MicroAce - New Releases

[Davo Dentetsu]

Sounds like the GG1.. I really didn't see what's so special about it until I saw the real thing in real life ;)

 

 

(which reminds me, I still need to get Kato's Broadway Limited car set to go with the GG1 at some point ....)

 

One of my local yokel friends has just done that very thing.  Thoroughly recommended too, in his unbiased opinion. :P

[cteno4]

Martijn,

 

yep exactly, the GG1 curves are really really subtle and lost in the solid dark colors in photos, but in real life you can appreciate them! really totally on the subjective/intuitive side, you feel them, hard to put a conscious/objective label on where/what they are totally.

 

sad thing is our current culture hates the subjective side and only values the objective side so stuff like this gets pushed aside, especially in media where it does not come across. but when you have direct human contact the subjective, when there and done right reaches out and grabs you! subjective and objective are yin/yang, both equally important, but both are needed and you always need to lead with the subjective as it touches the human (which is the blazingly fast subconscious that is usually pretty open), which is universal, while the objective touches the brain which is so wildly variable (and slow and usually pretty closed) and hard to ever hit a wide swath with directly with any one thing.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[NuclearErick]

mmmhh a little bit too much, MA spare parts simply don't exist, tipical defect of older MA Shinkansen is the zamac pest of motor car chassis, if the motor with cardanic coupler and the boogies are OK it's hard but is possible to rebuild the chassis (brass handmade), if it's all burned/broke you can use an old Kato 0 motorized car for complete transplanting (cut & paste because the coupling system is different)

another, but expensive, way is to buy one 0494 0 add-on 4 cars set (the last MA Zero improved release) and merge the original shell with the new motor chassis (in this mode you also have a lot of spare parts like pantograph, boogies, coupler, chassis ecc..)

p.s.0259 have 2 motorized cars, so the price depend if only one or both are broken

 

ciao

Massimo

 

 

I am with Massimo.. Almost all the 'original run' Shinkansen from Microace will come with a defective chassis. Something about the metal they used causes them to be brittle and start to fall apart. You'll notice it when the chassis warps. Then when you try to take it apart, the chassis litterally crumbles in your hand. My A0259 set is suffering from this very problem, as did an original run Doctor Yellow set that I eventually sold for Massimo for cheap. So aside from taking it out every once in a while to look at it, I will never run it (or as Massimo points out, buy a more current chassis swap over the motor car bits).

 

The set is great if you're a die hard collector / completist, but otherwise, I'd skip it and go for their current releases.

 

It's a bummer that MA released the chassis for the 300 series Shinkansen as a separate item but it's completely different from their older Shinkansen releases.

 

thanks fo rthe tips guys i got the MA 0493/0494 Sets

 

does the A0496 Doctor Yellow has the same problem with the chassis ?? got 2 sets but now im little worry about that issue

[Densha]

For those who are weak against special painted trains I have some dangerous announcements in the second poster:

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_05_1w.jpg

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_05_2w.jpg

All coming somewhere around August to October.

[Densha]

Pictures from Shizuoka:

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130516522013MICROACEVol1?authkey=Gv1sRgCMWGnanJ-PL8lAE

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130516522013MICROACEVol2?authkey=Gv1sRgCMujr-XzgMjxTQ

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130516522013MICROACEVol3?authkey=Gv1sRgCPLOmOOVl63a-QE

[JR 500系]

I am so loving the Zipangu each time i'm seeing it... It's definately a beauty! It's going to be my first Salon train! I was much attracted to the Hana A2270 previously for it's elegant purple and i wanted a purple train, but it's sold out and really hard to get these days. Luckily, there is an alternative to the Hana for a more beautiful salon train and the Zipangu answered that!

 

The other painted trains... well... not really into them, expect perhaps the Kiha-47 Black and white 'Hako' train, but that's a Kyushu train so its out for me...

[Minelayer]

Are they re-issuing the Galaxy999 train or is that a new paint scheme?

[cteno4]

This is a new release, they have not done the 3000 seibu before

 

Jeff

[jappomania]

thanks fo rthe tips guys i got the MA 0493/0494 Sets

 

does the A0496 Doctor Yellow has the same problem with the chassis ?? got 2 sets but now im little worry about that issue

 

don't worry, the second release of Dr.Yellow (0495/6) is ok, improved like 0493/4

 

ciao

Massimo

[Krackel Hopper]

MicroAce is doing a new pair of DD16s!

 

DD16-304 JR West

DD16-304 (Snowplows)

 

DD16-15 Hokkaido

 

The 304 is similar (but updated) version of the 303 they released in 2001.

 

The 15 is an interesting version, equipped with a roof walk and railing surrounding the short end of the unit (see photo)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/JNR_DD16_15.JPG

[Densha]

New MicroAce poster for September to November:

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_06w.jpg

A bunch of Kumoya/Kumoni/Kumoyuni EMU post cars, a 103 and 165 series, and the three snowplough sets that Krackel Hopper mentioned.

[cteno4]

Ugh another snow plow... Do I need yet another one... Don't answer that! Some strange draw to them for me. Looks nice and reasonably priced.

 

Jeff

[Densha]

New MicroAce posters for October-December (the year is passing by fast):

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_07_1w.jpg

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_07_2w.jpg

Many old JNR (electric) locos, including the pawafuru (powerful ;)) EF13, a form of the EF13 I've never seen before, EF59's, D51 super slug??

