Yamanote E231-500 Series

[bc6]

Does anyone know if Kato ever made a 10 car set of Series E231-500 Yamanote line commuter cars?

[David]

The Yamanote lines E231-500 uses an 11 car formation, of which both Kato and Tomix have created sets for, though they have always been packaged in pieces. Kato has been creating a new set every 1-2 years for the last couple of years.

 

The earlier Kato sets came in two parts, a 5 car basic set, and a 6 car add-on to complete the formation.

 

The latest (and currently available from Hobby Search/Hobby World but oddly not Plaza Japan) comes in 3 pieces - a 4 car basic set (10-578), a 4 car add on (10-579) and a final 3 car add on (10-580). When the whole set is collected you'll have a correctly numbered and represented Yamanote formation. Like a lot of recent Kato multipart sets, the basic set doesn't come with a book style case (it's packaged in a hard foam insert), but the first add on set is packaged in an 8 car book case to store itself and the basic set. The latest set (and some of the previous depending on date) are Kato DCC friendly, meaning they accept the Kato drop in DCC decoders. All the sets can be fitted with Kato lighting (though the LED kits should be used if you want to go DCC).

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10074237

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10074238

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10074239

 

Many years ago Kato also sold the cars individually, though I think you'd have a hard time getting anything close to a complete set.

[bc6]

Hey David thanks for your quick reply. Im not sure what I was thinking about when I said ten car set, I was thinking 11 car set. Ive done some research and noticed the basic set plus A & B sets but nothing as far as an 11 car set. I just find it a bit odd that Kato didnt have an 11 car set. I understand that it more economical to purchase a basic set then a "A" set then an "B' set. It looks like I'll just purchase the sets separately as it would be more financially reasonable for me at this time lol, thanks for the links as well

[David]

It's not really cheaper in the long run (if you compare the older and newer you'll find the per car cost stays the same), it's more about keeping the sticker price down.

 

As the trains become more detailed and complex (expensive per car) Kato splits them into more and more sets. For something really simple like the 103 Kato still sells full 10 car sets. For the mid-range stuff you can find 5 and 6 car sets. For a lot of the newest DCC stuff it's all split into 3 sets - the E531 has 3 sets, with the last add on having only 2 cars. It gets more annoying in that the basic 4 car set includes a double decker green car that is completely out of place in a short train. It would have been nicer to offer a 5 car basic set (which is also a prototypical formation) and a 5 car add on that included both green cars.

 

At least Kato isn't hitting rock bottom and selling bullet trains in 3 car basic sets like Tomix (Kato still sells formations under 8 cars as a complete set, and larger formations as a 4+4 and 4+4+8 as dictated by the prototype)

[bc6]

It's not really cheaper in the long run (if you compare the older and newer you'll find the per car cost stays the same), it's more about keeping the sticker price down.

 

As the trains become more detailed and complex (expensive per car) Kato splits them into more and more sets. For something really simple like the 103 Kato still sells full 10 car sets. For the mid-range stuff you can find 5 and 6 car sets. For a lot of the newest DCC stuff it's all split into 3 sets - the E531 has 3 sets, with the last add on having only 2 cars. It gets more annoying in that the basic 4 car set includes a double decker green car that is completely out of place in a short train. It would have been nicer to offer a 5 car basic set (which is also a prototypical formation) and a 5 car add on that included both green cars.

 

At least Kato isn't hitting rock bottom and selling bullet trains in 3 car basic sets like Tomix (Kato still sells formations under 8 cars as a complete set, and larger formations as a 4+4 and 4+4+8 as dictated by the prototype)

 

I totally hear where youre coming from, I may be better off searching yahoo japan to see if I can get a used set. I too have seen that you can get a new 6 or 7 car shinkasen for less than the price of 2 commuter car sets. Theres a  6 car Super Hatachi priced at $139.00 and Im debating getting another shinkasen or starting my first commuter car set. I see no other way than getting the commuter car sets individually. Personally Im almost done with shinkasens except for the 300 Series coming out from Tomix

[David]

You can still get models of the older JR series trains for less due to the simplier design (it probably helps that Kato has had forever to model them, so the molds where likely made 20 years ago). The 10 car 103 sets go for $160, including the Yamanote line.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/JR-Series-103-Yamanote-Line-10-cars-Kato-10-514_W0QQitemZ360211221453QQ

 

Plaza Japan is a good place to browse the price of complete sets, though he obviously doesn't carry everything (the E231-500 being an omission that stands out).

[Mudkip Orange]

Since the Yamanote 103 is only 10 cars, when did they lengthen the platforms?

[KenS]

The E231 wasn't introduced to this line until 2002. But before the E231 there was the 205 Series on the Yamanote line, which also used 20-meter cars (the 103 used 19.5m cars).  According to Wikipedia these were inroduced in 1985, but initially in 10-car sets.  It's possible those fit on the existing platforms, and lengthening happened later.

 

So, while I don't know the answer, it seems likely that it was after privatization in 1987.

 

The Japanese Wikipedia entry for the line appears to note (in the history section) that 11-car trains were in use by December of 1991, with "11 Car" stickers, suggesting that this was a new feature.