Tomytec Railway Collection - General Discussion

[katoftw]

I really hope Tomytec provides replacements with the set itself, as they aim for the TM-08R as the power pack.

You haven't read anything in Japanese then? Bummer that is not a good sign.  Clearly myself looking for English info is silly.  But my Japanese isn't that good to search other avenues.

 

I hope also.

[kvp]

Actually both. The small grooves at the ends of the cars hold the shells in place both horizonally and vertically. The end matching without knowing japanese is kind of an engineering challenge. For some motors, you can have up to 9 ends and may need different ends for the different end shapes on the two sides. Watch out for the front and back orientation, both for the underbody sideframes and the motors. Sometimes i pick the wrong one for the first try, so i don't push them in all the way until i check the fit.

[railsquid]

Got another question.  The shells do not sit tightly on the motor unit, there is a lot of movement.  Normal?  Or is it hit and miss depending on the shell and motor?

 

Did you add the correct spacer from the motor pack?

[katoftw]

Did you add the correct spacer from the motor pack?

Yes.  For the Y-DC125 you need to use the NDC ends.

 

The TM-20 goes into the Otsu 600s.  Luckily though I picked the correct end first up.  The shell probably has 0.5mm or less total movement.  Just like any non Tomytec train model.  Since typing what I did and completing the 600s, I have come to realize on the box/packaging under the motor unit, it tells you which ends to use.

 

Finshed product except the bogie outers.  They dont hold in like the Y-DC125 below.  The outer were hard to push in, and they stayed in.  They need to be glued in. 

 

 

The Yellow One Man Diesel Car as at least 1.5mm shell movement end to end and up and down directions.

 

 

And to add a little more to the storage situation.  The Keihan 600s fit back into their original plastics due to there pans and couplers already having accommodations provided.  So only the Y-DC125 needs a new home.

Edited March 14, 2015 by katoftw

[katoftw]

I have reduced the movement somewhat with what I think the Tomytec specs should be.

 

The Y-DC125 comes with 2 end door hoods.  I was only using 1 hood at an end as that is what is prototypical.  So that little hood that clips around and under the end of the body shell is a body shell support piece also, as the it rests on top of the dummy coupler and end piece correctly.

 

I'll have to make something to fit in there and paint it yellow so I can remove the second unwanted end door hood.

Edited March 14, 2015 by katoftw

[katoftw]

I found this poor google translation on HS:-

 

※ The 6221ef it will be installed [efWING ®]. (And modeled a state in which remove the CFRP spring of cover. Please note that it will be black monochromatic)

 

They way I read it is that the efwing bogies will be attached but removable so can be attached to motor unit, (probably a first for Tomytec), but they will be a single colour of black.

 

Time to get out the red Tamiya paint.

[katoftw]

Follow on question:- The replacement metal pantographs do not lock into place on top of the roof.  When you pull on the patographs to lift them, the whole mech pulls a few millimeters from the roofline.  Is there a solution?

[Nick_Burman]

Will a microtrains 33" wheel fits the 6211F? Their 100 pcs per pack wheel is insanely economical.

 

MTL wheels don't fit Tomix trains - you'll need Fox Valley Models ones, 36" diameter. Personal experience.

 

Cheers NB

[cteno4]

Most all of mine have stayed put well just pressure fit, but I have had to add a tiny bit of glue to a couple that I just had to match a pantograph to out of my spares as the particular train did not specify a tomix one to match. I was surprised how many would mate up very well (greenmax and kato) and was able to choose one that looked very close, bit just a bit of a loose fit so a small dab of glue to fix that.

 

If you worry about being able to remove it later you can use pva glue. This generally holds pretty well in these kinds of situations, but can be removed later if needed by dabbing water around the joint or packing some cotton or tissue around the joint and keeping it very wet. After a while it will soften and you can pull it apart and clean out the softened glue.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

MTL wheels don't fit Tomix trains - you'll need Fox Valley Models ones, 36" diameter. Personal experience.

 

Cheers NB

That would be for the 6.1mm dia wheels.  Any Fox Valley wheels for the 5.6mm dia wheels?

