People’s Republic of China N Scale trains

[cteno4]

That’s good to hear, different from my experience. The seller basically punted to aliexpress from first contact. I was going to do the cc but it was just past 3 months once all aliexpress stopped responding. The lost item was also past three months with delayed shipping dates and waiting for Aliexpress response which was just “too late”. All my small purchases never had issues so I never had to do any disputes until these two.

 

jeff

[1954G]

Your example illustrates why I don't enjoy ordering from Aliexpress. Most orders arrive ok, but you can easily fall into a situation where your chosen shipping method is so slow to begin with that you don't notice an item is lost until it is too late to dispute anything even with your credit card.

I wouldn't buy an expensive item (over $50, let's say) unless the shipping method was relatively fast. Less than a month, or no deal.

 

[chadbag]

2 hours ago, cteno4 said:

That’s good to hear, different from my experience. The seller basically punted to aliexpress from first contact. I was going to do the cc but it was just past 3 months once all aliexpress stopped responding. The lost item was also past three months with delayed shipping dates and waiting for Aliexpress response which was just “too late”. All my small purchases never had issues so I never had to do any disputes until these two.

 

jeff

 

I've never had a CC tell me it was too late -- even when way past 3 months.  

[cteno4]

How have you communicated with their cs? Only way I’ve been able is thru their little online dispute system. Both times they would not answer questions only blanket statements, done. All were almost cut and paste responses. The package that didn’t show the seller also just ducked behind aliexpress and let them do the talking.

 

anyway there is little I really want from them expensive wise at all from them these days. Most of that I can get elsewhere at same prices.

 

jeff

[Nozomi329]

On 3/13/2021 at 7:17 PM, Sheffie said:

Minitown’s trains are really great. It’s just so hard to get them outside of China. I’m still looking forward to the release of their coaches, which look like being their most detailed models yet. 

Chinese models are generally very small quantity comparing to some western brands. 10 years ago Bachmann China produced HO trains in thousands and went out of business in 2015. Newer Chines brands sometimes produce less than 500 units each run (Which is often spread out over dozens of road numbers, ending up with 30 units or so per road number).

Minitown is also extremely limited in production quantity. They do have multiple runs, which is a good thing.

Their BSP25T coaches are already released. Currently they had 2 buying options as well:

1, 18 passenger cars full set (released August 2020, sold out everywhere)

2, set A (DF11G loco set + 2 passenger cars) + set B (8 passenger cars) + set C (8 passenger cars)

you might be able to find some of the set ABC still available on Taobao or somewhere else.

This set is the best Chinese n scale passenger car ever released to date. It features full under body details, car specific details, and interior decoration decals.

You will find some information about this set here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/J4ehT7o2PwaxvmZ3hiiYxg

[Nozomi329]

There is a chart that compares several oversea shopping/shipping services from China. Be aware that the chart and website is created by one of the shipping services in it, so it might contain persuasive information towards their service. However, it's a good place to start learning about the names of these different services.

Here's the link: https://www.superbuy.com/en/page/help/#p2_14_helpId1002

 

I have used this superbuy service to ship model trains from China to the US. Their service is fine, but the DHL line price is a bit higher than what I would expect.

The benefit of these services is that you can generally buy whatever is available on Taobao at the price labeled on Taobao. However, apart from the potentially higher shipping costs, model train is a rare type of product they process, and do prepare to explain to their staff of what these are. Model trains typically don't contain the prohibited items, but one might have to explain to the staff about what's in the trains and what's not, in case they are too careful.

 

There are other shipping companies that process bulk shipments, and I know someone who used them to ship model trains (when he bought enough of them). However those services are even harder for foreigners to get in touch.

[serotta1972]

1 hour ago, Nozomi329 said:

Chinese models are generally very small quantity comparing to some western brands. 10 years ago Bachmann China produced HO trains in thousands and went out of business in 2015. Newer Chines brands sometimes produce less than 500 units each run (Which is often spread out over dozens of road numbers, ending up with 30 units or so per road number).

Minitown is also extremely limited in production quantity. They do have multiple runs, which is a good thing.

Their BSP25T coaches are already released. Currently they had 2 buying options as well:

1, 18 passenger cars full set (released August 2020, sold out everywhere)

2, set A (DF11G loco set + 2 passenger cars) + set B (8 passenger cars) + set C (8 passenger cars)

you might be able to find some of the set ABC still available on Taobao or somewhere else.

This set is the best Chinese n scale passenger car ever released to date. It features full under body details, car specific details, and interior decoration decals.

You will find some information about this set here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/J4ehT7o2PwaxvmZ3hiiYxg

Thank you for this info.  I just ordered the DF11G Loco set only.  I'd love to get my hands on at least one of the 8 car sets.  I have been looking at them and they look superb.

[Nozomi329]

34 minutes ago, serotta1972 said:

Thank you for this info.  I just ordered the DF11G Loco set only.  I'd love to get my hands on at least one of the 8 car sets.  I have been looking at them and they look superb.

set B (with dining car) currently available here on Taobao, if you're able to use it.

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.5.4249601eEF6oc5&id=633111818982&ns=1&abbucket=5#detail

[gavino200]

Oh, duh, it was Taobao I was using to buy model trains, not Ali Express. That's where I got my Hexie and where I saw pretty much the full range of Kunter trains. 

 

I just checked. It's all still there, plus quite a few of new ones that I've never seen before. They also seem to be selling a good amount of Kunter assy parts. 

