Shout outs! Your model railroad curse(s)...

[to2leo]

Hi JNS Forumers,

It seems there these curses flying around the forum lately. :angry5:  

 

Whether they are phantom orders, lemon trains, spaghetti rails or distructo-pet, we all have them.  

 

Let's put them out in the open  :cussing: and hope the curses be gone! :blob8:

[to2leo]

I will start with mine. I call it...

 

The CURSE of the KATO TGVs

 

It is no secret that I would choose a TGV over a Shinkansen  .  Thus, I would jump at every opportunity to purchase one if given the opportunity.

 

My first one is the TGV Thalys.  This red devilish train is nice to look at but I call it 藥煲 or the bottomless medicine pot because it had given me quite a few money headaches over the years.  When it first come out of the box and onto the rails, the engine would not work!  I asked at TB and Plaza but their suggestions were not helpful.  I was about to send it back to Kato when my father, a great technician, suggested why not let him takes a look.  He fixed the wiring problem but later apologised because in the process he had broke a few delicate couplers for the set.  These couplers, Bernard will know, comes to 11 EURO a set.  I had to order 3 overseas from Germany but this is not the end...

 

My second set is TGV Eurostar.  This time, I made sure my supplier tests the engine before sending it over.  The train worked faultlessly until I tried to couple it with the Thalys.  One of the couplers decided to break off midway due to a minor derailment.  So back to Germany I called.  Knowing this might be an ongoing issues, I ordered 3 more just in case.

 

My third set is TGV Euromed.  Beautiful train, working engine.  In a way, it is no fault of it but it informed me that one of the LED light is broken.  On the day of my mail to Kato USA for warranty, the light set 'magically' disappeared...

 

My fourth set is TGV POS.  Now knowing all these problems, I made sure all the precautions were implemented.  The train ran well, no lighting issues BUT when the bill came in, I had a shocked because the train was purchased during the Financial Crisis of 2008...  The Cdn 'loonie' dollar goes from beyond parity to the US dollar to new lows.

 

My fifth set will be the TGV Duplex.  This got to be the longest pre-order wait because it is more than a year from the time it was announced.  I was overjoyed when Kato Japan announced it was released on July 17, 2009 and Popondetta informed me my order was ready on July 18.  But then something occurred.  First it was this unexpected price increase from Kato and then TODAY (July 19) Popondetta told me that they cannot send the payment link due to errors in their system!

 

The saga continues...

[alpineaustralia]

Popondetta have had problems with their payment limk for about 3 weeks so far. I am waiting for an order to be processed so I am not sure it is linked to your TGV.

In terms of curses, dont get me started on Tomix!!!

[Guest ___]

Plastercloth mountain. the very name conjures up headaches of misfortune.

[ChrisV]

My Beef is with Tomix.

My Hikari Railstar looks the part and runs the part. Then I decided - how will it go in the opposite direction and ... nothing!

Then the curse moved to my Tomix Dr Yellow. Again - runs a dream in one direction but this time a few coughs then stop.

 

Thats my beef

[Martijn Meerts]

My Beef is with Tomix.

My Hikari Railstar looks the part and runs the part. Then I decided - how will it go in the opposite direction and ... nothing!

Then the curse moved to my Tomix Dr Yellow. Again - runs a dream in one direction but this time a few coughs then stop.

 

Thats my beef

 

Hmm.. Just tested both of mine.. They run fine both ways, but I do have to say that the motors make a bit of a strange sound. Could be because they're entirely dry and fresh out of the box. Haven't used any oil or grease on either of them ;)

 

 

As for my curse... Being in Europe, and having grown up close to Germany, I guess my curse is Marklin, or more precisely, Marklinists ;)

[to2leo]

Hmm Tomix problems?  I guess I am fortunate with my cleaning car and VSE.  Is there warranty on Tomix products?  Can you return them?

 

Yikes, Shashinka Ichiban, I remembered your post about plaster cloth.  You made me a better man not to try it on my own!

