Contemporary Cars and Light Vehicles?

[Cat]

I'm discovering that there are not a lot of contemporary cars and light vehicles easily available.  I doubt that so many folks in Japan drive classic cars from last century as the model makers would like to sell us.

Kato has a couple of delivery vehicles, but I haven't been able to dig up any info on what model and year these are, can anyone help identify these?

Delivery Service: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10046136
Delivery Service II (also in a Postal set):  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10136447

Light Van and Light Truck: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10137604

 

For cars, I've only dug up a few Car Collection Basic Sets that are currently available (if I've identified the model years correctly):
F5:  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10495992

N1 (with an old station wagon):  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10502515
O1 (and O2): https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10565481
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10565483

Are there other contemporary cars that I've missed?

[cteno4]

Yes sadly Tomytec has cut way back on the vehicle sets they were doing quite regularly and gone to the little collections that are way more limited in colors and varieties. Sure you can get some of them on yahoo.jp but at a premium... I wish I had stockpiled more of the collections for later use and sharing, but when the collections were rolling they seemed like they would keep going on and on! 
 

Vehicles, short of figures, are the high cost per sq cm of layout scenery needs. I’m always shocked when I realize one of the little boxes full of like 50 or so vehicles would cost hundreds of dollars to replace.

 

jeff

[Cat]

Kato has a few from this century at least. 

 

Not much vehicle variety, but there is a set of each of these with a JR East van
Toyota HiAce: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10182095

Toyota Probox: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10182098

Now to go auction hunting.

I still haven't found a clue for the year and model of Kato's small delivery vehicles in their small delivery set.

[railsquid]

17 hours ago, Cat said:

I'm discovering that there are not a lot of contemporary cars and light vehicles easily available.  I doubt that so many folks in Japan drive classic cars from last century as the model makers would like to sell us.

Kato has a couple of delivery vehicles, but I haven't been able to dig up any info on what model and year these are, can anyone help identify these?

Delivery Service: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10046136
Delivery Service II (also in a Postal set):  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10136447

Light Van and Light Truck: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10137604

 

 

I'm not very good on cars, but I do remember the kind of light van used by Japan Post and represented by the Kato model came in around the time Japan Post was privatised in the mid-2000s.  No idea what make the Kato model represents though, (Before that they used some sort of box van based on a Toyota pickup-truck, which always struck me as being an older 1980-ish design).

[Cat]

54 minutes ago, railsquid said:

 

I'm not very good on cars, but I do remember the kind of light van used by Japan Post and represented by the Kato model came in around the time Japan Post was privatised in the mid-2000s.  No idea what make the Kato model represents though, (Before that they used some sort of box van based on a Toyota pickup-truck, which always struck me as being an older 1980-ish design).

 

Thanks again, Railsquid!

I was guessing from the lines of that van that it was likely from this century.  On the plus side, no one else around here is very likely to know either.  If anyone at a show does identify it, I will offer them some Pocky.
: 3

I just found one of the Delivery Service II sets with the van through Zenmarket at Hobby Island.
 
 

[JR-Rail]

I've come across this topic as I myself am on the hunt for Japanese n scale vehicles... In particular I am looking for goods vehicles, heavy and light transport. Although it would seem that heavy goods vehicles are not that common in Japan? 

I'd like some of the mid size goods transporters such as Isuzu and mitsubishi. Apart from the few offerings from Kato or Tomix, plus the slim availablity is  there any other company that make these?

[bill937ca]

Most trucks are very small given the narrow streets in the larger cities. Streets about 13 feet wide dominate and have to accommodate vehicles in both directions, pedestrians as the majority of streets do not have sidewalks and bicycles. Parking on narrow streets is unheard of. In fact to own a vehicle you have to own a parking spot. Which is why you will see vehicles parked in odd spots. This is why trains dominate in moving people. Wide streets do exist but not  to the degree in the west.

 

Video example of central Tokyo streets:

 

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

The most common type of car in Japan is the Kei car having 33-40% of market per Wikipedia. There also are Kei trucks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car

 

There are or were tax advantages to owning a Kei car. The size of these cars is restricted by law.

