Installing Kato 28-220 into the Kato 10-2000 'Yakumo' Limited Express

While the Kato 10-2000 'Yakumo' Limited Express (reviewed elsewhere) is a fine set, like a lot of Japanese model trains, what you get in the box is slightly unfinished in some of the minor details. It lacks internal lighting, for example. But one minor 'flaw' concerns the headlights at cab ends. When connected up as an eight-car train, the two cabs in the centre of the train should have their headlights on. This is a safety feature, warning passengers not to step off the platform into what looks like an empty space.

Out of the box, when you couple up all eight cars, the trailing cab has its red taillights on while the leading cab has its headlights on. However, to create the more realistic situation of having both cabs with their headlights on you need to replace the on-off switch on the underside of the chassis with a small circuit board, Kato 28-220. 

Step 1

First of all, turn the car upside down and unclip the plastic panel that surrounds the on/off switch. It's the cream plastic piece you can see here. Forceps are useful for sliding this piece out. I removed the body so it wouldn't be damaged, but this isn't strictly necessary. If you do leave the body in place do watch out for the bits of plastic that are easily flung across the table onto the carpet! Pantograph heads, for example. Note also that the plastic panel on each of the cars looks different.

 

Step 2

Now take one of the replacement circuit boards and slide it — firmly! — into the slot. The circuit board needs to make a solid connection to the current-carrying copper strips running alongside the chassis. There are some springy copper clips that push the circuit board into place, and the plastic panel removed in Step 1 has two plastic prongs that apply additional force. Note the arrow showing which end points towards the cab.

Step 3

Once correctly slotted in, the circuit board should look like the image below, the arrow neatly visible between the two plastic flaps. In this position the springy copper pieces will press firmly onto the four contacts on the circuit board, ensuring proper electrical continuity.

Step 4

Finally, put the plastic panel back onto the chassis, and check everything works. If the lights aren't working as you'd expect, chances are the circuit board hasn't been pushed in far enough. Once I was satisfied the headlights (and not the taillights) stayed on with the current flowing in both directions, I put the bodies back onto the chassis.

The result is what you see below, an eight-car train set with its headlights on where the two inner cabs connect. It's a relatively subtle effect, but nice.

Worth the effort?

Well, the replacement circuit boards cost ¥1,045 for the pair, just under £5. As far as value for money goes, it's hard to quibble. Installation is a bit of a faff because the instructions are (a) all in Japanese and (b) don't match the 273-series specifically, but refer to other, albeit similar, Kato trains.

On the other hand, the effect is subtle. It provides a DC (analogue) fix to a problem that doesn't exist on DCC, namely, the ability to turn on and off train lights regardless of the speed or direction of the train. As a DC fix, it's a bit of a fudge. It works flawlessly when the train is in motion, but when the train stops, the lights go out. That is, obviously, contrary to their entire raison d'etre. 

If you're using a pulse-width modulation controller (like the Kato Sound Box) it is possible to have the lights on while the train is stationary. However, in practice this is quite hard to achieve, so compared to using DCC to control the headlights and taillights, a somewhat less satisfactory solution.