 

https://s.taobao.com/search?q=kunter&type=p&tmhkh5=&spm=a21wu.241046-us.a2227oh.d100&from=sea_1_searchbutton&catId=100

 

Taobao is usable but I found it fairly difficult. Google Translate helps with a lot but not with everything. 

Edited March 15, 2021 by gavino200

[serotta1972]

3 hours ago, gavino200 said:

Oh, duh, it was Taobao I was using to buy model trains, not Ali Express. That's where I got my Hexie and where I saw pretty much the full range of Kunter trains. 

 

I just checked. It's all still there, plus quite a few of new ones that I've never seen before. They also seem to be selling a good amount of Kunter assy parts. 

 

https://s.taobao.com/search?q=kunter&type=p&tmhkh5=&spm=a21wu.241046-us.a2227oh.d100&from=sea_1_searchbutton&catId=100

 

Taobao is usable but I found it fairly difficult. Google Translate helps with a lot but not with everything. 

Let’s put a list together @gavino200 and order some stuff and split the shipping. 😁

 

I was wondering too when you said that you ordered trains from AliExpress. 

[disturbman]

The fact that you can't browse Taobao without an account is particularly annoying.

[gavino200]

44 minutes ago, serotta1972 said:

Let’s put a list together @gavino200 and order some stuff and split the shipping. 😁

 

I was wondering too when you said that you ordered trains from AliExpress. 

 

LOL. The order itself was fairly simple, but there was a secondary transaction where the models had been received and were in a warehouse somewhere. I have to do something to release them. I think I gave the wrong option, and then nothing was happening for a while. I thought I ballsed it up (and probably did). I wasn't able to get any answer that made sense. So I got a friend of mine to call them from Hong Kong. She sorted it out, and shortly after, our trains arrived. Actually I was more worried about letting you down than losing the train myself.

[gavino200]

1 minute ago, disturbman said:

The fact that you can't browse Taobao without an account is particularly annoying.

 

Yes, it is. It's also not the simplest thing in the world to set up an account. If there's something you're interested in I can search an send you some screenshots. 

[roadstar_na6]

There is an instruction somewhere how to register an account.

 

I've come across some CMR Line DF4Bs that are DCC. Are these with a NEM socket and can be replaced with an analogue plug?

[Nozomi329]

1 hour ago, roadstar_na6 said:

There is an instruction somewhere how to register an account.

 

I've come across some CMR Line DF4Bs that are DCC. Are these with a NEM socket and can be replaced with an analogue plug?

I was unable to find any of their DF4B, but the DC versions of their DF4D, a similar and later product, cannot be converted to DCC, so I wouldn't keep too much hope.

[chadbag]

20 minutes ago, Nozomi329 said:

I was unable to find any of their DF4B, but the DC versions of their DF4D, a similar and later product, cannot be converted to DCC, so I wouldn't keep too much hope.

 

"Cannot be converted".  Thems fightin' words.  Almost anything can be converted with enough effort and the right decoder 🙂

 

 

Edited March 15, 2021 by chadbag

[Sheffie]

Argh. 

 

I’d really like some of those coaches but there’s no way I can handle eight of them. Any amount from three to six would be okay, but eight is too much. I think my only hope of getting any of these would be finding someone who wants to split an order. 

[gavino200]

2 hours ago, chadbag said:

 

"Cannot be converted".  Thems fightin' words.  Almost anything can be converted with enough effort and the right decoder 🙂

 

 

 

LOL. I agree. I'd take that to mean. "Not DCC-Friendly". These locos look like they wouldn't even be tough to convert. 

[gavino200]

54 minutes ago, Sheffie said:

Argh. 

 

I’d really like some of those coaches but there’s no way I can handle eight of them. Any amount from three to six would be okay, but eight is too much. I think my only hope of getting any of these would be finding someone who wants to split an order. 

 

There are a bunch of single coaches for sale. Also some two packs, four packs, and six packs. Single coaches are going for about 28 bucks. 

Edited March 15, 2021 by gavino200

[roadstar_na6]

You can't order the 4 pack because you can't put it into your cart 😄

[gavino200]

1 minute ago, roadstar_na6 said:

You can't order the 4 pack because you can't put it into your cart 😄

 

I'm missing the joke. 😭

[roadstar_na6]

there is no joke, it's a fact. Unless they recently fixed it.

 

// speaking of the 4 car YZ22 set on eztrans btw.

Edited March 15, 2021 by roadstar_na6

[gavino200]

Just now, roadstar_na6 said:

there is no joke, it's a fact. Unless they recently fixed it.

 

// speaking of ez-trains btw.

 

Ah, I assumed I was missing a double meaning. Theres a Kunter 4 pack sitting in my cart at Taobao right now. 

 

I think I would buy again from Taobao. If you have any trouble I bet there's someone here at the forum with decent Chinese who could help. 

[Nozomi329]

22 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

LOL. I agree. I'd take that to mean. "Not DCC-Friendly". These locos look like they wouldn't even be tough to convert. 

In fact there's a Chinese modeler that did some modifications to his DF4B here: https://tieba.baidu.com/p/4300803595?pid=82343561131&cid=0#82343561131

He did 3 major modifications:

1. changed the couplers

2. improved the joint line locations

3. lowered the entire car body by 1mm to closely match the prototype

also with some other modifications to the parts.

[gavino200]

Awesome! Please feel free to post treads or blogs of Chinese modelers here. I think we'd all like to see that. Regarding those mods, I would do all of those except number 1. I think I'm the only person here at the forum who actually likes rapido couplers. 😱