years ago!), but I still haven't done anything with them because I've never got around to building anywhere to run the trams so I keep putting them aside in favour of other projects.

 

That sounds awfully familiar :D

[Ochanomizu]

There is actually a sort-of drop-in decoder for the Kato Portrams, although they're not THAT easy to install and I think some modifications are needed. You may also need 2 of them since the Kato Portrams have 2 motors. You might be able to get away with a single decoder and use some very flexible wires to connect the 2nd motor to the same decoder, but they sell them per pair anyway.

 

http://www.snjpn.com/ngdcc/de28/de28TLRKj.htm

 

Hello Martijn,

 

I believe this NG product is sold in pairs, specifically to avoid the need for wiring between the cars.

[Martijn Meerts]

Yes, that's why I said that the sell them per pair right at the end of the sentence there :D

[kvp]

 

I believe this NG product is sold in pairs, specifically to avoid the need for wiring between the cars.

And as i said because a single decoder can only drive one motor and one head/tail light.