Un-enlightening Kato-Lemke new RIC coaches?

[Michanglais]

I've just taken delivery of a single Kato-Lemke RIC car from, what I believe, is a 'new-and-improved' model.

 

However, the lighting installed is ferocious. I don't like passenger coaches with lighting at the best of times - not only can you see they are devoid of passengers (unless you're really ready to go to the trouble...) but they look bad in rakes that contain un-lit coaches. I'm hoping this isn't going to become the 'next thing' - lighting pre-fitted.

 

Anyway, I was wondering whether anyone had any of these coaches and had perhaps opened them and could see a reversible way of disconnecting the lighting? Probably not the first thing people would want to do...

 

I suppose I could just go ahead and cut wires if there isn't another way of getting the lighting strip out (might want it back for future re-sale, could involve delicate soldering...).

 

Any thoughts?

 

[melmerby]

7 minutes ago, Michanglais said:

I've just taken delivery of a single Kato-Lemke RIC car from, what I believe, is a 'new-and-improved' model.

 

However, the lighting installed is ferocious. I don't like passenger coaches with lighting at the best of times - not only can you see they are devoid of passengers (unless you're really ready to go to the trouble...) but they look bad in rakes that contain un-lit coaches. I'm hoping this isn't going to become the 'next thing' - lighting pre-fitted.

 

Anyway, I was wondering whether anyone had any of these coaches and had perhaps opened them and could see a reversible way of disconnecting the lighting? Probably not the first thing people would want to do...

 

I suppose I could just go ahead and cut wires if there isn't another way of getting the lighting strip out (might want it back for future re-sale, could involve delicate soldering...).

 

Any thoughts?

 

If they are a new design, I would expect DCC provision e.g. a socket for a decoder, which will have a blanking plug for non DCC use.

If so, just take out the plug.

Edited October 8, 2022 by melmerby

[Gottardo]

The Kato RIC coaches have a small removeable LED circuit board at one end of the coach. The light is distributed to the rest of the coach by a strip of optical plastic (also removeable). The board unclips. No soldering required. Gently prise open the coach body where it meets the chassis to remove and gain access to the LED board.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Gottardo

[Michanglais]

10 minutes ago, Gottardo said:

The Kato RIC coaches have a small removeable LED circuit board at one end of the coach. The light is distributed to the rest of the coach by a strip of optical plastic (also removeable). The board unclips. No soldering required. Gently prise open the coach body where it meets the chassis to remove and gain access to the LED board.

 

Excellent - thanks for that, I'll give it a go.

[Michanglais]

Oh dear, that didn't go as well as hoped. 

 

Despite the care I took, the chassis was very tightly fitted into the body. Result - the chassis suddenly came away violently, sending one of the close-coupling mechanisms off into the ether. Okay.... end-of-train coach from now on. 

 

Then the interior would have to be removed to get to the LED. Nope. Not budging. So I removed the contact strips that run between the interior and chassis (which could only be done by removing the chassis - which I won't be trying again) but there was still contact between the bogie and a contact strip at one end of the coach. I don't know how these bogies are fitted in - certainly didn't seem to be possible to simply pull them out like Fleischmann bogies. The only remaining solution (that I could think of at the time) was to remove the contacts from the bogies themselves. I realised this would result in loose wheelsets and poorer running qualities but the whole thing had become an 'experiment' at this point. In fact, for three of the wheelsets it worked. They stayed in place and were free-running but one of the wheelsets would simply not stay in situ. Squeezing the bogie frames allowed me to get it on the track but as soon as I released the pressure, the bogie ends spread again and the coach was left leaning disturbingly to one side.

 

With much care it has now become a permanent display-only item in one of my sidings. 

 

I like these coaches and was hoping to build up a rake - I guess I could live with the lighting if it was a uniform rake so that all coaches were lit but on my bumpy, temporary Kato Unitrack set-up I have to make do with, the flickering of the lighting would be too annoying. Particularly as it's so bright it can be seen in normal daylight. 

