World Craft Plastic Series mini freight motor

[velotrain]

Has anyone asked HS why they charge international customers more?

[katoftw]

Examples?  I'd think it is the opposite since we don't pay the 8% GST.

Edited July 5, 2015 by katoftw

[katoftw]

http://www.1999.co.jp/10334920

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10334920

 

well i'll be darned, you are right. (but please see edits now).

 

jp product 1944 down to 1458, included 8% GST

int product 1800 down to 1530, excludes 8% GST

 

pre-orders always get an extra 5% on top of the regular 10%.  but look likes jp customers get an extra 10% off.

 

edit//  but jp customers do have 2 different price points depending on their payment options.  more for using paypal/credit cards.  i guess we pay more to cover paypal or credit card fees.  1652 for the above product if you used payment options same as an international buyer at 15%, (but still 8% higher).

 

edit #2//  the lower jp prices is for COD orders.  so HS are saving any banking/payment fees and charges, and the buyer is paying the COD fees.  so even though they are getting 25% off, they still have to pay extra fee on top of that.

 

---

 

after doing some research, i'm happy with being an international customer of HS.  not feeling ripped off.

 

jp product 1944 down to 1458, included 8% GST, plus extra COD fees at buyers expense

jp product 1944 down to 1652, included 8% GST, credit card or paypal payment options used

int'l product 1800 down to 1530, excludes 8% GST, credit card or paypal payment options used

Edited July 5, 2015 by katoftw

[cteno4]

A few years back some of us did question HS about the international vs japan costs when their prices started to rise when thier main international competition at the time of hobbyworld and rainbow10 stopped doing international sales and they never gave any clear reasoning.

 

Over all HS is still decent, but no longer as cheap as their new international competition from Modeltrainplus.com and loco1hobby.com! They do have a very deep inventory.

 

There are some extra costs for international orders of having an English speaking employee all the time, some customs paperwork and perhaps a shipping service to take the international shippments to the post and customs, and international paypal fees.

 

Jeff

Edited July 5, 2015 by cteno4

[velotrain]

While only indirectly related to the topic (not that this ever stops me ;-), I found a  wonderful image of a Melbourne freight tram in 1962. 

I don't know about other countries, but it looks very similar to U.S. box conversions done on vans.

 

 

 

 

[westfalen]

An advertising tram.  We had them in Brisbane too, advertisers would pay to have their billboards placed on the tram and it would cruise around the suburbs for however long they paid for.  They were generally converted from older trams, or rail grinder cars that would be patroling around the network anyway.  We also had some open cars where the advertisers products would be placed, like the latest model auto or washing machines.

[velotrain]

I figured the advertising was secondary income, as wherever I found the image listed it as a "freight tram".

 

Hmmm . . . the Japanese like advertising, so maybe I'll make a version with one of the kits.  Say - perhaps you could mount "chase light" signs on the sides!

 

A don't think an auto would fit in the opening, but a washing machine would - now I just need to find a N-scale model ;-)

[marknewton]

M&MTB No.17 was a freight car, it was converted from V class crossbench No.214 car back in 1925. It was used to carry parts and stores between Preston Wokshops and the various tram depots. It was fitted with the advertising billboards in the late 1950s, and withdrawn from service in 1977.

 

 

It was then rebuilt at Preston to near original condition as V214, and used as a tourist/special event car. It was later repainted in it's first colour scheme as North Melbourne Electric Tramway No.13, and ran during the tramway centenary celebration in 2006. It's currently on display at the Hawthorn Depot museum.

 

 

 

 

I was lucky enough to have a drive of this tram when it was in tourist service - great fun!

 

What's also interesting about this car is that it was a standard Brill catalog design running on the ever-popular 21E truck. It was built in the USA, then dismantled for shipping and reassembled on arrival in Melbourne.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited July 7, 2015 by marknewton

[velotrain]

Thanks for all of the images.

 

I can't tell if there's text or not on the roof sideboard of the Stillwater River car - I believe that area was often used for advertising.

 

The only change I can detect over it's long life as a passenger car is the installation of the three end windows.

 

Was "FREIGHT CAR" emblazoned across the side of #17 in case some foolish - or more likely inebriated, person tried to board it?

[westfalen]

Some Brisbane advertising trams.

 

 

What could be more appropriate to advertise on a tram.

 

[velotrain]

I found some additional photos of Tosa Electric Railway #1 - two are definite, while the other two are only likely, as it's impossible to be certain given the extreme "wrapping".

 

Perhaps the clearest shot yet, and showing a lot of the interior.

 

BTW - what is the meaning of the cross?  It's often seen over the entry to loco sheds.

 

 

 

 

Here she is sitting in the "dead line" at the transfer table.

 

 

 

 

All decked out - apparently for advertising purposes.  Melbourne has nothing over us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[velotrain]

Thanks for these westfalen.

 

That one advertising a movie is really targeted advertising !

[marknewton]

I can't tell if there's text or not on the roof sideboard of the Stillwater River car - I believe that area was often used for advertising.

The only change I can detect over it's long life as a passenger car is the installation of the three end windows.

Was "FREIGHT CAR" emblazoned across the side of #17 in case some foolish - or more likely inebriated, person tried to board it?

Yes, the rooftop boards were intended to carry advertising. On Melbourne cars the ads were applied as posters, whereas in Sydney the boards were had signwritten/painted ads.

 

Apart from the windows on the aprons, No.17 was fitted with air brakes and more powerful traction motors, which it still has today. It's a very lively car to drive. And knowing Melbourne, I reckon you're right about the signage being there to discourage drunks from trying to board the car. Our non-revenue cars in Sydney also carried signage that read "No Passngers".

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited July 11, 2015 by marknewton

[marknewton]

Some Brisbane advertising trams.

ad tram 03.jpg

That first tram pictured was converted from 10-bench car No.71, which is now in our collection at Loftus. It's unrestored, the long-term plan being to remove all the additions to the body and return it to it's original condition, similar to car No. 65 at the Brisbane Tramway Museum:

 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited July 11, 2015 by marknewton

[Ewan.in.gz]

The green cross is a safety warning symbol. It is often seen on larger things accompanied by the kanji: 安全第一 (anzen dai-ichi) meaning "Safety First".

 

Ewan

[Gordon Werner]

I think these are at least related if not extremely close in design:

 

http://g-gauge.world.coocan.jp/PROTOTYPE/STK/STK.html#DEWA

 

and a slightly larger version (longer)?

 

http://g-gauge.world.coocan.jp/PROTOTYPE/TOYOHASHI/TOYOHASHI.html#10