So you want to try Tomix FineTrack?

[AllScales]

I’m sure they used to do fill in pieces to convert normal track to tram track.

 

But it’s not listed above. Anybody have a link?

[bill937ca]

It is called Tram Rail Accessories kit. This fits R103, r140 and R177 curves. kit 1 is a rough cobblestone finish and kit 2 is a smooth pavement.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10050215

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10104805

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomix-3079-Tram-Rail-Accessories-Kit-2-N-scale/362113905019?hash=item544fabb17b:g:NqcAAOSwRLZUCVn1

Edited June 30, 2018 by bill937ca

[AllScales]

Perfect! Plaza Japan links duly bookmarked!

 

Thank you!

[katoftw]

Plaza Japan is very expensive.

[bill937ca]

4 hours ago, katoftw said:

Plaza Japan is very expensive.

Not in my experience.

Edited July 1, 2018 by bill937ca

[cteno4]

Not in my experience either. Plaza is pretty standard like 5-15% below retail. Usually same or better than HS for bigger stuff. Smaller about the same. Granted not as cheap as amiami can be at times, but difference is not huge. Only downside is the starting sal shipping price is $6.80 even for tiny stuff but HS starts at 380¥. But plaza does combine, but a bit tougher as usually you need to purchase first and asked for combined shipping. You can try contacting them to see about a shopping list and over all costs. They keep a pretty good stock these days and manytimes have some odd things at a good price that’s oos elsewhere. Very reliable. For a while they were using some flimsy shipping boxes that could get crushed quite a bit but hey have stopped that.

 

whats especially good is it’s thru ebay which is a comfort to many starting out in the hobby and nervous about offshore ordering. I’ve talked to many folks when they were starting out that would just not order directly from japanese shops, but after a while using plaza thru ebay they got comfortable enough to shop elsewhere as well. Many continue with them as well as a main source as price is not that much different and they ar now just loyal, like many are with their favorite supplier.

 

jeff

[chadbag]

I've used Plaza Japan a few times on eBay.  Some items are well priced, others not so great.  But when eBay is having a promotion (5-10-15% off items greater than $50 or whatever) or 10% eBay Bucks back or something, then I go looking and often they have something reasonably priced (before promotion) and in stock that others no longer have available and with the eBay promotion it comes out a good deal.

 

All the places have their pros and cons...  I keep expanding my horizons as well.

[AllScales]

@cteno4: Yes quite agree, what I really appreciate about PlazaJapan is the extensive back catalogue. Very useful! The prices are OK, on average it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other...

 

The big problem when buying from Japan is the VAT and that the Post Office charges £8 to collect it, some of the couriers are even worse: £11.50!

[cteno4]

Yes they have some older stuff you just don’t see anywhere else’s for easy overseas ordering. Like those maruka construction vehicles Gavin found and at a very good price. 

 

Sadly they get you for the vat and handling on most all packages for you. The tax would not Gaul me, it’s that bloody handling fee which is robbery. I can see it not being easy for carriers some but at the post?! Do sal slip by sometimes or does anything with a customs form get it?

 

jeff

[chadbag]

With Plaza Japan, the thing I don't like is for things like train sets, they only have "expedited shipping" available.  I'd take it slower for cheaper...

[cteno4]

If you have bought from them a bit you can email to request sal shipping.

 

jeff

[katoftw]

$9.20 USD for shipping that turns up as a 480 JPY SAL, I call that expensive.

[cteno4]

That’s the one issue with plazajapan for small stuff and not combining. They put some in for handling, box, ebay fees etc. if you combine most of this usually goes away and many times is made up but the cheaper price than other places and also stuff that is just not found elsewhere. Again like a lot of things shopping around is good and as chad pointed out other things can add to a deal. One odd thing that was the most of the time plaza would have the best shipped price on tomytec vehicle sets over other usual suspects.

 

jeff

[AllScales]

On 7/2/2018 at 1:26 AM, katoftw said:

$9.20 USD for shipping that turns up as a 480 JPY SAL, I call that expensive.

