Lets see your Koki

[Kamome]

On 3/25/2024 at 3:27 PM, Wolf said:

Foulplay!

 

M250 does not count!

 

(Sais the guy who is grumpy in the mornings ans annoyed he didnt think about it himself when taking his picture XD)

Since this!

[bc6]

You guys are tempting me to get the add on set for the SRC lol.

[Kamome]

7 hours ago, bc6 said:

You guys are tempting me to get the add on set for the SRC lol.

You obviously have to get it. It’s quite an impressive looking train at full capacity. I considered buying the newer U50A containers to update my older version with U54As but needing 14 packs at ¥1200 each, seemed a bit unnecessary. 

 

The liveries generally looked better with the JRF logos anyway. 

[bc6]

You're so right that I need to get the add on set, I've been looking around already.

 

I do like the JRF logo as well. 

Edited September 28 by bc6

[Kingmeow]

I just returned from a 3 week trip to Japan and I think I caught the Koki Disease.  🤒  I know there's no cure but symptoms can be relieved by intermittent purchases of koki related equipment.

 

I could not believe the inexpensive prices in Japan when compared to US containers, granted US containers have a bottom and magnets in them.  Still, I can build a 6-car koki train for little cost.  So...amongst the $600 purchase were a few kokis, a pair of Tomix flat cars and a Kato loco to pull them, just to test the waters.  After examining them last night I think I now have another disease.  🤣

 

This got me thinking on how to store these things as I know the collection will grow.  At first I was wondering what case (Tomix or Kato) that would work in holding these things.  Then I came across this Tomix add-on set which seems to have hold 8 (maybe 7? as the top cut out seems to be slightly different) flats with load in an appropriate case.

 

https://www.plazajapan.com/4543736984863/

 

Would that be a good initial storage case?  The included 3 flats with load is the icing on the cake.

[bc6]

Wow 3 weeks in Japan very nice I hope it was personal and not business related.  Congratulations on catching the Koki fever it's a hard one to get rid of. I have a lot of Koki and containers and I'm still a noob to them both. Those Tomix cases are ok to store your Koki in for sure. My personal preference is the Casco bookcases I just like the way they are designed. I go for maximum storage meaning I can put 11 fully loaded Koki in my Casco bookcases with no problem. Good luck with the new addiction and please post pics of your collection.

[Kingmeow]

Yes, totally personal.  After my first time there last September for two weeks (my wife's been 2x before me) I said we need more time!  Who knew it was a year later and for 3 weeks!!!!  My wife asked 4 weeks next year?  I couldn't tell if she was joking or not.  😲  It was such a pleasurable trip even had there been no model trains but the haul I brought home (close to $800) was icing on the cake.  I was able to meet a forum member @Tony Galiani and his wife Mira for dinner one night in Tokyo.  We had such a good time comparing notes and it turns out we have a lot in common, not just trains!

 

Thanks for the confirmation on the Tomix add-on set.  But do you have the Casco part number that you use to hold your fully loaded kokis?  Can you post a picture of that specific use of the Casco?  Might as well add them to my order to Plaza.  😄

 

The Japanese kokis are so affordable compare to US containers and they don't double stack their trains.  Fun and cheap, can't argue with that!  🙂

 

 

 

Edited November 9 by Kingmeow

[bc6]

Nice I'm glad it was a personal trip rather than business. It's pretty cool that she's been there before your visit so she can show you the ins and outs of Japan. LOL, 4 weeks at that rate you'll be moving there permanently. At this point in my life I couldn't imagine going to Japan without any trains being involved in N scale or full scale, That's a nice chunk of change to spend on any hobby. Tony's name sounds familiar as the person who did model train shop videos on YouTube but maybe I'm confused, that's pretty cool to get to meet a forum member and someone who has the same interests in train and other things.

 

No problem, I'll post pics of the Casco bookcase with the part number and a picture of the loaded bookcase and the sleeve. You might as well order one lol. Oh, it looks like the case holds 12 loaded Koki not 11 like I said.

 

I agree with you, I find that you get so much more value with Japanese Koki vs Double Stacks of which I have a few of them as well. And not to mention the container variety that Japanese Koki has boggles the mind sometimes. 

 

 

Edited November 9 by bc6

[Tony Galiani]

Different Tony and while I don't quite have the Koki fever you both have, I did pick up more containers on my recent trip.  And I did pick up two books on freight traffic in Japan so lots of reference photos if I can ever get my layout projects organized.  So no Koki pictures but here are some containers for them.

