The Introduction Thread...

[serenityFan]

Hi everyone ...

 

I'm Andy, and I live in Melbourne, Australia.

 

Originally I wanted to do an HO layout, have got some Hornby stock, however I underestimated the problem of convincing my other half to let me have a huge HO layout filling up space in our study room. So I have decided to do a permanent N scale layout instead.    ;D

 

Luckily to start I already have a Kato N700 (just the main pack, no add-ons) which is an impulse buy on our last trip to Japan. I love the Japanese stocks, and also the modern European trains ...

[Bernard]

Hi Andy

Welcome to the forum! I know exactly what you mean when it comes to the scale size. The best thing is that with N scale you can fit about twice as much on a layout than HO.

When I was in Japan, I also bought my first set as an impulse buy because I never realized how many different and interesting train designs the Japanese have.

You will feel very at home here. I think a good part of our membership is from Australia.

[SONIC883_de]

Hi,

 

my name is Kai. I am 31 years old, married but no children. I life near Wolfsburg/Germany.

 

 

I am the founder / admin of => IG nippoN (former JRMgermany), a forum about japanese modeltrains in german language. Some of our members are here, too.

 

=> Here a short movie form our last meeting. Our next meeting will be on 27.09.2008

 

My Interessts are JR Kyushu and a litte bit JR West (for Shinkansen), JR Freight and some ENODEN => My Collection (Shinkansen and Trams missing)

 

I do a simple Layout => SHO TOSHI

 

Something I had forget? Please ask

 

 

-Kai

[Bernard]

Kai - Welcome to the the forum and glad to have you aboard and yes I do have one question, where was the photo taken and please explain about the Japanese dolls in the photo?

 

Also do you mind sharing photos of your simple layout?

[SONIC883_de]

Hi Bernard,

 

Links arent dispalyed with underline, so I mark the Links in my Post with a =>

 

The photo was taken in Hannover/Germany at a Friendship ceremony Lower Saxony - Tokushima.

More photos here http://picasaweb.google.com/kpernau/AwaNingyouJoururi

 

Expain the dolls... puh.. my english isn't very well. These dolls are from street players which go from house to house a give luck to the people. There is a bigger story. I want have a look for it

[Bernard]

Kai - I got your link and it is a very nice layout that you're modeling but I would not call it simple. It looks like you have the start of a really nice background and a highway on the upper level. Is the plan for your layout to go around the perimeter of the room or just part?

Also at the forum we are having a big discussion about what tracks we are using in our layouts. Are you using Kato Unitrack?

[SONIC883_de]

I am using TOMIX Finetrack for my layout. KATO Tracks looks very good (I like the doubletrack with the fances), but TOMIX has more radis and turnouts. One negative point is the distance from two parallel tracks - but you can get all in one product ...

 

The Layout is build complete in a seperat room. It will get a double circle with a station on Level 0 (Middle of the room). The straights are approx 4 meters. The station should hold trains with a length of ~1.8m. -> Curve in tunnel. Above a Shirne (maybe Woody Joe) -> The Costline is ~ 2.5 metes. One track with blind track under the street) -> Next curve in a small industy area. There are turnouts to Level 1.

 

Level 1 will be an simple U. The station on Level 1 is behind the station at Level 0. These tracks goes trough the city . I haven't a plan on paper - only in my head :-)

I will make some photos of the room this week

[SubwayHypes]

^^awesome layout conceptmodeling i love it

 

Im 24, from San Francisco, CA.  I spent about half my life living in the middle of Tokyo, taking the tokyo metro every single day.  My favorite trains are tokyo commuters, especially subway trains.  I am also starting to get into freight cars and the graffiti subculture that follows them. 

 

I hope to have two layouts, one a working N scale japan that i hope looks half as good as Concepts!  My other set will be non running HO freight cars that i will paint to-scale graffiti on.  As of now i only have about $600 in stuff, 3 trains a few houses, and some track. 

