How did you improve your rolling stock?

[Kamome]

Added TN couplers to the Kintetsu 80000 Hinotori. As @disturbmanmentioned it was very easy, as if the bogies were designed to have bits hacked off and the plastic is pretty soft. I took the main coupler arm off with some snips and then tidied it up by following the screw mount with a scalpel to get rid of any remnants. It all seemed a bit unnecessary and perhaps Tomix should really look at their design. Here’s the pile of scraps.

 

 

Perhaps the mentality is to have rapidos so that the coaches could be added to any other consist but this really seems to be the reasoning of a toy manufacturer. Anyway they’re gone and the model looks a lot better with TN couplers. I can even overlook the silver wheels as they’re pretty lost under the grey bogies.

 

I have also discovered there are no destination signs for the nicely crafted side windows so something else I need from Models Imon. I think Kato 2 Tomix 0 on the last 2 accounts. Anyway a nice looking model made better.

 

Edited October 6, 2021 by disturbman
line jumps before pictures

[railsquid]

It always feels a bit weird chopping up the bogies, especially on brand new models 😄

 

]

Tomix 209-1000 series coupling replacement by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

MicroAce win on coupling compatibility, not only are the rapidos removable, but if you turn the bogie round you can attach the older style of Kato clip-on couplings (11-722 etc.). (Mind you on their older models the gap between cars with the default rapido couplings is often big enough to jump a motorcycle through, should the mood take you).

[cteno4]

I always wince when I snip them too.

 

jeff

[200系]

When one of your competitors does a better job of making their models compatible with your coupler system, you know something went wrong somewhere along the line...

[JR 500系]

Yeah i agree too... the need to replace to TN couplers make Kato a tad more advantagous with their closer coupling mechanism... To add on, GreenMax has to be the worse by far... I had changed GM models and had to cut off the coupler, only to have the entire motor bogie comes loose as the plastic is weak and thus overcutting occurs.... 

 

And yes changing to TN couplers makes the models WAY more attractive ~

[disturbman]

1 hour ago, JR 500系 said:

I had changed GM models and had to cut off the coupler, only to have the entire motor bogie comes loose as the plastic is weak and thus overcutting occurs

I don't think it's a question of plastic weakness, but of design of the motor boggies. You need to cut before the little tab that holds the cover, not under. If you don't look before cutting, it's very easy to overcut and loose a very essential part. Also be sure your tools are sharp.

 

17 hours ago, railsquid said:

MicroAce win on coupling compatibility

They do. I only ever had to cut the tabs holding the Rapido once (on a Osaka Metro series 20) as it was tapping against the TN coupler housing. These are very short cars -18m iirc- and the design of the TN made them slightly incompatible. The funny thing is, I first checked with an older TN coupler before ordering to see if everything was ok and those had no issues rotating. It seems Tomix slightly redesigned the housings when it produced the new couplers years ago.

[JR East]

21 hours ago, Kamome said:

I have also discovered there are no destination signs for the nicely crafted side windows ...

 

I've discovered it's the same for my Tomix Tobu 500.

 

Nicely, RG-Rokko has checked it's not a missing label ... but unfortunately, not. Tomix is not delivering destinations labels which is a pitty to me. RG Rokko will keep me posted if either it's released later on or if can use from other manufacturer. 

[Yavianice]

41 minutes ago, JR East said:

Tomix is not delivering destinations labels which is a pitty to me. RG Rokko will keep me posted if either it's released later on or if can use from other manufacturer. 

You want these https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/ajisaitei/sticker.html

 

21 hours ago, Kamome said:

I have also discovered there are no destination signs for the nicely crafted side windows so something else I need from Models Imon.

You want these https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/ajisaitei/s7201.html

Edited October 7, 2021 by Yavianice

[JR East]

8 minutes ago, Yavianice said:

 You want these https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/ajisaitei/sticker.html

 

 

 

 

First of all, thanks.

 

the ones you found are not for this train set. 

 

I'm looking to labels for this set : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobu_500_series

 

Easiest would be Asakusa as destination but I prefer having Tobu-Nikko or / and Aizu-Tajima. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Yavianice]

2 minutes ago, JR East said:

the ones you found are not for this train set. 

These are for the 500 Revaty

[Kamome]

37 minutes ago, Yavianice said:

You want these https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/ajisaitei/s7201.html

Cheers @YavianiceThese are the same i saw on the Models Imon website. I have a number of other things to order too although the HO 20 series details I need seem to have vanished for the time being.  I wish Tomix would just include this sort of thing, especially when their main competitor does and this set is obviously not aimed at entry level modellers. Their HO offerings have a huge range of details to add. It’s certainly not put me off buying other Tomix sets but it is an irritation. 

 

[disturbman]

4 minutes ago, Kamome said:

I wish Tomix would just include this sort of thing, especially when their main competitor does and this set is obviously not aimed at entry level modelers.

Make that (almost?) all of their competitors, MA includes destination stickers in all their sets and I'm confident GM does as well, though I would need to check, I have not tried to install them yet. I don't know if Popondetta does.

[Yavianice]

Just now, disturbman said:

and I'm confident GM does as well, though I would need to check

GM does not include it for all sets, weirdly. Though I have noticed that newer sets usually include them.

 

1 minute ago, disturbman said:

I don't know if Popondetta does.

