Asian Manufacturers - Product Announcements

[disturbman]

On Thursday (12.14.2023), Changming is releasing a new batch of DF4Bs. The specs are similar to their recent DF4s and DF4Ds.

The locomotives come with a next18 DCC pin socket as well as lighted engine room in DC and metal handrails.

I have the authorization from Changming to share their product pictures.
 

 

Edited December 13, 2023 by disturbman

[disturbman]

Touch-Rails will be releasing models of the TRA EMU1200 soon. Two dealers already received samples. 
 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMU1200_series#:~:text=The EMU1200 series is a,the Tze-Chiang Limited Express
 

The train will be sold as two 9-car sets.

[disturbman]

Changming will be releasing two new versions of their 25B passenger coaches tomorrow. Each come in a A+B set of 8-car for those wanting to form a prototypical 16-car train.

The A set of the Harbin section special livery contains 7 hard set coaches & 1 luggage car, the B set contains 6 hard sleepers, 1 soft sleeper and 1 dining car.


The A set of the CR-Guangzhou, Zhao section contains 8 hard seat coaches. The B set contains 7 hard sleeper and 1 dining car.

[Nozomi329]

Rumors floating around indicating charming's SS8 electric locos are not far from sales. The model appeared in a photo of their recent Wechat announcement regarding collaboration with CRRC here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dy5ClrrTM4SYXasjTqhoXg . 国铁小站 has started reservation according to their facebook post. Charming's official announcement shouldn't be far.

The SS8 electric loco was designed under a concept of short higher speed intercity trips. However, as the few available higher speed locos at the time of introduction and subsequent "Speed Up" projects, it was unfortunately used for longer cross country express passenger trains. Its small 4 axle body and a mere 3600kW is obviously not the best candidate for CR's normal 18-car heavy overnight express trains, especially in mountaineous regions. Drivers complained about wheel slip issues. Nevertheless, it has obtained a top experimental speed of 240km/h in 1998, China's top speed at that time. It is also the few CR locos that is allowed to enter Hong Kong and pulled the thru trains until they were suspended in 2020 (although Charming doesn't seem to be producing much locos from Guangzhou depot in this run).

 

Apart from charming, there's been a new Chinese N scale scenery brand called "Mini city" or 迷拟城. Its taobao store can be found by searching "MINI CITY". It appears to be filling the so far missing elements of Chinese road vehicles and other scenery items.

Edited January 16 by Nozomi329

[disturbman]

The SS8 is being released on Thursday, there are 20 different running numbers being offered.



 

5 hours ago, Nozomi329 said:

Apart from charming, there's been a new Chinese N scale scenery brand called "Mini city" or 迷拟城. Its taobao store can be found by searching "MINI CITY". It appears to be filling the so far missing elements of Chinese road vehicles and other scenery items.

As far as I know, ie if they understood me correctly, Minicity is being developed by CNRModel/EZ Transcom hobby shop from Hong Kong. Their first product looks promising. They were receiving the first samples this week.

Edited January 16 by disturbman

[disturbman]

Some comms by CM:

- HXN5 (H0) discovered programmation issue with the boards during test before shipping this week. Need 2 weeks to update

- SS7/SS7C (H0) release postponed to June, and no later than June 30 (production delay due to production bottlenecks last year)

- DF4D-3 and DF4D-7 (N) release postponed to before March 31, 2024 (production delay due to production bottlenecks last year)

- DF4D-4 (N) release postponed to before April 31, 2024 (production delay due to production bottlenecks last year)

- CR400AF (N) release postponed to June, and no later than June 30 (too many mould corrections & production delay due to production bottlenecks last year)

They also announced they would re-release the HXD3D, release several "outside corridor" type locomotives and that the CR400AF would be followed by the CR400AF-AZ and CR400BF.

[tripel7]

Considering i just bought a car, i actually don't mind the cr400af being delayed 😅

[disturbman]

Sanying news:

- Sanying has revealed they were working on the TRA E1000. The model seems to be in mould design/test stage and I wouldn’t expect it before at least next year. The development of the EMU800 took quite a long time.

- They are releasing the ‘Saraya 2024’ painted EMU800 in collaboration with Memories & Impressions and the design studio that developed the livery. Price is quite high, was quoted as 13,300NTD, and quantities extremely low.

[jappomania]

2 hours ago, disturbman said:

Sanying news:

- Sanying has revealed they were working on the TRA E1000. The model seems to be in mould design/test stage and I wouldn’t expect it before at least next year

 

KIBU! 😍 , it was the first taiwanese train I bought from Kibu, a couple of red and the special green test run livery, but I lost the Daikin.. f...k

I'm curious to see how it develope, another one after 20 years... why not...

and yesterday, after 40 day, finally my CRH5-5001 has been delivered, the "China fever" restarted 😩

 

ciao!

Massimo

[disturbman]

@jappomania I knew you would be happy. I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty happy someone finally decided to remake the E1000. It's an iconic train and Kibu is clearly defunct. The Taiwanese manufacturers are so small that they are more akin to an artisanal producer. I somehow have the impression that Sanying is a one-man operation.

I hope you will like the CRH5. But it's honestly not representative of CM's quality. Probably their worst N scale model. At least, they seem hellbent to not repeat that with the CR400s.

Edited February 3 by disturbman

[jappomania]

9 hours ago, disturbman said:

I hope you will like the CRH5. But it's honestly not representative of CM's quality. Probably their worst N scale model. At least, they seem hellbent to not repeat that with the CR400s.

