EF81 Twilight Express - Best way to acquire ?

[Kanpai Keith]

Looking at picking up a EF81 Twilight Express, with about 8 cars.  I’ve got other items in my basket so can’t do the whole purchase right now.  Is it worthwhile to pick up Tomix 3 car set (including the EF81 & generator van) and add a set of coaches later on, or save and by a big set?

Edited February 16, 2021 by disturbman

[disturbman]

Not enough data to process request

Do what you feel is the best for you, or what your wallet tells you is possible.

Edit: To elaborate. If you are importing, it's cheaper to pass big orders and bulk important. But it's not always possible to do so, depending on available money. The Twilight Express won't sold out. They also are common items on the second hand market.

Edited February 16, 2021 by disturbman

[katoftw]

Sold out almost everywhere. If you see it, get it. Extra shipping costs will be involved. Otherwise wait until a production run.

[disturbman]

Amazon, HS, MTP are still stocking various sets. The standalone 2012, Tomix EF81 might be harder to come by but I wouldn't say that the Cassiopeia sets are sold out.

 

Edit: Why was I looking for the Cassiopeia?

Edited February 17, 2021 by disturbman

[roadstar_na6]

RG-Rokko still has a Twilight Express set on their international website in stock iirc 😉

[JR 500系]

And the holy grail for the twilight express set is a must get (if money wasn't an issue...)

[Kamome]

Get the whole thing if you can. Especially if you plan to get the full formation. You may save on the shipping and customs in the long run too. But it took me 2 years to complete my JNR 25 series Fuji blue train and 6 years to finally get my Akebono. I got the whole formation and EF64, all of which seem to be sold out everywhere again.

 

It really depends on the sets though. You may find the Twilight Express is redone over and over as it was a popular train. Kato have just done another Hokutosei run but it may be the last for some time, who knows?  If it's a lesser unique express train, blue train formation, it may never get repeated and then you have to trawl the second hand or small independent shops. I assume they prioritise newer or existing rolling stock to attract new people to the hobby. If you look at the release posters for both Kato and Tomix, the majority of product is rolling stock in current use with the occasional nostalgic release. Not to say this happens all the time.

 

[lukewang01]

They receive much less attention after their last runs. I pulled the KATO release schedule from posters that goes back till November of 11.

Bold font means they advertised it with the last run of that train.

I'm crossing my fingers that KATO would do a rerun for the Twilight Express sometime this year or next year since Hokutosei got a rerun and Cassiopeia got a renewal in 2020.