Starting The Next Phase of My Model Railroad Journey

[@mattguey-lee4845]

I've had to solder the motor tabs on all my Kato locos. I kept getting intermittent motor contact with out solder. I always test the loco with the shell off after I install the decoder.

[@donmartin9567]

Just a quick note on your soldering. Get a bamboo skewer from the supermarket or even just a toothpick to hold down the motor tab to the copper solder point rather than a pair of tweezers. Wood is non conductive and solder won't stick to it. You can hold the motor tab down against the solder point, apply solder, then pick up your wooden stick and press the tab down, then remove the soldering iron and wait for the solder to solidify, then remove the stick. I find this works WAY better than using a set of tweezers. I make my own turnouts and use the wooden stick all the time for soldering. Oh and yes, I do have a couple of the P42s. I normally just leave the little grey clip off (I have a box of them from various Kato Locos).

[@thomascanady1967]

In the last year I bought(all N Scale) The Kato SP Morning Daylight set w/GS-4 4449, Kato NYC 20th Century Limited w/EMD E7's, and Kato Amtrak Superliners w/EMD F40PH's complete sets. I also have a Con-Cor 1947 American Freedom passenger car set. Found several Alco PA-1 to use for the train but not in the paint scheme or decals available(Don't want to try to make my own). So I am using two Kato P42's painted for Amtrak 50th anniversary. One painted in the phase VI and the other Operation Lifesaver. Expense, Yes. But aren't all hobbies? It's better to have a hobby than a habit! Also test the locomotive before you install the decoder to make sure that it runs.

[@ThisWorks4Me]

Thank you Jimmy. Got the bug to build a T-Trak module and it grew. Now its a N.S. line heading running from Salisbury to Hickery. This set will look great holding the main at the Salisbury yard.

[@erichusmann5145]

I recently got back into N-scale (my dad was a club member years ago and I tagged along). First pickup I got? A pair of Kato P40s in different phase colors--50th paint scheme. Followed up with the cars-only Viewliner set and a 2-car Phase 1, and a baggage car or two, add lights to the cars. (You won't regret adding those if you do, and it's even easier than adding the decoder.) Can't beat the look. Of course, the real fun is when I add the older Superliners and "inherited" type cars on the back end for a 15-car train with 160 and 161 back to back on the front end at speed... Long, FAST when it wants to be, and looks cool.

[@PenguMatthew]

I started with Kato (nearly my entire fleet is Kato) I was able to pick up a brand new DCC version of this with the extra 3 car set and a baggage car for about 200 bucks. (Then I had to convert it to DC due to Kato power packs using PWM) My favorite train by far is the UP Excursion Train and a modified City of Los Angeles to extend the train (still waiting on Big Boy) You sure are right about it being addicting. I would love to get the Daylight train but that's where I have to draw the budgetary line.

[@jeffreyrule8143]

So true. It is addictive. Thanks for sharing.

[@tinplategeektoo]

And some Kato engines are even easier to add a DCC chip to than this. The Kato LNER Class 800 can be chipped without removing the body. Just turn it over, remove a clipped hatch, remove the blanking plug, insert the decoder and replace the hatch. At that is it done. (Although the coach light DCC chips are more involved to be fair)

[@squalli1297]

Good stuff!! I've always been drawn to passenger trains since I was a tyke during the'50's. Kato is the gold standard in terms of rolling stock. If you can manage installing their interior lighting, you'll add more realism to the set.

[@garypyke1576]

Great video. That amtrak consist looked good rolling through your layout.

[@yesenialopez2569]

Bro I actually go through everything unlike some other wierdos who just put music and don’t say stuff. Definitely putting a thumbs up.😊😀😃😄

[@Northcoastrails]

Jimmy that is a nice set 👍🚂

[@markg890]

+1 for recommending you solder the tabs. My Kato F7 needed me to go back in after a bit to re-bend the tabs. I ended up curving them so there was more tension, but if I had a decent soldering iron at the time that would have been the best solution.

[@johnmiller2880]

Looking great!! Some really great shots of your railroad as well.

[@mrsillycats]

That train has a LOT of detail

[@CashSly]

One of the first I purchased, absolutely love mine. Great video and keep up the good work.

[@AlcoLoco251]

I had gotten a Kato 3-coach superliner set, went to take the shell off the locomotive, and both couplers snapped off when the shell freed itself from the frame. Still have yet to replace them, but it's currently a useless locomotive in my set because of that.

[@cascadesouthernmodeltrains7547]

Just a note for those out there doing this on earlier versions of the P42, those retainers that hold the brass strips may not be there. Those came around a couple years ago, before that the light board, or decoder held the brass in place. Everything else works the same as Jimmy shows, but it may be a bit more fiddly to get it all together.

[@derailroad]

i love mine too, this one is in my fleet as well

[@robertmyers5269]

As soon as you started, I expected to have to make a comment about not depending on the plastic clip that hold the motor tabs. You beat me to it.

[@andrewl9191]

Darn Jimmy, I'm sitting here drinking Dunkin' cold brew, made from pouches I bought at the store, and I'm coming back to this. I'm thinking about joining a local N scale club, which could give me the opportunity to run a passenger train, and I think this could be a good option for me. I can also see that they have a baggage car and another set of cars for not a ton more. Then the easy DCC....ugh....curses.

