Has Kato stopped designing DCC ready train sets?

[David]

The last new tooling I know for sure that was DCC ready (EM13/FL12) was the E127 from last summer. Since then we've had obviously new toolings like the E259 and E5, yet it seems neither of these are DCC ready - I thought Kato was making all the JR East Shinkansen DCC ready.

Another example is the upcoming 209-500 Musashino set (10-861). Based on the tooling this should be DCC (Kato's previous 209-500 sets, 10-296/7 and 10-267/8, both are), yet the Kato product page make no mention of DCC on the new model. Is this an oversight (Kato doesn't always mark DCC ready items as such), or did Kato create a brand new tooling despite already having a modern flywheel/body mounted coupler tooling that just happened to have slots for DCC.

[foxhsu]

Kato DCC design is good idea, but sometime it's pain to install, especially the FL12.

[CaptOblivious]

I've been wondering this too. Anyone who recently got their E5s in the mail care to comment? Or anyone who has the E259? I have neither.

[CaptOblivious]

I've been wondering this too. Anyone who recently got their E5s in the mail care to comment? Or anyone who has the E259? I have neither.

Nevermind. THe E259 at least, is "DCC Friendly":
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/okiraku_dcc/63335015.html

[David]

Interesting, so it may be a case that Kato has just stopped advertising the DCC feature. Someone receiving an E5 will need to flip it over and see if there is a hatch or not. I do have interest in the Musashino 209-500, but only if it's the same DCC ready/body mount design of the others.

[David]

Kato DCC design is good idea, but sometime it's pain to install, especially the FL12.

Still way ahead of hardwired installs and dremeled locomotive shells. I might experiment to see if it's easier to install an FL12 by taking apart the chasis, dropping in the decoder and then just reassambling it back around the decoder (I almost did this with one cab car, stopping a little short because the 2 brass 'spring' pickup pieces seem a bit difficult to place by hand without some trick).

[inobu]

DCC is an issue with Kato in that they have two markets. JDM and U.S.

The US market is DCC driven where as the domestic market is less DC centric. It appears that they reuse their chassis whenever they and that may be the reason we see the variance in chassis blocks. 

The FL11 & 12 DCC decoders are made by Digitrax to order by Kato. This is why they are so scarce. The other boards are Digitrax boards and they manufacture them openly but that's for the U.S. domestic train market and Kato has nothing to do with those boards. It is all about dollars and business sense.

We are a minority when it comes to modeling JDM outside of Japan our need for DCC decoder may not warrant mass production of those decoders.


 

[keitaro]

They havt stopped it but don't put on all models. They also don't advertise freely.

In fact you will find although still very slow dcc is starting to be taken up by Japanese modelers as I have noticed stores stocking more and more dcc items even non intl shipping ones

Probably be another few years before kato make it standard.

What would really help is if tomix would push for the same. If they were both offering it would be alot easier to get users to switch.

The main worry for Japanese users is having limited models to run.

[The_Ghan]

Interesting, so it may be a case that Kato has just stopped advertising the DCC feature. Someone receiving an E5 will need to flip it over and see if there is a hatch or not. I do have interest in the Musashino 209-500, but only if it's the same DCC ready/body mount design of the others.

No. Yes!!! My E5 is not DCC ready.  You can read about it here: http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,3833.100.html

Edit: I was mistaken and didn't look hard enough while I was at work.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[keitaro]

are any shinkansens dcc ready? i'm not sure on kato products but they do seem a bit harder to make dcc ready due to seemingly less interior room

at least my tsubame tomix looks quite cramped when I opened it. which was difficult too.

[CaptOblivious]

are any shinkansens dcc ready? i'm not sure on kato products but they do seem a bit harder to make dcc ready due to seemingly less interior room

at least my tsubame tomix looks quite cramped when I opened it. which was difficult too.

My Kato E4 is DCC Friendly. Takes the EM13 etc.

[nik_n_dad]

E3 & N700 also used the EM13, FL12 decoders.  The N700 was demon-possessed and I tinkered with it absolutely forever until the the decoders worked (including building shims for the EM13).  The E4 Max was very nice and a 5-minute install.... Didn't need to remove the trucks to get the EM13 in.  The E3 was an easy install too, but unlike the E4 Max, you still had to pop the trucks.

[David]

It seemed like all of Kato's new JR East Shinkansens where DCC ready, just like all the new JR East commuter trains where. That's what triggered my observation that it was absent on new models.

[Webskipper]

Interesting, so it may be a case that Kato has just stopped advertising the DCC feature. Someone receiving an E5 will need to flip it over and see if there is a hatch or not. I do have interest in the Musashino 209-500, but only if it's the same DCC ready/body mount design of the others.

Checkout the E5 thread. It's a lunchtime DCC conversion to add the Kato motor EM12, and Cab directional lighting FL12's.  In fact, I installed the Interior DCC lighting LEDs FR11 in 4 coaches in less than 20 minutes. Still waiting for the essential decoders.

[David]

Yeah, I started another thread regarding the 'stealth' DCC releases Kato has been making. I'm working up some parts lists to start identifying future releases as DCC ready based on the lightboard and motor unit listed in the accessories pdf. keitaro has also sent a polite email to Kato Japan asking if they can resume listing DCC readyness in their website descriptions.

[keitaro]

hasn't made a difference yet though still no dcc lisiting for it