The Introduction Thread...

[Martijn Meerts]

Lots of us here are on a buy-what-you-like policy rather than a stick-to-a-region policy. I find the main disadvantage of the buy-what-you-like policy is that you end up with too many trains =)

[cteno4]

too many trains??!!! Martijn what are you thinking, there can never be too many trains! remember -- the one who dies with the most trains wins!

 

cheers,

 

jeff (someone with probably too many trains!)

[Martijn Meerts]

too many trains??!!! Martijn what are you thinking, there can never be too many trains! remember -- the one who dies with the most trains wins!

 

cheers,

 

jeff (someone with probably too many trains!)

 

Well, I guess it depends on the definition of too many.. I don't really think you can have too many trains as such, but on the other hand, I've spent too much on trains and not enough on tracks, so I've ended up having a LOT of trains and nothing to really run them on ;)

[bill937ca]

Lots of us here are on a buy-what-you-like policy rather than a stick-to-a-region policy. I find the main disadvantage of the buy-what-you-like policy is that you end up with too many trains =)

 

You only have too many trains if you end up with more than JR and all the private railways combined.  None of us are near that!!!

[disturbman]

Well, as it seems, I'm buying the train I like region after region. I started by Shikoku before moving north to Hokkaido and I'm now in the process in buying specifically Kyushu trains since I really had a great time over there this year and rode allmost all the limited express they had. ^^

[Sir Madog]

Hi,

 

I am new to this forum and also to modeling Japanese prototype, but not new to the hobby at all. It all started some 47 years ago, when I was given my first train set for Christmas. And it has stayed ever since.

 

I am currently planning my N scale layout, which will have to be build in 4 sections, to be stored on a shelf, when the layout is not in use. My train room is also our guest and laundry room 

 

A first idea on this layout looks like this:

 

 

I am happy to receive any builds and comments on the design!

[CaptOblivious]

Welcome, Sir Madog! That looks like an ambitious and exciting plan! Why don't you start a new thread under "personal projects" and tell us all about it?

[Bernard]

Yes please do! I see you plan on using Peco code 55 with cross-over. This should be interesting!

[to2leo]

Wow I haven't been to this thread for a while.  Yes, Sir Madog.  Would love to see how your layout will progress.

[ShinCanadaSen]

Hello,

 

Um... I'm New Here :) Just found this site. I've always been a train fan but a trip to Japan and a few rides on a 0-Series "Hikari" gave me Japanese Train Fever ! Unfortunately I did not think of purchasing any train stuff while I was in Japan.

 

Upon returning to Canada I started putting together a small layout on 02 small doors as a table. I has 3 nested loops connected to eachother with double crossovers and a Viaduct crossover from the outside loop to the inside loop. I could watch the trains go around all day !

 

Unfortunately the arrival of my son (not entirely planned) meant I no longer had a train room. He's now almost 3 so I have started to get back into the trains as I can set up my Unitrack and have the trains (I only Have a 500 Series Shinkansen and a CP ACW4400 and some North American Rolling Stock) zip about and he's entertained.

 

My main problem apart from the obvious lack of space is that I can't just go to a store and buy the Trains I'm interested in (More Shinkansen and Japanese Freight Locos).

 

Anyway... I'm looking forward to read all that this site has to offer and I'm sure I'm gonna learn quite a bit :)

 

ShinCanadaSen

[KenS]

Welcome to the forum. The New Releases section has information on Japanese retailers who will ship internationally.  Even with the rather high postage it's likely to be less expensive than having a hobby shop import something, even assuming they can get what you want.

[CaptOblivious]

Welcome, shincanadasen! Several of us here are fathers-my little girl is two now, and loves to play trains. It's a fun hobby to are with our children, isn't it?

[bigford]

Hi  everybody

 

My second post here. I'm from suffolk county new york about as far away

from japan as you can get!! i model Norfolk Southern frieght but have a soft

spot for japanese trains.

 

 

mark

[KenS]

Because they're more colorful? 

 

Welcome aboard.

[Jcarlton]

Hi,

This is my first post.  Just found this site a couple of days ago.  Went to Japan and discovered japanes railroads a while back.  I don't have any Japanese models- yet.  I have been to Japan again and have a bunch of pics from the Tokyo area, especially the Nambu Line and Tsurumi lines.  I also ran into a bunch of old JNR station diagrams done by noted rail author Charles S. Small, which were donated to my switch tower museum for the store.  Needless to say the diagrams never made it actually on the shelves. I will post these as soon as I figure out how to load PDF's.

[meldrew]

Hi all,

 

It's nice to have the opportunity to be a part of a forum dedicated to my new interest.  I live in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria in Australia.  I had a bad experience with the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and moved into a suburban area afterwards.  I thought a nice distraction would be good for all of us, and decided on N scale  trains.  I purchased a Kato M1 Starter set just recently and am finding learning about Japanese Rail an enjoyable experience. 

 

Regards,

 

Ashley

[KenS]

Welcome to the forum. This is definitely the place to come to learn. I've picked up a lot of info in the year I've been reading it that I don't think I could have found on my own.

[Bernard]

Ashley & Jcarlton - Welcome to the forum and glad to have you both as members.

 

Ashley - You are going to find that a lot of the members are also from Australia.

