The DEVIL made me do it (Also known as: "it happened by itself")

[The_Ghan]

The DEVIL made me do it.  I didn't really want to ... well, I did really want to ... but only if I don't get caught by Mrs Ghan.  Actually, it's Jeff's fault (cteno4) anyway because if he didn't post the original information here http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,5069.0.html then I never would have known about it.

 

It was "Not-Me"!  Damn "Not-Me" ... if I ever get my hands on him ...

 

OK ... so here's what happened.  I went to Ebay, following the link that cteno4 posted.  I saw lots of good stuff.  Lots of good stuff that I wanted.  But it was so expensive.  Like fine wine.  Like Michelin Star dining.  I confess.  I visited that link EVERYDAY since July 2nd, when cteno4 posted it.  I gawked, drooled and dreamed about some of Raymond's stock.  I even fantasized sleeping with one set!

 

Each night, the Devil whispered in my ear, poked me in the ribs, coaxed me, urged me.  But I would resist.  I even posted in that thread that I would not purchase, due to the prices.  "Cut a deal", the Devil would hiss at me, "You'll never know if you never ask!", "Mrs Ghan will never find out, and if she does what's the harm? Buy her a handbag!".  But I would counter with the Lord's Prayer ".... Lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil" ... Oh, how I struggled.  I'd made a list to the value of around $3,500.  I'd trimmed it down to $2,500, $2,000, then $1,800.  I had run the "if I won the lottery" scenario and every possible permutation of it.

 

But the Devil is a snake.  Patient.  Unyielding.  Relentless.  I, on the otherhand, am human.  Quite partial to beautiful women, fine wine and the occasional N Scale Japanese model.  I had no chance at all.  I was doomed from the moment I read the header on cteno4's thread.  And that inevitability came to its logical conclusion earlier today.  I had checked all the suppliers I know of and hunted around for others selling the same items, but it seems the things I wanted were just not available.  I broke.  I shortened my list to $1,400 worth of stuff and contacted Raymond.

 

Raymond seems to be a pretty cool guy.  He obviously had no idea about the pact I've just made with the Devil.  He read my email which detailed my shopping list and then sent me a nice reply, explaining that the Tomix 300 series has some discolourisation of the diaphrams.  So I struck that one from my list ... and added the Tomix 0-7000 fresh green Sanyo instead.  I did mention that the Devil is relentless, did I not?  The whole lot now came to US$1,310.00 and shipping US$95.  Raymond knocked off US$50, maybe for good luck.  So, my shopping list appears below:

1.  MICROACE A0021 JR Series 215 Version 2 HOLIDAY VIEW YAMANASHI Rapid Train 10-Car Set (US$285.00)

2.  MICROACE A1596 JR Series 200-1500 Shinkansen Renewal Train for Tohoku Shinkansen 25th Anniversary Basic 6-Car Set &

3.  MICROACE A1597 JR Series 200-1500 Shinkansen Renewal Train for Tohoku Shinkansen 25th Anniversary Add-on 4-Car Set (US$375.00)

4.  TOMIX 92625 JR Series 200-2000 Tohoku Shinkansen Basic 6-Car Set (1 Set) &

5.  TOMIX 2824 JR 226-2000 Add-on Car (Motor Car) (1 Set) &

6.  TOMIX 2825 JR 226-2000 Add-on Car (3 Sets) &

7.  TOMIX 2826 JR 225-2000 Add-on Car (4 Sets) &

8.  TOMIX 2830 JR 249-2000 Double Decker Green Car (2 Sets) (US$425.00)

9.  TOMIX 92752 JR Series 0-7000 Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen (Fresh Green Color) 6-Car Set (US$225.00)

 

Four consists in total, for US$1,310.00 plus US$95.00 postage minus US$50.00 nice guy discount.

 

I'm not gloating.  I'm confessing.  I just wanted the stuff.  The thrill.  The rush.  I now have a 200 series 25th Anniversary consist on the way and soon to be in my roster.  Don't go telling me I've got a good deal or a bad deal or otherwise.  The deal is much bigger than the money that has been spent.

 

Do you think she will find out?  Mrs Ghan?  Does she count the folders on the bookshelf?  I see her looking sometimes.  Occasionally, she opens her mouth as if to ask a question ... but halts herself before any words come out.  What is she thinking in those moments, I wonder?

 

Guilt. Do you know what I could have done with that money?  A whole case of E&E Black Pepper Shiraz or Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay.  Oh-My-God !!!! I could have sponsored a child, or three!  Clothed the homeless, helped the weak, fed the poor. But ...

 

The Devil made me do it!

