Modelnics (5 inch gauge Japanese trains)

[bill937ca]

Here's a website that will blow Bernard's mind and anybody's budget.  Five inch gauge Japanese trains including Shinkansens.

 

http://www.modelnics.com/500.htm'>http://www.modelnics.com/500.htm

 

http://www.modelnics.com/

 

Japanese language text with photos

 

Apparently this company builds two grades of train, youth models with more emphasis on safety and hobby models for those more knowledgeable about how railroads work.  They also offer gates for level crossings.

[Bernard]

Pop! Bill, that was the sound of my mind being blown.  ;D

How do they make those trains? All the work that must go into forming the shell of the 500 is mind boggling. (It would be like making a automobile from scratch.)

I'm surprised to see all the links for the larger scales in Japan, taking in account the limited amount of land they have at their disposal.

[bill937ca]

There certainly are a lot of links for large scale trains in Japan.  Also a lot of live steam.

 

Most railways have a open house each year, some like Hankyu have more than one.  You will often find a rideable railway at these events.  Some people have them outside their houses in a lane way between the house and a fence.  What else could you do with such a small space?

 

I think the Shinkansens are made from fiberglass which is how E7 and similar locomotives from the 40s are modeled in large scale in the US.

[Mudkip Orange]

It'd be funny to see someone set up a Shinkansen on the Hermann Park train here in the 713.

[marknewton]

There certainly are a lot of links for large scale trains in Japan.  Also a lot of live steam.

Live steam has a big following in Japan. A friend of mine who is well-known in the Australian live-steam scene was invited to an open house event there some years back, and took one of his engines with him. I can't recall the details, but next time I see him I'll ask.

 

I do remember Ray joking that if he couldn't take the loco as cabin luggage, he wasn't going! 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[KenS]

OMG!

 

I really want one of those 500-series! But at US$10K for the cheap one, I think I'll be doing without (that, and I'd need a much bigger yard if I wented it to actually move...)

[Nozomi]

....argh ....again something I can't afford. I encountered a fantastic HO-scale model of the 700-7000 series Hikari Rail Star in the Yokohama branch of Models IMON a few weeks ago. Price tag: JPY 458'000 for the full 8car set....  there was another set (700 series) with 16 cars. the price is so high I can't remember it.

[Nozomi4ever]

Well it 's Katsumi lol.. Katsumi blows your mind for HO scale and Kumata blows your mind for O scale..