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

[Guest keio6000]

 Hello Mr keio6000,

 

Is it 10-843 based set or 10-495?

 

I have full 15-car consist on Kato 10-843 base set and Tomix 92700.  Both are very fine.

 

Because I prefer the old dark blue color, it is Kato 10-495.  I am sure it is a decent set.

[Ochanomizu]

Hello Mr keio6000,

 

Did you know that Tomix is releasing two new E217 sets later this year?

 

The first is the limited edition F-01 formation as used in 1994. 98911 and 98912 for 15 car formation.

 

The second is 4th edition renewal car set.  92504-7 for 15 car formation.

[Guest keio6000]

Hello Mr keio6000,

 

Did you know that Tomix is releasing two new E217 sets later this year?

 

The first is the limited edition F-01 formation as used in 1994. 98911 and 98912 for 15 car formation.

 

The second is 4th edition renewal car set.  92504-7 for 15 car formation.

 

Hi Ochanomizu,

 

I am generally a Kato fan and the E217 was not so important for me.  So, I was happy to get the 8-car Kato set for only JPY 5000.  For most trains I do not collect full sets, but rather consider 6-8 cars to be enough.

 

I am sure the Tomix set will likely in some ways be better than the Kato set, but I am happy now that I have gotten the Kato set.

 

Thank you for your interesting advice and news!

[macdon]

I just received the Roundhouse/Kato EF81 from ModelTrainPlus today - great runner!

 

Mardon

 

[Martijn Meerts]

Not exactly N-scale... Or even directly train related... But I ordered a new 27" iMac to replace my ageing 2008 Mac Pro :)

 

So, I guess I need to cut down on buying trains for a little longer while I recover from that expense :D

[Keikyu]

So, I guess I need to cut down on buying trains

 

These are words that should never be spoken.

[Martijn Meerts]

These are words that should never be spoken.

 

I guess you have a point .. Although, since speaking said words, I've already been considering buying more Unitrack and the Kato overhead station for a planned set of station modules ;)

 

 

... I simply cannot escape the trains anymore ...

[Guest keio6000]

These are words that should never be spoken.

 

I have for the past 2 weeks agonized over the purchase of a train that I really don't need.  It's a great deal and keeps going around and round on Yahoo jp unsold (or maybe it's not such a great deal and I just think it is).  The thing is it's a train that I basically already have 'in components' though here it is a complete set in a nice package.

 

I guess the answer is to sell the components on ebay and get the 'set', but the problem is that knowing myself, i'll get the set and never sell the pieces, for whatever reason..

 

Sorry for not divulging what it is - just dont want somebody to snipe it from me :)

[Thomas]

These came in today. It's a far cry from what you guys ordered but it's a start. I'm a new guy.

[Martijn Meerts]

Meh, any order that has train stuff in it is a good order ;)

[linkey]

Okay my orders for Feb 2014 consists of the following KATO trains:

DE10 (Warm Region)

DE10 (Cold Region)

DD51 Hokutosei (Cold Region) 

[Densha]

It's that I don't have money and I don't think I will have in February because I've got something else on order but otherwise I would have pre-ordered the DE10 warm region too.

[Thomas]

Today I placed an order for a EF64-1000. Can't wait to get it. I need more trains.

[Mudkip Orange]

I've had the series 383 "Shinano" for a bit now, but I recently realized that IT TILTS.

 

I had two-car 383 addon coupled to a 313 thinking it'd work fine, and it kept derailing on corners. I'm like WTF is it derailing. Only then did I realize that the Kato 383 actually has a tilt mechanism built in, just like the real thing.

[Matteo_IT]

Hello guys,

Just received direct from Japan two HO Kato 1-704, diesel DD-51 blue livery to pull my Cassiopeia.

In England these locos are sold for 180 GBP each, about 214 Euro: 428 Euro, then add at least 20 Euro of shipping... The total could be no less than 450 Euro...

In Japan I payed 164 USD each: 328 USD, then 32 USD for EMS shipping, for a total of 360 USD (about 268 Euro), then I payed 58 Euro for import taxes (22% of VAT)... the total is about 325 Euro.

I saved 125 Euro!

[Guest keio6000]

Hello guys,

Just received direct from Japan two HO Kato 1-704, diesel DD-51 blue livery to pull my Cassiopeia.

In England these locos are sold for 180 GBP each, about 214 Euro: 428 Euro, then add at least 20 Euro of shipping... The total could be no less than 450 Euro...

In Japan I payed 164 USD each: 328 USD, then 32 USD for EMS shipping, for a total of 360 USD (about 268 Euro), then I payed 58 Euro for import taxes (22% of VAT)... the total is about 325 Euro.