Popondetta does not include stickers, but they don't need them because the destination signs are printed on.

[JR East]

1 hour ago, Yavianice said:

These are for the 500 Revaty

 

My Google Translate was not mentionning that but you're right according to the comments. https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/ajisaitei/sticker.html seems being able to fit. 

 

As I'm not in Japan (and dont speak Japanese), is that possible to purchase from France ? I tried to do it and it seems to be for Japan only (no option for foreign countries)

 

JM

 

 

Edited October 7, 2021 by JR East

[Yavianice]

4 minutes ago, JR East said:

My Google Translate was not mentionning that but you're right according to the comments. https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/ajisaitei/sticker.html seems being able to fit. 

It says it right in the title that it is for the TOMIX and Popondetta REVATY...

 

TOMIX、ポポンデッタ リバティー等に

民鉄新型特急用サボステッカー（全1種）

 

Google translate translates REVATY as Liberty (for obvious reasons)

 

4 minutes ago, JR East said:

As I'm not in Japan (and dont speak Japanese), is that possible to purchase from France ? 

You can either use a proxy service or ask RG-Rokko to purchase it for you (for a fee)

Edited October 7, 2021 by Yavianice

[lighthouse]

Some small work for a short train. My lonely EF81 needed a train, bought a trailer KiHa 110 and the pain begun... But it looks very good. The coupler of the trailer I have to change later. These version is modified, but not the best 🤔

 

Original composition: http://ponponoolong.blog.fc2.com/?mode=image&filename=IMG_1255.jpg

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by lighthouse

[disturbman]

That's an original composition. You wanted to model a rolling-stock movement? Also cannot really tell what you did to the KiHa, opacified the windows?

[lighthouse]

I had to prepare the couplings with a dremel and scalpel. The original couplers did not work with each other. I glued the windows and curtains with an imitation paper and the rear signals of Kato's Koki-Set to the rear. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures during the renovation 🙄

Edited October 11, 2021 by lighthouse

[railsquid]

3 hours ago, disturbman said:

That's an original composition. You wanted to model a rolling-stock movement?

 

There's a prototype for everything, as they say 😉

 

http://blog.livedoor.jp/kame_syussatsu/archives/22921178.html

[JR East]

Continuing to improve my Saphir Odoriko, after having added an train driver ... 

 

 

I've improved the pantograph look with real adhesive copper strips.

 

 

I've spent about 1 hour to stick them all, 

 

 

 

 

and despite it seems it doesn't look great (pictures are as they are, shot with my cellphone), it's really a nice improvement. 

 

I would like to do a "How-to" but I'm missing one additional hand for the camera. 

 

What I like with this adhesive copper strips, is the capability to unstick it. I'll redo the ones stuck on my Tobu 500 to make it better now I'm more experimented in the cutting & sticking process (more regular, better alignment etc ...)

 

JM

Edited October 22, 2021 by JR East
typo

[Yavianice]

Interesting. I have seen people painting it with copper colored paint before, but never actually stuck something to it. I'd be very interested to see how you do it. It looks great though, keep up the good work. 

[JR East]

6 hours ago, Yavianice said:

Interesting. I have seen people painting it with copper colored paint before, but never actually stuck something to it. I'd be very interested to see how you do it. It looks great though, keep up the good work. 

 

 

I've published a new 'How-to' on that, I'm sure it'll be useful for those who want to do it. 

 

 

JM

 

[cteno4]

OMG this was one for the books of found but not know it was lost!

 

I was moving a small set of rolling drawers and of course there were some dust bunnies so got the dustpan (luckily not the vacuum) and brush and swept it all up and noticed a penny and a small funny part in the assorted smutz. pulled the part out and it was an E4 max nose! sure enough looked at the E4 max and one was missing. I had them off the two sets to run nose to nose and i had carved out a small pocket in the foam to store it. but i guess when i was looking thru stuff it must have popped out onto the floor and kicked under the drawers. what luck as replacing that part might have been tough! 

 

ive been meaning to look for a better way to store small extra parts in the caskets as ive had the little ziplock bags pop out of the foam pockets in the past. was thinking i have some small vials and i can just drill a hole in the foam to fit the whole vial into.

 

what luck! maybe i should go buy a lottery ticket tonight, or maybe thats my good luck for the month. if it is im happy!

 

jeff

[railsquid]

I found a Tomix TN coupler unit hiding under the dust bunnies under the layout not so long ago, I think it was the one I vaguely remember losing a while back, but it's a mystery how it got there as it's on the far side of the room from the work bench, and no way it could have fallen off the layout.

 

Regarding the little ziplock baggies, it might not help your conundrum, but I've got into the habit of writing the catalogue number/description of the item of stock they belong to on a little sticker, and sticking that to the *inside* of the bag (so it won't fall off), which is very useful if they do become disassociated with their storage.

[cteno4]

Excellent idea squid, I’ve had one fall out that I found and it took a bit to figure out which one it went with. Luckily there were only about a dozen trains out so it was not impossible to figure out! 
 

I have been slowly adding a new feature to my caskets. I got a pile of clear vinyl binder pockets that are open on the long edge. I just cut off the binder ring hole edge and double stick tape it to the inside front panel of the casket. Then slip on the instructions there so they stay out of the way when you open/close the casket and no more mistakenly folding an edge over the end of the foam!

 

jeff