Pretty late but ironically Kato fixed the HO signal. It can now operate on either DC or DCC. No clue why they haven't done the same to the N scale signal. Its actually quite easy to convert them to operate automatically in DCC operations. You basically follow all of these steps in this video with a couple added at the end. Also You can just solder jumper wires from the prewired DC12V input to the two pads that used to pick up power from the rails, (they should cross over each other) instead of wiring back to the Kato Powerpack. It can be run exclusively from the 3 plug brick. Still solder a second wire to the pad connected to the black wire as the signal is GND triggered as well as the "trigger pad" and run these out of the signal. Where things get different is to run a wire from the little trigger mechanism in the roadbed (where the little black wire is soldered) also out of the signal, and from somewhere on the layout (main bus or something) run a wire from the rail opposite of the one that the signal triggers with. This is always the rail that is closest to the signal lights itself (this does not change if it is the North American version or the Japanese version). There should now be 6 total wires running from the signal. The two 12V that it came with, one from the trigger pad and one from the GND pad, one from the roadbed trigger, and one from the opposite rail. You will need some kind of relay board, I just used an optocoupler. Hook up the connection from the roadbed trigger as the input trigger on the optocoupler board and the connection from the other rail as the input common connection. Next hook up the GND wire to the output common/GND. Finally attach the trigger pad wire to the output connection and this should work. All this to say all Kato has to do to fix this signal is add 1 optocoupler and 1 resistor to the board. With this fix it works in either DC or DCC. I cannot fathom why they haven't done this yet.
You will Love it Besides it’s the Best thing you ever do.you can Never get enough. I basicly get my Track at Hobby Lobby or the Train shop but not online if you have a Hobby shop or Train shop or Train show Hit it That’s how I get my Tracks.
I have a question. I’m going to try this myself maybe What about using the kato sensor tracks (sold separately) from the crossing gate sets instead of a manual switch?
I'm not sure one way or the other if the signal track would work or not, but I would love to see it attempted. It seems the biggest issue is keeping the DCC signal from interfering with the three-way light board. What I did was basically bypass the ability for the DCC to influence the three-way signal but still power the track since, if it does interfere, it just keeps the light solid red. If you can figure out a way for a track-based trigger to act in place of the toggle switch, but without it carrying the DCC current to the three-way light board, it should work. So basically, you would do everything I did internally to the three-way board (isolate the light board power from the track power, and then connected the board to an independent DC power source - there is no getting around that one with the Kato N three-way), but then figure out a way to get the crossing gate to replace/act in the place of the manual toggle. If you get it figured out please video and post. Also, if you try it, and something isn't working you might try flipping the crossing gate track (i.e., rotate 180 degrees to make the top rail the bottom rail and vice versa) since I'm not sure how the polarity will work when attempting to use it as a bypass toggle where a DDC current is running through the track to flip a toggle for a DC powered three-way. I hope that last part made sense.
I don't know how many locos you plan to run on your layoit at one time., but a small layout, if you're running BLI locks only, I'm wondering if conventional power and wiring. Then using their sound control box might be an easier solution. I'm more into running the trains than opetation. I still like seeing the signals in auto too. Thanks for the video. Nice solution.
PLZZZ HELP, Hello sir, I am 16 yr old I had started biceps curl since some weeks, but one day I used some heavy weight while bicep curl, and from the next day I feel pain in my lower bicep while curls and it only pains while curls and barbell curls , sir plzzzzzzz help me out...... Its my left arm...
Pretty late but ironically Kato fixed the HO signal. It can now operate on either DC or DCC. No clue why they haven't done the same to the N scale signal. Its actually quite easy to convert them to operate automatically in DCC operations. You basically follow all of these steps in this video with a couple added at the end. Also You can just solder jumper wires from the prewired DC12V input to the two pads that used to pick up power from the rails, (they should cross over each other) instead of wiring back to the Kato Powerpack. It can be run exclusively from the 3 plug brick. Still solder a second wire to the pad connected to the black wire as the signal is GND triggered as well as the "trigger pad" and run these out of the signal. Where things get different is to run a wire from the little trigger mechanism in the roadbed (where the little black wire is soldered) also out of the signal, and from somewhere on the layout (main bus or something) run a wire from the rail opposite of the one that the signal triggers with. This is always the rail that is closest to the signal lights itself (this does not change if it is the North American version or the Japanese version). There should now be 6 total wires running from the signal. The two 12V that it came with, one from the trigger pad and one from the GND pad, one from the roadbed trigger, and one from the opposite rail. You will need some kind of relay board, I just used an optocoupler. Hook up the connection from the roadbed trigger as the input trigger on the optocoupler board and the connection from the other rail as the input common connection. Next hook up the GND wire to the output common/GND. Finally attach the trigger pad wire to the output connection and this should work. All this to say all Kato has to do to fix this signal is add 1 optocoupler and 1 resistor to the board. With this fix it works in either DC or DCC. I cannot fathom why they haven't done this yet.
You will Love it Besides it’s the Best thing you ever do.you can Never get enough. I basicly get my Track at Hobby Lobby or the Train shop but not online if you have a Hobby shop or Train shop or Train show Hit it That’s how I get my Tracks.
I have a question. I’m going to try this myself maybe
What about using the kato sensor tracks (sold separately) from the crossing gate sets instead of a manual switch?
I'm not sure one way or the other if the signal track would work or not, but I would love to see it attempted. It seems the biggest issue is keeping the DCC signal from interfering with the three-way light board. What I did was basically bypass the ability for the DCC to influence the three-way signal but still power the track since, if it does interfere, it just keeps the light solid red. If you can figure out a way for a track-based trigger to act in place of the toggle switch, but without it carrying the DCC current to the three-way light board, it should work. So basically, you would do everything I did internally to the three-way board (isolate the light board power from the track power, and then connected the board to an independent DC power source - there is no getting around that one with the Kato N three-way), but then figure out a way to get the crossing gate to replace/act in the place of the manual toggle. If you get it figured out please video and post. Also, if you try it, and something isn't working you might try flipping the crossing gate track (i.e., rotate 180 degrees to make the top rail the bottom rail and vice versa) since I'm not sure how the polarity will work when attempting to use it as a bypass toggle where a DDC current is running through the track to flip a toggle for a DC powered three-way. I hope that last part made sense.
Good info! I enjoyed the video!
I don't know how many locos you plan to run on your layoit at one time., but a small layout, if you're running BLI locks only, I'm wondering if conventional power and wiring. Then using their sound control box might be an easier solution. I'm more into running the trains than opetation. I still like seeing the signals in auto too. Thanks for the video. Nice solution.
How Kato STILL haven’t fixed this issue I have no idea. The tech is there with the level crossing - you just use IR sensors. Super frustrating.
THIS IS AWESOME!!!! Thanks !!
I believe this works on DC only.
PLZZZ HELP, Hello sir, I am 16 yr old I had started biceps curl since some weeks, but one day I used some heavy weight while bicep curl, and from the next day I feel pain in my lower bicep while curls and it only pains while curls and barbell curls , sir plzzzzzzz help me out...... Its my left arm...
As soon as I saw that this STILL requires the Kato power pack I realized it is not a solution at all for DCC. Moving on...
All my Layouts Are Dc Different strokes Different Folks. Everyone is Different.