Newbie Questions - Tomix Bridges / Tomix to Kato

[Hobby Dreamer]

Hi Guys...

 

1) Are all Tomix and Tomytec bridges at the same height? Do the 2 interconnect?

Are Kato bridges the same height?

 

2) Whats the best way to join Tomix Tram track to Kato Tram Track?

 

3) Are there any elevated track (bridges or viaducts) that will fit the Tomix double tram track?  Can they fit the single tram track?

 

 

I'm frustrated with both the width of Tomix tram track and the space between tracks so have been thinking of going elevated with Tomix track and keeping Kato track on the ground.

 

BTW, is it me or are there fewer releases this year? In the past 2 years we had trams and track announcements it seemed every few months but its been a while....

 

Thanks

Rick

[disturbman]

Which, in my opinion, means in that you might have forgotten (or missed) the last announcement by Kato two or three months ago. They had announced three new sets to expand the Unitram system.

[bill937ca]

2) Whats the best way to join Tomix Tram track to Kato Tram Track?

 

BTW, is it me or are there fewer releases this year? In the past 2 years we had trams and track announcements it seemed every few months but its been a while....

 

Kato tram track and Tomix tram track are proprietary product lines without connecting pieces.  There is a Kato track piece (20-045) designed to connect Tomix track with Kato track, but this is stock rail and would have to be covered for street track.  Still the track centers would be different.  Generally track centers do not change on a prototype tram system.

 

Fewer releases this year?  If you have being paying any attention to what has been going in Japan this year, this would not be surprising.  There really aren't that many more tram track pieces that I expect to see.

[bill937ca]

All Tomix and Kato bridges and elevated sections are independent pieces of track with the track built in. Tomytec bridges are generally only scenic.

[Hobby Dreamer]

Thanks Bill....

 

I guess track transitions can be done behind buildings or under bridges for tram track - I'm itchy to build but both tram tracks result in wide roads.. and inevitable loops.  Kudos to Tomix for making single track possible..

 

Its exactly because of what happened in Japan that one might think there would be releases, first to not lose customers to other hobbies but also to capitalize on infrastructure in place. Kato put a lot of R&D into their Portram engines, and its hard to believe they did that for a handful of trams only..  

 

Similarly, Tomix has these great motorized chassis begging for new shells...

 

The thing about trams is that they are a lot cheaper than a large passenger or freight train..  

[bill937ca]

I expect more Tomytec shells, probably announced at JAM in mid-August.

 

I understand the prototype Portram tram is now out of production, but the mechanism could be used in other models.

 

I'm sure the manufacturers view the tram model market as an unknown. I would expect the industry has per capita projections of how much people will spend on model trains.  But are they spending yet or still in shock? I'm sure all Japanese businesses are watching sales and show attendances very closely.

[Hobby Dreamer]

Thanks again Bill...

 

I forgot when the JAM show is - those shows always help to inspire and plan. Its hard to predict what the earthquake and economy might do to hobbies... The gut reaction is that hobbies will suffer, but people may forgo travel/vacations so hobbies may do OK in the end.

 

I guess I am hoping for the same "buzz" many of us had in the past 2 years when we got 2 new tram tracks, trams everywhere, great looking structures for the diotown tram plates and so on..

 

Rick

[bill937ca]

I forgot when the JAM show is - those shows always help to inspire and plan. Its hard to predict what the earthquake and economy might do to hobbies... The gut reaction is that hobbies will suffer, but people may forgo travel/vacations so hobbies may do OK in the end.

 

 

August 19 to 21, 2011.