Hello from Netherlands

[Yavianice]

Hello all! 

 

I am Mike from The Netherlands, and have had model trains since I was very young. I got my first train set when I was 5 years old, H0 gauge from Fleischmann. Over the years, I built up a small collection of mostly dutch H0 trains. However, I moved very frequently (every 3 years on average) and did not have parents that appreciated H0 gauge very much, so over time, the collection did not get taken care of well. 

 

Last year I went to Japan for 4 weeks. This year for another 5 weeks, both in summer. There I encountered the magnificence that is Japanese Railways, having travelled around on all of the main islands (apart from Shikoku) with Shinkansen and local trains, and attempted to go on as many of the 'Joyful' trains I could squeeze into my schedule. For next trips, I always try to go on as many as I can.

 

So far I have been on the:

 

> Kyushu <

- SL Hitoyoshi

- Hayato no Kaze

- Isaburo/Shinpei

- Ibusuki no Tamatebako

 

> Tohoku <

- Resort Shirakami (the 2016 green hybrid train)

- SL Banetsu Monogatari

- SL Ginga (my favorite of all of the joyful trains, I wish KATO/Tomix would make this for N-Gauge)

 

> Hokkaido <

- Norokko

 

Besides trains, I also try to collect stamps of all the stations/destinations/joyful trains that I go to. I now have around 200-300.

 

While I was in Japan, I also found out about KATO for the first time, and immediately fell in love. I already have a small collection of Shinkansen trains, such as the E3 (new color), E4 (new color), E6, E7, 500, 500 EVA and 700 Doctor Yellow. Furthermore, I have a TOMIX goods train/track maintenance train with the EF210 locomotive. While I want to keep my track Japanese, I made an exception for a ‘nostalgic train’ in the form of the NS 1200 (my favorite locomotive of all time) with Dutch IC+/ICK cars.

 

On my wish list are the H5 and SL C11 (2017 edition), as well as the joyful trains I have been on (if KATO/Tomix are ever going to make them).

 

Cheers!

Edited December 11, 2016 by Yavianice

[miyakoji]

Hi Yavianice, welcome to the forum!

[Themetropolitainline]

welcome, loads of very nice people on this forum with loads of information at hand.Enjoy and look forward to some posts from you.Metro

[Densha]

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum!

 

There are quite some Dutch members on JNS, including myself, even though I'm currently temporarily living in Japan.

[cteno4]

Welcome mike!

 

Great to hear you have found Japanese trains, got to visit Japan, and found the forum!

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

[Sascha]

Hello Mike. Welcome. Have fun at the Forum.

[Martijn Meerts]

Oooh, more Dutch people.

 

Question is, when will you be moving to Japan? Seems that's the thing Dutch people on the forum here do :D

[ToniBabelony]

Hello and welcome (I missed this topic somehow). Another Dutchie! Yes, moving to Japan seems to be a thing here... Although I seem to be the one with a more permanent settlement.

Edited December 16, 2016 by Kabutoni

[Yavianice]

No plans to move to Japan soon   But you never know. First have to learn some Japanese. I can start by translating the KATO booklets I have...  :D

[Suica]

Hello and welcome, Mike!

 

There are some really nice trains in your list! I've been to Japan three times but only discovered the appeal of Joyful trains this year with the SL Banetsu Monogatari, Yufuin no Mori and the A-Train. (Maybe I just needed a reason to expand my model train collection...? :icon_scratch:)

 

Anyway, I hope you'll have a good time here!

 

 

Rgrds

[cteno4]

Yes for the size of the Netherlands there are a Lot of Japanese Modelers here on the forum!

 

yavianice, try the google translate app, it's great to snap a pict of a bit of text and translate it well enough to figure out the instructions and diagrams. That is until you are fluent enough in Japanese!

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[tossedman]

Welcome Mike. Sounds like you are well under the spell of Japanese trains.