I recently bought the new Kato Metra Starter set. I love it. But right now no one is making any decoders for it. I've read that TCS will have a pair of decoders that will do most of the functions of the Metra lightshow. But it like all TCS decoders will be silent. I contacted MRC about their plans and was told they had none. But Frank also said that they would create a sound and light decoder if one of two conditions existed. 1 Kato made a direct request of them to make it. 2 MRC would get enough requests to show there is a demand for the decoder Now I know that there are only few of you out there that model Chicago Commuter trains. But the MPX series locomotive is used all across North America to haul commuters to and from work. Many of you settled for a fake loco from Athearn. Your day will come as Kato is already advertising a second paintjob the VRE. I'm sure that more railroads will be available in the future. So, I request that all interested parties email the decoder makers and Kato to request a sound and light decoder worthy of the MPX locomotives be made. Thanks for your help.
Digitrax should have one out shortly. I would guess in a week or two from the information I was given. The rear light function board is the Kato FL-12. Digitrax makes those for Kato Japan as an OEM product. I'm not sure if Kato USA and Kato Japan have worked out some kind of agreement to make them available here in the US. Digitrax can't sell them due to the agreement between them and Kato Japan. Rich
The Kato Part number for the FL-12 is 29-352. I checked several online dealers and they have it in stock. Can't help you with the sound decoder for the MP36. For what it's worth, I did run mine all day on "Take a Model Train to Work" Day and it performed flawlessly. Andy Tetsu Uma
I'm just waiting for any pnp decoder to be available for this loco. While I have about 9 locos and steamers with sound; I just can't make a determination if I will ever like them for more than 10 minutes at a time. I'm not that old but it gets irritating. I saw a video of this loco with all the lights controlled by decoders (including the remote cab car) and it was amazing and expensive...but still amazing. Brian
I just received this from Digitrax... DN163K4B - Board replacement Decoder for Kato N Scale MP36PH Metra UPC: 652667-05067-8 $36.00 msrp Note: The light decoder for the end of train car will be available at a later date.
is there a secret to getting the digitrax decoder to work in the mp36.installed just like the instructions programs fine but doese nothing no lights or anything.
Read the address on the programing track. If it is what you put in reset CV-8 to 8, this should give you a loco address of 3. Check to see if things run correctly and then go back and do your loco address. Bob.
