Bandai B-Train Shorty

[bill937ca]

Quick question though: what parts would you need to motorize one of the Odakyu Romance 3000 sets? Thanks a lot in advance. This is a great forum with LOADS of info and nice people!!!

 

Kato 11-106 power chassis  http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10032823

 

Kato 11-098 trucks              http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10032824

[disturbman]

Bandai is going to release a version of the Shinkansen 500 Series "Nozomi" in May. There is two different sets, the A & B, of 4 cars.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/search_e.asp?Typ1_c=104&scope=1&scope2=0&itkey=10108694|10108695

 

And Keisei's Skyliner, not the new one though but the old/curent version.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10109151

 

Hi guys. I'm new to this forum, and only just recently got into Japanese-specific trains... B Train Shorties in particular. They just look so cool! I have a Kiha 58 set, and am looking to get some others in the near future. Quick question though: what parts would you need to motorize one of the Odakyu Romance 3000 sets? Thanks a lot in advance. This is a great forum with LOADS of info and nice people!

 

Hi there. Happy to see that I'm not the only one being nuts about those little shorties. Like Bill pointed it out, the Odakyu Romancecar 3000 Series can be powered like anyother B Train set. It's not because the train is articulated that you need a special chassis.

 

Don't hesitate to post picture or videos of your (B) trains. And, by the way, are you planing a B train layout?

[DJdeTrainman]

...And, by the way, are you planing a B train layout?

Yes, actually, but it is going to be slow-going... I'm only a teenager, so income is not very large. I'm thinking of getting the Silver Line set, with all the necessary bits. Right now, I've only got the Kiha 58 4-car set, without the bits, but I'm working on it. I'm hoping to get more train as I can, and am in the planning stage of a 2'x4' layout. I'll kepp you guys posted, and thanks for the the Romance Car details!

[cteno4]

DJ,

 

welcome! one thing to think about with a btrain layout is not having long side views of the trains. that way you dont notice they are short. if the side views are all chopped up with buildings and other visual obstructions you will get a more full length effect while the cars are moving. also you will get much better oblique and views on curves as they btrains dont stick out as much on tighter radius like the regular length cars do. different way to think about the views on your layout! makes it so you can pack more into a tight space and save some $$ being a smaller over all area to fill.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[disturbman]

Personally, I really don't mind the shortness of the Shorties. I like them like that and with a new coupler system gaps between the cars is reduced.

[ToniBabelony]

All this talk also gets me hungry for Shorties! I already have an old KIHA 58 in new Hiroshima-colours stacked away at my parents', buy now as I', finding out space is really a big issue, as well as money, I'm considering switching to those cute colourful trains.

 

Man, I really have to consider switching to B-Trains, as in the end they are cheaper, have a bigger range of private railway stock, save a lot of space due to their length and are able to negotiate tiny curves, are easy to modify, etc. Downfall is that they are totally unrealistic in length... Then again, that gives more room for creativity... *imagines a sort of caricature of Japan itself on a layout...*

[IST]

different way to think about the views on your layout!

 

Could you please advise some good home page to see what do you think as different way? I am not planning to change to B-Train, but the idea of B-Train is good and I am curious how can these layouts look like.

[disturbman]

Long time ago I posted video featuring B Train Shorties in the Forum video Gallery. That could give you some ideas (even if I'm not sure any correspond to Jeff's  comment).

 

I also have a playlist on the Tube dedicated to B Train Shorties.

 

One thing that I don't really like with the BTS is Kato mechanism. He is a bit too fragile and too leight for my likings. You need to add weight in the trains and maybe another rubber band to the traction wheels. The good thing is, a BTS based Layout could be easily DCCfyed.

 

As far as the price is concerned it would be cool to have a general idea of how much cost a BTS.

 

Let's calculate for a 4 cars set:

- 4 cars train set: ~2.200 yen

- chassis and power unit: ~2.200 yen

- close coupler system: ~120 yen

- moving pantographs: ~300 yen

Total: ~5.000 Yen (this is the very high end of the estimation)

 

Then, let's calculate the price for every 2 additional cars:

- Train set: ~2.200 yen

- chassis: ~500 yen

- close coupler system: ~60 yen

- moving pantographs: ~300 yen

Total: ~3.000 yen

 

Which make 8.000 yen for a 6 cars set fully equiped BTS. Not sooo cheap but still cheap compared to some full size sets. The good thing is, you can import it little by little and save a lot on space and real estate (and maybe VAT if you are in a country where there is a price limit ; 25€ in Germany). Also, with a smaller layout you can save on scenery.

 

For the reminder, 2 BTS cars are equivalent to a 20m car in japanese N. You can then run a 6 cars long train were you would normally only consider a three car EMU or DMU, plus, with a Shorty, you can compress sceneries more than with regular N gauge stuff... Or, I think you can since the trains allready are compressed things look likes a little less strange than with regular N.

[DJdeTrainman]

...Thanks for all the help guys. I am not home right now, but hopefully I will be able to post pix of what little I have soon. In the mean time, another question... where can you find the cargo container cars like pictured here, in bottom right hand pic with the EF-I'mNotSure?

http://www.1999.co.jp/itbig09/10094647a.jpg

Are they official B-train? This is from the Vol-4 book on them, so you'd think they'd be. I can't really find pix around, except for one video I saw of a M250 B-train set...