I saved 125 Euro!

 

I dont know if there's a forum rule against this, but the prices that certain sellers - and i mean european ones in europe/england, japanese ones selling on ebay/amazon, and american ones selling in the USA, ask is positively laughable.   Seems like you saved roughly 25% - great!  But there are ebay items now selling from sellers at 400%+ of the japan price.  I always wondered who really buys such overexpensive stuff from.... (i will decline to name the retailers)...  probably people who are utterly scared of ordering from overseas or who are really and truly new to the hobby only.

[cteno4]

Keio,

 

you will find this discussion popping up all the time. some folks list stuff or do their whole business at an extreme mark up to catch those who dont know better, want a seller a bit more local, or have the bucks, dont care and just want it easy and fast. Market economics rule and some can actually eek out a business on the edge like this -- Caveat emptor! 

 

the really bad thing about these sellers other than taking advantage of folks who dont know better (those that dont care, well thats their money to play with) and also it just gives the hobby an expensive label to new commers as some of the high priced sites are the first to come up in searches. They see this and think japanese trains are exotic and hard to get, and thus expensive, when the true story is quite the contrary. There is also the buying from overseas issue that many need to overcome that the expensive dealers will also play on some. takes bringing folks around to see the light.

 

our club has spent years talking with folks at train shows trying to dispel the myths and they are usually surprised how easy it is to get stuff from japan and that the value is probably the best in the world for trains.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[NEX-989]

Today i got my first SteamLoco :-)

[Densha]

Aarghhh now I'm tempted to get an SL too... and the 381 series is also nice... as are the books and the trains on the books... now you also remember me that I also want to get a 223 series someday, preferably the 223-5000 which is not yet available in 1/150. Good taste you have.

[katoftw]

I dont know if there's a forum rule against this, but the prices that certain sellers - and i mean european ones in europe/england, japanese ones selling on ebay/amazon, and american ones selling in the USA, ask is positively laughable.   Seems like you saved roughly 25% - great!  But there are ebay items now selling from sellers at 400%+ of the japan price.  I always wondered who really buys such overexpensive stuff from.... (i will decline to name the retailers)...  probably people who are utterly scared of ordering from overseas or who are really and truly new to the hobby only.

Luckily people have the choice to buy wherever they want.  Some retailers have what others do not.  If you dont like prices of one shop, then you shop elsewhere.

 

I'm currently looking at a kato 800 shinkansen.  But there has not been a manufacturering run for a while.  They are normally about $180AUD new.  I have seen them range from $210AUD to $400AUD shipped.  The later being a euro seller.  While getting Japanese stuff to europe would cost more, I dont see the increases as to said to be justifable either.

 

So sometimes trains out of stock in japan might draw a premium elsewhere.

 

In my situation, buy from japan directly is the cheapest option for 90% of things.  Buying a lone kato power pack was cheaper at home, as buying a usa version, and then a lone AU 230V-15V power source.

 

But buying a starter set (ie train + carriges + M1 + shipping) from the USA, and then getting a lone AU power source was cheaper than buy all the bits seperately from japan.

 

Also everyone has there favourite sellers.  You can look in the suppliers section and read all about peoples various likes and dislikes about the most common sellers around.  Price, handling time, shipping cost, stock availability etc all make people choose different retailers.  Choose the one that suits you best.

Edited November 13, 2013 by katoftw

[katoftw]

I've had the series 383 "Shinano" for a bit now, but I recently realized that IT TILTS.

 

I had two-car 383 addon coupled to a 313 thinking it'd work fine, and it kept derailing on corners. I'm like WTF is it derailing. Only then did I realize that the Kato 383 actually has a tilt mechanism built in, just like the real thing.

Kato Kyushu 885 series has the tilt mech also.

[Martijn Meerts]

I dont know if there's a forum rule against this, but the prices that certain sellers - and i mean european ones in europe/england, japanese ones selling on ebay/amazon, and american ones selling in the USA, ask is positively laughable.   Seems like you saved roughly 25% - great!  But there are ebay items now selling from sellers at 400%+ of the japan price.  I always wondered who really buys such overexpensive stuff from.... (i will decline to name the retailers)...  probably people who are utterly scared of ordering from overseas or who are really and truly new to the hobby only.

 

There aren't really any rules against naming sellers that are overly expensive. In most cases the members already know about it anyway :) I basically consider it the same as me telling a friend not to buy at grocer store X because grocery store Y has the same stuff for less.

 

 

Luckily people have the choice to buy wherever they want.  Some retailers have what others do not.  If you dont like prices of one shop, then you shop elsewhere.

