I want to make a MOW fleet where do I start

[Robert46]

Yeah Jeff.. as mentioned on other thread, was hard to resist the Greenmax Tamper at such a nice price and even we can get two cars at once. haha, although if it's in 3 or 4 car formations means price will go wilder because this is greenmax..

 

I guess so the greenmax will look bigger than kato, its scale is 1/150 and kato/lemke is 1/160 although in reality I have no idea if the 09-16 is bigger than 07-32. Indeed will be interesting to see them both running together on the track or layout. they are just so cool..

 

it seems strange the two companies kato & lemke worked together to produce this single car but then didnt want to market this widely, I just dont get the idea coz it means less profit from less market.. and I also couldn't understand why when it got imported to Japan the price should double up that much...

 

I have an opinion maybe for rerelease purpose, they will have issue in terms of agreement for both companies as the time has passed and they might need to renew it. won't be easy task I believe.. and not sure if they are interested to do it again.

 

At the moment, the only possibility if we really wanted this item is by buying the used one.. But still. I hope to hear any good news about this train soon or waiting for their surprise..  🙂 or, have this model being produced by other manufacturers..

[cteno4]

I think the stuff that Kato does for euro companies is straight work for hire like that with lemke. i think the Kato name just goes on there as its recognized as quality stamp. I think this was only really meant for the for the euro market. I only heard about it thru a euro newsletter and had to search around for a US importer that would preorder it. at $120 at the time it was pricy for the us market (not bad by euro standards). I think it was imported from Europe to japan and not something done thru Kato as i only saw it for a while on HS and i think one other shop. Price increase was probably due to the reimporting from Europe and the price did go up significantly once released in Europe (i think to like $160 or so, i was glad i got a preorder in!)

 

it is too bad they must have all the moulds for it! it is a bit fiddly on the assembly im sure for their staff, hence the price.

 

Im hoping world kouegi will come out with some of their hybrid kits with mow, seems like this would be doable. plastic for the main bits and then etched brass for all the detail bits. they are champs at doing single truck power units inexpensively in kits like this. the recent rail cars are hopefully and entrance to that stuff! Ive dreamed of scratch building a big rail maintenance train someday! always jealous of what is available in HO in mow!

 

jeff

[Robert46]

Yeah I just realized that I misunderstood about Kato/Lemke working together for this model after reading a forum link shared by your JRM website about this MOW train.. http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=52865&whichpage=2

 

 

So now I should consider this as lemke/hobbytrain instead..

 

 

 

Funny to know somebody got disappointed with the model as it has no lights at all and the body made out of plastic and return it to the supplier for refund. haha..  he supposed to sell it to me..

 

 

but still for me this is a cool model apart from minus points mentioned by that guy.

 

 

 

I will look further on World Kougei.. I am sure HO has various models for MOW because it's easier to make them with better details in this scale and this was the reason why only few models were made in N scale...

 

[cteno4]

Well hobby train is to Kato as Tomytec is to tomix really, both have their top brand and their budget brand (although Tomytec train prices are approaching the tomix prices here). Yeah a bit less detail but usually a bit lower priced and sometime just odd stuff you won't get in the high end lines. I've a number of hobbytrain trains and yes a bit lower on detail, but all run decently and usually lower cost and a decent train that I won't gripe about. Others have their own standards and that's up to them.

 

Th kato plaster is a neat car and runs decently. It's more and odder detail bits than regular train cars so bit tougher to do in fine detail unless you get into etched metal detail parts and that gets pricy fast. Most all our trains are plastic body, so I don't get that. Many trains also don't come with lights, in fact most of them. Easy to add. While not a fantastic model I think it's perfectly good and something you just don't see being made much at all in n scale. At $120 for the euro market it was very inexpensive!

 

The new hybrid world kougei line is quite nice now with basic plastic shell (so you don't have to solder up the main she'll and chassis) and the quite a few etched and cast metal detail parts, and a premade chassis/motor, all at a very reasonable price and not horrid to build. I like how they have taken the best of each different materials and mixed them for the kits and kept the price nice. I really hope they get into mow with these!