EMU's: Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit (that's a long name) 70-000 series, Osaka Metro Yotsuhashi line 23 series and Chuo line 24 series, Keikyu 2000 series (8-car and 4-car powered sets + 8-car revival colour)

Edited July 23, 2013 by Densha

[Nick_Burman]

New MicroAce posters for October-December (the year is passing by fast):

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_07_1w.jpg

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_07_2w.jpg

Many old JNR (electric) locos, including the pawafuru (powerful ;)) EF13, a form of the EF13 I've never seen before, EF59's, D51 super slug??

EMU's: Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit (that's a long name) 70-000 series, Osaka Metro Yotsuhashi line 23 series and Chuo line 24 series, Keikyu 2000 series (8-car and 4-car powered sets + 8-car revival colour)

 

Densha, the first EF13s were built in steeplecab format as a way of conserving steel during the war. However they were such a botched job that JNR later rebuilt them as boxcabs.

 

The "Namekuji" (slug) D51 were the original form of the D51 engines. As the war progressed they were simplified to the point that, towards the end, D51s were being issued with plywood smoke deflectors. Again, botched construction resulted in several post-war boiler explosions.

 

Incidentally, before building the real loco, JNR (or the loco builders) made a large scale (1:8 or 1:10) model of the "Namekuji" engines. Would you believe that the model ended up here in Brazil?!?! The model (much modified and damaged) is now in the hands of a pro modelmaker friend of mine in Rio who is restoring it for sale. Apparently it was brought to Brazil during Japan's postwar export drive as the locomotive builders were seeking new markets for their wares. Alas, no sales here although a D51 lookalike class of locos was sold to Bolivia.

 

Cheers NB

[Martijn Meerts]

I should get an EF13 steeple cab to compare it to the World Kougei one I'm building... Also, that D51 looks rather interesting :)

 

And I told myself I wouldn't buy any more trains until I could actually run them =)

[Densha]

Very interesting information Nick! :D I'd love to see that model of the Namekuji you are talking about! Do you also have the name of the Bolivian class of locos?

Honestly said I prefer the looks of the late D51 and EF13 series, but that may be because I'm used to those shapes. What was actually the purpose of the "slug" part on the top of the loco?

 

Martijn, it appears once again that me posting in the announcement forums leads to people buying more trains. ;)

[miyakoji]

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_07_2w.jpg

Osaka Metro Yotsuhashi line 23 series and Chuo line 24 series

I wonder how much demand there is for these... or for any non-legendary subway rolling stock

[marknewton]

What was actually the purpose of the "slug" part on the top of the loco?

 

It's a sheet-metal shroud or fairing covering the feedwater heater, sand box, steam dome and safety valves. The early D51s had the feedwater heater mounted "fore and aft" on top of the boiler behind the smokestack. Given the fad for streamlining in the 1930s, I'd say someone in the drawing office thought it would be a good idea. The boilermakers and fitters who had to get access to the various boiler mountings to maintain them probably had other ideas. 

 

Feedwater heaters needs regular washouts, which is why most JNR locos carry had them mounted in a more accessible manner.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Kabutoni]

New MicroAce posters for October-December (the year is passing by fast):

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_07_1w.jpg

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/13_07_2w.jpg

Many old JNR (electric) locos, including the pawafuru (powerful ;)) EF13, a form of the EF13 I've never seen before, EF59's, D51 super slug??

EMU's: Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit (that's a long name) 70-000 series, Osaka Metro Yotsuhashi line 23 series and Chuo line 24 series, Keikyu 2000 series (8-car and 4-car powered sets + 8-car revival colour)

 

The EF13 was built like this because of material scarcity in WW2. The weight came from a block of concrete, not the steel construction. :P Later it was rebuilt with a more conventional body, rather than this strange convex body.

 

Also, never mind the Osaka subway train. I want that Keikyū 4-car 2000 Series! That'd fit perfectly well in my plans... Now if only money...

[westfalen]

I read somewhere that the engine crews also didn't like the EF13's original design because the proximity to all the equipment in the 'engine room' made them unbearably hot.

[marknewton]

The "Namekuji" (slug) D51 were the original form of the D51 engines. 

 

Nick, I think that the original form of the D51s had a shorter fairing that ended at the rear of the steam dome:

 

 

As far as I'm aware there were only two D51s with the full-length fairing, D5122 and D5123.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[westfalen]

I wish they'd rerun the C12.

[Fenway Park]

Kato could offer a C12 easily as they have made the C56 recently. The C12 is a tank version of the C56 but If Kato were to produce it, it would be 1/150 scale as opposed to the Micro Ace version which was 1/140 plus.

[mattdwnunder]

I haven't purchased a tank loco yet from any of the mass produced manufacturers because they don't look right.  The D52 has the same running gear as the D51 and the same boiler as the C62 so hopefully it will be possible for Kato to also readily make a D52 from their beautiful D51.  Hopefully they will bring it out soon along with the D51 "Namekuji" (slug) version (a Hokkaido version would also be very nice).

 

Hopefully Kato chose the C56 and D51 strategically because of the capacity to make significantly different looking variations to them using the running gear and other components and will bring out other models such as the C12 and D52 and or D51 slug soon.

[Densha]

A LOT of pictures from the model train show:

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130731352013MICROACEVol1?authkey=Gv1sRgCJXekfzlzpbnyQE

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130731352013MICROACEVol2?authkey=Gv1sRgCODrxMfZm-OP8gE

https://picasaweb.google.com/ngauge.information/20130731352013MICROACEVol3?authkey=Gv1sRgCJnX1ObNqpLZnAE

I'm not going to write down what's in it now because it's way to much, but it's pretty much everything from JNR steam loco to Keihan EMU's and container cars.