 

 

I consider myself an outlaw train enthusiest.  I frequently jump into subway tunnels, on tracks, into train yards, etc.  I want to get as close as possible to trains.  My favorite place used to be the Duboce Tunnel in SF, which is pictured in my avatar.  Until recently, the tunnels were one of the best underground art galleries in the world, the city painted all the walls and set up sensors and security recently though.  ANother place i frequent is the BERKELEY-ALBANY Amtrac tracks in the bay area.  its pictures here:

 

I got into model trains through many of the same reasons.  As i kid i had a vast collection of toy trains and cars.  I also build plastic models like some of you stated above. 

[Masioka]

 My favorite place used to be the Duboce Tunnel in SF, which is pictured in my avatar.

 

Do you have an online album anywhere? Flickr etc?

[alpineaustralia]

What do you mean you are starting to get into the graffitti sub-culture that follows them?

Do you graffitti trains?

[robmellor]

Uh... hi. I'm Rob, I live in Newbury in the UK and I like Japanese trains. There, I said it. No turning back now...

 

First went to Japan in 1999 and have been back most years since. Like - I suspect - many here I was blown away by the shinkansen experience, and - well, you know how it is - one thing leads to another and now I find I am gaining an unhealthy interest in a wide range of jtrains.

 

Particular favourites are the futuristic trains (Nankai Rap:t etc.), and the panoramics but I'm here to learn and soak up some nostalgia for Japan.

 

Look forward to chatting with you all.

 

Rob

[CaptOblivious]

Hey Rob! Welcome and glad to have you!

[railzilla]

Hello

 

I am from Switzerland and started modelling NGauge about a year ago. I am interessted in any kind of trains but particular in Electric traction and multiple units. I like to have a busy layout while still realistic so i chose to model a commuter line. Unfortunately Swiss rolling stok is to expensive if i want have several multiple units. When i ordered some Unitrack direct from Japan i also bougth a Kato Locomotive and a Modemo Enoden. I was surprised as the quality was very good and the price far lower than here, Moreover the shop shipped very fast, record is two days from Tokio to Switzerland. So my collection of Japanese grew.

My layout will be located in the Tokio area as there are so many different train companys there. I still searching for a good station to model. Its also interesnting that trains continue on the subway something rarely seen in Europe. Meanwile i am builing some TTrak modules to gain some modellng experiance. I will make my layout modlar anyway so its a god start. I started with DCC (Digitrax) i used wired decoders. So far installation was easy as the rolling stock is well designed. 

 

 

I am also meber of the IGNippon forum in German and post here under the same nickname

http://forum.ig-nippon.org/

[alpineaustralia]

What part of CH are you from Railzilla?

I have been there many times to ski with my swiss friends from Cantons Vaud, Neuchatel, Valais and Geneva.

CH has a fantastic train system (as well as Japan).

Do you model swiss rail much?

Please post photos of your trains in the "your fleet" section of the Gallery.

[Bernard]

Railzilla - Welcome to the JNS forum. I took a look at the IGNippon forum and wished I knew another language other than English. Do you know Sonic883 at this forum who has posted a lot about his club? From the photos they've posted they have a great deal of fun.

 

Do you have any photos of your layouts or train roster that you would like to share with members over here?

[railzilla]

Thanks for your welocomes,

 

I never personally met the other guys from IGNippon, because their meeting is quite far away from Switzerland. I plan to do so in 2009.

I live on the shor eof the lake of Zurich, in canton of Zurich. The swiss travel almost as much kilometers per person like the japanese. There is also a wide varienty of trains passing thru Switzerland. There is open access in Europe for freigth rail transport since a few years so German Locos can haul thru Switzerland or Swiss Locos can go Into Germany. In fact anyone can buy or rent and Locomotive an run it. You just have to comply with the rules and regulations of the network and pay the track fee. So there are many different trains to see. Many of them are available as N-Gauge models. But they are at least 3 times as expensive as a comparable Japanse models.  And for multiple units the difference is even bigger.  So i focus on the Japanese Layout first. I just have two Locos as well as a few intercity and freight waggons for the Swiss protoype.

