People’s Republic of China N Scale trains

[disturbman]

Perhaps, I can't really judge what makes the Chinese market tick. Though I could see how the 8K could have a draw, since it's the only two-part electric locomotive available in N.

[disturbman]

Changming continues with their fast-paced release schedule. They are releasing the HXD1B this Friday. Also appears they will release more tank wagons soon.

[Nozomi329]

4 hours ago, disturbman said:

this Friday

Saturday actually, and not online. Maybe they found more sales at the Railway museum during labor's day...

[disturbman]

I was going by what the HK shops announced. I know Changming didn’t announced a clear release date yet. But it’s their MO to release on Friday evening.

[Nozomi329]

Aurora miniature's DF4D is open for preorder on Taobao: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5-c-s.w4002-23052519763.13.27f86b1cDGJcpb&id=717574848684

In advertisement it's claimed to have more touch controlled light features and more realistic hull-bogey drawbar design.

[disturbman]

I'm always a bit careful with new entrants, they are some less than reliable manufacturers in China, and I had issues with my only Minitown locomotive (warped body). At least I know what to expect from Changming.

Speaking of, they also announced reservations for a huge number of DF4Ds which will be released in batches next month, https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/53n8H_Lr_tWz87s1mJMGKw. Reservations are available from everyone's favourites HK shops.

[Nozomi329]

On 5/9/2023 at 11:35 PM, disturbman said:

HK shops

Looks like Charming neither released on Friday nor Saturday. Any news from HK?

 

Charming indeed has better drive system, especially comparing to Minitown. The pain is that they just couldn’t get the faces of some locos to look correct.

[disturbman]

17 hours ago, Nozomi329 said:

Looks like Charming neither released on Friday nor Saturday. Any news from HK?

None, they probably wrongly assumed or my translator mistranslated. The shops didn't publish a correction either, they focused on the mega DF4Ds reservation announcement. Are you getting the Aurora Miniature variant?

 

17 hours ago, Nozomi329 said:

Charming indeed has better drive system, especially comparing to Minitown. The pain is that they just couldn’t get the faces of some locos to look correct.

In all honesty, I don't mind. Their loco are good enough visually, the detailing is quite amazing in my opinion, and I would need to be an expert to have noticed the geometrical inaccuracies of the DF4Bs. I prefer to have a loco that runs and that don't have a visible issues.

The bending of the Minitown locomotive I had was much more of an issue for me than the mispositioning of the front-lights and the wrong roof angle. Even the printing issue of the DF4Bs had was quite minor in the end and hardly visible at the naked eye.

Anway, models are always a compromise. And I have seen worst compromises with Euromodels. In the end, it's all about believability.

[Nozomi329]

Charming's Chinese grain hoppers are coming tonight: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/p-sRDOlNFLMSgM6XeevLpg

Grain hoppers are far less common in China than the US. My perception is that they mostly run within the 3 northeastern provinces. Sightings in other areas are possible but rare, and mostly come in unit trains.

Kunter's revised SS9G is out: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/4w6C_49MraIODTKqyRRB1g

On 5/14/2023 at 4:45 PM, disturbman said:

Are you getting the Aurora Miniature variant?

It looks tempting but I'll at least wait and see until Aurora actually delivers before I give them any money. I'm not a fan of their preorder system, especially after seeing their HO preorder nightmare. 

[disturbman]

I'm waiting to hear from other's feedback before ordering one.

Speaking of Changming, they updated their TB shop and have "pre-announced" a few new N scale things: SS3, SS4, SS4G and SS7D electric locomotives, as well as confirmed they were working on their first steam locomotive. No announcement of type, but it's still more than the old odd WhatsApp comment.

I had to open the two HXD1C as they were DOA. I like the simplicity and logic of the interior design. Everything is clipped and easy of access. That's, once you managed to remove the shell. The trick is that the screws holding the coupler assembly also holds the shell in place. To open a Changming loco, you need to unscrew them, push gently the coupler assembly toward the bogie and under the skirt to remove it. Then you can use the small knobs next to the bogie, normally holding a chain on the prototype, to unclip the body from the chassis. There are four clips. No extreme force is needed, just a bit of patience to work out how to do it.

On both locomotives, the motor had been dislodged or rather not properly clipped inside the chassis and couldn't properly rotate the driveshafts. The gear assembly was also very dry, even though there was a tiny amount of oil near the wheelsets. I added grease and put back everything together. Second locomotive must have taken 10 minutes to open and close again. Both work like a charm now.

I would recommend that people check how the motor sits in the chassis if they get a locomotive that doesn't behave optimally. I wouldn't be surprised if motor are not always clipped properly.
 

2 hours ago, Nozomi329 said:

Kunter's revised SS9G is out: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/4w6C_49MraIODTKqyRRB1g

That's what I thought too, but only one TB store sales the locomotive and they only sell a single locomotive, all the others are with coach sets. Am I missing anything?

[Nozomi329]

On 6/29/2023 at 3:17 PM, disturbman said:

Am I missing anything?