 

I'm glad Nick asked the question.  After only acquiring 5 cars of Tomytec Railway Collections, I already have a few spare weights and couplers, so only getting wheels would save a few dollars.

[katoftw]

Thanks Jeff.  I'll dab some glue on one of the four corner posts of the pantographs.  I was just worried about using too much glues and doing something stupid to the top of a perfectly good model.

 

I also need to glue the Otsu bogie outers to TM-20 motor units.

[cteno4]

Yeah start with a tiny bit. Actually a tiny bit in the post holes with a needle for application would give you a very good hold but be reversible in the future.

 

Didn't the the frames pressure fit? All mine have stuck in very well. One issue with some of the frames is that they are a soft plastic that does not take glues as well usually. If you do glue them do it sparingly, too little glue and you jsut have to reflux, too much and it's a mess that can't usually be cleaned up!

 

Glad you are enjoying the zen of pimping tomytec trains. It is nice as you feel like you at least made a little bit of the model! I like the 20-30 min of doing a car or two, very relaxing and satisfying! Can't wait until I have a bit more time to start making some lighting units for them as well.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

The Y-DC125 outers pressure fitted into the TM-23 motor units.  But both the Otsu outers would not pressure fit.  I tried 3 different sets of outers and 3 different TM-20 motor units.  The outers have got 3 poles, so just a dab of glue on one pole should do it.

 

I am actually enjoying the Tomytec range and building them.  I wish I had found them sooner.  Nearly 2 years into the hobby and was my first real attempt yesterday.  I've have their trams, but they are just plug and play with only motor units to swap in.

 

I had my 6yo son next to me, and he followed along as well.  Since they are simple, he was able to help a touch.  I cannot wait more of the models to arrive.

 

I will later on attempt to paint the original plastic pantographs metallic silver as a test.  The Otsu ones are 2 piece and I like the fact the are upright all the time.

[JR 500系]

Apologizes on the late reply.

 

Let me share some findings from my motorised Tetsudo Metsume Keihan Otsu 600.

 

My motor fits in nicely, and there are much lesser gaps than the usual motors.

 

The bogie covers do fit in nicely on my model. Or did I use the wrong cover? There were like 3 of them, and I never really bothered which one is the correct one, just choosing which one I liked it better. No glue required here and they stay in just fine. Afraid of using glue here in your case, as the glue might get into the wheels portion and it might cause some running issues..

 

The pantograph assembly does come up a fair but when we try to extend it, but I guess a little glue can solve that.  

 

The railway collection are fun, but the cost really do adds up like katoftw has mentioned, which might be more practical to actually buy a ready to run model with directional lights that the Tomytec lacks. The railway collection do however have some really nice models, but for me, being a more JR inclined collector, the railway collection tends to focus more on private rails so i'm kinda safe, unless they come up with a really nice painted model which I cant resist like the Tetsudo Metsume and the K-On...

[HantuBlauLOL]

MTL wheels don't fit Tomix trains - you'll need Fox Valley Models ones, 36" diameter. Personal experience.

 

Cheers NB

Why not MTL? Also why 36" instead of 33"? 33" would be 5.1mm in diameter..

[kvp]

 

They way I read it is that the efwing bogies will be attached but removable so can be attached to motor unit, (probably a first for Tomytec), but they will be a single colour of black.

 

The common way is to provide a solid single piece bogie on the unpowered car and add separately mountable covers for the motor unit. The reason is that the unpowered bogies don't have a separate wheel mount and must rely on the sideframes to keep the wheels in place. Imho this text could mean the leaf springs will be modelled but with the covers removed. Since these covers have most of the fancy red paint, that seems ok. A bit of paint will help anyway, but the wheels have to be painted too, so the reason of omitting the paint is to allow standard wheels and motors to be used.

[ToniBabelony]

If this is the case of Tomix going to a more Bandai B-train styled bogie-swap system, I'm all for it! It'll greatly reduce the heap of spares you get with Tomytec purchases.

[kvp]

 

If this is the case of Tomix going to a more Bandai B-train styled bogie-swap system, I'm all for it! It'll greatly reduce the heap of spares you get with Tomytec purchases.

