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

[shadowtiger25]

15 minutes ago, Kamome said:

The documentation for my EF71 says these are for powering the loco so you can clean the wheels.

Cool. I havent gotten a chance to translate mine yet.

Have you converted one to DCC? I know Tomix N scale can be tricky.

[Kamome]

9 hours ago, shadowtiger25 said:

Have you converted one to DCC?

No, all my HO is still DC. DCC products are tricky to find in Japan as it’s somewhat behind compared with the US and Europe.

You can find the odd Digitrax decoder and Kato DCC controller but that’s about it unless you import things or know a good place that caters for it. Electronics is not my strong point but it’s something I’m reading up on more and more, just not quite ready to take the leap.

 

 

 

[GDorsett]

Best website to get DCC stuff is modeltrainstuff.com. They ship internationally and have fantastic prices.

[shadowtiger25]

I'm going to use Loksound and make a custom file. Finding DCC is not the problem, its just installing it when there is no plug I have never done

[GDorsett]

Depending on which card you use, it's not too bad as long as you can solder.

[marknewton]

Lots of decoders, some tools and some scenery stuff. I'm clearing some leave so I can get things ready for the clinic I'm presenting at the Narrow Gauge convention in April.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[marknewton]

Today the postie delivered another Dauphin/Tramway KiHa 53, this time in the overall No.5 vermilion livery. Like the rest of the Tramway railcar models, it's very neatly detailed and finished. It runs well too.

 

 

Cheers,

 

,ark.

 

[Kiha66]

Temptation to acquire more HO rising.... 

 

What a great looking model!  Do the tramway DMUs come with DCC plugs like their steam locomotives models?

[marknewton]

No, they don't. I'll have to work out how to hardwire them. There's a board in the roof of each cab for the headlights, markers and destination indicators.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[ChibiNippon]

Received my first train purchase in 5 years - a box of 10 (5) pieces of Z-Scale flextrack! Unfortunately, the seller only shipped 5 pieces, so I have to wait again. On the other hand, my Hobby Search order of z shorty, dcc, and Rokuhan track finally got all the backordered bits in, so I've payed the bill and they should be shipping that out soon.

 

[keiichi77]

On 3/15/2019 at 11:01 AM, marknewton said:

Today the postie delivered another Dauphin/Tramway KiHa 53, this time in the overall No.5 vermilion livery. Like the rest of the Tramway railcar models, it's very neatly detailed and finished. It runs well too.

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

Makes me wish Greenmax or whoever it was would re-release the Proto 80 Kiha 40 in Hokkaido colours 😉

[GDorsett]

Ordered some KiHas and Couplers. Hopefully they will arrive before next weekend so I can have them for the next major show. Will likely have to "borrow" decoders from other locos, but we'll see. Or they could get here and I'll find out that there's no plug and I'll be disappointed. We'll see.

 

I bought a Tomix HO-C21 double-headed coupler a few months ago out of curiosity. I don't have any MUs that I can use it with, but I ended up ordering five more to run on a set of US locomotives. I plan on putting the MU plugs together while running said locomotives as a unit so uneven trackwork doesn't break them apart like with a knuckle and then use the knuckles when running the locos separately. That said, the C21 creates a very large gap between cars. Is there an MU-only coupler that will plug into the C21 double-headed one that I can put onto the centre locomotives that will reduce the already large gaps or should I continue to the use double-headed coupler?

By the way, if you ever contemplate getting one but don't like plastic knuckles, just know that I pulled 88 American freight cars on that plastic knuckle with no issues what-so-ever.

 

Edit:

I can put an OHa 12/13 in the middle or a Fu at the end, right? I remember reading somewhere that for every engine, you could have two axles ad that the KiHa 65 had two engines, so on flat ground, could I technically pull two 12/13 series coaches?

Edited March 30, 2019 by GDorsett

[ChibiNippon]

My HS order came already! Tiny box for the $$$, but that's Z-Scale for you, I suppose.

 

The first Layer:

 

 

And the second:

 

Enough track to complete 2 layouts.

 

I wondered why the Rokuhan flex track was in a box that large. Turns out that it's basically a kit:

 

Shorties Galore:

 

For those wondering about the real size of the Z-shorties:

 

And the blue car bodies, and Enoden stickers:

[GDorsett]

I want to expand my shorties. Wish there were intermediate cars available for Rokuhan's current sets.

[marknewton]

On 3/27/2019 at 3:44 PM, keiichi77 said:

Makes me wish Greenmax or whoever it was would re-release the Proto 80 Kiha 40 in Hokkaido colours 😉

 

It was MicroAce.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Kamome]

Just taken delivery of the first part of my Kiha 80s. The 4 car set Kiha 82, with a KiShi 80 following close behind when I can get to my local model shop to pick it up. I’m hoping to recreate a Kamome 6 car formation and then give me some options for a Kuroshio and Tsubasa when the Kiha 81s are released next month. I’ll need one more Kiro 80 and 3 more Kiha 80s for the Kuroshio. The Tsubasa will be occasionally hauled by the EF71. Hoping I can match up couplers ok.

[marknewton]

They’re beautiful, aren’t they? 🙂

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[GDorsett]

Those are nice, wish I could order some as well.

[Kamome]

6 hours ago, marknewton said:

They’re beautiful, aren’t they? 🙂

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

I’m really chuffed. I just love this iconic cab shape. Lots of detailing parts to have fun with, but nothing that looks too fiddly. 

[Kiha66]

22 hours ago, Kamome said:

Just taken delivery of the first part of my Kiha 80s. The 4 car set Kiha 82, with a KiShi 80 following close behind when I can get to my local model shop to pick it up. I’m hoping to recreate a Kamome 6 car formation and then give me some options for a Kuroshio and Tsubasa when the Kiha 81s are released next month. I’ll need one more Kiro 80 and 3 more Kiha 80s for the Kuroshio. The Tsubasa will be occasionally hauled by the EF71. Hoping I can match up couplers ok.

 

Looks great!  Are the motor and cab cars dcc ready?  I'm very close to caving and buying a set myself but I'd like them to be dcc capable so I can actually run them on larger layouts. 

[Kamome]

4 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

 

Looks great!  Are the motor and cab cars dcc ready?  I'm very close to caving and buying a set myself but I'd like them to be dcc capable so I can actually run them on larger layouts. 

The motor unit has an NMRA 8 pin like the majority of the newer Kato HO releases.

 

The cab units are not DCC friendly but there’s loads of space in the engine area to but a smallish decoder without it being seen.

[Kiha66]

Thanks!  I have the feeling I may be picking one up fairly soon then.

[Kiha66]

Welp, Amiami had one on sale and my tax refund had just arrived.... 

 

[serotta1972]

Stars aligned for you to get one. 🙂

[Kamome]

Thought I’d give you further pressure by adding some photos with the details applied. Also collected my KiShi so the passengers can now have something to eat.

The water tank details seem to be poorly molded compared to the Kiha 58s as all were a pain to fit on every single car.

 

Coaches are still awaiting to be numbered and destination stickered

 

I was was wondering what others use to hold the transfer in place while rubbing. I have found the Tamiya masking tape always seems to move, especially with the small decals. This was especially frustrating for the tiny coach numbers at the front of the Kiha 58s.

 

The EF71 has been fitted with a coupler to attach to the Kiha 81,82. It comes supplied (to attach to the Tomix Kiha 181) but it fits the Kato Kihas too. A little more gap than I’d like but I can live with it.