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What a face! I can well understand that - we have two dogs (and 5 1/2 cats) and the dogs get visibly upset when they see us packing for travel. I am sure there will be much excitement when you return! Tony

Here is the Osaka Power Loop JR103 set from Greenmax. The steps are basically the same but anotehr set of photos in case they're helpful -- different angle or show different steps. I did these conversions separately so may have done some things slightly differently.

This is the Greenmax JR103 "Osaka Loop Line Farewell" set #50595.

Yes, Japan is closed for Golden Week. Even if they get your item Japan Post is on vacation during Golden Week. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html

About 5 years ago I did two different Greenmax JR103 setsw power units. These have the coreless motors. I also have and did one older JR103 set from Greenmax but that is not the subject of this entry. Someone posted on Reddit about the MT40 stuff and someone asked if they had any Greenmax compatible units and I said I didn't see any but I had done some wired conversions and could post the pics. I am posting here as my base of operations and for posterity. These pics come from both my conversions, which were done the same, and uses a D&H PD05A decoder. You could really use any micro sized decoder like a Lokpilot 5 micro or a Zimo micro as well. I may come back and provide more text to this but for now, due to time and being late with some day-job work, I'm just posting the pics of the steps I did.

Thanks @N-Osoi I was wondering that as I had my dinner: what have I done. I have sent a note to Plaza Japan to see if this can be sorted out and will see what they say.

There are a lot of folks who do DCC conversions. There is nothing "special" about Japanese N-Gauge when it comes to DCC (unless it is a EM13, which is almost exclusively KATO Japanese trains with a few exceptions but they are easy and you could do it or someone in your family just watching a video as they just basically slide in). The KATO stuff that has the drop in lightboard replacemnts basically use Digitrax compatible drops ins. Digitrax of course makes them but also TCS, and other manufacturers make them. They're usually a little more complicated as you often have to move or modify LEDs etc but they're not parfticularly hard. The hardest are ones where you have to direct wire in a wired decoder. There you need to isolated things and make sure you understand the path of the electricity. And figure out a strategy for any lights that are on there. But these are not things that are Japanese specific really. So anyone who knows about doing DCC conversions should be able to help you. Especially folks who do N-scale stuff. Are you a member of a club? Or do you have any N-scale modelers you know locally?

I guess Golden Week has also fallen in this time frame which might have slowed things down a bit.

I got a partial refund on my credit card once the sorted it out. I get that they can attempt to source items elsewhere. But if they cannot find it within a week. Then call it then. Don't drag it out.

Funny. Since the have job adverts describing these services. https://jnsforum.com/community/topic/20289-kato-usa-is-hiring/

I have those 're-order' buttons but I assumed that was for a whole new order. I paid in full for my original items and there's been no refund or anything so far. Still waiting for a reply to my query.

Thanks Tony. The trip is really flying by. I've done a bunch of writing and exploring and I'm getting my rail pass on Thursday. Then I plan to ride as many trains as possible. I do miss my dog a little though.

Not too impressed with Plaza Japan at the moment. I placed an order April 30 for 14 items, and all I saw in the order status was 'preparing to ship' just like @N-Osoi. This time, after reading these last few posts, I clicked on the order only to find 3 are out of stock, and I had to re-order the rest. Will see what happens now. Pretty poor communications from what I thought was a reputable company.

With our house construction project, I've not done anything with them yet, but hey looked good with visual inspection. I believe they're using designs that are Open Source or have put their stuff out as Open Source -- not sure yet as I've not looked at their site since I bought. But I'm eventually interested in seeing if I can add their function decoder stuff to my lightboard PCB design.

They are a good resource, How was the fit and quality of the decoder and what did you use the decoder in? Anytime I'm glad that I could help out.

May 17th in Nikko has the horseback archery display and May 18th has the 1000 samurai procession at Nikko. Lots of people dressed up in Edo period costume.

Note that US Amazon has this item listed as available for next day delivery https://www.amazon.com/KATO-Gauge-Electric-20-202-Supplies/dp/B0003K1LK0/ and is listed for a few days delivery on Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/N-6-Remote-Left-Hand-Turnout/dp/B0003K1LK0/ Basic things like Unitrack I tend to look for locally if I need it unless I happen to need a whole ton of it or it can wait until I visit Japan the next time. KATO is a big force in N American N Scale so things that are not region specific like track are often readily available locally.

I called Kato USA today and unfortunately, Kato USA does not offer this service.

Hi folks, Unfortunately my Tomix Series 500 isn't running properly, even at full speed it's really slow. I've taken it apart and isolated the problem to the motor itself 😞 The motor is Tomix M-13 Motor (0617). Any suggestions? I can't see a way to take apart the motor itself, so I'm guessing my only option is to replace it. I've purchased Tomix 0623 [ 0623 ] M-9 Motor (TYPE3) from HobbySearch as the original is no longer in stock. Photos seem to suggest it's the same size. But if anyone does know a way to kick the originally motor back to life, please let me know. Like I say, it is turning, but at a really slow pace, even just on it's own. Many thanks, David

Ditto. Great stuff and something I will reference for my next trip. Thanks, Tony

Great !!! Many thanks @miyakoji

Welcome aboard @KaydensRailway

@KaydensRailway You're among good company here. Welcome aboard, Kayden!

Good resource. I bought a few from them, (I think it was them), when I was last in Japan but have not used them yet. Thanks for the reminder to add their website to my go-to list of resources.

I had to go out of town for a work trip Tursday and Friday (one night trip to Kalamazoo). Wednesday before I left I got the grouting done in the kitchen and the master bedroom shower. Saturday my daughter cleaned up the kitchen from the grout haze and also the Japanese bath floor, which was tiled and grouted a few weeks ago but never cleaned up. I and later in the day with the wife's help started putting down the LVP in the train room and where there are doors extending it into neighboring office or open loft area. I had already done a few rows before the trip but kind of re-did them as I was closing up gaps abd figured out better how to do it. It goes down fast but I spent some time figuring out how this particular brand works and working out the kinks. Also had to cut some in-floor electrical outlet openings and around corners etc. The masking tape on the LVP is just to keep it from slipping or coming out of alignment as we're working on it. Since it just snaps together on the short and and then lays together on the long end (shallow depression and shallow insert) its easy to bump it... Should speed up now that we know what we're doing...