 

I may consider buying one more and try varnishing the contacts or something - tho I guess that would be a temporary solution as the friction wore the varnish off and the procedure would have to be renewed frequently. 

 

Of course, these coaches are more expensive because of this 'feature' I do not like. I wish in this case the manufacturer had left the lighting decision up to the modeller... Sigh. 

 

 

[Gottardo]

Hi Michael.

Does the interior of your coach look anything like this?

John

 

[Gordonwis]

Why don't you cut your losses and procure the older models of these coaches, rather than paying an awful lot for the newest versions, only to dismember them?  

[Michanglais]

12 hours ago, Gottardo said:

Hi Michael.

Does the interior of your coach look anything like this?

John

 

 

To be honest, I didn't get to that point. I'd already broken off the close-coupling mechanism at one end - I was able to re-fit the steps. The interior was attached inside the body and I didn't fancy taking something sharp to it to dig it out so I removed the conducting strips that run between the bogies and put it back together. 

 

As you suggest, I may well just acquire the older, un-lit versions but I seem to think I've read somewhere that they've improved the paintwork and glazing. Fortunately, it's not my 'favourite' Swiss coach type so I could just live without them. It's not like I haven't got enough rolling stock as it is! My sidings are full!

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

 

[Gordonwis]

13 hours ago, Michanglais said:

 

 

As you suggest, I may well just acquire the older, un-lit versions but I seem to think I've read somewhere that they've improved the paintwork and glazing. 

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

 

 

Even the older Hobbytrain RICs had lighting but it was discreet compared to what you have described.

 

Regarding the paintwork, It entirely depends on your personal point of view. There is nothing essentially wrong with even the oldest Hobbytrain examples, but what you have 'read somewhere' will likely be comments on the lack of crispness of rendition on the old Austrian Hobbytrain examples (see linked picture) compared to what the  'latest' tech can offer

...but then its circa 20 quid each versus 50 quid each...

https://www.spur-n-schweiz.ch/modellhersteller-von-a-z/hobbytrain/#PW

 

Personally I've only bought the latest 'EWIV livery' Kato versions, for green era older Hobbytrain versions are adequate (I even sold a few surplus older ones because I had too many overall) 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Gordonwis

[Michanglais]

12 hours ago, Gordonwis said:

 

Even the older Hobbytrain RICs had lighting but it was discreet compared to what you have described.

 

Regarding the paintwork, It entirely depends on your personal point of view. There is nothing essentially wrong with even the oldest Hobbytrain examples, but what you have 'read somewhere' will likely be comments on the lack of crispness of rendition on the old Austrian Hobbytrain examples (see linked picture) compared to what the  'latest' tech can offer

...but then its circa 20 quid each versus 50 quid each...

https://www.spur-n-schweiz.ch/modellhersteller-von-a-z/hobbytrain/#PW

 

Personally I've only bought the latest 'EWIV livery' Kato versions, for green era older Hobbytrain versions are adequate (I even sold a few surplus older ones because I had too many overall) 

 

That's interesting. I didn't realise the older models were lit as well. The shop I bought mine from had worded it as a "new and exciting feature".

 

I looked on ebay just out of curiosity yesterday. Somebody was selling a single green/grey version for over €50 + €18 delivery from Germany. For one N scale coach. I don't think so! Somebody else was selling a 3-pack in the same livery for €185 + P&P. 

 

I think I'll wait to see what's announced next and make up my mind then. To be honest, I've got so many coaches on back-order that I can quite happily live without them for the time being.

 

Thanks for the link - useful info!

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

 

[Gordonwis]

13 hours ago, Michanglais said:

 

Somebody was selling a single green/grey version for over €50 + €18 delivery from Germany. For one N scale coach. I don't think so! Somebody else was selling a 3-pack in the same livery for €185 + P&P. 

 

 

 

I think those are essentially the Lemke rrp. The same high price problem applies to the reissued K3 vans - 65 quid for a pair of brown 2 axle vans, when you can still find the original 'Austrian' Hobbytrain  built examples second hand.