 

Within the Kei car range another popular design is exemplified by the Honda N Box. These cars are some times called a bread loaf van--because it looks like a loaf of bread.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_N-Box

 

I have a printed copy of the top post in my Japanese car files with t he Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article 

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?6876772-Kei-cars-dominance-in-JDM-is-a-headache-for-Japanese-car-makers&p=84463938&viewfull=1

 

Kei car market share.

https://fiatgroupworld.com/2012/12/05/japan-when-a-threat-becomes-an-opportunity/japan-and-kei-cars/

 

Best selling cars in Japan, January 2020

https://www.statista.com/chart/20505/bestselling-car-models-japan/

 

Best selling cars in Japan 2019

https://www.best-selling-cars.com/japan/2019-full-year-japan-best-selling-minicar-kei-brands-and-models/

Edited April 15, 2020 by bill937ca

[Cat]

Bandai makes a good variety of trucks in assorted sizes, including larger transport company trucks with a great variety of fun logos.  Once our stuffed animals found out about all of the animal logo trucks, we were required to collect an assortment!  These can only travel on the major roads, as noted above they won't make the corner on the sides streets and narrow lanes.

They pop up pretty regularly on Yahoo Auction Japan, with a little patience you can get the ones you like at a good price.  The key phrase to search once you are in the 'N Gauge' section of either ZenMarket or Buyee is: "バンダイ　ワーキングビークル"

You'll also find a lot more Tomytec Truck Collection on YAJ than is ever currently in stock at the regular shops.

n.b.  For populating any major roads on a layout, medium and large trucks and buses are more economical than the small cars per square centimeter of scenery!

Edited April 14, 2020 by Cat

[bill937ca]

Now looking at Tomytec listings in Hobby Search. Scroll down and the current  Hobby Search listings tell you what the vehicles are.

 

There is a top selling Honda N Box in each of these Tomytec sets.

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10565483

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10565481

 

This set has a Daihatsu Hijet which is sill in production.

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10340707

 

Tomytec Car Collection

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=104&cat=rail&state=&sold=0&sortid=0&searchkey=tomytec&spage=1&ItemSeries=The+Car+Collection

 

Kato (Autos)

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=104&cat=rail&state=&sold=0&sortid=0&searchkey=kato&spage=1&ItemSeries=Accessories+(Car)

Edited April 14, 2020 by bill937ca

[roadstar_na6]

16 minutes ago, bill937ca said:

There are or were tax advantages to owning a Kei car. The size of these cars is restricted by law.

The main advantage of Keijidōsha is that you don‘t have to show authorities that you own a parking spot for it.

[bill937ca]

TGW Tsugawa makes a couple of garbage trucks.

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10404795

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10404792

 

Also a small dump truck.

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10404790

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10404789

 

[bill937ca]

Pro Hobby had a line of mini trucks, but its been five years since they were issued.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=104&cat=rail&state=&sold=0&sortid=0&searchkey=truck&spage=1&Make=Pro-Hobby

[bill937ca]

Tomix 2770 includes a Kumu 80000 flat car with two removable transport  trucks on the car.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009567

[bill937ca]

On 2/15/2020 at 8:10 AM, railsquid said:

 

I'm not very good on cars, but I do remember the kind of light van used by Japan Post and represented by the Kato model came in around the time Japan Post was privatised in the mid-2000s.  No idea what make the Kato model represents though, (Before that they used some sort of box van based on a Toyota pickup-truck, which always struck me as being an older 1980-ish design).

It might be a Toyota Lite Ace, post 2008.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_LiteAce#/media/File:TownaceS402.jpg

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_LiteAce

 

 

[Cat]

While a great many streets in Japan are indeed very narrow, there are broad avenues where the big buses roam as well.  And those buses all go to the train stations which are the major transportation hubs.  Except for tiny whistle-stop platforms, stations tend to have a rotary loop where buses and taxis pull up.  Relatively small stations (like Oarai, that we're building) has a small loop for small Hino Poncho buses.  Medium stations have loops for good sized city/regional buses.  And the big stations have loops for the biggest highway buses.

