Japanese G Scale

[cteno4]

Has anyone seen any commercially produced Japanese trains in G scale? The only thing I’ve seen is the chap in the US making the 500 shinkansens.

 

thanks,

 

jeff

[bill937ca]

A long time ago Atomic made some 1/40 Big Scale trains also listed as G Gauge with a gauge of 45mm.  Still listed on Hobby Search, but long gone.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=104&cat=&state=&sold=0&sortid=6&searchkey=Big+scale&spage=1&Make=Atomic

 

That's not exactly G scale as Western modelers see it.

Edited May 1, 2023 by bill937ca

[Cat]

1 hour ago, bill937ca said:

A long time ago Atomic made some 1/40 Big Scale trains.  Still listed on Hobby Search, but long gone.

 

Searching YAJ Model Trains for '1/40', there's an engine up  now.  It's one of the 1¥ starting bids, which always seem a little dubious.

[cteno4]

Someone from England contacted JRM asking about Japanese G scale.

 

im guessing I’d there is any Japanese G scale would be 1/22.5 scale for meter gauge.

 

jeff

[Kamome]

Not sure whether as big as G scale but Tokyu Hands Hakata carries some live steam models of D51 as well as some older JNR coaches. Definitely slightly larger than O scale. 

[marknewton]

4 hours ago, Kamome said:

Not sure whether as big as G scale but Tokyu Hands Hakata carries some live steam models of D51 as well as some older JNR coaches. Definitely slightly larger than O scale. 

Possibly the Aster No.1 gauge models?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Doddy]

On 5/1/2023 at 12:13 AM, cteno4 said:

 

 

I can't say for certain how many enquires have been made to the JRM in the past, but I am England and that was most certainly me in one instance. In fact, I also have several outstanding enquiries listed on this forum for different aspects of that same project. Namely: Engineering Drawings for various railway vehicles and the Corrugated Type A wheel set used on many Electric Multiple Unit stock formations.

 

https://jnsforum.com/community/topic/18005-type-a-corrugated-wheel-drawings-wanted/#comment-220743

 

https://jnsforum.com/community/topic/18581-180-scale-drawings-wanted/#comment-230466

 

As part of that project, an engineering manual on the EF65 was recently sourced from Japan. Since I also belong to a small group building Gauge 3 models, where one of the members sells Gauge ONE and Gauge THREE axle-hung motor/gearbox units, for which I intend to test several of each to establish which works best with modelling Japanese Cape Gauge. Scaled out strictly, that would be 1/24th on Gauge 1 track (45 mm) and 1/16th on Gauge 3 track (63.2 mm - 2 & 1/2"). 

 

But as Jeff mentions, 1/22nd might be more commercially appropriate in order to be compatible with other G scale manufacturers accessories.  In fact, 3D printing is taking off in Japan for models of approximately this size. .STL files are already commercially available for several Japanese outline models.

 

Also, the mixed gauges of Japanese Railways could run together in the same scale, as the Cape Gauge trains would run on G scale track and Shinkansen/standard gauge local EMUs could run on standard gauge track represented by using Gauge 3 track. Both then remaining in scale to each other.

 

In summary:-

I have two EMU bogies (trucks) currently being developed for testing motor/gearboxes, one for 45 mm, and another for 63.5 mm.

Currently, I'm actively collecting Fonts, photos of numbering, manufacturers plates, graphics and engineering drawings for all types of rolling stock, colour light signals, catenary and physical infrastructure (buildings). Particularly needed, is a high resolution photo of the numbering Fonts for Electric locomotives, the JRF logo and graphics used on the EF210, EH500 series of electric locomotives, amongst many others.

These are also to be used for my N gauge models where I need to renumber locomotives and want to produce replacement N gauge plates in brass and other decal accessories. As well as use for N gauge, I want to scale them for larger models up to and including 5" gauge (127 mm 2 & 1/2") and larger! I.e. 1/8th scale at least.

Robert

[cteno4]

Robert,

 

good you can take it from here. So far no one in the club has piped in with commercial Japanese G scale info.

 

I’ve seen a number of Japanese G scale and I think all were custom built stuff.

 

jeff

[Doddy]

.Hello Jeff,

 

Glad to be of assistance. As far as my research is concerned, I have observed nobody producing commercial G Scale Cape Gauge in 45 mm, There is one museum quality O Series Shinkansen driving car, for display only which is sized for 45 mm track, but that is for healthy wallets in excess of $7000.

 

I have recently found that amongst various social media platforms, Twitter seems to have a healthy modelling community for N, HO, G and 5" gauge Japanese modelling.

 

There are also fibreglass manufacturers of 5" gauge ride-on driving cars for O and N700 series Shinkansen. The Sanariko Park Miniature Railway located 2 miles away as the crow flies from Hamamatsu Railway Works runs them for the public. http://chgrw.la.coocan.jp/

 

A.T.B.