 

Hmm Martijn, I never knew the Marklinists have so much control, what about Fleischmanners, Minitrixies and Brawas?

[grumbeast]

My curse is eclectic taste (or one of them)

 

ooh ooh ooh!! a Series 0

 

ooh ooh ooh! at TGV

 

ooh ooh ooh! a new British Rail Class 46 ,no wait!, there's a 9f!

 

I've been in model stores and had such a hard time deciding I've left without buying anything feeling very sorry for myself!

 

luckily when I'm travelling I have my wife with me who is good at bullying me into choosing something!

 

On that note, while she doesn't share my hobby (although she does love travelling by train), I do describe her as a train witch!.  I have this ongoing list of 3 trains that I'll never own. so far she's forced me to change it several times.  if I may here are two particularly memorable spooky occurences

 

1st off, while travelling across Canada on business, she's wandering around Saskatoon, see's a watch maker, pops in to have a look, I get a wierd secretive call back in Nova Scotia, quizzing me on Swiss railways and lo and behold, 3 weeks later when she returns from business, there is an N scale minitrix Ce 6/8 Krokodil :)  scratch one off the list

 

2ndly and spookier.. I'm back visiting the UK, I've recently been chatting about how cool British A4 pacifics are (now she'd always wanted to get me one).  We're in a hobby store in Exeter (for the first time ever) and I'm doing my usual I can't decide bullshit and she walks right over to a cupboard near the floor, looks in, reaches far in the back and comes out with a perfect condition Minitrix A4 Pacific second hand.  she's a witch I tell you..  I was pretty floored and spooked out! (and it takes a lot to spook out an old Atheist like me!)

 

So I think I'll keep her and tell her that a Sunrise Express is my new # 1 :)

 

Graham

[to2leo]

My curse is eclectic taste (or one of them)

 

ooh ooh ooh!! a Series 0

 

ooh ooh ooh! at TGV

 

ooh ooh ooh! a new British Rail Class 46 ,no wait!, there's a 9f!

 

I've been in model stores and had such a hard time deciding I've left without buying anything feeling very sorry for myself!

 

luckily when I'm travelling I have my wife with me who is good at bullying me into choosing something!

 

On that note, while she doesn't share my hobby (although she does love travelling by train), I do describe her as a train witch!.  I have this ongoing list of 3 trains that I'll never own. so far she's forced me to change it several times.  if I may here are two particularly memorable spooky occurences

 

1st off, while travelling across Canada on business, she's wandering around Saskatoon, see's a watch maker, pops in to have a look, I get a wierd secretive call back in Nova Scotia, quizzing me on Swiss railways and lo and behold, 3 weeks later when she returns from business, there is an N scale minitrix Ce 6/8 Krokodil :)   scratch one off the list

 

2ndly and spookier.. I'm back visiting the UK, I've recently been chatting about how cool British A4 pacifics are (now she'd always wanted to get me one).  We're in a hobby store in Exeter (for the first time ever) and I'm doing my usual I can't decide bullshit and she walks right over to a cupboard near the floor, looks in, reaches far in the back and comes out with a perfect condition Minitrix A4 Pacific second hand.  she's a witch I tell you..  I was pretty floored and spooked out! (and it takes a lot to spook out an old Atheist like me!)

 

So I think I'll keep her and tell her that a Sunrise Express is my new # 1 :)

 

Graham

 

Interesting fact, Graham.  I think you should bring your wife to Japan and she can once and for all help you to decide which trains you should get! 

[quinntopia]

DCC.  Love/hate relationship.  Usually installing a decoder is problem free most of the time.  The other 50% of the time gets sucked into the DCC diagnosis black hole of time.  Of course, I couldn't run trains any other way, so just have to deal with it.

[Martijn Meerts]

Hmm Martijn, I never knew the Marklinists have so much control, what about Fleischmanners, Minitrixies and Brawas?

