From the photos on the Kato and N Scale supply websites, the models have the small fluting next to the windows extending below the windows where the blue band is on the Amtrak car with a raised letter board for the 'Santa Fe'. Looking closely at the Amtrak car, the flat panel under the windows appears that it may have been applied over the top of the fluting.
Gordon, That is a Superliner, which is different then the El Cap cars (although the Superliner is based on the El Cap design). Chris
Well my set did come in today as was expected. Xmas a few days early...... Well in looking at these, the detailing is very good, and the interiors are really good too. I did find a small hatch on the bottom of the tail end car. But there is nothing in the set to say what it is for. I presume it is for a DCC decoder, but not sure if it is a special Kato unit or can any lighting decoder work. Anyone know? PS - I think these are even better than the Super Chief cars!
Thanks Dave, You know my next move will be all your fault. I can't let the "Sharkman" get ahead of me. LOL That did it! My wallet is already yelling OUCH! Looks like I will need to go and pick-up my set. I hope before Christmas. wink:
The chair cars with no transition steps, cars numbered 700-724, were set up with the seats all facing the end with the full window at the end. The "B" end was always the one with the single window at the end. You can verify that from photos. The trains were wyed in Chicago and Los Angeles so the seats were always facing the correct way. The exception to this was for half of the transition or step-down cars numbered 528-549. The cars assigned to the tail end of the train were set up with the seats reversed so the small windows were at the front of the car. This was important when the El Capitan was combined with the Super Chief so that train crew members could move between the two consist. It also was used in other trains like the San Francisco Chief and the Texas Chief where the high level cars were used in the middle of standard single level cars. The seats could be reversed in these cars but it was not a simple process and usually required at least a trip to the coach yard. The later cars ordered in the 1960's and numbered 725 to 736 had convertible ends and could be set up to be either a step-down car or a standard chair car with correct level passage to another high level car. These also could have their seats reversed for the step end to be in front or back. The lounge and diner were not as critical on their orientation but the lounge "A" end was the one with all the windows running right up to the end. The diner "A" end was the one with the lower side doors farthest from it.
Rick, if I knew we were in a race, I would have used my Black AMEX card to buy the whole releasesmile: So all that is left is to figure out what that trap door is for and if it is necessary to have a decoder. Not sure if the tail light and marker lights will trip occupancy detection or not. I saw on E-Bay, there are Japanese Kato decoders with transponding etc, so me thinks something like a Digitrax TF4 may work depending on their size. Next up is to change out the lightboards in one of the A units and see what decoders I want to get inside these units. TCS has new Drop-in decoders for the Kato F units, so I may give them a try. OK Rick, prepare yourself, you are going to like what you see!
Kato sells the light decoder that fits in there. http://www.katousa.com/N/accessories.html 29-352 - FL12 Tail Light Control Decoder DCC Decoder for tail light control in the Daylight, California Zephyr, and Super Chief observation cars. http://www.katousa.com/cgi-bin/dl/dl.pl?dl.mif,29-352-FL12-English.pdf 29-353 - FR11 Interior Light Control Decoder DCC Decoder for N Interior lighting kits 11-209 and 11-210. Allows programmable on/off functionality on DCC. http://www.katousa.com/cgi-bin/dl/dl.pl?dl.mif,29-353-FR11-English.pdf
Through together a quick video drive-by of the El Cap today: [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HznSK-TLfU"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]
Here is a little video of the new El Capitan. [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvCJ5iK0Xvg"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia] Mike
MIKE, thank you for the video. Do you have decoders in your F's or is that factory Kato lighting now?
Out of curiosity, does BNSF own any heritage El Capitan or Super Chief cars? Or were they all handed over to Amtrak?
They are DCC and here is a link to the lighting. http://www.fiferhobby.com/html/n_scale_mars_light_installatio.html Thanks Nscaler, Mike
They do have a few of the Super Chief cars such as "Regal" sleeping cars and diners but they did not keep any of the El Capitan High Level cars. They do have a few funky looking ex commuter High Level cars that they use for employee specials.
For the group here... I'm taking an entire extra set I got and breaking it up individually on Ebay, so if you don't want to shell out $200 or $50 for another coach or two they are being loaded out now. If you want to see some of the Amtrak rebuilds, check these out: Ex-Amtrak Hi-Level Cars
This is a great idea! Are you going to sell the lounge separately? I will try to win that unless you just want to sell it (-;! Chris
