What did you order or the post deliver? (Japanese N Gauge)

[Cat]

54 minutes ago, bc6 said:

Its been a while since ive posted anything but im back. I also took a trip to Japan where i had the opportunity to pick up some preorders from RG-ROKKO. I got to meet Masaharu and some of his staff who were very accommodating for me. Anyway the items are below and a picture of  the building.

 

 

Hmm, you could kitbash that building rom Outland Model kits!

[cteno4]

Oooh yes that would be a great building to model, very compact but very interesting looking.

 

jeff

[Little-Kinder]

For those wondering what the Amazon hub looked like:

 

 

Fyi this is my pinky.

Edited April 18 by disturbman
formatting issue with pictures

[bc6]

 I also went to Joshin Super Kids and picked up a few odds and ends. Maybe the mods can combine my recent post and this one together i apologize.

 

Edited April 18 by bc6

[cteno4]

No worries at all, this topic is the never ending stream of purchases, no real rhyme, nor reason, nor order.

 

going to do a zoo?!

 

jeff

[Little-Kinder]

1 hour ago, bc6 said:

 I also went to Joshin Super Kids and picked up a few odds and ends. Maybe the mods can combine my recent post and this one together i apologize.

 

I wish the Kato panda came in N scale 😢

[cteno4]

There is a prohobby coming along with a hippo and alpaca…

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10177871

 

jeff

[bc6]

3 hours ago, cteno4 said:

No worries at all, this topic is the never ending stream of purchases, no real rhyme, nor reason, nor order.

 

going to do a zoo?!

 

jeff

Maybe someday, This was "Oh this is a cool item let me buy it now purchase"

[cteno4]

Good you did not drop by Sakatsu or you would have been broke!

 

jeff

[bc6]

On 4/17/2025 at 8:51 PM, DD13 said:

What is the Hogarakadou item? 

Its the JR Research Cabin, They go on Koki.

 

Edited April 20 by bc6

[SL58654号]

Living in Japan has its benefits for accessing Japanese online auction sites and not having to incur international shipping fees (provided they can ship outside Japan at all) and yahoo and Mercari have been a goldmine to find railway goods cheaply for myself. 

What's better than one SL Hitoyoshi carriage set? TWO SL Hitoyoshi carriage sets. As I already have both the four-car SL Hitoyoshi set with 58654, as well as three JR Kyushu livery DE10's, since I saw this set in brand new condition on yahoo, I went for it.

 

Now all I need to do, of course, is finish the layout for them to run on. As of late I've been busy at my new full-time job (how else do I keep my wallet from being riddled with moths and cobwebs?) but most of all I'm planning on moving to a much larger, and lovelier, house in the nearby countryside of Kumamoto. You'll all soon see by this June. 

[Tony Galiani]

Despite putting ordering on hold, I did have one outstanding pre-order from HobbySearch which arrived today via Japan Post - a MicroAce JR Shikoku Series 8000.  Based on missing out on some previous MA models, I went with the pre-order though had I known that both Kato and MicroAce would offer this, I would have held off.  This is another train that I have not ridden yet (though I saw one in Shikoku) so another of my pre-ride but hoping to do so soon orders.

 

Two random thoughts on this ....

 

I wonder why HS does not provide the option to add to an order before shipping?  I have no urgent needs but might have added a couple of items to make the shipping a better value.  I don't know enough about pre-orders (as this was a first for me) but it seems a logical business opportunity that the vendor is overlooking.

 

My package took about eight days to arrive from Japan via Japan Post so that seems a decent shipping option to me.  No Customs issues though it struck me that here is a Made In China item that is being sent from Japan.  Hope this is not something that becomes an issue in the future.

 

Ciao,

Tony

[Ekiben]

4 hours ago, Tony Galiani said:

 I have no urgent needs

 

Funny how there's always something that can be added to the virtual shopping cart when it comes to model railroading, especially when there's so much time between pre-ordering and the item's shipment date. Hobby Search and others seem to be definitely missing out on potential sales.

 

I pre-ordered the MicroAce Ishizuchi and Shiokaze sets from AmiAmi but opted for the cheaper surface mail option. My package left Japan on April 19 but is still probably many days (hopefully not weeks!) from crossing the International Date Line! Not holding my breath...but excited to see they've finally been released.

 

[concordski]

To celebrate the end of exams I made an impulse purchase - a Kato E233-3000 starter set! This is my first Japanese N scale model, and I have a feeling it won't be the last 😄

 

Edited April 26 by disturbman

[Damo Jr.]

On 4/11/2025 at 6:02 AM, Tony Galiani said:

While I had been planning to pause purchases for a while, I had also thought of getting the Tomix HH100 set in Hokkaido wrapping.  Currently have delusional plans to go to Abashiri to see the drift ice on our (hoped for) February 2026 trip.  When I noticed that RG Rokko was way less expensive than either Hobbysearch or Plaza Japan, I took that as a sign I should go ahead with the buy.