 

 

It's not that they have control, it's just that they think Marklin (and themselves) are god's gift to the world of model railroading. As long as you have Marklin, they're very friendly and helpful, but the moment you mention you also have other brands, or god forbid, you decided to model N-scale, they treat you like a little worm about to be used as bait ;)

[to2leo]

DCC.  Love/hate relationship.  Usually installing a decoder is problem free most of the time.  The other 50% of the time gets sucked into the DCC diagnosis black hole of time.  Of course, I couldn't run trains any other way, so just have to deal with it.

 

DCC..., I just wish the masterminds who invented this system can go wireless or trackless in terms of commanding trains.  Just one conductor that will conduct electricity to engine wireless to give it more more or less, is that too hard to do?

 

Ah I see, I think Marklin has this jealousy that it didn't start early into N gauge so it invented Z gauge and ask it goonies to spread the N gauge curse!

[alpineaustralia]

My Beef is with Tomix.

My Hikari Railstar looks the part and runs the part. Then I decided - how will it go in the opposite direction and ... nothing!

Then the curse moved to my Tomix Dr Yellow. Again - runs a dream in one direction but this time a few coughs then stop.

 

Thats my beef

 

Do you run DCC? Coz my Dr Yellow alsom only runs in one direction and my 300 does the whole stop /start thing aswell.

[Martijn Meerts]

I really think the Japanese should get into DCC bigtime. Kato has made a start, but they shouldn't have Digitrax make the decoders for them.

 

I think a well designed (designed for floor layouts), easy to use DCC system would be very popular in Japan, and because of the large amount of model railroaders in Japan, a DCC system could be more or less mass produced, which will bring costs down.

[to2leo]

I really think the Japanese should get into DCC bigtime. Kato has made a start, but they shouldn't have Digitrax make the decoders for them.

 

I think a well designed (designed for floor layouts), easy to use DCC system would be very popular in Japan, and because of the large amount of model railroaders in Japan, a DCC system could be more or less mass produced, which will bring costs down.

 

That's what I thought too.  Japan is so advanced in robotics and user friendly products, surely someone would have figured out how to apply that to the N gauge market.

[Guest ___]

 

That's what I thought too.  Japan is so advanced in robotics and user friendly products, surely someone would have figured out how to apply that to the N gauge market.

 

Keep in mind that their electronic information and payment systems are 20 years behind the North America. I can pay for anything anywhere in the US or Canada with a VISA card, and yet in Japan I still have to make about 80% of my purchases with cash.

[alpineaustralia]

Yes but that is not because they are not technologically advanced.  That is because they have refused to reform their banking system. Look at the PASMO card, the bullet train system, the features of many cars that they produce and how they are willing to embrace and apply these new technologies.

[to2leo]

Yes but that is not because they are not technologically advanced.  That is because they have refused to reform their banking system. Look at the PASMO card, the bullet train system, the features of many cars that they produce and how they are willing to embrace and apply these new technologies.

 

So in a way, Overseas Japanese model enthusiasts are cursed with limited selection of online Japanese hobby stores due to the ultra-conservative banking system that allow limited Visa and Mastercard transaction.

[alpineaustralia]

I'll give you an example on how limited the banking system is over there.

I travel with traveller's cheques and cash them in as I go along.

 

In Switzerland (probably the most advanced banking system in the world), I walk up to a bank teller and sign the countersign the traveller's cheque in front of the terller and the teller witnesses me writing my passport number on the back.  I am then handed my money.  Total time spent - 2 to 5 minutes.

 

In Japan, I must find one of about 5 banks that will accept American Express traveller's cheques.  I am greeted at the front door of the bank by an usher who walks me to the section of the bank that deals with currency exchange/traveller's cheques.  I am requested to complete and sign a form which I hand in together with my passport.  I am handed a number and asked to have a seat whilst they process my cheque.  After 5 to 10 minutes, my number is called out and I am presented with my passport, a carbon copy of my form and my money on a little tray which is handed to me with two hands. Total time spent - 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Last year when I went to Japan, they announced a major breakthrough when 11,000 7 Eleven stores across Japan had ATMs installed.

Umm....we dont have shinkansen but even Australia has a better banking system than Japan's.

