Kato E 8's more DCC friendly?

[cgw277]

Hello:
This may be old news to some of you, but the latest run of the Kato E 8's have a slightly modified interior. The photos for DCC installation on Train Control Systems website are slightly out of date. Each truck now  has a plastic cover that covers part of the metal strip. The metal strip doesn't bow up like it did before.


One N scale manufacturer makes their equipment more DCC friendly, while another manufacturer moves in the opposite direction..

Also, on the C&NW E units, the porthole window "glass" is dark gray, a really neat effect as you're no longer looking at a metal weight, but appears  more prototypical.
Scot

[peteski]

Any photos?

[robert3985]

It's hard to imagine how a Kato E could be "more" DCC friendly.  I converted my brand new Kato COLA E's on top of my Echo LDE (on bare Styrofoam) at the Evanston Roundhouse Festival Show two years ago in about ten minutes during the show...for an A-B-A lashup.  Several standers-by who were watching that have since commented that they never imagined converting an N-scale engine to DCC could be so simple.

However, for sound, they could be more "friendly" since drilling that 10mm hole for the speaker would be a real PITA without a mill and a drill press.

[peteski]

That is why I was confused. The mechanism in Robert's photos has, IIRC been used for few runs of the E-units (not just the latest one).

[Bob Horn]

I did 2 Alaska units for a friend, I think the B unit had the change. Locos are not here, no pics. Bob.

[OldEastRR]

The "smoked glass" windows have been around since the COLA E units, at least. Now if they'd tint the windshields....

[spookshow]

It looks like Kato has gone the "shock absorber" route with this new run of E8s - adding plastic inserts (just inboard of the truck clips) that have plastic tabs that keep the metal contact strips from springing up.

Old -



New -



Dunno if that makes them anymore "DCC Friendly" than previously, but it should provide the theorietical shock absorber benefits (smoother running, etc). But since they've basically been perfect runners right from the get-go, this may just be gilding the lilly 

Cheers,
-Mark

[Bob Horn]

Not so much for suspension but better more reliable contact on the truck pickups. Bob.

[Sokramiketes]

The "smoked glass" windows have been around since the COLA E units, at least. Now if they'd tint the windshields....

What E units are supposed to have tinted windshields?

[peteski]

Mark, you are the man! Thanks for the photos (Yeah, I still remember about the Sakatsu Big Boy).   Of course, thanks Scot for bringing this up.

So, there is a slight difference in the plastic cradles. Looks like a very small (but potentially beneficial) modification.