What did you run today?

[cteno4]

Besotment is the worst! But it is a very pretty engine!

 

jeff

[ED75-775]

Back on Kansai time and after digesting (most of) a late lunch, I released my twin 103s:

Nara Line local on the left, Osaka Loop variant on the right. The Osaka one looks pretty good from this angle but as some may recall the transfers drove me almost hairless when I left them sticky side down onto our kitchen bench. Turns out one transfer picked up a hair underneath that I didn't see on the night - now removed, and if the damage to the transfer bothers me, I can replace it when my 'new' set arrives in the next two weeks.

And for fun, running together and giving me a taste of the eight-car version. I decided I like the taste. Now I just need to allocate funding next year for the extra cars!

Ah, whoops? This happened shortly after the second photo - why this happened I do not know, and no other trains that day had any issues with my track. Thankfully, no damage was done and nothing fell to the floor/chair/KoKi 50000 box. Phew!

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by ED75-775
Investigation held - no cause could be determined...

[gavino200]

Now that I have a running loop, I'm starting to catch up on running the trains I've been collecting. It's been a while. There's a decent pile of "never run" trains to play with. It feels like Santa just visited. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cteno4]

Working out on wearing out a rerailer?! 
 

jeff

[serotta1972]

That looks like a lot of me time, good for you Gavin.  Oh man, I miss running my trains.  I really need to rearrange my hobby area to make room to be able to set up my hollow core door layouts.  I too have a stack of new and un-run trains.  The 16 car 100 Series Shinkansen is one I been itching to run, I don't care if it's chasing its tail. 😀

[cteno4]

The r/c will fit under the train tables junior.

 

Jeff

[gavino200]

Today was a double decker day. E4 and TGV Duplex. Both trains on their first run. I really like them both, even though the TGV is a bit tricky to set up. I experimented with a new technique for taking pictures of the trains in motion. Basically I just walk around the layout at the same speed as the train, taking pictures of it.

 

 

 

 

This one is a stationary pic.

 

 

[serotta1972]

20 hours ago, cteno4 said:

The r/c will fit under the train tables junior.

 

Jeff

Shoot, if maybe I had a train table like Gavin they would fit. I'll get some trains running soon.

 

[serotta1972]

6 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

Today was a double decker day. E4 and TGV Duplex. Both trains on their first run. I really like them both, even though the TGV is a bit tricky to set up. I experimented with a new technique for taking pictures of the trains in motion. Basically I just walk around the layout at the same speed as the train, taking pictures of it.

 

 

 

 

I like the trains in motion pictures - they look fast!  Love double decker trains.  Keep them coming, these posts will motivate us to get our trains out of hibernation.

[JR East]

On 12/11/2021 at 3:28 AM, gavino200 said:

Today was a double decker day. E4 and TGV Duplex. Both trains on their first run. I really like them both, even though the TGV is a bit tricky to set up. I experimented with a new technique for taking pictures of the trains in motion. Basically I just walk around the layout at the same speed as the train, taking pictures of it.

 

 

 

 

This one is a stationary pic.

 

 

 

This effect is well know of photgraphers (like me) for races, etc ... the so-called 'Filé'. 
 

Well realized !

 

JM

Edited December 13, 2021 by JR East

[disturbman]

Very nice. I hadn't fully comprehended how much bigger the Shinkansen loading gauge was compared to the TGV's. It's quite visible in your pictures, @gavino200.

[gavino200]

These are not Japanese trains, so if anyone objects I'm happy to delete the post.

 

Today was "Day of the French". I ran my two red TVG cousins today. I really like them, even though I think Kato made the color a bit too dark. I'm also getting used to the weird coupling mechanisms.  I could have sworn these trains were designed to run connected, but I don't see a connection mechanism. It doesn't matter really, as I have no intention of running them connected.

 

 

 

 

 

[Yavianice]

17 hours ago, gavino200 said:

I could have sworn these trains were designed to run connected, but I don't see a connection mechanism. It doesn't matter really, as I have no intention of running them connected.

 

They are; you pop off the front part to reveal a vertical bar, then you use the little connector beams from the pouch that come with your TGV to "click" the connector in each of the vertical bars of the trains.

P.S.: KATO recommends you coupling both motor cars together.