[marknewton]

It's not that they have control, it's just that they think Marklin (and themselves) are god's gift to the world of model railroading.

 

Which I think is very funny, since most of the Marklin I've seen has been rather toylike. Expensive, well-made toys to be fair, but still...

 

In my view, that sort of devoted brand loyalty and model railroading don't sit well together. I can't see how you could hope to model any railway realistically if you limit yourself to the products of only one manufacturer.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Martijn Meerts]

It's not that they have control, it's just that they think Marklin (and themselves) are god's gift to the world of model railroading.

 

Which I think is very funny, since most of the Marklin I've seen has been rather toylike. Expensive, well-made toys to be fair, but still...

 

In my view, that sort of devoted brand loyalty and model railroading don't sit well together. I can't see how you could hope to model any railway realistically if you limit yourself to the products of only one manufacturer.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

 

 

Newer Marklin is for the most part very well designed with lots of detail and they run like no other trains. Marklin's model of the Big Boy for example is probably the most stunning model train every mass-produced.

 

That said, they do have a tendency to have very large and very visible screws that keep the bodyshell on the frame, and once you really start noticing the center studs in the track, you'll constantly be annoyed by them afterwards =)

 

I have several H0 Marklin locomotives, with the Big Boy, the GT2 4x4 mallet loco in dark green Royal Bavarian Railways colour scheme, and a lovely model of the BR103 (which is partially ruined by the already mentioned large screw) being the best ones.

 

That said, I also have a Marklin ICE2, which is really just an expensive bit of plastic =)

[Bernard]

Alpine when I was in China I needed to exchange USD for Chinese currancy at the hotel. WHen the women behind the counter inspected every bill and if it wasn't perfect (no marks, slight tears, etc.) it was rejected. She would only take new crisp bills.

 

 

I'll give you an example on how limited the banking system is over there.

I travel with traveller's cheques and cash them in as I go along.

 

In Switzerland (probably the most advanced banking system in the world), I walk up to a bank teller and sign the countersign the traveller's cheque in front of the terller and the teller witnesses me writing my passport number on the back.  I am then handed my money.  Total time spent - 2 to 5 minutes.

 

In Japan, I must find one of about 5 banks that will accept American Express traveller's cheques.  I am greeted at the front door of the bank by an usher who walks me to the section of the bank that deals with currency exchange/traveller's cheques.  I am requested to complete and sign a form which I hand in together with my passport.  I am handed a number and asked to have a seat whilst they process my cheque.  After 5 to 10 minutes, my number is called out and I am presented with my passport, a carbon copy of my form and my money on a little tray which is handed to me with two hands. Total time spent - 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Last year when I went to Japan, they announced a major breakthrough when 11,000 7 Eleven stores across Japan had ATMs installed.

Umm....we dont have shinkansen but even Australia has a better banking system than Japan's.

 

 

 

[EWS60008]

My curse has to be Fleischmann Track! . It does not like any of my Kato Bo-Bo-Bo Japanese locomotives as they always derail on the curves. While Fleischmann makes some cracking N gauge model locomotives, their track is a real let down to me. I use Kato Unitrack and I have never (up to yet) had any problems with their track or models :icon_thumright:.

[Bernard]

I have one, Atlas turnouts!  :angry9: To get them to work properly you have to set them in position perfectly and then you'll still have problems. I have done so much adjusting and filing down points and when you get one right the net thing you know you have to do the next turnout. I had a lot of leftover #6 switches from a pervious layout that I felt I had to use them and that is what my yard is made up of. As for the main lines, all peco turnouts. :icon_cheers:

[alpineaustralia]

Alpine when I was in China I needed to exchange USD for Chinese currancy at the hotel. WHen the women behind the counter inspected every bill and if it wasn't perfect (no marks, slight tears, etc.) it was rejected. She would only take new crisp bills.

 

I got stuck with countefeit money in China from an official Govt tourist site!. Took me ages to off load it onto someone else. I had to find an old cashier with poor eyesite before I could use it