Actually that would increase it, because besides wheels, weights and couplers, you will need new bogies for each non powered trailer and different axle distances would mean lots of different new trailer bogies. The reason is that the common Tomytec trailer bogies are dependent on the structural integrity of the sideframes that hold them together and keep the wheels on. The current trailer wheels are not usable with inside bearing bogies either, so a metal journal would be needed, like on some of the higher end sets and on most motor units. So to make the sideframes swappable, Tomytec would have to introduce the metal all wheel trailer pickup system into the Tomytec range, putting the costs to the Tomix high grade range or make motorisation mandatory, by supplying non running bogies for every motorisable car, making varied consist building (like motorising only one of the motor units in a train or moving the motor to the middle trailer) near impossible. Imho getting an extra set of sideframes for each car that can have a motor is much cheaper and requires way less parts. The extra sideframes that come with the motors are not for the Tomytec trains (that come with their own set), but for scratchbuilders and to be used with the shells of other manufacturers. The other alternative of making the wheels inside bearing so the sideframes are just cosmetic would mean a serious increase in rolling resistence and a total incompatiblity with earlier Tomix, Tomytec and Arnold products. (the current Tomytec parts range actually follows the original Arnold rapido and the early Tomix standard, so much that you can replace parts in 40 year old rolling stock with brand new Tomytec parts) Both solutions described above would leave us with more extra parts than we get now.

 

I really hope Tomix keeps the current system or if they do change it, we get the metal journal all wheel pickups for the Tomytec trailers too. (it would double cost of the trailer packs and the number of parts that have to be changed from plastic to metal, but all wheel pickups are great for adding interior lighting)

[HantuBlauLOL]

IMHO metal pickup on tomytecs would be useless because they don't even have a hole for lights.

 

Well, DIY would solve it though.. Our even if you want to add power couplers LOL

[ToniBabelony]

You know, we can speculate or actually wait and see what Tomytec comes up with... In the end, I'm all for less useless spare parts, even though I like to scratchbuild and kitbash. Smarter production methods, a more convenient compatibility system and a reduction of base materials would reduce the price, which is very welcoming, seeing Tomytec is slowly increasing the prices on their products in general.

 

And yes, the side frames that come with Tomytec motors are for Tomytec kits and not for scratchbuilders. I have never read anything about this (maybe because I have never searched for this), but I'd really would like to see some evidence on this if this is true.

[katoftw]

I'm in the wait and see camp.

[kvp]

 

And yes, the side frames that come with Tomytec motors are for Tomytec kits and not for scratchbuilders. I have never read anything about this (maybe because I have never searched for this), but I'd really would like to see some evidence on this if this is true.

The fact that train collection cars come with their own matching sideframes and i've never really had to use the ones in the motor kits could be a hint that they are meant for other uses. (and many small builders use their motors and trailer parts in their kits) And in fact, there are slightly less extra parts in a tomytec body + motor + trailer set than in a bandai body + motor + trailer set. So far the tomytec kits had the classic old school (70-ies/80-ies) train set components, including the single piece plastic bogies and the option to use bogie mounted rapidos everywhere or something more modern. As Katoftw said, let's wait and see if this changes.

[ToniBabelony]

So, basically you're saying you don't know your previous statement is true... AFAIK, all bogies that come with the motor sets match at least one train in the Tetsudo Collection. I'm open for correction, but personal experience doesn't really count in this case.

[Densha]

I don't even have any Tomytec power units, but a picture of a box on HS shows what bogie frames are included and which type they are. For example: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10205587p/10/1

[JR 500系]

I don't even have any Tomytec power units, but a picture of a box on HS shows what bogie frames are included and which type they are. For example: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10205587p/10/1

 

I have quite a number of these motors to motorise my Tama/ Ichigo/ Omocha/ Eva train sets from Tomytec, and they do come with these 3 bogies. Only problem for me is I don't really know which is the right one to attach!  :P

 

Normally I just attach which one I felt nicer on, and leave the rest into a spares box just in case they might come in handy, together with the plastic interior that came with the body and the plastic-looking stuck pantograph...