 

 

 

The_Ghan

 

PS: I'm reminded of a poem I studied in highschool .... "A Document" by Australian Poet, Judith Wright: http://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/wright-judith/a-document-0477033

[keitaro]

Actually, it's Jeff's fault (cteno4) anyway because if he didn't post the original information here

 

Ban himbefore he gets us all divorced  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

 

nice btw i'm jealous perhaps Mrs Ghan wouldn't mind you ordering a few models for me. she'll never know 

[Kabutoni]

Protip: don't do religion, only blame yourself and don't let iron age illusions of talking snakes get involved with model trains. The only evil is the kink in our heads that make us do things like these. Will it result in victory or punishment from divine (the wife) origin? Time will tell... Keep us posted!

[Martijn Meerts]

On the upside, the 25th anniversary Tohoku shinkansen is a beauty :)

[The_Ghan]

Thanks Martijn,

 

I think the 25th Anniversary set is a must have !

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[jappomania]

Hi Ghan!

good job, but beware about Credit card monthly invoice, if your wife read it, is better if you remove all the cutting tools from your house (knifes, scissors, etc....) or use iron pants (Bobbit rules) 

 

Ciao

Massimo

[clem24]

The jewel of the lot is most definitely the 200-2000. It's a very hard to find set in completed form. I was tempted but I am holding out for the fact that MAYBE one day someone, somewhere is going to make the other prototypically correct double deck car. Nice purchase though! I must admit I am like you - I've been eying some of the sets and been checking every few days or so to see if they sold. And more than hoping that they actually did sell so that I can put my mind at ease as the decision has been made for me LOL.

[keitaro]

ghan i hate to tell you this but the fresh 0 -7000 is about $185 aus in rainbow depending on conversion  shipped as thats what i paid or roughly with in a dollar or 2 i deleted the evidence so i cannot verify

 

thats a saving of aus $25 :p that could have been used for that handbag you'll be needing haha  

[bill937ca]

Ghan what will you do if the wife reads JNS?   

[Dani]

Ghan: as I already said in other thread, my house is big enough and I need expert hands to grow up my layout. When your wife try to kill you, take a plane and disappear. We will simulate an accident and you can start a new layout from the exile (but take all that recently acquired wonders with you!!!!!)  :P

[linkey]

Ghan what will you do if the wife reads JNS?   

 

Denie all knowledge it ever happened! lol

[jappomania]

ghan i hate to tell you this but the fresh 0 -7000 is about $185 aus in rainbow depending on conversion  shipped as thats what i paid or roughly with in a dollar or 2 i deleted the evidence so i cannot verify

 

thats a saving of aus $25 :p that could have been used for that handbag you'll be needing haha  

 

not the fresh green (light gray with black/acid green stripes 92752 set), the only 0-7000 still available is the 92963 last run R68 in blu/white old paint, the green set is sold out from years, maybe in the next future... like the 100 fresh green "re-released" months ago

 

ciao

Massimo

[CaptOblivious]

That, my friend, was a display wordsmithy rarely seen on internet fora. Bravo :D

[keitaro]

http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/  lol

[The_Ghan]

Hi Ghan!

good job, but beware about Credit card monthly invoice, if your wife read it, is better if you remove all the cutting tools from your house (knifes, scissors, etc....) or use iron pants (Bobbit rules) 

 

Ciao

Massimo

 

Thanks for the warning Massimo,

 

My wife is Asian too ... every threat usually includes sharp knives and man parts somewhere!!! 

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[The_Ghan]

ghan i hate to tell you this but the fresh 0 -7000 is about $185 aus in rainbow depending on conversion  shipped as thats what i paid or roughly with in a dollar or 2 i deleted the evidence so i cannot verify

 

thats a saving of aus $25 :p that could have been used for that handbag you'll be needing haha  

 

Keitaro,

 

Really?  I'd checked every set with RainbowTen and they didn't seem to have stock of anything I purchased from Raymond.  I just checked again this morning to make sure I wasn't mistaken.  I can't find any of those sets anywhere else.  If you have another link please let me know because I'm always keen to expand my list of suppliers.  I also checked the Tomix manual, and the set isn't listed.  So I don't expect to see another release anytime soon.  $25 is the price I had to pay for this hard-to-get puppy, it seems.  But thanks for the advice.

 

Cheers,

 

The_Ghan

[The_Ghan]

Ghan what will you do if the wife reads JNS?   

 

I'm gonna run like the wind, Bill, run like the wind!

[The_Ghan]

That, my friend, was a display wordsmithy rarely seen on internet fora. Bravo :D

 

Thanks Cap'n,

 

Yes, it sure makes for a nice read ... for the innocent bystander, that is! 