[cteno4]

sorry im on the road right now, i think i have some btrain layout links on the home computer. basically you need to think about only allowing small gaps on the side view. this gives folks the ability to see the trains going by, but when at speed you dont really realize they are shortened as much. also the more head on to oblique headon angles will also give you the illusion of regular length cars. it all in how how you place the scenery around the tracks then that can make the short cars and small layout appear to look more like a larger layout! this also means you may need to do denser scenery than you might on a larger layout (ie more buildings, trees, etc.)

 

its a fun challenge. just play around with some track buildings and even blocks and crumpled up newspaper to see how it looks when you show different angles on the shorties. you may also want the layout a big higher so you dont get as much of the gods eye view that reveals the short car length more.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[keiman]

Just got my first Shorty- 2 sets Type1000 - the Joyca set with the graphics on the sides.

Have just ordered one motor set and  3 sets of bogies. The instructions actually mention 11.106 for the motor and 11.098 for the bogie set.

Was bought just to experiment and really taken with them.  Have built one set using the original wheels just to see what it looked like. :icon_cheers:

[keiman]

Big Mistake buying  these, now have 4 different trains.Probably order some more ( they take up so little space.)

Running gear no problem, 1 on 11-106 kato chassis the rest on Kato 11-105 chassis', just waiting on the post for more of the Kato bogies and all are using the Kato 11-240  partographs. I know the purists would say not right on a couple of the models but - they are Bandai so why not.

[Bernard]

Big Mistake buying  these, now have 4 different trains.Probably order some more ( they take up so little space.)

Running gear no problem, 1 on 11-106 kato chassis the rest on Kato 11-105 chassis', just waiting on the post for more of the Kato bogies and all are using the Kato 11-240  partographs. I know the purists would say not right on a couple of the models but - they are Bandai so why not.

 

keiman - Would you mind posting photos of your new trains?

[keiman]

OK here we go , Not the best pictures but here we go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[David]

That joyca set is just a cut above the rest of them. I should have ordered one when I saw it.

[disturbman]

Mike, you should really consider changing those rapido. It makes for a huge difference.

[keiman]

Mike, you should really consider changing those rapido. It makes for a huge difference.

I know but I want all the trains to be easy to link together when I want to because of my Arthritis. May change them at a later date but have some other priorities at present  ( Any volunteers for a full size Subaru Engine rebuild?) :angry1:

[Guest ___]

I thought I was getting the fever, but it was just gas. Good thing too as I almost order about two hundred dollars worth last month.

[Mudkip Orange]

OK here we go , Not the best pictures but here we go.

 

Oh snap, B-train Nanohana!

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I've just picked up a couple of the Kato 11-106 chassis from my local show - the only Japanese stuff (except an ancient second-hand EF58) in the whole place...still saves me spending the usual vast sums of money as has been teh norm for the last few years!

 

I have been seriously thinking about 'shortys' for some time, now I'm probably going to take the plunge!

[David]

I got a few samples in my last shipment.

 

The Kato chasis works really well with the 6V TomyTec tram controller. With a small amount of weight added to the cars (7 gram weights) the train smoothly accelerates right from the first notch on the controller, with a reasonable top speed (I was running with a 4 car train). Running on the 12V Kato controller was a bit overkill - from the change in sound I think I damaged one by running it at top speed for a loop or 2 (just below the red line).

 

The detail of the kits is ok (I liked the Tokaido line 113 paint job), though I had a lot of trouble getting the fit right. I eventually found that if you attached the sides to the roof first, attached the little black holding pieces to the front and back next, and finally put the front and back on you got a good fit. I never assembled the Bandai trucks, however I found that most of my floor sections had a poor fit with the Kato trucks - the trucks fell right off, with the car only being held on by gravity. I also found that the lead cars required the trucks to be cut - the coupler 'box' itself was in the way of the bumper. I also experimented with changing couplers - while Kato's other compatible couplers fit, getting them on is the hard part, especially with the power unit.

 

With the exception of how the trucks didn't stay on the kits I bought (the 113 faired better, but the cheaper/older Chuo-Sobu E231 model didn't have one tight floor unit) I was happy in relation to the price paid, and will be getting a few more to round out the collection for now.

[keiman]

all my new ones are currently in transit- that volcano has a lot to answer for

have not tried the tram controller yet, what is it's battery life like ?

[David]

I haven't managed to use up the first set of AAs, and I'm using the kind that you can buy 36 for $9 at Walmart. Based on a guesstimate that the power unit pulls 0.1A, I'd make an even rougher guess of 24 hours of continous running.

 

For someone new to trains the shorties using a tram controller, manual Tomix turnout, and TomyTec buildings could get a lot for a much smaller investment then is normally required in this hobby.

[David]

Quick question here:

 

Kato has the 11-106 and 11-107 power units for shorties, but I'm under the impression the locomotives use a 2 axel power unit.

 

For example this EF65-1000

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10065980

 

Which power unit is correct? Should I use one of the pocket line power units (the 2 choices are different lengths, one seems to have railings)

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10067127

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003598

 

Edit: Actually rereading this very topic shows that the 11-103 (the one without railings) is the correct power unit for locomotives.

[keiman]

What I did was just fit the Kato Truck sets and motorised one of my Series 12 cars instead..

In fact on all my sets the end cars are not motorised.  On the 2 car sets the one with the overhead has a motor in it   

Used 11-420  pantographs on all of mine, 105 motor units and 99 truck sets. That way if anything gets broken easy fix - only need one set of each.