Kato Bilevel 400. Merry Christmas to me

[Tom L]

Got one of these earlier this week, thanks to Hogtrainz. I’ll be out of town over Christmas, so I figured I better break it open now. Wow, Kato knows how to do it up right. It was a impulse reservation but no regrets. I added a E8 I had from the previous run and had a early Christmas watching it circle the layout. I imagine a few others will be getting one of these as well.

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Anyone else?
Tom L
Wellington CO

[Englewood]

I'm trying to fight the temptation.....

[nickelplate759]

I gave in as soon as I saw the first Kato ad.   Used to run by our house when I was in kindergarten.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Fantastic. I always thought these were neat trains and super iconic.

[NorsemanJack]

I bought one of these as well.  I was very pleasantly surprised to find that they couple really close, best I've seen in N other than the Kinematics.

[wcfn100]

Are the DCC versions out? 

Jason

[nightmare0331]

Are the DCC versions out? 

Jason

both the DCC and DCC/LokSound versions began shipping a couple of weeks ago.

Enjoy!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

[Tom L]

I bought one of these as well.  I was very pleasantly surprised to find that they couple really close, best I've seen in N other than the Kinematics.

Yeah, that was something I noticed right away as well.

Tom L
Wellington CO

[wcfn100]

both the DCC and DCC/LokSound versions began shipping a couple of weeks

MBK finally listed the DCC version tonight.

Jason

[nightmare0331]

MBK finally listed the DCC version tonight.

Jason

Their Loksound versions arrive later today.

I wouldn't imagine it would take more than a day to get those listed.

Enjoy!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

[keeper]

MBK finally listed the DCC version tonight.

Jason

Yes, I got a notification and ordered the set right away.

Thomas

[Nato]

                     :)I received mine today from Hogtranz. There was such demand according to Paul who I spoke to on the phone to find out why I had not received my DCC non Sound set for the DCC without sound that he could not fill all the preorders with out getting in a second shipment. Yes KATO did their homework on this set. The painted over number boards on the locomotive to represent the way the railroad removed the number boards in later years. Complete instructions for not only the TCS decoder in the locomotive,but also for a lighting decoder installed in the cab car. The prototype locomotives when converted to Head End Power had large HEP exaust on the rear roof replacing the steam generator vents found on the model. I love the tinted windows in the cars, this was what they did on their METRA Bi Levels. Nate Goodman (Nato).   

[Cajonpassfan]

Even is it’s out of my era, there  is a very nice two page photo of the 400 train in February issue of MR (News & Products). The train is posed on a beautifully done module(?) or layout which I do not recognize that really shows off the core  advantage of N Scale: realistic trains in realistic settings. Nicely done Kato and MR (and whoever built that lovely scene).
Otto K.

[nickelplate759]

In installed (non-sound) DCC myself.  The engine decoder is easy - I used a Digitrax DN163K0A board-replacement, but TCS makes one as well.  The cab car is trickier - the Kato FL12 drops right in, but the documentation on it (at least the English language documentation) is  really poor.

It runs and tracks beautifully even with the cab car in the lead.

[kscessandriver]

In installed (non-sound) DCC myself.  The engine decoder is easy - I used a Digitrax DN163K0A board-replacement, but TCS makes one as well.  The cab car is trickier - the Kato FL12 drops right in, but the documentation on it (at least the English language documentation) is  really poor.

It runs and tracks beautifully even with the cab car in the lead.

Out of curiosity, how did you program your FL12? I just installed one in a Metra cab car, and I'm at a loss on how to set it up.