[@BARnTrains]

Dig it is well be looking for this set. Thanks

[@davidf9630]

You touched on some good points, Jimmy. I recently put together a passenger train (6 cars)with used locomotive a and some new passenger cars and I spent about double what you spent on your brand new box set of 4 cars.

[@donmartin9567]

Oh, and yes it is addictive. Plus, I've decided to put lights in all my passenger trains (I've got over 100 cars from all the sets) so that starts to get pricey as well although, you can pick up the 6 pack of lights from eBay and other sources for a decent price (compared to the North America market).

[@melkitson]

I love it Jimmy. We have recently been able to get Kato stuff in the UK which is great. Prices are more than competitive and the stock is good quality. Luckily I have friends there and am able to avoid customs duty when it is brought over to Portugal.

[@alexyukon0823]

These are similar to the DB ET425 sets they sell, great little EMU set and really space efficient and cheap

[@JSmith19858]

A bit of heat shrink sleeve slipped on and a blast of heat might be less fiddly than wrapping it in Kapton tape

[@antwaunsumpter7869]

Since you have the passenger train, have you thought about putting a small station or stations along the layout?

[@kennethwilliams-dl9gi]

im still in the planning stages (really deciding if i want ho or n scale) but ive seen now two videos of this exact kit and im liking it more and more. id also like an intermodal train but havent made any final purchase decisions. not too many hobby stores near me so i have to drive a ways to see something in person. my other issue is i do prefer ho scale and am concerned about a clearance issue underneath some steps due to planning a track-above-track in the same direction. its a crossover (interchange) that i dont know if an x crossing will work. to fix that issue i have to buy track and see if the x crossing is doable or have to buy some ho stock and see if one train fits above the other including track and support in that space. the minimum is 9.5 in high but i can go 10 in too.

[@edtorgersen1454]

Hey bud. I'm getting into the hobby slowly. I'm interested in the NCE powercab control. However, I need to know what kind of decoder I can use in a DCC ready locomotive while using the NCE powercab. I'm not certain if it matters, but I just want to double check with a seasoned modeler. Enjoy your coffee. I had Green Mountain from the gas station this morning as I always do.

[@adamdelarozza1985]

So you noticed the high passenger car prices too! I prefer the Marklin line in HO and the metal vintage passenger cars are getting very pricey.

[@RichardsMoba]

Hey Jimmy, love the fact that you are starting on the passenger train journey as well. The decoder install really is as simple as 123, and yes it gets expensive quicker than the blink of an eye. I still have a backorder for a German passenger trainset in H0, just 5 wagons and bang another big dent in the wallet. One more question if I may, what is the name of the song played when you showed us the running of the trainset? I find it very soothing and realxing to listen to :) . Warmest regards from The Netherlands, Richard's Model Railway

[@cameramanconor1715]

I just got that a week ago!

[@mzyvettecrenshaw9670]

Train layouts aren't nearly expensive as they use to be. I have a friend who has a 40 x 30 ft area utilizing 85% of the space. He has a full build, his layout cost less than $1.700.00 . All his vehicles, planes, boats, buildings, light/lamp poles, mailboxes, etc. was made with two 3D printers. What was costly were the engines, track, resin, spool, and paint. I see alot of people spending unnecessary money on layouts, why? When you can build your own parts, and sceneries.

[@tonykane8866]

Personally I would just by the one that already has the dcc installed tome it worth the money considering what u got to do to put it in .

[@edwardaudet8367]

What radius does the track need to be to run this passenger traun set?

[@christopherfoote1706]

Money$ is no joke brother. Kato is am awesome Amtrak

[@rickmiller595]

Hey Jimmy, thanks for the video! So, what's your minimum radius that you're running these passenger cars on?

[@southern207hobbies]

Just add dcc and sound and your good to go also adding lights and figures in the cars looks good too

[@hanssmidt12]

nice smal train but still expensive in my eyes, i prefer to buy some second hand stuff from roco they make nice trains and i manage to find some nice locos for 50 a piece second hand

[@bruceyoung1343]

Nice. But only $120? Only?

[@andrewl9191]

It IS new, brand new, and it has 3 cars to go along with it. I saw it on Amazon for just under $120, and as he said, the loco itself is $90, so you're getting 3 cars for... math... $30 or so. I don't know what the quality of the cars is in this pack, but generally the rolling stock/cars I see are at least $20 each brand new, like when I got a couple new coal hoppers and boxcars.

[@davebnsfnscale4433]

Good advice to anyone interested in Amtrak modeling

[@robertdolan5195]

Hope you don't have any norfolk-southern you need to practice clean up after a train wreck

[@kenshores9900]

Don’t like the modern passenger trains. I got con Cor PA1’s and PB1’s. I then went through to EBay. I have passenger trains in 3 road names. I would still like to get a Kato Silver Streak or Hiawatha.

[@kenshores9900]

Of course when you pay $300 for a Galloping Goose what can you say.

[@El_Crab]

Hello

[@thetrainboard2772]

Guys, can you recommend a youtube channel that does similiar electronic build / repairs for o gauge. Not really found suvh detailed help in o gauge. He does a great video here. Gary