My first purchase from RG Rokko and very impressed.  Ordered on Tuesday, arrived here in the US on Thursday, perfectly packed - he even place a piece of cardboard inside the Tomix package (as there was a few millimeters of open space) so the models would not slide around!  Saved about US$50 over the cost from the other two shops.

Also picked up a MicroAce plow set so I have two sets that actually look the part on my winter T-Trak module.

Ciao,

Tony

 

RG are great to order from.   If we end up in Osaka on ther next trip, I m going to visit them....   on my own.....    no scrutiny or guilt!        Good news, or maybe bad for your wallet, there's another three H100 Hokkaido wrapping sets due out this year, and the first is due any day now.     Love my Hokkaido wrapped trains!

[SL58654号]

Today I finally visited the Kyoto Railway Museum, and what a grand day it was! Before leaving and heading back home to Kumamoto, I took a stroll into the KATO Kyoto Station retail outlet. I was delighted to see there as well for the first time. I picked up these things as souvenirs. A PECO Bug Box and an ED75 @ED75-775 in a special livery. What's not to love about that? I'm admiring them on the Shinkansen as I head for home. What a Golden Week it's been for me thus far. 

 

[SL58654号]

If that weren't enough, the very next day the delivery man came to my door to give me this. I had won at an auction this wonderful book by Presse Eisenbahn all about the C52 and C53 steam locomotives. "C52 C53 - The echo of three cylinders" It is highly sought after by Japanese rail fans to my knowledge.
This very large and lavishly illustrated book is filled with rare photos and drawings of both of these fascinating three-cylinder locomotives of Japan. I had indeed seen the sole surviving C53 at Kyoto just yesterday! 

[tripel7]

Because there is no such thing as too much track 

[Tony Galiani]

Funny thing after I decided to hold off on purchasing for a while ....

 

I am now convinced that @cteno4 has loaded the forum with subliminal "buy now" messages, or maybe @Kingmeow's texts to me are laced with them as I ended up purchasing an MA Shiman Torocco set.

 

I saw this in @miyakoji's recent Shikoku video and it makes quite an impression in its vivid yellow color, contrasting so much with the green of the scenery.  Curious about the train, I started searching for info and, of course, turned up model and prototype info.  I am intrigued by the possibility of riding it on a future trip (though the web site notes, repeatedly, that it has no toilet so not so sure about that).  Though the bento boxes on offer look good.

 

Anyway, looking on the HS web site I noted that it is discontinued but searched for available models - just to see what was out there without any intention of buying one.  Really.  There were a number available on eBay starting at US$130 and running up to US$200, plus taxes and shipping.  So I was off the hook ..... until I noticed that Plaza Japan has one brand new for US$75.  With shipping via Japan Post, total cost was under US$100!  So I figured that was some sort of sign and ended up purchasing it.  (Did not add anything else on my current want list to the order.)  I also, after it was too late, saw that RG Rokko had it for even a bit less.  It seems a very nice model and maybe one day I will see the real thing.

 

Ciao,

Tony

 

[miyakoji]

48 minutes ago, Tony Galiani said:

it makes quite an impression in its vivid yellow color

All of JR Shikoku's special rolling stock looks good.  This one, the Aoi Yoshinogawa Torocco, Sennen Monogatari, Iyo-nada Monogatari.  The design of the Iyo-nada Monogatari is attributed to a JR Shikoku employee, not sure about the other ones.  They just need to revive the BBQ Car that JR Hokkaido had 🙂

[Kingmeow]

@Tony Galiani so you do see those quick blinks/flashes in my texts then?  🤣  Now I see what you mean. It looks fantastic.  Very nostalgic and antiquey.  Love those doors!

 

I too was going to hold off until our trip in October but I figured I wanted to test the tariffs and also one less thing to bring back in October.  Happy to report No Tariffs!!!  😎

 

What's interesting about this order from Plaza Japan is that the package was picked up on Wednesday at 7pm from Osaka and was in my hands on Friday at 5pm (US East Coast).  DHL pleasantly surprised me!!!!  Maybe their planes are a bit empty with the tariffs and de minimis.  🤣

 

Koki Love!

 

Edited 14 hours ago by Kingmeow

[Section31]

Finally have my first working permanent track set (can expand if needed as i did order excess tracks). Still working on the train running smooth and need more trains to arrive but fun to play with.

[Kamome]

12 hours ago, Section31 said:

Still working on the train running smooth

You could look at a 2nd feeder on each rail to reduce the furthest distant from the power feeder. The most ideal would be the opposite straight on the other side of your setup to half the track length to feeder. Just ensure the wires are installed in the correct orientation to avoid a short.

 

You’d need:

 

1 pack 24-828 Viaduct track feeder wires

2 packs 24-833 3way splitter connector.