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

[MichiK]

1 hour ago, Welshbloke said:

Is that the unit also known as the Settebello (sp)? A handsome beast!

 

Almost: The ETR.250 Arlecchino is a 4-car-train while the ETR.300 Settebello is a 7-car-train - c.f. diagrams 2 and 3 here.

Edited December 10, 2018 by MichiK

[Welshbloke]

Ahh. It looks as if the Settebello is essentially an Arlecchino with an extra three car articulated set inserted in the middle?

 

I remember it from one of those "big book of trains" works which pretty much everyone is bought as a kid, never got to see the real thing. I understand one is preserved and operational?

[al camino]

Vice versa: In 1952 the ETR300 has been launched - Settebello - the train with 7 cars. After the third build of the expensive train the project was cut down to make the remaining 4 units smaller --> ETR250 - l'Arlecchino - with 4 cars. Just leaving off the 3 center cars, and moving baggage and kitchen into car #3. That's how I understood the history.

Edited December 10, 2018 by al camino

[Welshbloke]

My second piece of Japanese HO arrived, a Tomix KoKi 200:

 

 

 

Tomix don't offer 1:80 tank containers yet. However, Hornby offer 1:76 ones, which I saw a Japanese blog get quite excited about. They should be close enough in scale to fit, surely?

[GDorsett]

You probably could. Wouldn't know unless you tried them. Although, may I suggest using Athearn or Walthers pieces? Mainly because I know they'll work. They'll be in 20' lengths, but the kits from Athearn should be modifiable.

[Welshbloke]

Yep, I was just thinking 1:76 is closer to 1:80 than 1:87. I'll see if I can find the photo again, someone had loaded one of the Hornby ISO tanks on a KoKi 106 or 107.

 

Other find, Tomix state a minimum radius of 490mm. The two KoKis I have will go through a 370mm curve, or at least I was able to propel and tow them through it coupled together with no scraping noises. Not tried with a loco as I don't have the DE10 yet, but I'd have thought if two wagons of such different lengths coped then a loco coupled to them should be ok.

[al camino]

Regarding tank container my 2nd last order at Hobby Search brought 2 of them to be added to pile of other unbuilt kits 😟

I couldn't resist even as they seem not to be a bargain.

I have some 1/87 tank container and they do not make a good figure in combo with 1/80 Tomix or Kato.

The car sides are not flush with the container sides.

Placing them stand alone a few cm away from other container or KOKIs will not be a problem  - to my eyes.

 

The 1/80 kits come from Morita and are made of Plastic , White Metal , Brass and have decals.

I am curious how the color will stick to the clear tube. The material makes a nasty impression.

[shadowtiger25]

42 minutes ago, al camino said:

 

 

The 1/80 kits come from Morita and are made of Plastic , White Metal , Brass and have decals.

I am curious how the color will stick to the clear tube. The material makes a nasty impresion

Use a good primer coat, and it should be fine

[al camino]

Yes. In any case. Plastic primer. But I prefer to know the plastic (PC, ABS, PS or?) when attaching paint.

Anyway I will rub it first with a kitchen cleaning pad to get rid of the shiny surface.

Had quite good experience with it whwn the forst water based paint came out.

Edited December 13, 2018 by al camino
I should learn to make full sentences :-(

[Kamome]

Mr Morita told me himself that Mr Hobby Fine Surfacer works very well to add a slight texture for the paint to adhere. 

 

Ive still not had an opportunity to put my kits together yet. All parts have been cleaned up, drilled where necessary and are awaiting assembly.

 

He speaks very good English so I would suggest if you would like further info, send him an email through his website.

Edited December 13, 2018 by Kamome

[Kamome]

On 12/12/2018 at 1:46 AM, Welshbloke said:

My second piece of Japanese HO arrived, a Tomix KoKi 200

Great. A nice wash of diluted black enamel paint or diluted Tamiya Black Panel Line Accent tones down the bright red plastic look a little. Diluting gives it a subtle filter without creating a black line around everything. Mistakes can be reduced or removed with some enamel thinner.

Also painting the steps white and the grab handle next to the handbrake (on the handbrake side) yellow add some extra interest. 

 

I will eventually add some brake dust, dirt and rust to mine.

Edited December 14, 2018 by Kamome

[GDorsett]

Once again, black is the modeller's best friend. When weathering, always, always, always start with a black wash. I've got one car with full weathering on it and and it just looks so much better than the rest. Just too lazy to do the rest...

[keiichi77]

A small package arrived from Russia with love today.  I have been looking for newer style 1/80 patrol cars for some time now.