[cplchanb]

Shinkansen day here in the carpet layout! 500 series nozomi and o series kodama in fresh green lovery

Try to see past the temporary platforms. Best I could come up with until I get some actual ones.

Each of those sidings can take a full 16 car shinkansen.

 

On that note, does anyone know what's the maximum track length a single transformer can handle? My current layout main loop is around 15ft long. Any tips on how to improve performance on the track?

 

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by disturbman
line jump before first picture

[railsquid]

4 hours ago, cplchanb said:

On that note, does anyone know what's the maximum track length a single transformer can handle? My current layout main loop is around 15ft long. Any tips on how to improve performance on the track?

 

 

It's not so much what the transformer can do, but how well the track conducts electricity; obviously the more track you have, the more the power will drop off with increasing distance from the feed. The usual solution is to add more feeds from the controller.

[cteno4]

LOL love it running under the couch!

 

Usually if you can do a feeder like every 6-10’ with Unitrak you get minimal voltage drop as any point is only a half dozen or less track joints to a feeder. It’s the track joints where voltage drops due to a little resistance in the joiner/track connections. Small amounts of corrosion and other schmutz can get in the track/joiner connection (scenery materials and scenery glue big culprits) as well as just not firm contact at times if unijoiner has been used a lot (sides get bend out). Track on flat hard surfaces usually does better than on more uneven surfaces like carpet where joints can flex a bit and potentially twerk some and lessen the connection some. Unitrak should be disconnected in a side to side motion which of course can slowly bend out the unijoiner sides with a lot of repeated disconnects, so best to pull apart gently with a minimal side to side action while pulling apart at the same side. They are robust but I’ve see some get really bent out of shape.

 

with Ttrak loops you usually start to see a voltage drop with loops at about 8’ long with only a single feeder. Ttrak modules have half the track connections firmly held in place well on the module and the other half between modules that can be uneven as well as well worn by the stress put on module connections and uncoupling/decoupling a lot.

 

if you start seeing trains slowdown in places it’s probably from a voltage drop. You can just look for the slowup spots and then try adding a feeder there first to see the minimum feeders that will get the job done with the track and layout plan you have. Longer Kato feeders can also be made by splicing in a bit of wire in the middle of a standard Kato feeder wire. You can get mini tamiya connectors and Crimper pliers to totally make your own cables but that’s a bit more work but in the end it’s very nice as you can make them with any gauge wire you want (katos is pretty small 24g).

 

cheers

 

jeff

[gavino200]

It's the day of the dueling Zeros. One old, one new. They both work great. Motor and lights a little better on the new. I like how the old looks, a little better. It's nice having one go in each direction. It's such an iconic train, I'm glad I have two now.

 

 

[AbaZ33a]

My attempt at trying to feel festive this year. x2 JR Xmas eXpress 100 Series around the Christmas Tree. Tatsuro Yamashita always helps 😉. 

 

Edited December 24, 2021 by AbaZ33a

[072hawk]

 

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by 072hawk

[gavino200]

On 1/1/2022 at 6:05 AM, 072hawk said:

 

 

 

Beautiful train! I can't wait to get mine!

 

 

[disturbman]

5 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

Beautiful train! I can't wait to get mine!

 

So you are in fact getting all the Shinkansens.

[gavino200]

I took these pictures last night when myself and the boy tried out the two new Shinkansens - a 200 and an E3. We're very happy with them both.

 

E3 zooming along.

 

 

200 whizzing away

 

 

Then they came home to meet Mom and Pop.

 

[gavino200]

2 minutes ago, disturbman said:

 

So you are in fact getting all the Shinkansens.

 

Absolutely.

[cteno4]

3 hours ago, gavino200 said:

 

Absolutely.

Going down the every variation of every version rabbit hole?

 

jeff

[gavino200]

1 hour ago, cteno4 said:

Going down the every variation of every version rabbit hole?

 

jeff

 

Nah, probably not. Well not immediately. I have 3 more (E1, E7, and 400 series) to get before I have at least one of each basic kind. After that I'll probably just pick up what takes my fancy from time to time, at a much less frenetic rate. I doubt if I'll ever need to get one of every shade and shape. More likely I'll get doubles/triples of my favorites.