Currently in Kunter's official store 飘局的模型店 there are 2 road numbers in stock (0087 of Shenyang and 0132 of Wuhan). They are all available in single loco, or you can choose to buy with coaches (0087 goes with S25B double deckers, 0132 goes with 25T coaches.) It's true that they only have very limited stock for the other road numbers, which sold out fast as always.

[disturbman]

2 minutes ago, Nozomi329 said:

It's true that they only have very limited stock for the other road numbers, which sold out fast as always.

Yes, I founnd these other road numbers in other TB shops, as always 🙄

Edited July 3, 2023 by disturbman

[disturbman]

On 5/11/2023 at 7:09 AM, Nozomi329 said:

Aurora miniature's DF4D is open for preorder on Taobao: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5-c-s.w4002-23052519763.13.27f86b1cDGJcpb&id=717574848684

The return are not exciting. The models seems fine but have been plagued by design and QC issues. Capacitor that doesn’t allow for slow speed running, same issue as on the early Changming locs, as well as paint flaking and badly installed handrails.

 

One of the HK sellers just announced a call back for correction for these.

 

I will wait until they work out theses issues. I’m sufficiently happy with CM quality. Motors run now like a charm and the details are usually impressive.

 

I’m curious to see how the new Kunter SS9G compares. I ordered two.

Edited July 7, 2023 by disturbman

[tripel7]

Has there been any news regarding the CR400AF from Changming? The model was announced for end of 2023, on wechat I haven't seen any news regarding them

[disturbman]

No news. But CM doesn't like to communicate in advance, even to its dealers. I actually thought the CR400AF was scheduled for this summer. At the moment they seem busy re-releasing out-of-stock freight wagons, but with different running numbers than the previous releases.

In any case, their last batch of locomotives (DF4-0 and DF4D-0) has raised the bar once again. Small details like grills and vents are now even crispier, and they added lights in the engine rooms. Which is a totally unnecessary feature, but so cool.

[Nozomi329]

Although not for the CR400AF, Charming published an announcement (https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/pipbuLWOsN2myllqHyvE3w) noting their DF4D-3, -4, and -7 will not make their original delivery time of Dec 31. -3 and -7 are now expected to come out in March 2024 while -4 will probably take one more month.

[tripel7]

Didn't see these get posted here, a bit of an older post, but i wasn't sure if these two HST models have been known here already:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwcyZiYvwZo/?igsh=MW5jbmZua3M0NzRscA==

Edited December 31, 2023 by tripel7

[Dmitry206]

Guys, can anybody help please!. I will quite likely travel to Shanghai in early April. Is there any place to buy trains? 

 

Edited February 23 by Dmitry206

[Nozomi329]

17 hours ago, Dmitry206 said:

Guys, can anybody help please!. I will quite likely travel to Shanghai in early April. Is there any place to buy trains? 

 

1. 望德微城 Address: 上海市浦东新区金科路2889弄长泰广场F1, Opens every day 11am-21pm, Phone +8613817906296. This location is supported by Charming. You may try asking Charming in advance for open time and other info.

2. 星期五火车模型  Address 上海市静安区万荣路406号, Phone +86 021-56528589, opens 12-17pm. Again contacting them on Taobao if possible before you go: https://fridaytrainmodel.world.taobao.com/

3. 大梦微城火车模型迷你世界主题乐园(M2香港名都店), Address: 上海市黄浦区河南南路489号香港名都2楼30-40 is an attempt to build something like the miniature wonderland in China (much smaller though)

 

There are many other railway related attractions such as the Shanghai Railway Museum, the Shanghai Subway Museum, and the only commercial high speed Maglev line in the world (before JR complete their Chuo Shinkansen).

[Dmitry206]

Thank you so much indeed! 

[tripel7]

Some more images from the ChangMing CRH400AF:

https://www.facebook.com/100064165236162/posts/818501216965379/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

[tripel7]

Another preview of the CR400AF:

https://www.facebook.com/100064165236162/posts/836677085147792/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Edited May 17 by tripel7

[disturbman]

I haven't posted in a while. Changming took the first half of the year to finish releasing their DF4D, but also released a few special DF4B, amongst which the first Korean State Railway locomotive in N scale.

DF4D-3

DF4D-4

KSR DF4B (instantly sold out, CM announced they will look at producing more Korean State Railway models)

They are now starting to release new electric locomotive models. They released the SS6 two or three weeks and released the SS3 today.  We have also seen a lot of other finished models, SS7, SS9 and SS3B. As well as a few prototypes, like the first of their announced 5 "outside corridor" locomotives with the DF7. They also announced they had to delay the CR400AF further as a machine crushed a mould and they took that opportunity to refine their model. The model is now not awaited before a few months.

SS6

 

SS3

[disturbman]

Maybe I should have waited a few days. CM just announced they will be releasing their SS7D. As always, the model looks stunning.

 

 

 

 

[Kiha66]

It appears Bachmann is working on a QJ in N scale.  It's been a long time since I've touched my Chinese models, this would be exciting news if confirmed.