 

 

[GDorsett]

I ordered some Z gauge finally. Got the miniature layout from Tomix, a Dr. Yellow 3-car set, and a 500 series EMU. (All shorties) My mother has wanted a Z-gauge for some time now, so I'm going to sic her on this with some turf and trees and let her go nuts with it.

Edited December 23, 2018 by GDorsett

[marknewton]

Kudos to our local post office and their parcel delivery bloke. Not long after I got home from work this morning, this arrived. 

 

 

Inside was a Kato D51, a Kato Kumoha12, a Tomix Moha152/153 set, a One Mile Sera1, an Adachi Taki9600, a detail parts pack for the Kumoha12 and number plates for a C51 from Echo Model.

 

 

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2018 by marknewton

[Kamome]

6 hours ago, marknewton said:

Inside was a Kato D51

That’s a great find, they seem to be ever allusive and crying out for a re-run! (Mr Kato if you’re listening)

[GDorsett]

Would love to find one, myself but when they do come up, they're just so expensive...

Not to worried about sounds/DCC. If I listen to enough videos and sit anciently on the ESU website for long enough, I can mash together sounds until something good comes up.

How much is a reasonable price for a non-DCC model?

Edited December 27, 2018 by GDorsett

[marknewton]

14 hours ago, Kamome said:

That’s a great find, they seem to be ever allusive and crying out for a re-run! (Mr Kato if you’re listening)

 

Given that Kato have re-issued other 1/80th scale models in their range - including the lovely C56, I wonder if something nasty happened to the tooling and it’s no longer available? That could explain why it hasn’t been re-issued.

 

But then, if they did re-issue the D51, I don’t know whether I’d buy any more. With the arrival of this one, I’ve now got eight of the things. Probably enough for now...

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[marknewton]

9 hours ago, GDorsett said:

How much is a reasonable price for a non-DCC model?

 

I reckon that depends on how you define reasonable. When they were first released in 2001 the list price was ¥42000. HobbySearch were selling them for ¥35000. All of mine were bought secondhand/pre-owned. The lowest price I’ve paid was for this one, ¥25900. The highest was ¥40000, for a model that had been superdetailed and repainted. All the rest were around the ¥30000 mark. So that gives you an idea of what you could expect to pay.

 

None of mine came with DCC installed, but the tender has a factory fitted 8-pin receptacle. So far I’ve put decoders in four of mine, two use DCConcepts Zen 360s, and two use TCS DP2Xs. Both types of decoders work well with the D51. I trialled a Tsunami Sound decoder in one, but I wasn’t happy with the sound or the performance. My main objection to the sound was that it came from the tender, not the engine. Unfortunately there’s no room whatsoever inside the loco to fit a speaker.

 

The alternative would be the recent Tenshodo diecast/plastic models. They’re exquisite things, but at about $1000 Australian I can take afford a fleet of them! 🙂

 

Hope this helps,

 

Mark.

[GDorsett]

>Won't pay more than $150 for a non-DCC model.

Welp, so much for any Kato Steamers in HO.

Thank you for the input!

For that price, I'll go back to chasing a Tenshodo C11...

[marknewton]

Out of interest, why $150? I ask because I doubt you’d get a decent quality HO steam loco for that price.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[GDorsett]

That's my general rule for diesels without DCC.

For steam, my limit is around 200 for non-DCC, but that's only for the really big things. 400 to me is encroaching on brass-territory and I really don't want to spend close to 600 dollars on a plastic model. (600 being the price of the model itself, plus shipping and a custom DCC card.)

For around 400, I can get a much bigger, much more powerful steamer from Broadway Limited that has a nice sound system in it and just as much detail as the Kato.

Don't get me wrong, I'd still love to have one of those C56s, but that's just waaaaay out of my range on my current budget. (Or lack thereof)

[GDorsett]

I finally have some Z!

 

One Rokuhan mini layout, KiHa 58, and a rerailer

 

N700 Dr. Yellow and a Tobu 500 series, a power car for each, and a shelf spot for all untill I can get the trailer chassis I forgot.

[cteno4]

Oooh, nice Garett! Hope we get to see these at the Jan meeting if you make it down.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[GDorsett]

I don't think I will unless I end up getting fired. Work changed their policies and now made it very difficult to get time off. We'll see, though. I will be bringing it to the February GSMTS, though.

Going to reinforce the base a bit and then sic my mother on it to dress it up. Will probably order another one so I have a basic version and a fully decorated version.