 

Robert

[cteno4]

Robert,

 

did you recently contact JRM on Facebook about commercial .G scale? Just wanted to make sure that was you. Another club member manages Facebook so I just saw the questions on our internal club email list.

 

I think the G scale 16 car 500 series was like $15,000! I don’t know how many sets he ended up producing. I think he had extrusion material for like 16 or 18 16 car sets.

 

jeff

[Doddy]

No, Jeff, I have got the JRS and the JRM mixed up. 😊 It was the Chairman of the JRS in the UK that I wrote to via the JRS website.

 

I have Facebook, but a search for JRM produced no results. . .  What is the correct title, please? What does the acronym JRM stand for?

 

My question(s) to the JRS were along the lines of sourcing line and/or engineering drawings of Japanese rolling stock and engineering drawings of the Corrugated Type A wheel that most Cape Gauge Japanese Electric and Diesel Multiple Units have mounted on the axles of their bogies (trucks).

 

This enquiry would have covered sourcing Japanese published books of 1/80 scale high resolution line drawings, the publishers, title and ISBN where relevant. And most importantly, where to order them from? My post https://jnsforum.com/community/topic/18581-180-scale-drawings-wanted/#comment-230466 gives a small list of requirements, however I am concentrating on Seno-Hachi line equipment.
 

• EF66 Electric Locomotive
• EF67 Electric Locomotive
• EF210 Electric Locomotive
• EF510 Electric Locomotive
• KOKI 5000 Container Wagon
• TAKI 1000 Oil Tank Wagon
• Series 115 Electric Multiple Unit
• Series 227 Electric Multiple Unit
• JNR Class DE10 (C-B)
   

I think I will have enough information on the EF65 to proceed when the detailed engineering manual arrives from Japan

 

Robert

Edited May 1, 2023 by disturbman

[cteno4]

Robert,

 

JRM is our Japanese model train club in dc; Japan Rail Modelers of Washington DC.

 

so was not you then. Chap in England is into garden railways and Japanese gardens so looking to combine hobbies I think and wanted to know if there were any commercial sources of Japanese trains in G scale.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[Doddy]

Got it!

 

For those that don't know - like me!

 

https://www.facebook.com/japanrailmodelers

Edited May 1, 2023 by disturbman
not default font size

[cteno4]

We are not all that active on Facebook, mainly just to have presence and put up show dates.

 

most stuff goes on the website.

 

jeff

[Need for High Speed]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:24 PM, cteno4 said:

Robert,

 

did you recently contact JRM on Facebook about commercial .G scale? Just wanted to make sure that was you. Another club member manages Facebook so I just saw the questions on our internal club email list.

 

I think the G scale 16 car 500 series was like $15,000! I don’t know how many sets he ended up producing. I think he had extrusion material for like 16 or 18 16 car sets.

 

jeff

 

Hey Jeff,

 

The guy building the G scale 500 series in Florida hasn't even finished the first one yet. He's built many of the parts and still has a long way to go before its functional. Hes not been working on it much in recent years. Currently he's been buying up 500 series shinkansen in HO again to print the Eva livery in HO and try to cast or print some of the Tenshodo shinkansen parts I think. Since Tenshodo as refused to do any reruns of the 500 sereis in HO ever again which is annoying. 

I'm not sure where you heard the 15 grand from but I think if he sold it it would be far more expensive but IDK.  I'm not even sure where he's going to test it, all 16 cars in G scale that's a long train and every bogie is powered for true high speed and the coaches will get full interiors and LEDs.  I'd say if its ever going to be finished the G scale 500 series is a one time priceless build.

[cteno4]

Yes I would guess these days it would be far north of $15k! I got that from one of his early postings when he was looking to see I think if there was anyone out there that wanted one and a shot at the price. I think he was hoping he could maybe turn out a few at once and work full time at it. First one is a one off for the client he had/has. The big cost was the extruded aluminum for the bodies. He was able to procure a bunch extra as big cost was making the extrusion dies and running a bit more was pretty cheap overall then.

 

he has been at this for a very long time (like 12 years!) on and off. Life, jobs etc seem to keep stepping in and taking him off the project for chunks of time.

 

jeff

[mags_minibuilds]

I stumbled on this person’s IG who manufactures a few unpainted 3D printed G-scale Japanese engines. There’s not many to choose from but it’s out there. Not sure if they ship internationally either.

 

https://www.instagram.com/hobitoyongpinnoemy/

 

http://hobbyyouhin-emy.com/train.html

 

Edited October 15 by mags_minibuilds

[Kamome]

Spoke to a chap at JAM who had built a G scale a DE10 and DD54 with a water atomiser to produce exhaust smoke. Had taken him 2 years to build and was still yet to paint. Definitely a small market in Japan due to the distinct lack of anything you could really describe as a garden.