Tried shipping something from the US? 😉

[chadbag]

(This happened yesterday)

 

I had an item that Plaza Japan had at a reasonable price (I can get it cheaper on Amazon.co.jp -- shipped for less than Plaza Japan sells without shipping but all things considered,  PJ is not bad...).     The problem is that Plaza Japan only has "Expedited Shipping" on this item for $28.   Makes it a non-starter since the shipped Amazon price is lower than their price without shipping.   But I have a bunch of eBay bucks to spend this month so I would be willing to pay Plaza Japan for the item if they would be willing to ship it (slower) for a reasonable price.  I messaged them, pointed out I had done business with them already a few times, but they were unwilling to ship in any other fashion than "Expedited" for $28.  So I thanked them and said I would give my business to someone who offered less expensive, reasonable shipping.

 

If eBay had a 15% off sale and I could use my eBay bucks in addition, I might do it.   But I have to watch for when they do those flash deals.  Even at 15% off it is $10-$15 more than Amazon shipped, due to the "expedited only" shipping, but with a significant amount of eBay bucks, it would be worth it since cash out of pocket would be minimal.

 

The "Plaza Japan" marked up price would be OK if it were something not readily available through many other sellers.  Occasionally those items show up and that is what I have gotten from them in the past -- things they had that I could not get from the usual suspects.

 

I'll probably find something on eBay, like some TCS decoders, where there is no "Japan markup" and reasonable or free shipping in order to use the eBay bucks (they expire August 2 so I have to find something this month).

Edited July 3, 2018 by chadbag

[cteno4]

Hugh, perhaps they now want you to be a very long time customer for sal on the higher priced items. They did one for me a month or so ago, but then again I’ve used them off and on since they started. Other than the little extra on the shipping I never find plaza is above Japanese full retail price and usually close or better than Hs and others. Granted many of the Japanese sellers on ebay tack on 50-100% “Japanese markup”, but usually not as bad as newhall!

 

Amazon global shipping has really gotten cheaper innthe last year or so, I need to remember to look there!

 

jeff

[bill937ca]

Last few Tomix fine track purchases and Unitrram purchases I have costed HS and PJ and found PJ cheaper than HS. On track Ami mi is often a non-factor.  MTP doesn't always have stock.

[AllScales]

So back to Tomix track, rather than shipping charges... I don’t see any power connecting rails or joiners, but I did find this:

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10089698

 

It says for “slab rail”, does that include tram track?

 

There’s also this piece:

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10134219

 

Tram track with sensor does anyone have any experience with this?

Edited July 8, 2018 by AllScales

[bill937ca]

5538 is the tram track under track feeder.

5568 is for use with the 5563 auto operation unit which also requires a Tomix power pack.

 

5534 stock track DC feeder   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009865

5812 DC branching cord        https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10010012

5813 DC feeder extension cord  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10010013

 

Branching cord allows two feeders off one power pack feeder --good for longer ovals.

[katoftw]

5538 can be use for the wide tram, wide track, slab track and the new single price concrete tie tracks.

[AllScales]

The wiring bits are quite expensive really!

 

A 5812 for US$9.50 or so? That’s ridiculous!

[bill937ca]

5 minutes ago, AllScales said:

The wiring bits are quite expensive really!

 

A 5812 for US$9.50 or so? That’s ridiculous!

A branching cord is used to split a power feed. An example would be two feeders off one power pack to prevent voltage drop issues on a long line.  If you don't need to split the power feed then you don't need it.

[AllScales]

11 hours ago, bill937ca said:

A branching cord is used to split a power feed. An example would be two feeders off one power pack to prevent voltage drop issues on a long line.  If you don't need to split the power feed then you don't need it.

Yes, I’m putting three power feeds on my loops to prevent power loss, even though I’ve managed to send my works tram around the entire circuit on a single feed.

 

As the splitters are so expensive, I’m just going to solder the feeds...

[kvp]

On 7/8/2018 at 6:26 PM, AllScales said:

Tram track with sensor does anyone have any experience with this?

These TCS sensors are threadle type metal wheel detectors. The outputs are two optoisolated, direction dependent TTL signals. They sre used by the Tomix Automatic Operation and NOS automation controllers. But you can connect any low active TTL input with a pullup to read them. A classic example is an Arduino (a sensor is seen as two normal pull to ground pushbuttons). Imho the built into the rail types are a bit more reliable than the plug in types but both work.

 

ps: It's really easy and cheap to solder up connectors and boards for Tomix power and control plugs as the connectors are standard pcb raster sized like most pc motherboard front panel and jumper connectors.

[AllScales]

I have included them on the layout at the midway point around the loops. I wasn’t able to work out exactly how they operated using just a voltmeter maybe I’ll do something with them later!