A British domestic train from Kato? 800 series available from May 2021

[Jack]

"Virgin's voyeur fleet"

Opps!    Long day with extreme brain fog, didn't check auto correct.    . But on the other hand it made someone smile 

[Adam1701D]

I know naff all about this modern stuff although I did buy an IET.
Interesting to see they have formed 9 coach sets rather than have 2 x 5 coach sets like the one I have

It is very confusing. LNER and GWR have a mixture of Class 800s in 5 and 9 car formations, the 5-cars being intended for less-popular destinations. In reality, you are just as likely to see a 2x5 set instead of a 9 on LNER - the recent cracking issues have caused havoc with the fleets. LNER also operate electric Class 801s, which are outwardly virtually identical to the 800s.

The 9 car sets would also require some retooling with the extra trailer cars having Voyager inside frame bogies to reduce weight.

[Graham]

Anyone know when the dcc chip kits are going to make it? My layout is dcc only so I'd love to be able to run my 800s

In the same boat, waiting on my order from Kernow, they told me they were still waiting on delivery, they had been promised Oct, then Nov, then Dec, so can only guess they will be there sometime soon, then I just have to wait for Royal Mail and Australia Post. I may be running by mid year?

[geoffc]

Anyone know when the dcc chip kits are going to make it? My layout is dcc only so I'd love to be able to run my 800s

In the same boat, waiting on my order from Kernow, they told me they were still waiting on delivery, they had been promised Oct, then Nov, then Dec, so can only guess they will be there sometime soon, then I just have to wait for Royal Mail and Australia Post. I may be running by mid year?

Have you tried Plaza Japan? Thats where I got the light kits for mine. If I remember correctly you require eight decoders in total, one for each of nose lights, five for the interior lights and one for the motor.

Geoff

[EtchedPixels]

Ditto.. still never been unboxed. Just hope it actually works when the decoders finally appear.

Doesn't look like things are improving much either - some of the parts I need for electronics projects are still quoting over a year lead time.

[Steven B]

Since the end of the "Joined up Railway" some 25 plus years ago now I cannot think of one new fleet that hasn't been met with great criticism.

That'll be the "joined up Railway" that gave us Pacers and Sprinters that didn't work very well when first introduced? Or Duke of Gloucester that was very poor at steaming until preservationist got their hands on it?

The whole of railway history is littered with locomotives that had problems when first introduced - half of Rocket's competitors at the Rainhill Trials didn't make it to the end of the line so problems with new rolling stock isn't a new thing!

Steven B.

[Adam1701D]

I can't think of many BR fleets that worked out of the box when introduced apart from some of the later Mk3 units, such as the 320 and 321. York Works would churn these out like a sausage machine, the new unit would have a run down to Peterborough and back a couple of times and straight into service.

The 225s, Networkers and 323s were far more problematic, requiring a much longer lead time. Not a patch on the woes affecting the new Class 701s and 730s though.

[GlenEglise]

Since the end of the "Joined up Railway" some 25 plus years ago now I cannot think of one new fleet that hasn't been met with great criticism.

That'll be the "joined up Railway" that gave us Pacers and Sprinters that didn't work very well when first introduced? Or Duke of Gloucester that was very poor at steaming until preservationist got their hands on it?

The whole of railway history is littered with locomotives that had problems when first introduced - half of Rocket's competitors at the Rainhill Trials didn't make it to the end of the line so problems with new rolling stock isn't a new thing!

Steven B.

Oooo, you are right, not a new thing.

[Spanners70]

Anyone know when the dcc chip kits are going to make it? My layout is dcc only so I'd love to be able to run my 800s

In the same boat, waiting on my order from Kernow, they told me they were still waiting on delivery, they had been promised Oct, then Nov, then Dec, so can only guess they will be there sometime soon, then I just have to wait for Royal Mail and Australia Post. I may be running by mid year?

Have you tried Plaza Japan? Thats where I got the light kits for mine. If I remember correctly you require eight decoders in total, one for each of nose lights, five for the interior lights and one for the motor.

Geoff

I got in touch with them via email and asked if they had the required dcc bits to make these run as dcc rather than the supplied dc Carnt say the reply was much use to me ! Carnt believe no one on here is running the kato 800 as dcc? Must be more than Just me with them in a box still when everything is dcc? Any ideas greatly welcomed

Japan reply "As retailers, we are not able to instruct our clients regarding usage details or specific details.

We apologize for not being able to be of your assistance regarding this matter."

[Jack]

@Spanners70

It seems that all sorts of industries are crying out for some form of computerised chips, from Car Manufacturers to toy train owners, and everything in between. Shortage of roar materials apparently. I believe the mighty Apple Corporation had to cut back on production of iPhones recently for the same reason.

I run DCC and I'm in the same boat with my IET 800. I know it's not quite the same but I occasionally run my 800 on my Kato test track which is DC and bought for the purpose of testing new locos before chipping and reassembled stripped service locos prier to return to shed. A Kato pack with controller is less than a new loco.

https://www.traintrax.co.uk/20852-kato-unitrack-basic-oval-with-kato-controller-p-396.html

I also recently did some rewiring of my layout and put in a DC/DCC power switch so that I could at least test run on the layout if necessary. If you choose this route just be careful that you don't run a DC loco whilst the track is switched to DCC. I do realise this is not a quick job and that I can only run the 800 on the layout by itself ( or all trains move at once  )

Other than that I'm afraid it's a case of patiently waiting until supplies get sorted.

[ntpntpntp]

! Carnt believe no one on here is running the kato 800 as dcc?

There are certainly folk out there with chips in their 800s. I think there are two or three different decoder manufacturers with a suitable offering for the main decoder and the function chips for the lights (isn't the Kato branded set actually made by Digitrax?)

@Invicta Alec  yours is all done isn't it?   

[PaulCheffus]

Hi

I'm another still waiting for the decoders.

Cheers

Paul

[njee20]

Yes as above, there was a batch of decoders that came at a similar time as the models themselves, plus there are Zimo decoders that fit, which seemed to be available for longer. Clearly Kato underestimated the proportion of people who would want to run them on DCC. Itself not a surprise, as the low uptake of DCC in Japan is part of the reason for their daft need for a proprietary decoder. Given the modern Lemke/Hobbytrain models have NEM sockets it feels an oversight they didn't use them on the 800. But here we are!

[ntpntpntp]

Given the modern Lemke/Hobbytrain models have NEM sockets it feels an oversight they didn't use them on the 800. But here we are!

Ah but Hobbytrain are not necessarily all made by Kato nowadays.   I think more and more are from a different source, for example the locos with a shiny/burnished split chassis block (and which have NEM decoder sockets) are not Kato product.

[Shropshire Lad]

Fischer-Modell have stock and supply the UK, they even take PayPal.
https://www.fischer-modell.de/zubehoer/elektronik/zimo/spezialdecoder/kato-ice-spur-n/zimo-setmx605n-fuer-kato-ice4/br412-spur-n-k19050-k10951-1x-mx605n-und-2x-mx605sl
30 or so Euros extra for the sound version. I loaded Youchoos sounds in mine to get the bimode option.
Cheers Colin