What unlikely releases do you want?

[Guest keio6000]

Here's my list of obscure or not so obscure things, some of which are available in kit form and some of which are not, that I'd love to see made in 'ready to run' form by a standard manufacturer but realistically I don't see ever happening.   Please share your lists of same!

 

Here's my list:

 

1.  Tokyo Monorail (1000, as shown) - ok, it is available in a pre-painted GM kit, but i'd love to have one better made than i could:

 

 

 

2.   Keio 6000 5-door set.

 

This one is a tribute to crazy japan overengineering.   They went to all this trouble to make some keio 6000 sets that service the short tama zoo there with 5 doors because it might save somebody 2 microseconds getting on and off the train.   Still, as a keio completist, this is on my list.  Avaialble in kit form, sure.

 

 

 

 

3.  Odakyu Monorail

 

This insanely ugly thing, just because it's so insanely ugly (note: it is a USA-Lockheed design).  Like a cockroach mated with a boat and tried to become a monorail.

 

 

4.  Keio inspection set. again, available as a kit for crazy money.

 

 

 

 

 

[kvp]

A track powered yurikamome with both old and new cars and a track kit. (Something similar to the old N scale Tomy slotcar system.)

 

And a 63 series yamanote line train in N scale (RTR or kit form).

 

[Guest keio6000]

A track powered yurikamome with both old and new cars and a track kit. (Something similar to the old N scale Tomy slotcar system.)

 

And a 63 series yamanote line train in N scale (RTR or kit form).

 

 

 

good additions!

 

i thought about adding yurikamome to my list too.

 

63 series i think is a good choice, but not impossible that it will happen from microace.

[Mudkip Orange]

The way I figure it, if we can run prototypes ranging from 1435 to 1067 on the same 9mm rails, we should likewise be able to have a single "good enough" standard for straddle-beam monorail and AGT. Then you can get Tokyo-Tama, Okinawa, Osaka, whatever... and Saitama, Yurikamome, Nippori-Toneri, what have you.

[lurkingknight]

 

 

3.  Odakyu Monorail

 

This insanely ugly thing, just because it's so insanely ugly (note: it is a USA-Lockheed design).  Like a cockroach mated with a boat and tried to become a monorail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

wow that thing is hideous. I say don't ever let that thing reproduce in any form... let alone miniature.

[kvp]

If you want good looking monorails, lockheed made one, the Himeji monorail:

 

And another good one, the old Haneda monorail, this one is an alweg:

 

Both would look good if they ever get released.

 

 

The way I figure it, if we can run prototypes ranging from 1435 to 1067 on the same 9mm rails, we should likewise be able to have a single "good enough" standard for straddle-beam monorail and AGT. 

 

The standardisation of conventional railway models took around a 100 years and there are still incompatible standards. Also while conventional rail is very widespread, monorails and agt are not. Most model railway standards started as the in house standard of a single company and later everyone started following them. If there was a reliable producer of working N scale monorail and AGT sets, then we would soon have a new standard. (ps: for lego there are three monorail standards /one for each variant/ and an AGT standard)

 

I've seen a good enough solution for straddle beam and maglev monorails:

-take a normal bogie, invert the wheels, so they look inwards

-take a normal piece of track, cut the outer part of the ties, fill in the space between the rails

-for turnouts, use flextrack

 

For agt, we could either use the old N scale Tomy slotcar standard or the new Tomytec N scale bus system. A slightly uglier variant is using the tomix street tracks with rubber wheels glued to the outside face of conventional steel wheels. (this is what the french rubber tyred metro uses in real life)

[jindaiji]

Keio6000, sorry to be off topic, but have you managed to find any semi-DCC friendly Keio trains anywhere? After once spending 10 years of my life rush hour commuting on these hot and sweaty trains, I wouldn't mind adding one to my new Japan layout build. 

[westfalen]

I'd like one of the older monorails that could run alongside steam like the Himeji Photo.

[ToniBabelony]

Highly unlikely, but I can sort of see Greenmax do something crazy and make a series of old Keisei Akaden trains... They already have quite a lineup of rebuilt 3150 Series, which can use an addition of maybe 3100, 3050 and unrebuilt 3150's. Not much needs to change in the moulds, just a few updates of the front. Heck, they can release all trains in the Akaden and Fire Orange liveries, with some variations of the new Keisei livery and variations of the Chiba Express liveries.

 

[Nick_Burman]

A plastic DD12 (GE 47ton).

 

 

Cheers NB

[JR 500系]

HHhmmm interesting thread. Can i add in one more? The C8620 SL Hitoyoshi set. There was a release only for Plarail i think: 

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10083476

 

But i don't see any for N scale as yet. It's quite nice, and especially popular since it's on the Hitsatsu line... It also will look great sitting beside the Isaburo Shinpei that is due to release soon for a station diorama scene at Hitoyoshi station where the SL Hitoyoshi meets the Isaburo Shinpei...  