 

I'm currently looking at a kato 800 shinkansen.  But there has not been a manufacturering run for a while.  They are normally about $180AUD new.  I have seen them range from $210AUD to $400AUD shipped.  The later being a euro seller.  While getting Japanese stuff to europe would cost more, I dont see the increases as to said to be justifable either.

 

One reason the Kato 800 series is expensive in Europe is that Noch imports it, and most of the stores that have an 800 series will have gotten it through Noch. Normally you'd think a train would be cheaper if a large company mass imports the stuff, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case with the few Japanese trains that Noch imports. I believe they feel they're exotic enough to warrant a price increase.

[Fenway Park]

The criticism of retailers outside of Japan is a bit harsh as it omits the fact they have to bear Customs charges, Post Office handling charges as well as local VAT/taxes etc. 

In the UK there used to be one importer for Kato and later one for Tomix. These used to take the risk of importing items from the range of products on offer. In those days the minimum order was 20 of each item, not 1 as is the case when you order direct from Japan. You maybe lucky and escape the Customs and added charges, but the wholesaler does not and has to build these into their retail prices. In addition they are not a charity!!!!!!! They are running a business. 

When you act as a wholesaler, you have to set your pricing so that you cannot undercut any of your retailers that you supply. 

 

Sorry for the negative reaction, but not everyone who buys Japanese trains is confident of buying direct from Japan for many reasons. 

 

Sadly, we have lost both the original wholesalers for Kato and Tomix here in the UK and the replacement for Kato is not really bothered apart from Unitrack. The other non E bay retailers offer a limited range but are reliant on being able to select what will sell. 

[cteno4]

Fenway,

 

I do agree that overseas sellers do have to mark things up to cover the importing costs and this is reasonable. this is the reasonable cost of buying local, not direct from japan. shops like bt trains here in the states did a great job at bringing stuff over at very competitive prices and it was great. But unfortunately for importers, japan is not an easy place to get into the distribution channels to import from japan in the first place and then many places have high import duties that must be paid as well in the equation. UK and europe seem to be like 20-25% alone for duties and fees for a direct sale so there is a big markup needed right there. its also a very limited market for importers, there just are not that many of us around to make it worth their while to bring over a lot of inventory with all the associated costs. ive always been willing to pay a 10-20% premium (to the door price compared to direct from japan) at times to support us importers bringing stuff over. unfortunately there are few if any of any volume left now in the states though.

 

its the shops like newhall where they mark prices up 200-400% on everything, do not keep much stock local (they trans-ship most of it from japan) and have not import duties to the us (us/japan have no import duties on toys). They are set up to just feed on the few who dont know better -- these are the shops that i have a problem with.

 

Walthers is now importing and distributing some tomytec stuff, but their us suggested retail price is about 75-100% over japanese retail and they are importing directly from tomy (no distributor middle man it appears) -- something is fishy that they have to distribute at a price to make this high of a SRP here in the states. again no import duties and volume deal directly with the manufacturer. something is amiss in this deal and gouging the customer and screwing the local stores trying to source these items thru walthers (the 800lb gorilla in the room here in the states). Again i have a problem with this level of a markup happening in this new channel, their importing costs are not that high.

 

we also lost or wholesaler here in the states for greenmax and tomix stuff in the last few years. now most all that must come direct from japan from shops or ebay. For decades mokei was able to sell wholesale here in the states to make srps very close to japanese srps.

 

luckily ive never been burned in the last decade and a half and hundreds of transactions direct from japan (and i dont think anyone in our club has as well), so its very reasonable to keep doing that. in the absence of any importers to deal with then we have to deal with the quality exporters that will serve the audience outside japan, and luckily there are a some good ones to work with!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Guest keio6000]

Temptation got the best of me.  I bought what I really shouldn't have.

 

#

 

Tomix Sayonara Akatsuki/Nara set.  I have very fond memories of taking Akatsuki (including having the legato seat coach all to myself and my then girlfriend now wife say no more say no more).   This gives me the complete set, with 'legato seat' car, plus THREE count em three locos (albeit fairly generic ones) for JPY 15000 in 'perfect condition.'  the set originally retailed for some silly price like JPY 42000 or something.

 

other sets pop up from time to time on yahoo japan.  a lot of sellers sell them regularly for around JPY 30000+, but also a few sellers sell them at auctions that tendto go for between JPY 15000 and 20000.  If you dont have a blue train set especialy, this may the best value set you can buy.

 

I have no idea why there is an empty space for one more carriages in one of the foam inserts.  any insights there apprecaited.

 

I will be selling off my current legato seat coach and ad-hoc 14/15 blue train set on ebay soon.

Edited November 14, 2013 by keio6000