My layout is not ready to make photos i worked the whole afternoon but still a lot to do. Most of my rolling stock is packed in their "bookcases". Once i have a yard i will arrange them  for a photo shooting.

 

Greetings,

Railzilla

[bill937ca]

Hello

 

I am from Switzerland and started modelling NGauge about a year ago. I am interessted in any kind of trains but particular in Electric traction and multiple units. I like to have a busy layout while still realistic so i chose to model a commuter line.

 

Electric traction is an interest we both share.  But I imagine you'll get to know that by the majority of my posts.  There is so much traction in Japan.  Traditional streetcar operations, interurbans and modern EMUs.

[CaptOblivious]

Railzilla: You aren't kidding about the prices for Swiss trains! I just looked at what some Arnold Swiss prototype locos cost: $300, $400, $500...and up...holy crap!

[Low_Rider]

;D

 

Nice to meet everyone. My name is Jacob. Live in Idaho. Just getting started into N scale trains. I drooled all over Marklin trains as a young kid. Now as an adult I've stumbled on this magnificent genre. Im really excited.

 

So. Nice to meet you. Hope everyones well. Look forward to talking with you all.

[CaptOblivious]

;D

 

Nice to meet everyone. My name is Jacob. Live in Idaho. Just getting started into N scale trains. I drooled all over Marklin trains as a young kid. Now as an adult I've stumbled on this magnificent genre. Im really excited.

 

So. Nice to meet you. Hope everyones well. Look forward to talking with you all.

 

Welcome, Jacob! I too used to spend just a little too much time with the Marklin catalog as a kid. :D Do you have any specific plans or interests?

[Bernard]

Jacob - Welcome to the JNS forum and it's a great place to interact and ask questions about the hobby. There are many members who have done some outstanding work and are always willing to share their knowledge about the hobby. I myself have learned a lot from these guys and I hope you enjoy participating at the forum.

[Martijn Meerts]

I still drool over a lot of marklin stuff. Of course, it helps having the Marklin Big Boy close at hand, I'm gonna have to say that's by far the best model locomotive produced (that's also affordable ;))

 

I actually have 4 different scales of trains around, it's getting silly =)

[Low_Rider]

Looks like I wasn't alone as a kid! LOL! Glad to know I'm in good company. Thanks for the welcomes everyone. :)

 

Captn. I am just getting started envisioning how I want my layout to function regarding size and subject matter, as well as location and feasibility. I don't want to bite off more then I can chew (or afford) at once. I know that I am really loving the passenger car/subway/urban concept and will definately be incoorperating this as my main focal point includding an "underground" line.

 

Right now I just have a Walthers Sante Fe "starter set." I didnt realize this whole Japanese Train scene existed. I kinda wish I had before I spent 70.00 for what I have but we all gotta start somewhere I guess, and shes not a bad little train.

 

I will be spending some serious time over the holiday getting familiar with this board, and the vast amount of pre-existing knowledge that you've all accumulated,  :o as well as nailing down sources and cost estimates. Im really looking forward to getting started!

[Railmind]

Hello everybody and many many thanks for all the hospitality and encouragement!

 

Well, my interest for railways grew gradually, first encouraged by software like Transport Tycoon and Train Simulator, it slowly lead me to investing into a narrow gauge digital start set a couple of years ago. On the other side, ever since I actually made an attempt to study Japanese (another language was chosen at the last moment, not my fault) the Japanese theme has been floating around, and indeed the two Japanese routes in the MSTS  kept me busy for a long time. Logically, when I chose to expand my modelling interests, my friend and dealer introduced me to the excellent quality of N-scale models, and I decided I'm too interested to let it go. Well, Japanese railways are all narrow gauge, so no breach of interest actually happened :) Since then I have aquired an excellent steam engine by Microace, a bunch of boxcars, and some structures as well. I have also started to blog my ideas and look for other sources of information - and eventually came across this wonderful site. Now I'm planning my first layout on a Japanese prototype, with an aim to combine late steam and modern DMU operation on a line that playing Train Simulator made me know so well.

[CaptOblivious]

Welcome to the forum, Railmind! Glad you decided to join us here.