 

I agree, but that's normal, high speed trains aren't the best to evaluate the quality of complex molding, their "skin" is too smoth (like the baby butt 😂)

but the paint quality is very good and run smooth, a litlle bit much costly than japanese trains but half than an european model (comparison with his brother RAbe 503/ETR610)

don't worry, now I know how to evaluate the Changmig quality, J-scale is in my viewfinder 😋 

(this/next month is heavy - 3 and half new Shinkansen, but after....it's juny that scare me, a couple of CR400 and more Shinkansen, my C.C. will burn)

ciao!

Massimo

[tripel7]

On 2/3/2024 at 10:14 AM, disturbman said:

@jappomania
I hope you will like the CRH5. But it's honestly not representative of CM's quality. Probably their worst N scale model. At least, they seem hellbent to not repeat that with the CR400s.

Ironic, since I consider it likely the nicest train in my collection, Kato and Tomix the middle ground, and Kunter the lowest tier of the bunch

[disturbman]

Interesting. There has been a lot of hate on it because the walls are too thin for interior lighting and some reported issues with inclines (skirt and/or body being too low). But I have not heard reliable sources on the incline issue, could be trackwork related, so I'm still taking it with a pinch of salt. Maybe @Nozomi329 would know more.

Someone on the Discord server also had a set with coupler malformations (hello Kato E5). But CM provided spares.

[Nozomi329]

On 2/6/2024 at 7:55 AM, disturbman said:

skirt and/or body being too low). But I have not heard reliable sources on the incline issue

I neither bought any nor saw any in action. The story in the group chats was that charming somehow didn't include enough room for bogies to sway sideways. Therefore it runs fine on level tracks, but super elevated tracks or maybe just a transition from straight to curve on a slope can cause derailment. Their "improved" version only seemed to make this issue worse with even less clearance under the floor. It still sounds strange as this was not their first EMU and it's a silly mistake that should be easily avoided.

[disturbman]

Thanks. I find the issue strange as well and more or less chalked it up to bad trackwork. Well, I guess I will be able to investigate it soon enough. I'll report what I find.

[disturbman]

Minitown has announced they will be re-realising their double-traction DF11G model. Six running numbers (iirc) have been announced, three M+M and three M+T.

As always, quantities announced are very small, but it's nice to see Minitown finally becoming more active again.

[tripel7]

On 2/14/2024 at 1:42 AM, Nozomi329 said:

I neither bought any nor saw any in action. The story in the group chats was that charming somehow didn't include enough room for bogies to sway sideways. Therefore it runs fine on level tracks, but super elevated tracks or maybe just a transition from straight to curve on a slope can cause derailment. Their "improved" version only seemed to make this issue worse with even less clearance under the floor. It still sounds strange as this was not their first EMU and it's a silly mistake that should be easily avoided.

Ah, i dont have any super elevated corners yet, just a flat layout on my desk, on which it runs fine, but i guess i will find out soon. I also wonder how to the Kunter CRH2 will fare, as it runs and sounds like a tractor😅

[disturbman]

That's not normal. You should see if something is up with the mechanism.

[disturbman]

On 2/14/2024 at 1:42 AM, Nozomi329 said:

I neither bought any nor saw any in action. The story in the group chats was that charming somehow didn't include enough room for bogies to sway sideways. Therefore it runs fine on level tracks, but super elevated tracks or maybe just a transition from straight to curve on a slope can cause derailment. Their "improved" version only seemed to make this issue worse with even less clearance under the floor. It still sounds strange as this was not their first EMU and it's a silly mistake that should be easily avoided.

I tested one of the new CRH5 on 2% and 3% slopes with very snaky tracks, and nothing happened. Yes, the clearance between the train and the track is low, but not more than on other Chinese locomotives. As expected, the issue is not linked to the model, but due to people's bumpily laid tracks. But the train can't negotiate R inferior to 315 and will then derail.

As always, the Chinese group chats blow some perceived issue out of proportion. The real issue on this model is the light bleed.

I also tested two AuroraMiniatures DF4C. They are very nicely detailed and run without issues. They made different detailing choices than CM and they hold well the comparison. I can't say one is better than the other and would say they are of a similar level of detailing. AM models have more separately fitted handrails (on the roof where CM mostly moulded them), but these are made of plastic instead of metal.

Like CM early models, AM's models feature a capacitor that limits speed control. I don't know why CM and AM think this is a feature users want to have; I know I don't and I'm happy CM removed them from their 3.0 models. Interesting feature, the AM models come with a touch PCB that lets you trigger the DCC light functions on DC. I still haven't totally figured out how to use it.

Edited February 23 by disturbman

[Nozomi329]

11 hours ago, disturbman said:

I still haven't totally figured out how to use it

I would expect the 4-second thing a pain.

[disturbman]

@Nozomi329, thanks for that. I hadn't understood the button on the II side was for running/stopping the locomotive. I thought it was to turn off the function/reset the lights to normal. It's much easier to switch between the lights when the locomotive is stationary. A light touch is enough to switch between the different mode, not need to tap hard.

Nice little gadget, and interesting for those that are into more prototypical running, but I don't think I will toggle the lights much myself.

For those looking for an alternative to Changming for a DF4C or DF4D, I definitely recommend them.

[tripel7]

On 2/20/2024 at 10:33 PM, disturbman said:

That's not normal. You should see if something is up with the mechanism.

I will have a look at it some time. 

Also, Kunter CRH6; https://www.facebook.com/100064165236162/posts/789994869816014/