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[Robert46]

I see. thanks Jeff for clarifying further and adding more info about hobbytrain... although I am still confused on which part of that tamper that Kato took involvement.. haha.

 

For me personally, this is indeed a fantastic model and cant wait to have a good luck to own one.. the DBG model 23503 with blue stripe looks more tempting as the normal 23500 is only full yellow..

 

 

Yeah, for Euro model, the price is good and not that expensive..

 

 

 

And after reading http://www.spookshow.net/loco/tamper.html  funny to know ( a bit scared as well haha) that the Masima motor only uses spring to act as worm drive.. Maybe would be much better if it was just made as one single motorized truck only.

 

 

but again, it's up to them buyers to make the standard on their own... thanks for your good review on this model and to let me know what to expect from it..

 

 

 

With world kougei, I am in no rush though with them so will just check for their updates at the moment. Hope your dream for them to make more MOW in a nice price will soon come true... 🙂

 

 

 

[cteno4]

Robert,

 

Well it was built by Kato, but thru it's hobbytrain brand, so they just don't make them as high detail and quality as the regular Kato stuff. This means it can be done at a lower price point to make money when selling to another company that then turns around and sells it like lemke (and make up for another middleman in the product chain).

 

I think what upset spookshow so much was he expected if built by Kato it would be Kato full quality. But since I'm sure they had to hit a lower price point to sell to lemke to turn around and sell in Europe, they had to cut some corners. I don't think it's an F at all if viewed in that light, I would say more like a C or B for what it is and the price and taking away this was to be a top quality Kato model.

 

Spring drive was used by tomix a bit there for a while. It allows things to be a bit more flexible, but causes problems in the long run, especially is the spring is used as the worm gear as well as tomix did and it growls and can cause a lot of wear internally. I think they did it with this model die to minimal clearances and such for the power train. Probably would have been better to just do the single truck powered like you say.

 

Jeff

[Robert46]

Well it was built by Kato, but thru it's hobbytrain brand, so they just don't make them as high detail and quality as the regular Kato stuff. This means it can be done at a lower price point to make money when selling to another company that then turns around and sells it like lemke (and make up for another middleman in the product chain).

 

I think what upset spookshow so much was he expected if built by Kato it would be Kato full quality. But since I'm sure they had to hit a lower price point to sell to lemke to turn around and sell in Europe, they had to cut some corners. I don't think it's an F at all if viewed in that light, I would say more like a C or B for what it is and the price and taking away this was to be a top quality Kato model.

 

Okay Jeff.. thanks I will take it with me... just understood the reason why this model could be produced in such lower price.

 

I think you are right he expected so much.. if compared with normal Kato model, this train is far from Kato standard especially with rolling performance and lights. but the bodywork deserved A or B for me.. :)

 

 

Spring drive was used by tomix a bit there for a while. It allows things to be a bit more flexible, but causes problems in the long run, especially is the spring is used as the worm gear as well as tomix did and it growls and can cause a lot of wear internally. I think they did it with this model die to minimal clearances and such for the power train. Probably would have been better to just do the single truck powered like you say.

 

Any suggestion how to maintain or how to repair if the spring drive or internal gears wears out? It seems I could locate one model available on ebay although as a used item.. :)

[cteno4]

Good question, nope no real idea. Could change to a regular shaft and worm gear I guess. But it may take a huge amount of running to ever wear it out. I've run mine little and seems fine. Not like a loco where you are running for many many laps.

 

For it being a mow car it drives fine by itself.

 

Jeff

[Robert46]

sounds great.. :) so no need to worry much about the spring drive though...

 

just ordered one on the ebay.. :) hope to have the good news soon...

[cteno4]

Wow they are cheap on ebay! Much better than when they came out!

 

Jeff

[Robert46]

Yeah Jeff.. pretty cheap for used models.. but from physical look they are nice and intact.. no idea about the power unit..

 

Believed you already grabbed another one too to add as a reserve stock.. haha :D

[bc6]

I thought Id start with the EF200 that I just purchased what would be a good addition to a Japanese MOW train?

