Ichigo and Tama train motorization and DCC conversion

Probably all of you heard once about Tama, the female cat and Station Master of the Wakayama Electric Railways. It is a nice story:

As Tama was feeling too alone, later had a male companion called Ichigo. And this railway company decorated two of their trains in honour of these two cats. Also the station was remodelled to make it look like a cat from exterior. Tomytec did these two trains in their Tetsudou Collection (static models), and I bought them long before. 

But sadly two months ago Tama passed away, so I decided to motorize and digitalize it as my little remembrance.

Tomytec makes special motorized chassis and parts to easily let these kind of models run in an N gauge layout. In case of these two models (Tama and Ichigo), the following parts are needed:

TT-04R, TM05R, 0258 pantograph

Motorized chassis comes also with 3 different lengths of chassis terminations to choose depending the model. Also different lateral pieces are provided:

TT-04R is the set for the non motorized car. Wheels, ballast and couplers of different length are also in the box:

DCC conversion of the motorized unit is pretty easy. First un-clip the metal weight that covers the motor's current pick up strips, and cut them close to the motor.

Decoder (Digitrax DZ123 in my case) is soldered in the way you can see in the following photos:

I wanted also to illuminate cars, so I soldered 3 SMD led in a strip with an SMD resistor of 500Ohm. Just 250Ohm were needed, but I wanted the light less bright. I installed with double sided tape one of this 3 led strips in each of the cars, and added a connector to be able to separate both cars:

The plastic of the body is so thin that light is still too much strong and you can see it through.

So when I have more patience I will open it again and change resistors for a stronger ones, minimum 1KOhm I guess. But meanwhile, the work is finished.

Also the non motorized car needs more ballast, but that's also an improvement I put aside for now. My first idea was to install cab and tail lights, but I found it too much difficult (at least for my skills) in this model because of the body thinness. Light would be seen not only through the cab lights, probably the complete car would get illuminated.

JR West 223-2000 Shinkaisoku easy DCC Conversion

As the previous model (NE'X), it's a "DCC Ready" model, so installation is straight forward:

To install the motor decoder, slide the undercarriage plastic piece in the direction that points the arrow and remove one of the bogies. Bogies are clipped, so you only need to turn it and pull gently. Insert the decoder with the side having the short contact pads facing to you.

For the cab/end car, just open the hatch and remove the plastic piece. Decoder is inserted with the face having four contact pads towards you. But take a look to the photo, there are two tiny contact pads at the narrow ends that will help you orient the decoder. The one in the cab car is inserted in the opposite direction that the one in the tail car. If you don't do it in this way, the same lights will be illuminated (both red or both white). To fit the decoder, press it against the carriage and with the help of a tiny screw driver push it to the front of the car.

Ready to run!!!!

Narita Express N'EX easy DCC Conversion

That's an easy DCC conversion, as the model is "DCC Ready". You need two FL12 decoders (for tail and cab cars) and one EM13. There are also decoders for interior lighting, but I will install later led strips directly connected to current (cost savings....).

Those are drop-in decoders, it means you don't need to solder, just fit them in the right position and in the right place.

To install the motor decoder, slide the undercarriage plastic piece in the direction that points the arrow and remove one of the bogies. Bogies are clipped, so you only need to turn it and pull gently. Insert the decoder with the side having the short contact pads facing to you.

For the cab/end car, just open the hatch and remove the plastic piece. Decoder is inserted with the face having four contact pads towards you. But take a look to the photo, there are two tiny contact pads at the narrow ends that will help you orient the decoder. The one in the cab car is inserted in the opposite direction that the one in the tail car. If you don't do it in this way, the same lights will be illuminated (both red or both white). To fit the decoder, press it against the carriage and with the help of a tiny screw driver push it to the front of the car.

And that's all, pretty easy!!!! Enjoy it running!!!