THEMA: SOUNDING 5X KATO ET425 (VIDEO)

Hello to All!

A lot of time i spent  in aim to make stable run, light and sound of  KATO ET425!

I was frustrated by KATO quality for Eurpe!  Weaker current-pickup springs than ones at trains for USA!   So little quantity ща  motor trucks! Even 3 pole motor!  No inter-car electrical joinments for better pickup and lights, Small large-flange wheels(Pizza-Cutters USA tm), weak coupler  with notches, leading to derailments... etc!

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SO!
Let us begin:

I bought 5  KATO ET425! and after a lot of handwork it's ready now!  

There are 4 small video clips from my ready part of C55 NScale DCC fully automatical layout :

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SV3-xM0Yko

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M3l_nWPLug

3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQRtl7CKR48

4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_6mI7LK86M


============ REVIEW OF REPAIR ===========


1)  WHEELS:

Original wheels are smaller than KATO mainline USA wheels, and have big flanges and bad profile!

Therefore i change all wheels:

There is a comparison photo:

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6620/5475818.e/0_7fad6_a6a2aebf_L


2) BODY:

Body don't have whole metallic chassis, consist of a lot of parts, joined by latches and too weak.
I was forced to glue some parts together in aim that thain dont start to spill at hands.

3) RUNNING GEAR:

This train has only one motor car with only one motor truck!
One of 2 axles - with isolated traction tires! I shocked!
I was forced to remove traction tires wheels and i was also soldered  second cardan from syrringe needle and installed  second motor truck, using some dremelling and drilling:

Comparisom photo here:

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6422/5475818.d/0_7faa1_9d0f5250_XXL

Secong truck can be easily installed with small dremelling work:

See details:

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6422/5475818.d/0_7faa0_d3fbc3f4_XXL

4) SPRINGING:

KATO made backlash of contact lamellas into trucks!
Leaning on body springs, they have enough backlash to follow rail irregularity!!!
THIS IS A BIG ACHIEVEMENT OF KATO!

4.5) TRAVELLINGABILITY

Needle metall bearings - This is second achievement of KATO!!!!

BUT a SPOON of  TAR (a fly in the ointment) are:

Lamellas are too weak (in comparison with ones at USA trains) and can be easily turned!    
Question to KATO:  Why?


5) WEIGHT:

Original weight of motor car = 40g. Only half of them falling into one motor truck!
It's too little for stable run up to hills!

Therefore, after adding second motor truck i also add some weights at bottom cover.

See photo:

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6619/5475818.d/0_7fa9f_80ab6705_XXL

6)COUPLING'S MOVEMENT :

Couplings have a prominent  notches, which prevent easy movement of cars at deflection by turnouts.

Photo:

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6420/5475818.e/0_7fd1a_8a4c0565_XL

Also last windows at cars has prominent ends! They must be dremelled off, because they stop free movement of inter-car bayans !

7) СOUPLINGS:

Couplings are too weak, and train can spontaneously de-coupled at hills.
I strengthen it 2 times, using U-springs from berrilium bronze:

Photo:

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6619/5475818.d/0_7faa5_7a8e3b37_XL


8) LIGHTS:

Original lights shines too weak, because light pass via comprehensive light-pipe!
I discard it and use LEDS near  headlight outputs:

Photo:

1)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6423/5475818.d/0_7fab9_9c02fbc2_XL

2)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6423/5475818.d/0_7fab6_4f35c1fd_XL

3)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6623/5475818.d/0_7fabd_29ea2dd9_XL

9)SPARTIUM (SnoW PloW)

Original train have not any spartium, and one can see first truck!
It's not applicable at our railroads, and therefore i add it!
Also U can see the lights:

Photos:

1)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6623/5475818.e/0_7fad5_fdc1fb40_XL

2)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6423/5475818.d/0_7faa2_8d2c9af1_XL


10)INTERIOR

I painted it at white color in aim to save power of LEDs.
Also U can see rail wires and copper wire support for LED board.


Photo:
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6621/5475818.e/0_7fad7_f9d92833_XXL

11)SOUND:

Original train havent any sound. There is the procedure of installation:

Photos:

1)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6519/5475818.e/0_7fad4_b2d2749a_L

2)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6622/5475818.e/0_7fad1_eb9fae08_L

3)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6522/5475818.d/0_7faca_3ee820f7_L

4)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6523/5475818.d/0_7facc_d9ba014_L


12)ELECTRONICS :

Original decoder havent any powerpack, AUX light output, panto's pads and sound.
Therefore i use ESU LokSound 4 decoder.

For better cooling at warm days i use copper heat sink. Decoder was glued by ThermoConductive EPOXY.

See photos:

1)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6420/5475818.d/0_7fab2_c1776109_L

2)
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6421/5475818.d/0_7faa4_5a15fe24_XXL

13)  COMMON E -PICKUP

All my 12 car  train was divided into 2 electrically independant part.
Each part have 1 loco and 5 cars.
5 cars was joined by 5 wires permanently!
2wires - rails
2wires- interior light
1 wire - pantos

Photo:

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6421/5475818.d/0_7fa9e_ee6162d1_XL

Locos has  small 5 pin connector , which allow to separate it from cars.

14)PANTOS:

Original train have non-springed and non-conductive pantos.
It's obvious that for better e-pickup we must use panto-resource!
I change it into working and springing Sommerfeldt pantos, and join it to decoder's power via 2 Shottky diodes!

Both left and right rails are starting to be duplicated by pantos electrically!!!!!

All 5 pantos of my train  make E-pickup almost uninterruptable by any dirt!

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Thanks for attention!
Vadim