[cteno4]

Ashley,

 

welcome! hey do you know about the Australian Japanese Model Railroad group? they have a modular layout there in the melbourne area.

 

http://www.ajmrg.org.au/

 

cheers

 

jeff

 

 

Hi all,

 

It's nice to have the opportunity to be a part of a forum dedicated to my new interest.  I live in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria in Australia.  I had a bad experience with the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and moved into a suburban area afterwards.  I thought a nice distraction would be good for all of us, and decided on N scale  trains.  I purchased a Kato M1 Starter set just recently and am finding learning about Japanese Rail an enjoyable experience. 

 

Regards,

 

Ashley

[meldrew]

Thank you for the welcome messages, and Jeff, I'll check out the Australian Japanese Model Railroad Group.

 

Cheers,

 

Ashley

[Samurai_Chris]

Hi. My name is Chris. I am an Aussie living in Fukuoka Japan..

 

I hope this is the right section?

 

I have been an avid scale modeler for many years (mainly aircraft). But was introduced to N Scale modeling by a Japanese work friend and have found myself hooked..

 

I am yet to start. But I am looking at a Shinkansen set to get me started..

 

Eventually my wife and I will be moving the family back home next year some time, so I am yet to start thinking big. But as a modeler. I do, and always get hooked on things, and always go for perfection. So I am a little scared to go to hard at first..

 

Here is my thinking. I like the idea of N Scale, because of its size.. I am also very interested in collecting enough gear here in Japan that I can eventually take home with me to Australia, so I can build a large diorama to represent the areas of Fukuoka that I live for my wife and kids to enjoy and remember fondly after we are gone...

 

I eventually want to have three working tracks.. 1) A Shinkansen track to work at the back that will disappear behind the wall.. At 1/160 and smaller than the normal Japanese 1/150, that is fine, as I will have it as a background feature... 2) My local city train with our local station (custom made) as a main track. 3)And a small rail town track that is in service in the next town over from us, that will also go behind the wall... All will eventually display the scenery of those three parts of our local area and the nature around it..

 

But until then, I am am starting small and will simply buy myself one of either the Kato or Tomix starter Shinkensen sets to set up on a table upstairs and get into it.....

 

As I am new. I am curious as to what I should and shouldn't know when starting? Although I am not privy to any maker. I usually buy what I can get that is available for what I want.. For example. To get started. I am looking at the Tomix Shikansen set, because it is the best deal for the Tsubame Shinkensen that I want to collect. I also need to buy a Micro Ace City Train that depicts the local train that we have here.. So do all of these makers work well together. Or is there something I should know?

 

Sorry for the big intro. and all of the questions. But as a new convert, I am very excited to find out as much as I can!

 

Cheers, Chris

[dickturpin]

Chris,

 

Welcome to the group, I also joined recently and found it to be very useful. I envy your time in Fukuoka and the opportunity you have to collect plenty of gear whilst you are in Japan. The Kato Shinkansen at speed is a site to behold, I saw one last weekend at the Warwick N gauge show in the UK. But you need plenty of straight track perhaps with a small dog leg and bridge to show it at its best.

 

Richard Adams

Birmingham

England

[Martijn Meerts]

The various manufacturers all work together, although there can be problems with some Tomix power packs and non-Tomix trains. Tomix uses a system called Constant Lighting, which means that lights in the train can be on, even if the train is stopped. The problem is that that system isn't necessarily compatible with certain other trains. Considering you're picking up a Kato startset, this shouldn't be an issue though. Tomix trains will run just fine on the Kato powerpacks.

 

Other than that, you might want to think about whether or not you want to go with DCC control at some point. It has a lot of advantages, but also some disadvantages.

 

You'll also want to pick a track system and stick with it. Kato's Unitrack and Tomix's Finetrack systems are directly compatible, nor is Kato's Unitrack directly compatible with the western world's track systems (Peco, Atlas, Minitrix etc.) The advantage of both Unitrack and Finetrack is that they're very sturdy. A lot of people don't like them because they have a roadbed built in, which looks quite plastic (it can be made to look real nice though)

 

 

I'm sure others will have more (and better :)) advice ;)

[Samurai_Chris]

Hi again.. Thanks guys.. Sorry.. I made a mistake.. I am actually starting with the Tomix Tsubame set, as that is what they use here on Kyushu Island... I don't know why I said the Kato set.. I was looking at it today in the store and is probably why?

 

Anyway.. Sorry for any inconvenience...

[Samurai_Chris]

Chris,

 

Welcome to the group, I also joined recently and found it to be very useful. I envy your time in Fukuoka and the opportunity you have to collect plenty of gear whilst you are in Japan. The Kato Shinkansen at speed is a site to behold, I saw one last weekend at the Warwick N gauge show in the UK. But you need plenty of straight track perhaps with a small dog leg and bridge to show it at its best.

 

Richard Adams

Birmingham

England

 

Nice to meet you Richard..

 

Well, my wife is Japanese, and after 10 years, I am ready to call it a day and head home for a change.. I do however want little things for her, and our kids to have to remember the place by. So I am collecting things like local Bus models and aircraft. As well as toys of the local stuff that the kids are into here. These are things that if we stayed they would surely grow out of. But once we move back to Australia they can always look back on them and remember their other home from time to time.. That's what got me into railway, as a Japanese work friend introduced it to me...

 

Chris