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How did you improve your rolling stock?


Densha

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On 12/27/2021 at 1:21 PM, Kamome said:

Some rare hobby time so thought i’d try some exercises in reaching n scale enlightenment.

 

The Mokei dry rub transfers are relatively thick and hardy. Seat details are spaced appropriately for each row. The premium seat pieces bend slightly so a few needed correcting after the photo was taken.

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Really a great work (how many time did you spent on that ?)

 

 

Why didn't you tried those ones from Densha.me ? too complex to stick ? too time consuming ? 

 

JM

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5 hours ago, JR East said:

 

Really a great work (how many time did you spent on that ?)

 

 

Why didn't you tried those ones from Densha.me ? too complex to stick ? too time consuming ? 

 

JM

I would say each car took around 10-15 minutes.

 

I came across these details purely by accident and wasn’t aware of the Densha Me ones until now. I was mainly looking for destination display stickers as these are absent from the Tomix model. 

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8 hours ago, Kamome said:

../.. I was mainly looking for destination display stickers as these are absent from the Tomix model. 

 

Exactly the same issue with my Tomix Tobu 500. Thanks to you, I discovered thoses stickers and RGR succeeded in purchasing them for me. Now I got a nce Tobu 500. 

 

I do not understand why Tomix is not either providing the labels together with the trainset like Kato or selling apart as Assy. 

 

JM. 

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Agreed.  It was bad enough that I had to butcher a new Tomix model to fit more realistic couplers to the set but you'd think they would include all the relevant details that their competitors do as well as finally stop putting shiny wheels on everything.  I think I'm still very much in the Kato camp when it comes to N scale but Tomix do produce some interesting trains that are not produced by Kato. Had I the choice, I'd always pick the Kato version as they feel like modellers making models for other modellers. 

 

Tomix HO is way more detailed than Kato although models are still produced without any DCC compatibility and would all have to be hard-wired. This seems a bit of an oversight as DCC in HO is probably way more common in Japan than it is in N scale. And Tomix HO is usually 50-100% more expensive than Kato that usually has an 8 pin decoder socket. There are many more factors to account for the increase in price however, metal etched details, third party motors etc..

 

Not that either always get it right, so in the interest of fairness here are my Kato HO train gripes:

  • I like that Tomix include the depot plates for their HO locos, Kato do not.
  • Kato don't include the right headmark or enough of the destination signs for their HO 20 series coaches unless you want an Asakaze service. 
  • Kato HO coach lights are the worst thing ever made and are infuriating to fit, troubleshoot and don't make the coach look fully lit!!
  • DD51 from Tomix has cab detail, Kato's does not.

 

 

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Just to let you know that leds in bulb color (yellow ones) for Kato are available now at HKTILC.com. It was out of stock for a while ....

 

https://hktilc.com/product/TRTixtBscvxjNtqK

 

I'll be able to finish my Saphir Odoriko Premium first car with the right color temperature

 

Unfortunately now the warm white are now out of stock. Seems difficult for them to have stock enough everywhere. 

 

JM. 

Edited by JR East
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Thought I’d mimic some of my HO gauge by adding air hoses to some of my n scale locos. The taps are moulded to the coupler housings on the model so just drilled and added some 0.3mm brass wire and a lick of paint. 

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Edited by Kamome
  • Like 8
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No pictures, but I finally managed to have the time to take a look at a temperamental motor. I disassembled the motor car and the boggies, cleaned everything thoroughly – everything looked clean, no squid-gunk, but was very dry – applied a dab of grease on the gears and a dab of oil where needed. And voilà, a train that runs perfectly.

  • Like 4
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Drive shafts are always annoying to get in there. I’ve done a ton of them on mine and for club members and never found much of a trick to make it a lot easier. Microace has some of the worst to try to get apart/back together! 
 

does give you a little yahoo surge once it does pop in there right after that fiddly frustration.
 

jeff

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7 hours ago, disturbman said:

 no squid-gunk

 

???

 

59 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

Drive shafts are always annoying to get in there. I’ve done a ton of them on mine and for club members and never found much of a trick to make it a lot easier. Microace has some of the worst to try to get apart/back together!

 

Hah, I am a dab hand at those by now. You do take off the part with the underframe details, right?

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5 hours ago, cteno4 said:

Making a cranky train run well again is actually one of the most satisfying parts of the hobby for me!

 

jeff

i remember a few years ago I got a used steam engine that had carbon buildup on all the wheels so it was hardly running. had to dissemble the entire drivetrain and

individually grind away all the buildup. satisfaction though afterwards!

  • Like 2
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They should have added a line for close coupling. The generic Kato couplers are not an upgrade from Rapidos on that side. So far my favorites are body-mounted TNs when possible, and GMs for knuckles even though they only couple manually.

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I test fitted the Musashi ModelRailway Factory 3D skirts I received yesterday for my AN8800.

 

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Still need to paint and find a 0.5mm rod to hold the coupler, but I’m very pleased with these. They look incredible, and they fit perfectly on the TN tabs.

Edited by disturbman
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On 2/12/2022 at 1:36 PM, disturbman said:

They should have added a line for close coupling. The generic Kato couplers are not an upgrade from Rapidos on that side. So far my favorites are body-mounted TNs when possible, and GMs for knuckles even though they only couple manually.

 

When you say "generic", you mean those ones ? 

 

KA-11-702_06.jpg.a3e9c36077fd6bd4e9b823f111c40bb3.jpg

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5 hours ago, disturbman said:

I test fitted the Musashi ModelRailway Factory 3D skirts I received yesterday for my AN8800.

 

D2F32E6C-CB7E-4A75-942E-5E7384D2F972.thumb.jpeg.04ad04f297d4ba39470d998569a0fd66.jpeg

 

Still need to paint and find a 0.5mm rod to hold the coupler, but I’m very pleased with these. They look incredible, and they fit perfectly on the TN tabs.

I wish you hadn't done that.

Having seen the picture, I have yet another project now added to my queue.  And I was just about to order another set of AN8000 series from Rokko-RG too.  Oh well, I guess the good thing is I saw this conversion before I did my order rather than after it .... so I can add it in.

Ignorance was bliss ....

Ciao,

Tony Galiani

  • Haha 1
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Had more time to do small jobs yesterday evening while the offspring was avidly watching Paw Patrol.


I started by fitting GM short shank knuckle couplers to my rack of MA TaKi. Operation was easy. Unscrew bogie, remove Rapido coupler, cut out the bottom part of the tab holding the coupler inside the coupler pocket, install new coupler.

 

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Somehow the coupler pockets of the TaKi are not as high as others can be, and it's not an issue I had when fitting GM couplers to my MA WaMu. Cutting takes one second and is made easier by the fact that the couplers are a single molded piece.

 

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To finish off I fitted a pair of reflectors on the last wagon.

 

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As always, very happy by how the distance and couplers look. They feel perfectly to scale to me.

Edited by disturbman
  • Like 6
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