Hokkaido containers on the left and Mizushima Railway on the right.

Cheers,

Tony

[bc6]

Thanks for the clarification Tony, l thought your name was familiar because I see your posts lol. Those are nice containers and thanks for posting them. I really like the Hogarakado containers and have quite a few of them in my collection.

[Kingmeow]

Thanks @bc6!  That certainly helps with the Casco part number and it's actual use.  Interesting that they did one half upside down the other half.  I guess to squeeze as much as possible in the given space.

 

For the longest time, if you can count two years long since that was the first time I saw Japanese kokis, I couldn't figure out why the bottoms are not present and where are the magnets?  On this trip, I finally had time to investigate and a HUGE lightbulb went on as to why.  They don't double stack like in the US so no need for a bottom to contain the magnets.  This, of course, reduces complexity in manufacturing and cost which are passed on to the consumer.

 

Boom, no more US containers for me!  I'm switching to kokis!  🤣  It's just too damn expensive for US containers and double stacking.  And you are absolutely correct!  The variety and interesting paint job really caught my attention!

 

I did a huge haul while 3 weeks in Japan and I'll post some pictures when I resume my normal routine but here's a picture of my indoctrination into KokiWorld.  LOL!  This was after my big $600 haul when I wanted to buy just a little more before we go back to the US.  😄  I can't believe this was $80 out the door, including the Kato loco (which I will DCC)!

 

I had to get the Toyota one since we visited the museum in Nagoya.  And the TamTam...one of the many shops I visited.  I thought that was interesting and unique.

 

 

[Kingmeow]

@Tony Galiani lovely kokis!!!  Don't worry, you'll catch the fever soon, especially once you realize their simplicity and low cost and the variety.  I predict Japan 2025 you will catch the fever.  🤣🤣🤣

[bc6]

You're welcome. I'm glad you found it useful. I'm sure the way they flipped the cars was to maximize the number of cars you could fit into a case. 

 

Its pretty interesting how KATO and TOMIX came up with the concept of clipping the containers onto the Koki instead of using magnets like in the double stacks. I still like double stacks of which I have about half a dozen of from KATO and will probably never sell.

I used to think that American double stacks had a large variety of containers but once I found Hogarakadou I was a changed person. Im always picking up a set of containers here and there because something always catches my attention.  

 

I'm looking forward to seeing pics of your huge haul sometime. This is a great start to the world of Koki. Sometimes, it feels like you can never have too many Koki, lol. That's an awesome price for everything that you have in the picture. 

 

I think I may have a Koki set of twelve cars with Toyota containers as I think they are pretty cool also.

[chadbag]

I store the Koki in their original containers and the actual containers in their original boxes and just build out trains as the urge hits me.  Once I'm all moved I'll post some pics as its a real disease.

 

I have a problem with not storing things in their original packaging. I don't know why.  Probably related to the pacl-rat disease I also have.  It may be a form of OCD though in general I am not too OCD.  

 

I have one of those plastic bins with the folder double lids that are stackable full of containers in boxes.  Mostly Tomix but a good number of KATO and some Hogarakadou and some other players.  First thing I do at the store in Japan is see what new containers I can find.  I mostly stick with Tomix and Kato as their price effective but I usualy splurge on a box or two of the others which are more expensive.

 

I have not bought many Koki themselves in recent years, already having a good supply, except when new Yamato ones were released.

[ED75-775]

I can relate @chadbag - most of my stuff is also in original boxes where possible, although as space gets tight I will need to invest in more book-type cases (which I am already considering for my Kato coaches and potentially later other Kato wagons) and be considerably more discerning in what I buy.

 

No such help needed here as I did, in fact, Level Up (+9) during my recent-ish holiday:

 

 

Quite apart from another nine KoKi’s (mostly Tomix), I also landed myself a 6216 book case to hold the Tomix stuff in too! I still want some more tank containers for the empty KoKi 200’s, with the Tomix 3302 ones high on the list for snagging at some point.

 

Alastair

[bc6]

@ED75-775 Nice bunch of Koki you've got there, I too am more discerning when it comes to Koki and Japanese trains as well. I find it much more organized when I deal with bookcases than Jewell cases I don't know its just me I guess lol.