Once you build the bus roads travelling to and from the stations, other medium to large vehicles will look more at home on them than the tiny kei cars.

Conversely, the buses and big trucks couldn't possibly go where the kei cars rule. 

 

In between, the medium delivery trucks need roads to get to the Daily Yamazakis and such places (and vice-versa).

[bill937ca]

Large buses in narrow streets.  Video by あなたはテントウムシ

 

 

[Cat]

Where the big tour buses run happy and free — the Showa Dori from the bus loop in front of Katsuta station runs about 6km east to the Hitachi Seaside Park, four wide lanes, divided, with barely any turns all the way:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/明光義塾勝田教室/@36.394706,140.5223027,87a,35y,91.62h,74.27t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m9!3m8!1s0x0:0xa0eedf917c9a6c8c!2z44Ob44OG44OrIOOCr-ODquOCueOCv-ODq-ODl-ODqeOCtg!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d36.3942679!4d140.5249938!3m4!1s0x60222f7718690c19:0x5673fc851f5d7d74!8m2!3d36.3948933!4d140.5259581

[Cat]

3 hours ago, bill937ca said:

Large buses in narrow streets.  Video by あなたはテントウムシ

I'ld call that a medium bus.

Here's a sampling of the buses of Ibaraki that we had just pulled out to help with a module mock-up:
* Large tour bus
* Large highway bus

* Medium city bus
* Small Hino Poncho bus

 

Edited April 15, 2020 by Cat

[bill937ca]

Yes,  buses in Japan usually are smaller than North America at about 31 feet versus 40 feet  here. Still those buses are about the largest vehicles to run on most neighborhood streets.

.

[Cat]

MBTA transit buses here in Boston are primarily 40', and they do take some pretty tight corners.  I've been at stop lights when I had to back up to make room for a bus swinging around the corner in the other lane.

[roadstar_na6]

41 minutes ago, Cat said:

 

MBTA transit buses here in Boston are primarily 40', and they do take some pretty tight corners.  I've been at stop lights when I had to back up to make room for a bus swinging around the corner in the other lane

Stop lines here in Germany are set up in a way that busses and big trucks can go around corners without cars having to back up

[JR-Rail]

On 4/14/2020 at 10:45 PM, bill937ca said:

Pro Hobby had a line of mini trucks, but its been five years since they were issued.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=104&cat=rail&state=&sold=0&sortid=0&searchkey=truck&spage=1&Make=Pro-Hobby

 

Such a shame I will probably never find any of these as they are exactly what I'm looking for..

[Tony Galiani]

Roadstar_na6 wrote:

"Stop lines here in Germany are set up in a way that buses and big trucks can go around corners without cars having to back up."

 

Having lived in Boston and driven in Germany quite a bit, they are worlds apart!  We used to compare driving in Boston to anarchy whereas in Germany, I once received a speeding ticket for being 6 kph over the speed limit!  Ordnung!

 

I much prefer driving in Germany to just about anywhere else.

 

Tschuss,

Tony Galiani

[JR-Rail]

On 4/15/2020 at 9:58 PM, roadstar_na6 said:

Stop lines here in Germany are set up in a way that busses and big trucks can go around corners without cars having to back up

 

Driving in the UK is a very mixed bag, most of our urban areas surrounding cities and towns feature roads suitable for most types of large vehicles such as buses and lorries (trucks), but our junctions are not the kind of place you would like to find yourself driving towards one pulling out - I suppose that's why we invented roundabouts!

 

Buses are permitted to use the large motorways, at a reduced speed limit, but very seldom do so.

 

Rural areas are a whole different game, with many roads identifying as being unsuitable for large vehicles, but then take an area such as Cornwall - the roads there are barely wide enough for one car, but it is not uncommon to find yourself head on with a National Express coach (at just over 41ft long!) You then have the wonderful experience of trying to reverse to a suitable passing point, with a tractor and 2 cars towing caravans behind you for company! - they are interesting situations..