[katoftw]

HHhmmm interesting thread. Can i add in one more? The C8620 SL Hitoyoshi set. There was a release only for Plarail i think: 

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10083476

 

But i don't see any for N scale as yet. It's quite nice, and especially popular since it's on the Hitsatsu line... It also will look great sitting beside the Isaburo Shinpei that is due to release soon for a station diorama scene at Hitoyoshi station where the SL Hitoyoshi meets the Isaburo Shinpei...  

+1

[Guest keio6000]

Keio6000, sorry to be off topic, but have you managed to find any semi-DCC friendly Keio trains anywhere? After once spending 10 years of my life rush hour commuting on these hot and sweaty trains, I wouldn't mind adding one to my new Japan layout build. 

 

For Keio, your only real choice is MicroAce who make the 6000 and 7000 (and also inokashira 3000 and updated 1000).   The inokashira sets are relatively easy to find and inexpensive; the keio mainline sets are increasingly rare and expensive.

 

In April, MicroAce is supposed to release the 8000 and the 9000.  However, these have been delayed many, many times before so April is not a guarantee.     If you want one of these, I suggest you pre-order now as they will likely be very popular and will sell out quickly.  Nariichi-san may be able to help (modeltrainsplus.net)

 

If you commuted in the last 20 or so years, your train is probably one of the above.   As far as being DCC friendly goes, I don't know about that as I don't do DCC.  However, these are general EMUs with plenty of space in the cabin above the motor, so fitting a DCC unit in there probably should not be particularly hard.

 

my commute in Keio many years ago was mostly opposite the direction of traffic (that is, away from shinjuku in the morning and towards it in the afternoon) so it was never 'hot and sweaty' for me.  for me, riding on keio is always a pleasure - the trains are fast and cheap and the ends of the line at shinjuku and takaosanguchi are both wonderful places on earth for completely different reasons.

 

good  luck!

[Keikyu]

A Tomix knuckle coupler compatible with the Kato knuckle coupler.

[westfalen]

HHhmmm interesting thread. Can i add in one more? The C8620 SL Hitoyoshi set. There was a release only for Plarail i think: 

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10083476

 

But i don't see any for N scale as yet. It's quite nice, and especially popular since it's on the Hitsatsu line... It also will look great sitting beside the Isaburo Shinpei that is due to release soon for a station diorama scene at Hitoyoshi station where the SL Hitoyoshi meets the Isaburo Shinpei...  

+2

 

An 8620 would fill a gap in the ready to run steam with a 2-6-0 older than the C56.

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

I would like to see the 9800形 steam locomotive released again.  It has been 10 years since Micro Ace released 9801 and 9812.  Models of the 0-6-6-0 Mallets are as rare as the preserved examples themselves.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Ochanomizu

[cteno4]

Maglev!

 

Jeff

[Krackel Hopper]

More than a few things I'd like to see..

 

For starters, a couple MicroAce re-releases

 

An interesting plow.. DD19

 

Of course.. numerous painted trains..

[miyakoji]

Krackel's images reminded me of one I'd particularly like to see, the Oku-Izumo Orochi.  Also maybe the Norokko as shown in his post, but with the BBQ car

[Fenway Park]

A DD11 would be interesting as it has outside cranks. 

 

A 1/150 B6 0-6-2T would be welcome to replace the old Tomix/Kawai version.

 

A long shot would be the 6750 4-4-0

[katoftw]

Seven Stars in Kyushu Cruise Train.  The DF200 and it's carrieges.  A nice touch would be to include the DE10 that Kyushu rail use as a shunter that is the same colour as the DF200.

 

The mechanism is all sort whomever makes it for both DF200 and DE10, just a matter the carrieges, but I'm sure they already have the underbody parts they could use off something else also.

 

Pretty sure the DE10 lives at Kagoshima-Chuo station.  Or there could be a few of them.

Edited March 29, 2014 by katoftw

[katoftw]

HHhmmm interesting thread. Can i add in one more? The C8620 SL Hitoyoshi set. There was a release only for Plarail i think: 

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10083476

 

But i don't see any for N scale as yet. It's quite nice, and especially popular since it's on the Hitsatsu line... It also will look great sitting beside the Isaburo Shinpei that is due to release soon for a station diorama scene at Hitoyoshi station where the SL Hitoyoshi meets the Isaburo Shinpei...  

Micro Ace A6101 and A6102,  released in 1999.  Seems to be hard to find nowadays.  Only the engine though.

Edited May 12, 2014 by katoftw

[Mudkip Orange]

Kintetsu 20000

[Guest keio6000]

Kintetsu 20000

 

What, you don't have a spare JPY 163090 lying around for this?

http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~mokeiya/page008.html

Edited May 13, 2014 by keio6000

[linkey]

A disused railroad Diorama set :P