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[keitaro]

ghan i hate to tell you this but the fresh 0 -7000 is about $185 aus in rainbow depending on conversion  shipped as thats what i paid or roughly with in a dollar or 2 i deleted the evidence so i cannot verify

 

thats a saving of aus $25 :p that could have been used for that handbag you'll be needing haha  

 

Keitaro,

 

Really?  I'd checked every set with RainbowTen and they didn't seem to have stock of anything I purchased from Raymond.  I just checked again this morning to make sure I wasn't mistaken.  I can't find any of those sets anywhere else.  If you have another link please let me know because I'm always keen to expand my list of suppliers.  I also checked the Tomix manual, and the set isn't listed.  So I don't expect to see another release anytime soon.  $25 is the price I had to pay for this hard-to-get puppy, it seems.  But thanks for the advice.

 

Cheers,

 

The_Ghan

 

 

http://www.rainbowten.co.jp/cgi-bin/R10itemview.cgi?bc=4543736929635 0 7000 fresh green (this is the one i had a pm to you about) nice model however does on occasions like to derail on my small layout on the 280mm crossover switch

 

They also have the motor car but not the other addons you listed.

 

now all you need to do is start your layout   we want pictures of progress mate.

 

Thanks for the warning Massimo,

 

My wife is Asian too ... every threat usually includes sharp knives and man parts somewhere!!!  

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

 

As is mine. Could possibly one day loose body parts if i keep buying models ahaha

[The_Ghan]

Keitaro,

 

Thanks for the link.  That's actually the 0-7000 in blue, the "Goodbye Series 0 Hikari".  I've bought the 0-7000 JR West fresh green one.  I have a full 16-car 0-2000 in blue, the Kato re-release.  But the fact remains that I'm pay RRP for it.  But still, it is brand new.

 

Layout has started, but time is a precious thing.  While I've taken a few photos every now and then I've not found the time to post them.  I'm not big on publishing those kinds of things.  I get annoyed at upload times for photos and video and ultimately get disheartened by it all.  As it is, I owe Doug Coster a set of photos from the last show.  I'm just going to burn them onto CD and hand them to him.  Resizing, posting and captioning just doesn't interest me.  I will do a post on my layout soon though.

 

Layout status:  subway loops, station sidings, and yards all fixed down.  Unfortunately I laid the station sidings before realising that I would need short "stop" sections so I'm going to have to pull those up and cut new sections and relay.  There is another station siding to be done which forms an upper level subway platform.  It is some weeks away yet but I will at least get it done right with stop sections.  The yard all has stop sections at each end of each siding.  Track wiring of the subway is about 40% complete.  I haven't wired for the electric points yet, but have the necessary stationary decoders ready to go.

 

A further complication is that Mrs Ghan and I are spending 3-4 nights per week in the gym.  That has halved the amount of time I have to play.  At the moment, I'm down to 4-6 hours per week on the layout.  At this rate, I'll be happy to see the two subway loops operational in DCC by Christmas, station platforms and diorama done by Easter 2012, and the substrate for above ground stuff done by end of June next year.  That sees me running a year behind schedule, but that's nothing compared to the Waratah trains!

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[Nozomi4ever]

Hi Ghan.

You are really brave to buy the things you want and I am inspired to follow your way of buying as many trains as possible.. 

[linkey]

The person with the most trains wins what? lol

[jappomania]

The person with the most trains wins what? lol

 

a lot of debt 

is a dangerous race that's better not to do (in case let me know what I won) and only for unmarried people

 

ciao

Massimo

[The_Ghan]

The person with the most trains wins what? lol

'ello linkey,

 

Dangerous question.  I own about 40 consists, including what is in the post and on order with HS.  Actually, I just did a count: 44 passenger trains plus 2 x track cleaner cars, 1 x Dr Yellow and 7 x EF Locos (4 x 58, 1 x each 64, 66, 81), and 1 x ED61 Brown.  I'm seriously going to limit the rolling stock purchases now that I have almost everything I want.  Future rolling stock purchases will be:

 

1. 1 x 300 series Shinkansen Tomix - when they redo it (it is in their current catalog);

2. 2 x various Kato Tokyo Metro series as they become available - and I'm hoping they only produce one a year;

3. E6 Shinkansen when it comes out;

4. Selected freight sets, but they are really years away.

 

Apart from that, I'm going to try to restrict all spending to layout and DCC based stuff.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[clem24]

Dangerous question.  I own about 40 consists, including what is in the post and on order with HS.  Actually, I just did a count: 44 passenger trains plus 2 x track cleaner cars, 1 x Dr Yellow and 7 x EF Locos (4 x 58, 1 x each 64, 66, 81), and 1 x ED61 Brown.

 

Hahahaha Massimo is the wrong person to be talking to about this...

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/massimo.biolcati/Collection