What did you order or the post deliver? (HO and other scales)

[kusojiji]

Yeah, N would be worse with 1/148, 1/150, 1/160 and am not sure who is who. I guess since I 3d print a lot of my stuff nowadays, they're all skewed anyway.

 

Ah, nice about the HOx-Trak - maybe it'll take off! 🙂 Yeah, took a look at the Kato offerings and they are based on their track sizes as you state. When I saw that the S248 track is what one side's length is, I realized the scale of this and they are too tiny. This would require very precise alignment methods to prevent wonky track joints and a good method of jointing power.

 

Was watching thiswayworks videos on his build, but he seems to have fallen off. Hope he's ok. His repair/mod videos were pretty good.

[kusojiji]

BTW, nice Tomix coaches! I just did a search and see that Tomix offers quite a bit of HO stuff, more than Kato I believe. I haven't bought much Tomix stuff as my buddy gave me one of his N scale  locos and that thing won't couple up to anything I have, which are a mix of Kato and micro-trains (which work fine together). 

 

How are the HO couplers for Tomix? Work fine with other species?

[cteno4]

1/148 is UK and 1/160 is US and Europe. Japan is all 1/150 except for shinkansens are 1/160 and many steam are a bit under 1/150.

 

jeff

[Kamome]

On 4/1/2025 at 3:46 PM, kusojiji said:

Ordered a Kato Degoichi. Been waiting since Oct. Got a notification that they are delayed.

I too expected to be running mine the by end of March/early April. Now being pitched for late April so hopefully no further issues to change the release date further.

 

As for Tomix coaches, they are most often fitted with Kadee #5 couplers from the factory. This is not the case with good wagons. Koki, Taki and Kumu come with plastic couplers, similar to Kato. The plastics are pretty standard using Kadee as a comparative size guide which they also couple with. The shank on the plastic freight (Koki type) couplers are way too long however.

 

Personally details on Tomix coaches are pretty good, let down only be the very simplistic one colour plastic interiors. They can obviously be improved with some painting and detailing. The wheels do have a tendency to be shiny silver and I'm also not a big fan of the current collector parts for internal lighting which can easily be seen through the windows. Kato are definitely better in terms of value, Tomix can seem a little over-priced by comparison in certain areas. It really depends on what outline you want as Kato and Tomix don't produce the same coach types as each other and other than price and the addition of factory fitted Kadees, they are very similar in terms of quality.

Edited April 3 by Kamome

[kusojiji]

Thanks for the info! I may be looking that way now. I like the older, cha colored cars. Luv my suha44 set in N-scale.

 

Also good to know they are set up for lighting like the Katos. I do my own lighting system with rectifier, 5v led strip, resister and cap. I am going to be changing my DC lighting to DCC soon in my oha 35s, so all that will change.

[EB421]

7 hours ago, cteno4 said:

1/148 is UK and 1/160 is US and Europe. Japan is all 1/150 except for shinkansens are 1/160 and many steam are a bit under 1/150.

 

Thanks - and this is why I settled on 1/87 - I can get models from every single one of those countries in the same scale. In Japan it's only Shinkansen (since I can't afford any of the 12mm kits!). In the UK it's only USATC, Sheds, Gronks, Scottie and a handful of specific vintage models.

 

But at least I can do it!

[EB421]

Oh mirror on the bathroom wall, whose is the fairest bullet train of all?

 

 

What do you mean "not yours"!?

 

Edit: In light of @cteno4's post reaction - some clarification. After Lima's original release of the Tokaido Shinkansen, the tooling was used for Model Power and Playart branded Shinkansen - some with fictional liveries. This one was the worst!

 

Anyway - since my plan has always been to "upcycle" these with a different livery like Doctor Yellow - it didn't really matter what the original livery was. So; my rake contains both Lima Tokaido, and Model Power AMTRAK 0-series cars. All in it cost me about 82 pounds, which is half the going rate for a complete set.

 

And that's why my Shinkansen is one of the ugliest! For Now.

Edited April 5 by EB421

[cteno4]

I had a vague memory of the Amtrak series 0. Wishful thinking for Amtrak.

 

jeff

[EB421]

1 hour ago, cteno4 said:

I had a vague memory of the Amtrak series 0. Wishful thinking for Amtrak.

 

jeff

 

 

Quite recent wishful thinking!

 

https://www.npr.org/2024/10/21/nx-s1-5146508/amtrak-japan-texas-bullet-train-plan

[cteno4]

Its sad the npr piece didn't get into the big history and issues of the texas project.

