hsthero

It is interesting that on page 4 of the user manual for the 320/321 manualit states that the inter-car couplers were to have electrical connections both to allow one decoder to control the whole train but also to ensure power pickup is spread throughout the train for optimum performance. On page 6 it also states that the model has power couplers to ensure smooth running and allow the use of a single decoder. As the model has three connections in the couplers, which provide dc feeds from the power car to the front and rear directional lights, is it also possible to provide track power with these 3 pins or would an additional 2 pins be required? Colin

I hope this is the final update on my efforts to overcome the problem of my 321 not being able to run around the Kato R1 curves on my layout. I think I have finally solved the problem by removing the 3 wires from the the coach pcb's and the wires and electrical connectors from the coupling. This allows the coupling to operate freely. The couplers push together much easier than with the wiring/connectors. Pinching the side tabs slightly with my fingers makes a satisfying click when joining the couplers. I tested the solution with the power car and one driving coach and they move easily through the R1 curves and onto the straights. Incidently the saloon lights operate from the each coach pickups so still work. As I am happy to install a function only decoder in the driving cars this solution worked for me. It only involved lifting off the bodies and snipping the wires from the ends of the pcb, unclipping the bottom of the coupling, pulling the 3 wires out throught the chassis, removing the electrical connector from the coupler and clipping the bottom of the coupling back on. Bogies only need to be removed if you have to reseat the coupling in the chassis. Now to install a decoder in each driving coach. Colin

Further to my last post is the realisation that the factory couplings need to touch each other or the gap between the coaches will be too large. Therefore a nem or Magnetic coupling will not work. One possible solution is a small piece of plasticard sized for an interference fit into each coupling to hold the couplings together. This could be glued to one and a push fit in the other. Another is to only remove the wires from the coupling and leave the electrical connectors in place and join them with the tweezers as per the instructions. I think this is the option to try first. Colin

I have been mulling over the coupling problems. It appears that the root of the problem is that the three wires connected to the pcb are restricting movement. The factory fitted coupling moves side to side so much easier without the wires. So having already removed some of the couplings for my previous modification I took one and removed the bottom plate and the inner electrical connections leaving the basic coupling which looks identical to the coupling at the front of the driving coach but without the nem pocket. This coupling mechanism could be modified so a nem pocket could be glued on or I think an alternative solution would be to glue in a Hunt magnetic coupling which would achieve a similar arrangement to my fixed bar and pivot screws modification without any alteration to the models chassis. The question is would the resultant setup still lack the required flexibility and derail the coaches or could this be a coupling eureka moment. I will try this solution with the motor and other driving coach at my next modelling session. Colin

Hi Stephen B. As you can see I have not submitted many posts so if adding photos goes wrong I have an excuse. The first photo shows the fixed bar coupling with the coaches on my layout. Farish 350 in background with nem rapido couplings.. Next photo shows the underside with the black plasticard fixed coupling bar with the two pivot screws. The screws really should be black but as they are not visible they are fine by me. The next photo shows the other end of the center coach with the screw fixed awaiting the fixed coupling to the motor coach. You will see that I have reshaped the hole in the chassis and super glued in a small square of 1mm plasticard which was then drilled to take the screw. Initially I glued Dapol NEM pockets to the chassis just behind the body ends and fitted nemcoup couplings. This did not work well as there is just not enough movement of the couplings in the nem pockets to go around the curves without derailing. I did think about gluing the pockets to small pieces of plasticard and then screwing them to the chassis to achieve the required movement. However, I thought the postion of the screw head might obstruct the bogie rotation so I decided to go with the fixed bar as it seemed much simpler. I hope this is helpful. I will post photos of the coach pcb's when I have added the lighting decoders and the dimming resitors. Colin

I have just got around to testing my Silverlink 321 on my Kato layout which has R1, R2, R3 and R4 curves. Initially, there was no movement or lights. Fixed by reseating the sound chip in its socket on the pcb. I guess it probably got dislodged in transit. I found that my model struggled to negotiate all the curves without derailing. I checked that the couplings were capable of moving from side to side properly. There were two that were sticking and needed to be relocated in the chassis. I also loosened the bogie fixing screws to allow more movement at the pivot. After this the model got round the R4 and R3 curves ok but still derailed on the smaller radius curves. I realise that with the factory fitted couplings the model was not going to make it round the R1 curves. My view is that, on my layout, the wired couplings will not allow the model to negotiate my smaller curves. Therefore I have decided to remove the wired couplings and install a fixed bar between coaches. I have just tested this on two of the coaches and they go round the smallest Kato R1 curves (216mm radius) and both #6 and #4 points ok. Downside of this is having to remove three small screws to get the coaches back in their storage box. Next job is to add the two other coupling bars. Without the wire feeds from the motor coach I know this will leave me the problem of making the directional and destination board lights working again. Having studied the coach pcb I now know where I can pick up track power and install a function only decoder controlling the lights for each driving coach. I also found the saloon lights far too bright for my liking causing difficulty seeing the coach livery and need to be dimmed. I tested a 1k resistor in the feed to the saloon lights and this looked much better to me. However, once the non-motorised coaches are fitted with a decoder I can connect them to a spare light function wire. I think it may be possible to dim the saloon lights with a CV adjustment in the decoder and will check this out. A couple of warnings for 321 owners. If you decide to remove the non powered bogies be very careful not to loose the contact springs which drop out when turning the bogies upside down. Also avoid damaging the springs when refitting the bogies, both happened to me. Also the the silver paint applied to the window frames appears to be quite fragile and I have rubbed it off in places with my fingers just by removing the body from the chassis. I am now applying Tamiya low tack tape where my fingers hold the body when removing and refitting it and hope this avoids this problem. I really like the sound fitted 321 model with the Silverlink livery and chose to carry out these modifications as it was important to me that I could use the model on the small radius curves on my layout. Colin

The Kato ICE4 uses slide in decoders for dcc so the 800 could be the same. It needs three decoders, one in power car and one in each driving car. I have these decoders which were in a set made by Zimo Model SETMX605N. Very easy to fit. There also coach lighting function only decoders available.