Edited September 9, 2023 by bc6

[cteno4]

Sadly there is not the availability of mow equipment in n scale that there is in HO. But the good thing is many mow cars are sold internationally like passer and theur tampers and ballasteds.

 

For a start the main Japanese n scale that comes to mind (sure folks will have more). Sadly most is sold out and had limited production runs, but I’m sure with some searching on yahoo japan auctions you can find some

 

- greenmax 2 car tamper

- hobby train (Kato) single car tamper made with and without motor (long out of production, but on euro market as well)

- various welded rail transport flat cars with rail racks. I think all of these were kits either plastic and metal or laser cut laserboard. Bit of assembly and painting needed. Of course you need flexible rail to make these work right on your layout (there is a company that makes that) and will look silly even on the widest of radius model track.

- 2 car rail car by world Kogei. Kit

- greenmax small maintenance loco and wagons. Plastic kit unpowered. The tiniest tgw mechanisms can fit in the loco with some carving ok inside the cab.

- tgw maintenance cars and small loco. Can still find these now and then, I think amazon jp still has the 

- numerous small locos and a couple with a crane on the back.

- few Tomytec rail vehicles

- there are a slew of snow plows and blowers as well if you want that angle.

 

cherrs,

 

jeff

[bill937ca]

You can try to find a ballast wagon, but that probably means going to secondary sources.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=104&cat=rail&state=&sold=0&sortid=6&searchkey=ballast+wagon

[bc6]

Thanks for the suggestion\s guys this is a good start to building a MOW train. 

[cteno4]

Doh! Meant to add the Hokis! These are around a fair amount just topping off ballast on tracks.

 

jeff

[Kamome]

Model Icons produced kits for rail carrier flats, Chiki 6000s. They are not easily available through the usual online retailers but I tend to see them from time to time in independent model

shops. They’re not the cheapest as they’re produced on lowish quantity runs from a comparatively small manufacturer. 

 

Susukuma has a great video on the build process here.

 

 

[bill937ca]

You could add a generic diesel like the DE 10.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10682348

 

If you get a tank container (like you see in container trains) you can mount it on a flat car and make a home built work car.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10134229

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009781

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009780

 

All three are available as of now and could also be good for a container terminal scene.

Edited September 10, 2023 by bill937ca

[cteno4]

Thanks @Kamome could not remember model icon! They also make silicon flexible rail.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10872439

 

There is also a small company in the us that makes it and I think europe as well when I got mine a number of years back (from a U.S. producer).

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10888006

 

Kofu Models made a number of Chiki rail transport cars. They were on sale for a long time at hs, guess they didn’t sell that well so not seen them come back, but you could check at the usual sources to see if they could be special ordered.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=104&cat=rail&state=&sold=0&sortid=6&searchkey=Chiki+kofu

 

also need a crane and flatcar for blocking and boom.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009568

 

arunine also makes a small mow loco and some mow cars you fold out of brass.

 

http://arumo.a.la9.jp/rn0089.htm

http://arumo.a.la9.jp/rn0090.htm

 

Jeff

[cteno4]

Admin note, I merged this topic with an older topic with the same content.

 

jeff

[ATShinkansen]

This may blur the line on what is considered rolling stock, but TomyTec also has some hi-rail vehicle sets that I think could be incorporated into MOW trains.  I just simply place these on Tokis or Toras for my MOW train.

 

[bc6]

ATShinkansen those are nice, are they from TomyTec?

[cteno4]

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10812655
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10812654

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10751752

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10751753

[bc6]

Thanks cteno4.

[ATShinkansen]

9 hours ago, bc6 said:

ATShinkansen those are nice, are they from TomyTec?

Yes, they are.  I believe they also come in blue and white.  The hi-rail wheels don’t rotate, but they can be popped out and flipped over to be raised or lowered.  The crane also has an alternate boom in the extended position.  Lo and behold, I still have the box!

 

 

 

This is my MOW train.  Nothing fancy, all equipment is borrowed from revenue service, but it works for me.