Dumb question alert...

[VentureForth]

What is micro ace? Is it a subsidiary of Tomix? High end? Low end?

 

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[bill937ca]

Micro Ace is separate model train manufacturer.  I believe it does use some Tomix parts, mainly power drives in some of its products.   Its trains tend to be a mix of JR and private railway trains.  Micro Ace does not do repairs for foreign customers from what I understand and bodies can be very hard to remove (almost permanently attached).

Edited May 27, 2017 by bill937ca

[railsquid]

"Win" (ウィン) was the company (long defunct) which used Tomix drive parts.

 

MicroAce outsourced to China in the early 2000s, which a year or two back nearly killed them due to unspecified issues. Never had any issues removing bodies to effect repairs (mainly removing the membrane which they put between body and chassis on multiple units which fouls the mechanism after a while).

[bill937ca]

Here's a couple of older threads about various manufacturers.  All manufacturers have their successes and their periodic failures.

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/7288-who-is-considered-best-model-railroad-manufacturer/

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/10030-kato-vs-tomix-vs-microace-vs-greenmax/?hl=%2Btrain+%2Bcleaning&do=findComment&comment=115117

[velotrain]

MicroAce is more expensive than Kato, Tomix and GreenMax, but is also known for producing "minority" models that Kato and Tomix wouldn't touch.

[cteno4]

The produce lots of odder trains like painted trains. About the same to disassemble except a few of the axle to bogie mechs are a puzzle to pull apart to clean if they get gunked. They will do repairs when sent back thru the dealer, at least they use to have not done that in like 10 years. They don't sell any spare parts.

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

They recently started selling a small array of spare parts.  They are "very" common expendable needed parts.  Tyres, bogie screws and springs etc.

 

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/query/parts_hanbai.html

[cteno4]

Wow that's great! A start.

 

Jeff

[Rod.H]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/%EF%BC%88%E6%A0%AA%EF%BC%89%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AD%E3%82%A8%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9/@35.8343743,139.6713901,94m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x6018eade3a453c0d:0xf0fcd5aacfe8b47d!8m2!3d35.8343706!4d139.6715616?hl=en

If that link parses correctly, going by the size of their factory/warehouse just getting any spare parts is an achivement.

[VentureForth]

Neat stuff! MicroAce actually made the Shuttle Maihama. I used to ride that train in high school. But... $200 on the eBay market for a three car set is steep. But it looks really nice!

 

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[cteno4]

Check yahoo.jp, might be more reasonable there even with broker fees.

 

Jeff

[HantuBlauLOL]

MicroAce is more expensive than...    ...GreenMax

 

not really, lol.

[velotrain]

My source - I neglected to copy over the "sometimes" :

 

 

 

while I do understand that MA is still much cheaper as compared with the European and English market trains, they are still costly as compared with their fellow producers Kato, Tomix and sometimes Greenmax...

[katoftw]

MA used to be consistently cheaper that GM. But post 2015 factory issues. They seem to be on par with eachother. Some models more, some less.