49th Shizuoka Hobby Show 2010 predictions and results

I am all excited about this year show from May 13-16. 

Will we see an E5 or E6 announcement by Tomix? 

Kato releasing more Unitram products?

An automatic Faller like road system by Tomytec? 

The re-release of Rapi:t by Microace?

What are you thoughts?

Regarding the automatic road system by Tomix there has already been speculation in the HS blog at the time of Wide Tram Rail announcement that this road system will never appear.  

"additional note 4) Wide Tram Rail may have the road parts productized in the future, may be? (mystery)"

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/blog/100416

That probably means a legal or patent roadblock and its probably based on discussions with Tomix personnel.

We're not likely to hear much until Saturday as the show is trade only on Thursday and Friday and past years not has emerged until during the weekend.

Hoping for both more Unitram (individual pieces, crossings or points) and paint schemes for other cars beyond the white+colored stripe of the 7 basic portram units (as TomyTec has already done).

I am all excited about this year show from May 13-16.... 

 

 

The re-release of Rapi:t by Microace?

 

Would love this to make a reappearence... 

I am all excited about this year show from May 13-16.... 

 

 

The re-release of Rapi:t by Microace?

 

No indication of this yet, but I noticed in N Volume 52 yesterday that Microace is re-issuing the streamlined Meitetsu 3400 in cream with a red stripe as a four car set.  Reservations are already open.

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/10_04_1.jpg

 

No indication of this yet, but I noticed in N Volume 52 yesterday that Microace is re-issuing the streamlined Meitetsu 3400 in cream with a red stripe as a four car set.  Reservations are already open.

 

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/10_04_1.jpg

I usually have my reservation with train designs b/w the steam and Shinkansen but this one is catching my attention.  I cannot explain it, though.

Because it's beautiful? I saw the red version in a shop somewhere in Osaka (maybe one of the Pochi) and it was real looker.

Anyway, I'm not sure Microace really need to make a rerun of the Rapit. Some might be stock somewhere. Today, I saw a brand new Doraemon, Series 2000 and E751 (Tsugaru) appeared in some shops. I really wonder where they came from. They are such old or rare releases that seeing them like that on stationeries they didn't populate before was a shocker.

I will be off line most of Thursday and some of Friday.  Here's some links to watch.  

Railcraft Awaza posts photos each year starting  this year on Saturday night, the 15th.

http://www.rc-awaza.com/

Popondetta blog

http://popondetta.com/blog/

Joshin Co blog, model railroad pages:

http://shop.joshin.co.jp/blog/1555skl/archives/category/%e9%89%84%e9%81%93%e6%a8%a1%e5%9e%8b

Most times we don't see much until Saturday or Saturday night.

Thanks for the heads up, Bill. We will be on the look out!

Fresh off the press!!!

I think everyone is going to be excited!

Photos and info from:

http://ngi.blog.eonet.jp/

http://blog.joshinweb.jp/joshintrain/

http://casco.blog.so-net.ne.jp/archive/201005-1

First off, Kato Sales Meeting.  I believe not all are shown yet.

But here are a first few.

I especially love how Kato is focusing into building more modern nicer looking buildings.

AND Unitram expansion...the price looks a little steep though...

Tomix has tons too!

I especially like the remote controller and the bus and tram system...I think I am leaning towards Tomix for its road plate selections...

Next we have Modemo

Nice looking tram and looks more like an amusement ride. IMHO

Greenmax

Dammit Tomix! Stop producing awesome stuff! That bus system is going to hurt me in my wallet. Also, the announcement of the Toyota Crown Sedan in N-gauge... Finally! I've been waiting for this :D

Not too pleased with the Unitram pricing either - at least with the sets shown it looks like Kato is only selling the track with the associated plate system pieces, which where always expensive (no idea why the plate system is so expensive).

On the plus side, at least one new tram line is very welcome. Hopefully there will be more like TomyTec, as I find the full body paint schemes much more interesting (the red Portram paint scheme looks vaguely TTC'ish in color scheme, but I don't think I'd be putting on Bloor St. headboard decals anytime soon).

wow, I think I need to start a new leasing, too much items to buy, and sincerly the Yen/Euro exchange rate is really bad now..

ciao

Massimo

From the Hobby Search newsletter.

"This is the topics of Shizuoka Hobby Show.