 

Amtrak is only doing the search and selection of the “delivery partner” to get the project completed. Most all the work for getting it to this point was by Texas Central Railway and Amtrak stepping in after they were exhausted from legal battles over takings and delays from that. It will be interesting to see how this progresses in the current political climate as its chaos on what projects are going to be kept on the front burner. Also big question if the push to privatize Amtrak will happen which would be another huge chaos.

 

This will be a way for Amtrak to have claim on having true high speed rail, but they really didn't make it happen.

 

jeff

[kusojiji]

And, a big part of the shinkansen story is the need to keep schedule and big push for safety. One coupler failure and the entire system is stopped. A little tree shaking in the breeze and they stop the entire line thinking it is an earthquake. Gotta give it to them, though, no accidents yet.

 

Amtrak on time? Are they going to keep up with the maintenance of the infrastructure?

[cteno4]

Well japanese system isnt that fragile, but it’s tuned to know when you need to react before there is a big problem. They have contingencies ready that take into account both safety and efficiency of the whole system and how one train can effect more than just that train.

 

Before things got stalled on the Texas line it was to use an N700 variant [amtrak still seems to be talking japanese trains] and Renfe was going to be contracted to oversee the train operation and maintenance [and i assume at least oversee track as well]. Recently the japanese financial backers were bought out by a texas business man, but now the project is still hitting issues in texas politics of it being wasteful spending and maybe blocking any texas state money to go into it [the state was going to do the road and infrastructure movement for the line]. Im sure its also problematic to get state support right now for the remainder of the land takings that would need to be done by eminent domain. Some county chafing at paying for some of the infrastructure parts as well when property gotten from eminent domain is not taxed and the counties may not see direct benefits from the lines. Tariff issues as well now im sure in the mix of headaches for them.

 

jeff

[marknewton]

On 4/1/2025 at 5:46 PM, kusojiji said:

Ordered a Kato Degoichi. Been waiting since Oct. Got a notification that they are delayed. I'm guessing not DCC friendly so will have to figure that out when she finally shows up.

The original release of the D51s had an 8-pin receptacle in the tender, see the attached photo. All of mine have decoders added, and run beautifully. I’d be surprised if the new versions aren’t DCC ready. I don’t need any more D51s, but I’ve ordered one anyway, because I’m curious to see how the new version differs from the originals.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[kusojiji]

11 minutes ago, marknewton said:

The original release of the D51s had an 8-pin receptacle

Ah nice! That'll make life a whole lot easier. I hope they continued this. Thanks for the picture!

 

And if I wasn't so brain damaged, I would have noticed it in Shigemon's review as well. Completely glossed over it. Time mark 1:58.

 

 

 

[kusojiji]

Oh wow, Tomix seems to be about twice the price of Kato. They have a lot more selection though...

[Kamome]

54 minutes ago, kusojiji said:

Oh wow, Tomix seems to be about twice the price of Kato. They have a lot more selection though...

Yes, although the majority is not in stock, but Tomix has produced a lot of different options. 

 

The majority is manufactured in S. Korea which probably drives up the price a little although I wouldn’t say the quality is any better. Both Kato and Tomix have some interesting features. Kato’s range is limited although expanding. They have produced an E5 in the past as well as a Kintetsu 21000 but these have not been repeated. 

 

Tomix locos have better parts with things like metal etched although the plastic parts are flimsier compared to Kato ones. Kato’s range use metal pantographs whereas Tomix use plastic and metal unless you purchase the Prestige version which use metal parts. 

 

The majority of Tomix stock also come with Kadee #5 couplers with exception of freight cars and their kits. I tend to change these out anyway but all Kato come with plastic couplers in the box. 

 

Kato’s range use does have some DCC functionality be it a bit old fashioned with 8 pin sockets in some of their stock. Tomix don’t do anything DCC related so would need to be hardwired. 

 

For coaches also look at Tenshodo. Their plastic coaches are a similar price to Tomix. 

[kusojiji]

I have been trying to figure out how to change the Kato plastic couplers to Kadee. The pivot pins are different size (can't remember which one is bigger) and I think the box is different as well. I was looking at the tank car as a starting point and didn't look at the coaches yet. I can live with the plastic couplers which is why I haven't really dug into it, but it would be nice to be able to use the magnet.

 

I will be starting my DCC installation on my Kato coaches. I bought some train-o-matic 6 pin function decoders and I found the correct modulus sockets. Plenty of room in the roof and have the capacitors situated for DC. Need to get the diode that the TOM decoder requires for the stay alive circuit. I have plenty of resistors.

