My Temporary Setups - Mostly Trains!

[Pauljag900]

Does nt matter what it is,do nt leave any room for error,Always aim as big as you possibly can,that way you can't think later on,I wish I d made it a bit bigger! Coz there s no where to go!!

Edited January 28, 2017 by Pauljag900

[serotta1972]

I see the long train bug has bitten you too!  I was weak and got the add-ons for my 581 series recently, the V16 is barely big enough now!  My favorite is that 115 of course, is that a tomix model?  More importantly, when will we get to see a 115 shonan in the 15 car formation?  :P

 

These are the newer Kato 115's and I will probably just get the 7 Car set and the 83 when it's released.  8-10 car will probably be my limit but we'll see.  A combination of a sale and moment of weakness might change that.

[serotta1972]

Steam Train Excursion Day - all my steam locos came out along with Thomas and a variety of coaches from both Kato and Tomix.  Patiently waiting for the C11's from Kato and Tomix to come out to add to the fleet.

 

[Densha]

You're really making me want to get started with steam locos... I especially really like the C type locos.

[serotta1972]

These new Kato and Tomix are really nice both detail wise and running characteristics. I have the older Kato D51 and the new ones are quite an improvement and that's not to say the old ones were bad but the new ones are that much better. And for steam locos, the price is right IMHO. I love the C Class locos too with the 3 big drivers. My first train was a 0-6-0, so I may be a little partial. But be careful, there's lots of them and it's hard to just have one or two.

[Kiha66]

Oh, that one with all the gold trim looks really nice, is that a C57?   Also liking the look of whatever locomotive is sitting behind it, I may need to add a few more locomotives to my fleet.  

[Martijn Meerts]

Steam Train Excursion Day - all my steam locos came out along with Thomas and a variety of coaches from both Kato and Tomix.  Patiently waiting for the C11's from Kato and Tomix to come out to add to the fleet.

 

IMG_3843.JPGIMG_3852.JPGIMG_3854.JPGIMG_3855.JPGIMG_3848.JPGIMG_3847.JPGIMG_3844.JPGIMG_3853.JPGIMG_3856.JPG

 

Now we're talking :D

[JR 500系]

Thomas and his big brothers!

[serotta1972]

Oh, that one with all the gold trim looks really nice, is that a C57?   Also liking the look of whatever locomotive is sitting behind it, I may need to add a few more locomotives to my fleet.  

 

Yes, it is a C57 - Tomix 2008 C57-1 HG model.  Looks amazing and runs great too.  And the one behind is a Kato 2016-1 D51-498.  I believe both are still readily available.

Edited January 31, 2017 by serotta1972

[serotta1972]

Got the V2 Set to add some up and down action to give my trains a little workout.  

 

 

To my disappointment - the Kato Kiha 25 - 2 Cars couldn't make it up the incline without having to go full throttle and even then it was spinning away. The motor car did fine by itself but when couple to the trailer car, it would just spin out.  This is probably due to it's lightweight and only having one bogie powered.  The  other trains were fine - the 5050 Train with 4 cars went up at slow speed without a problem.

[JR 500系]

 

To my disappointment - the Kato Kiha 25 - 2 Cars couldn't make it up the incline without having to go full throttle and even then it was spinning away. The motor car did fine by itself but when couple to the trailer car, it would just spin out.  This is probably due to it's lightweight and only having one bogie powered.  The  other trains were fine - the 5050 Train with 4 cars went up at slow speed without a problem.

 

Hi Serotta 1972:

 

Yap that is a real problem with the Kiha-25, but youtube user miyakomokei has posted an interesting video on how we can modify the boggie by changing the wheels to ones with twin rubber traction pads to have more traction for the motor to move the train up:

 

 

I feel this is quite a problem too, since Kato had made many 2 car set trains (like your Aichi loop train and the E127 Otio Line) that doesn't have this problem, and yet the problem surfaces at a more recently released one.

