Rapido RDCs? I think so!

[wazzou]

Had we not had the KATO RDC, we’d likely not have gotten the NW-2.

[peteski]

Had we not had the KATO RDC, we’d likely not have gotten the NW-2.

You think they used the low-profile gear tower truck design from RDC on NW-2?  That is the only thing I could think of since RDC uses standard Kato motor where NW-2 was the first model to use the smaller Kato motor with skew-wound 3-pole armature and rare-earth magnets.

[wazzou]

You think they used the low-profile gear tower truck design from RDC on NW-2?  That is the only thing I could think of since RDC uses standard Kato motor where NW-2 was the first model to use the smaller Kato motor with skew-wound 3-pole armature and rare-earth magnets.

Just speculating that they learned some things that were applicable.

[kscessandriver]

The Kato RDC's are not drop in decoder friendly, at least in my eyes. That problem isn't helping them at all these days either, you'd have to assume if Rapido did one, it would be DCC/Sound or DC with some sort of socket for a decoder.

[ljudice]

Great if you want them - would rather see the F30 flatcars.... 

[BCR 570]

I'm really surprised that Kato's proven wire-free chassis, low-friction truck design and a motor with flywheels did not run better for you than the old Roco (Con-Cor) mechainsim with high-friction trucks with wheel-back wipers, and internal-bearing trucks with noisy plastic gears. Plus the rat's nest of wiring in those Rocos.

One thing about Katos is that the universal couplings on the motor shaft were prone to splitting which I suppose could have caused them to slip on the motor shaft.  But that is rather an easy fix.

My experience with them is on other people's layouts.

The Kato RDC's are not drop in decoder friendly, at least in my eyes. That problem isn't helping them at all these days either, you'd have to assume if Rapido did one, it would be DCC/Sound or DC with some sort of socket for a decoder.

Yes this is true, and another good reason for a newer version.


Tim

[towl1996]

One thing about Katos is that the universal couplings on the motor shaft were prone to splitting which I suppose could have caused them to slip on the motor shaft.  But that is rather an easy fix.

How are the split universals fixed?

[wcfn100]

The Kato RDC's are not drop in decoder friendly, at least in my eyes. That problem isn't helping them at all these days either, you'd have to assume if Rapido did one, it would be DCC/Sound or DC with some sort of socket for a decoder.

There was a drop in decoder available at one time.  I think it was digitrax.


Jason

[garethashenden]

There was a drop in decoder available at one time.  I think it was digitrax.


Jason

Officially yes. But oh god, that decoder was anything but drop-in in practice.

[nickelplate759]

Officially yes. But oh god, that decoder was anything but drop-in in practice.

Exactly this.  It was my FIRST DCC install, and nearly convinced me that my DCC technique was hopeless.

I got better...

[peteski]

How are the split universals fixed?

I cut a groove in the cracked part then glue in a small ring made from brass tubing.  I already have the photos documenting the procedure, I just have to create the write-up. I'm planning to use to for a future magazine article.

[peteski]

Officially yes. But oh god, that decoder was anything but drop-in in practice.

Yes,  the Kato RDCs are not very DCC friendly. I would even call them DCC-unfriendly.  Taking the mechanism apart is a pain in the butt.  Funny thing is that the light boards are designed to be DCC-compatible.

[ncbqguy]

Brian and All-
IF Rapido does the RDC for the love of everything Holy do Freaking Boston & Maine on the first run.  It is over 25 years and I still get wicked comments .from Bostunn..
The problem was (and still is, apparently) that Tokyo has a Japanese market mentality which does not adjust to North American customers. They do not think about a product being in the line for smaller, varied runs to give modelers what they want.   The first RDC run was twice as any of the roadnames would support.   The second run never got done with its equally good roadnames.   
The later phase units would be nice but I do not  know if Canada had them or there were enough to justify new bodies and trucks for Rapido.
I proposed the NW2 while I was still at Kato USA but it took a while for it to get into the que. It has not been done in many worthy road and paint schemes.
Charlie Vlk

[BCR 570]

The later phase units would be nice but I don’t know if Canada had them or there were enough to justify new bodies and trucks for Rapido.

Most definitely; in Canada Phase II cars were operated by BCR, CN, DAR, PGE, VIA.
U.S. Roads with Phase II cars included CNJ, C&O, GN, MARC, M&StL, NP, Reading
Also other countries.

They have already done them in HO Scale (several runs) so they know the drill.


Tim

[ncbqguy]

Tim-
Thanks!
I did not review the Rapido HO offerings or lookup the cars before composing my post. 
What is the wierd thing that text does here?  Even when I use shift on iPad I get extra characters in the text.  Now it didn%u2019t do it because I was daring it to do it.
Charlie Vlk