 

22 hours ago, Kamome said:

For coaches also look at Tenshodo. Their plastic coaches are a similar price to Tomix

RGR that. I have stayed away from Tenshodo as they are astronomical for everything else and didn't know they have a plastic range. Thanks!

[Kamome]

5 hours ago, kusojiji said:

I have stayed away from Tenshodo as they are astronomical for everything else

Yeah, the brass models are pretty pricey but made by Tenshodo, who's other side of the business is as a Japanese watchmaker so I'm sure they're beautiful. I remember seeing an advertisement on their Ginza store wall promoting a bank that offer model railway loans. Thought it was a bad omen. 

 

I have a 9600 steam engine from Tenshodo which is plastic, although has a reasonable amount of diecast. There are also a good amount of fitted metal parts and the detail is excellent for what is a plain black locomotive. A very nice model and runs beautifully.

 

Their plastic coaches are more detailed than Tomix and a similar price. The green cars have painted seat covers as well as internal details which you won't see but know are there. Japanese style toilet in the bathroom cubicle as an example. Tomix coaches are let down by their interiors but the exterior detail is very good.

The Tenshodo coaches come with plastic couplers but can be easily switched out for Kadee or Imon couplers. Generally there has been very little crossover between brands on the HO modelled lines they've produced.

[kusojiji]

2 hours ago, Kamome said:

Japanese style toilet in the bathroom

Old school type? My knees are hurting already haha.

 

Hmm, will start looking. hobby search keeps sending me emails, so will go there to look first. They show all the stuff that are out of stock too, which is a pain, but I guess in this case, will give me an idea of what was available at one time.

 

Yeah, I remember that store. I think I bought a Modemo tram from them a long time ago. They used to sell the major brands there as well. Small shop though.

 

Thanks!

[kusojiji]

Ok, found the tenshodo website. Looks like the coaches are set for lighting as I could see the brass runner going up the trucks. I may try one on for size. Difference in color will be attributed to weather haha.

 

Dang, that 9600 is a beast! Heavy Consolidation, gotta love it! Such details! Good thing is that it is on the future delivery list, so may have to plan for the cup o'noodles diet after that 😁. Do all them lights work? DCC? Ah, i'm talking myself into it already...

[Kamome]

9600 headlight works, as do the tail lights on the tender, as well as tender headlight when running in reverse. The tail lights on the front of the loco do not.

It has a 8 pin socket in the tender. KMT (Kumata) produce a number of specific decoders with pre installed sounds but couldn’t tell you how good or accurate the sound is. https://kmt.co.jp/brands/dcc/dcc_sound/

 

Tenshodo produce their own lighting strips for coaches for ease of use although many HO modellers here make their own from LED strips and a bridge rectifier. 

 

https://models-store.tenshodo.co.jp/products/10122880?srsltid=AfmBOoplRgOPfbGL_BePj045QNBNQBpAExPPPov9q3nEbbBFWjp_EXdx

[kusojiji]

Yup, that's what I did. 12v led strip, rectifier. Changed over to the 5v led strip as it gave me a little bit more flexibility with lower voltage, slow running. got them in both my n and ho stuff.

 

That lighting kit from tenshodo looks neat. nice and tidy, unlike my custom job! 🙂

 

Ah, those are tail lights on the front. I was wondering if they were red ditch lights haha. I wonder how hard it would be to install leds in there and get the decoder to run them.

[kusojiji]

Ah, forget what I said about adding leds. I won't be drilling holes into anything that costs that much!

 

How's the cab details? I've been searching the interweb and there isn't much on that. The reason why I started into UK models is their attention to the cab. all nicely detailed and painted and some with firebox flicker (becoming more prominent). I've installed some in my cheaper models with flickering red and yellow leds.

[Kamome]

Cab detail and flickering firebox glow is something that hasn't made it to these shores. The cab detail of the Tenshodo is pretty reasonable but probably not amazing compared to some of the newer British detailed cabs. I have the Nami-Chidori version 51023 which has a short but highly piled coal bunker so you can't see into the cab that easily. 

I suspect the incoming D51 from Kato (April 24th 2025 release as I write this) will have a much more simplistic cab.

 

As for firebox flicker, this would require some processing to add on both steamies. 

Edited Saturday at 03:05 PM by Kamome

[kusojiji]

That's what i am guessing as well. All videos that I have found so far do not show the cab, so must not be a prominent feature. Oh well, c'est la vie. I may add it to my D51 if it looks accessible.

 

Was about to make a PC board for the SMD leds to orient the yellow above the red, but my brain finally woke up and I decided to use all of them extra resistor leads that I've been chopping off to make buses for these things instead. smaller, easier to fit.