Edited February 3, 2017 by JR 500系

[serotta1972]

The Aichi Loop train has both bogies powered like any other motor car. It's the E127 that also only have one bogie powered. The weight difference between the Kiha 25 and Aichi Loop motor cars is pretty significant. I was too lazy to pull out the E127's to see if they will perform like the Kiha 25. Not really a big deal and probably won't go the trouble of putting traction rubber on them. Thanks for the link though.

 

I don't understand why Kato did this with their 2 car sets.

[JR 500系]

HHmmm or another simplier method is to add some dead weight to it, like the ones supplied by the Tomytec trailer sets for the Tetsudo collection maybe? http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10308175/10/0

[serotta1972]

Been buying some Tomix contemporary commuter trains lately but unlike Kato they come with Rapido couplers.  I'm a little spoiled now with close couplers so I decided to upgrade to the TN couplers and so glad I did, they look awesome.  Thank goodness this 8 car formation has 6 end cars which already had TN couplers so I only had to use 10 TN couplers. There's barely any gap between the cars and no gap between the end cars with diaphragms installed. Here are some before and after pictures.

 

 

 

 

[Eurostar25]

What a difference! How do they go around the corners? Is the diaphragm flexible enough?

[JR 500系]

Nice! You have 8 227s?? Cool!

 

Yes the TN couplers rocks, but they do cost quite a fair bit and installing them on a long train is quite an expensive project... Kato has the advantage of having a closer coupler than the Rapido ones that Tomix and MA has... which was some of the reasons why I started going for Kato models instead if both makers made that model, example the E233s...

[serotta1972]

What a difference! How do they go around the corners? Is the diaphragm flexible enough?

The diaphragms are solid. I will test them on curves tonight to see how they perform but should be be fine as the couplers extend out a little.

[cteno4]

Serotta,

 

Looksmnice, tns are great!

 

What are you using for diaphragms?

 

Jeff

[serotta1972]

Nice! You have 8 227s?? Cool!

 

Yes the TN couplers rocks, but they do cost quite a fair bit and installing them on a long train is quite an expensive project... Kato has the advantage of having a closer coupler than the Rapido ones that Tomix and MA has... which was some of the reasons why I started going for Kato models instead if both makers made that model, example the E233s...

For that same reason I've chosen the Kato over the Tomix for the E233's.  Only Tomix is making the 227 and 323 so I got them.  Yes, it does bump up the price a little bit as it's at least a $20 investment.

[serotta1972]

Serotta,

 

Looksmnice, tns are great!

 

What are you using for diaphragms?

 

Jeff

The ones that came with sets, it just clips on.

Edited February 5, 2017 by serotta1972

[serotta1972]

What a difference! How do they go around the corners? Is the diaphragm flexible enough?

Here they are navigating a 282R curve and did just fine.  I can see the fall protection wings touching if they were installed.  

 

[serotta1972]

JR West Running Session - Past and Present.  I'm somewhat torn between the colorful liveries of older trains and sleek designs of new trains so I will have a little bit of both.

 

 

[serotta1972]

JR Central trains getting the TN treatment: Series 313-500 and Series 373

 

 

So far I've converted the 227 - 8 cars, 313 -  6 cars and 373 - 3 cars.  A $42 investment, I think it's worth it as it drastically decreases the gap between the cars and improves the look of the train sets overall.

 

Of course now I want to convert all my Tomix trains and based on my calculations it will cost about $140, darn it that's the cost of a whole new train.  

[JR 500系]

Nice! I see another hooked on TN couplers!

 

Tomix is smart... they are coaxing us to buy more TN couplers by having rapido ones on their trains... I have a massive fleet too to convert and it would seriously cause a lot to change them all, but like you said, they are definitely worth it..

 

This has also been influencing me to go for Kato commuter trains too in the recent months...

[serotta1972]

I've only recently purchased Tomix contemporary commuter trains but I do have about 8 sets of Tomix 115's that need to be converted to TN couplers.  And it looks like I won't have to worry about future 115 releases as such that most already come with TN couplers and Kato is back in the 115 game with new tooling and close couplers.