Moment, is being held in Shizuoka Hobby Show. (Until May 16)

From manufacturers, new products were presented as follows.

* KATO *

(N) D51 498 (Steam Locomotive)

(N) DD54 (Diesel Locomotive)

(N) Series 24 Sleeper Limited Express `Hokutosei`

* TOMYTEC & TOMIX *

(HO) EF510 Hokutosei Color (Newest Electric Locomotive)

(HO) EF510 Red Thunder (Electric Locomotive)

(Railway Collection) J.N.R. Series 70 Chuo-sai Line (Chuo West Line)

(Railway Collection) J.N.R. Series 70 Hanwa Line Train Rapid Service

(The Bus Collection) Basic Set of `Running Bus Collection`

(The Bus Collection) Motorized Chassis of `Running Bus Collection` (?)

(Control System) Wireless Power Unit

* GREENMAX *

(N) Nankai Sereis 10000 Limited Express `Southern`

(N) Tokyu Series 8500 Oimachi Line Color

(N) Keio Series 6000 Old Color

(N) Keihan Series 2400 1st Model Old Color"

it looks like tomix/tomytec is pulling the trigger on the bus system! Shizuoka hobby show blog shows more pictures. looks like they will have a system to not only start and stop, but also have a remotely switchable slow and fast speeds! also appears they will make these as mechanisms for the tomytec bus lines like the mechanism for the rr series so you can mix and match! really a great combo for tomytec as they have so many bus shells out there already and scads of collectors that will want to run their busses now! im hoping they can really get the mechanism cost down to near what they do the tram mechanisms for if they could do $25-30 they would really have a big hit on their hands i think.

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://popondetta.com/blog/cat3/tomytec_27.html&rurl=translate.google.com&usg=ALkJrhjsWfh93CuWHjel_NA36iKzDeHWsQ#more

cheers

jeff

also forgot, the prototype wind generator looks cool. better solution than the faller which does not match up well with the wind generators i was able to locate pictures of in japan. will be great if motorized! translation reads "it is a thing that works." and it has a large box as the base with a wire coming out of it.

http://popondetta.com/blog/DSC01230.jpg

way too much fun! tomytec is like a leach on my wallet... hi im jeff and im a tomytec junky...

cheers

jeff

The mini me of 500 Series Shinkansens.

Does anyone else see a move away from scale model trains in many of the items announced at the Shizuoka Hobby Show?  New products seem to be moving towards gadgets and motorized accessories. Even the Kato Pocket Line trains, especially the blue and orange train looks more like a toy.  But they are supposed to be a bridge between toys and trains. So far I've seen very few true train models.

There are a lot of trains to, i think its just that there are more gadgets, buildings and such coming out now days and it gets some attention. the volume of trains coming out feels pretty consistent to me, but i dont track it by the numbers, more in the number of trails that come out that catch my eye. even though i have tried to slow my train buying (i have more trains than i can run now!) there is still a pretty good steady stream of trains catching my eye (and wallet).

i think its just the novelty factor that makes the blogs focus on different stuff and not a string of train releases. at these shows also i think the manufactures put the sexiest things out front and some new gadget that does something fun or really looks different will get the eyeballs and the case of trains sits more to the back as its not a novelty. trade shows are all about pizzaz.

cheers

jeff

On the plus side, at least one new tram line is very welcome. Hopefully there will be more like TomyTec, as I find the full body paint schemes much more interesting (the red Portram paint scheme looks vaguely TTC'ish in color scheme, but I don't think I'd be putting on Bloor St. headboard decals anytime soon).

Yeah, you are right, it does looks a little like Bombardier's Flexcity II for Toronto's streetcars and Transit City's LRVs!  I cannot wait for them to come to my street!

http://lrv.ttc.ca/default.aspx

Does anyone else see a move away from scale model trains in many of the items announced at the Shizuoka Hobby Show?

I also believe both companies see this as an unchartered segment of the market.  That's because its range can now attract people who like skyscrapers, model cars, model buses but not necessary trains.  All of which will help the two companies grow.  Who knows, in the future they might come up with airplanes and airports  

Thanks for posting the links and pics!

A good day for the hobby.. I mean its a tough time economically so one might expect almost nothing or re-releases, but there are some nice new offerings and Tomix and Kato have committed further towards trams. Some disappointment regarding the tram track but having any new track is probably a good omen for future releases.

The Tomix bus system rocks! 

From youtube!