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

[railsquid]

Some souvenirs from Spain:

 

 

From Bazar Matey in reasonably central Madrid. Nice little shop, split 50/50 between trains and car models. A fair selection of N, mainly European with some American and a bunch of Kato Shinkansen packs. The young lady who assisted me quickly realised I was looking for something specifically Spanish looking. I was going to go for a locomotive as well, but alas in contrast to pounds, Euros are something very real to me and the prices were not doing my nervous system any good. As it is, I'm still trying to work out how a single wagon can cost 50DM in old money (total damage was 75 Euros, which is over 10,000 yen in real money, even though two of those were on special offer).

 

Next stop Germany...

[cteno4]

Just got a tomytec truck collection vol 4 with the box off ebay for a great deal. Big thing is it also has the additional secret fire engine included in addition to the regular one! Score!

 

Already had the collection, but just could not pass this up plus nice to have extra container trucks and fire engines.

 

Jeff

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I have just had notification that the delayed Kato Roundhouse 'Tohoku Emotion' has come into stock. One of these are now winging their way to Dreyfus Towers to add to my small, but select, fleet of Joyful Train.

 

Pity it is a week or so later than I would like...missing the two shows Kanjiyama is attending this weekend.

 

What should turn up, however, is the 5' x 3' Japanese flag I have ordered from Amazon...for the princely sum of £2.00; including postage.

[Martijn Meerts]

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10246912 got delivered yesterday :D

[Densha]

Martijn, you have already millions of brass kits lying around and you still order another one? ;)

[Martijn Meerts]

Yep :)

 

I actually have another one pre-ordered, but that's an H0j kit.

[ToniBabelony]

It has begun. The first real Sōtetsu train in my collection. Next up is probably the 7000 Series that will be released by MicroAce in a few months.

 

 

A Tomix Sōtetsu 11000 Series 10-car set I picked up for ¥11,500 at the Hobbyland Pochi sale in Akihabara last weekend. A few little scratches on it, but damn that was cheap. I was either looking for this train or Fire Orange Keisei trains (GM 3150s or MA 3200s or 3300s), but this was just too good to let it slip.

 

Do I want another one? Yes, I do think so. Just to repaint/resticker this one in the colours of my fictional company :)

Edited November 3, 2014 by Toni Babelony

[JR 500系]

A 10-car set at 11,500? That's a steal anytime!  :)

 

Moving into Sotetsu, Toni? How about Keisei?  :icon_cheese:

[ToniBabelony]

A 10-car set at 11,500? That's a steal anytime!  :)

 

Moving into Sotetsu, Toni? How about Keisei?  :icon_cheese:

 

I'm partially moving to Sōtetsu, since I want to have a collection of close where I live, plus a fantasy section (Sagamihara Development Railway).

 

There are a few good reasons for me to do this:

- Odakyu has no interesting trains at all (maybe only the 7000 Series);

- A friend already collects Tōkyū and Metro trains (Den'entoshi line);

- I don't like JR (Yokohama line) enough to buy models from them;

- Enoden is on hold and not really a priority, as it's a bit far away and I rarely ride it;

- Sōtetsu has a very interesting future ahead (JR/Tōkyū connection line), has very unique and innovative trains running (wide bodies, electric windows, mixed cross and longitudinal seats, outside disk brakes).

 

That said, Keisei is not off the list at all! I'm currently, slowly, working on an 8-car model of a 2000/9000 type from Hokusō (made by Yellow Train) and have plans to make a Chiba Express 1000 type, make one more Keisei 3100 type, and purchase or build a 3700 type 1st edition in the future. Since most of them are kits/kitbash projects, Keisei isn't so much a priority and the area and period I'm modeling isn't very popular (Oshiage line, 1991~1992), they are available at almost all times.

[beakaboy]

My 2nd pcl arrived over the weekend from my friend. Along with the 2 EMU sets and Catenary, he added a Kato ED75 ,a couple of locos for parts, some  bogies with wheels(new), new wheelsets and some traction tyres. $80 including postage of $10

 

Edited November 4, 2014 by beakaboy

[ToniBabelony]

 

My 2nd pcl arrived over the weekend from my friend. Along with the 2 EMU sets and Catenary, he added a Kato ED75 ,a couple of locos for parts, some bogies with wheels(new), new wheelsets and some traction tyres. $80 including postage of $10

Oh wow! Are those Keikyu 800 cars made by KATO? Those are crazy rare!

[beakaboy]

Hi Toni. I am not sure. looking up the number on box at Hobby Search lists it as a seibu series new 101, basic 4 car set. Mean anything to you. I must admit it is a very nice looking set and runs well.

[railsquid]

I know Tony just loves those yellow/grey Seibu cars :P, but he's referring to the crimson/cream (?) ones in the foreground. Maybe the boxes got mixed up?

[ToniBabelony]

Hi Toni. I am not sure. looking up the number on box at Hobby Search lists it as a seibu series new 101, basic 4 car set. Mean anything to you. I must admit it is a very nice looking set and runs well.

 

->

 

I know Tony just loves those yellow/grey Seibu cars  :P, but he's referring to the crimson/cream (?) ones in the foreground. Maybe the boxes got mixed up?

 

Yes, I was actually referring to the red and cream cars. Those Seibu 101 Series have been released by Kato recently and aren't rare at all. Maybe Seibu from that era (yellow errwhur and classic Red Arrow 5000 Series ahoy!) is actually the only era that is sort of interesting regarding Seibu...

[beakaboy]

Duh! showing my distinct lack of knowledge of Japanese Rail. The crimson and cream set is indeed an 800 -3 series. I actually got 3 sets of 3 of these. So 9 coaches altogether.  did they just run them as 3 unit sets or combine them for peak traffic, etc?

[railsquid]

No doubt Tony will be along in a minute with more details, but IIRC from my time commuting on it, Keikyu runs 8 and 4 car sets, sometimes combining them into a 8+4 set (through-running onto the Asakusa line is 8 cars only). I'm not sure if there were some 6 car sets on local services, but there are certainly no 3-car sets.

[ToniBabelony]

Duh! showing my distinct lack of knowledge of Japanese Rail. The crimson and cream set is indeed an 800 -3 series. I actually got 3 sets of 3 of these. So 9 coaches altogether.  did they just run them as 3 unit sets or combine them for peak traffic, etc?

 

Whaaa~ 9 cars of the 800 Series? I hope they're Kato made, since they're pretty valuable collectors items. If they're MicroAce, they're not too bad as well.

 

In the beginning, these trains ran in 3-car formations or combined 3+3, depending on the demand. This was only during the time they were painted in red with a creme window band. After repainting them to full-red with a white belt below the window in the mid-eighties, they were fixed into 6-car formations and had the control cabs removed in the middle. They have never run in 9-car formations.

 

I expect these trains to be repainted in the first livery (creme window band) just before retirement. One of the Keikyū 2000 types now also runs with the old livery as it's about to be retired very soon.

[Sean]

It is my birthday this week so my wife and parents have both gotten me train stuff.

 

From wife I got the KATO 8 car Shinkaisoku set that runs along the JR Kobe line.  I have been wanting this for the longest time, I lived in the Kansai area for 5 years and used to take this train almost everyday. It is a beauty, though I can only just squeeze 6 of the cars into my layout.  I also had to displace another train to put it in there, I am definitely going to have to expand.

 

 

My dad got me some buildings including one of those massive KATO office/shopping buildings that cost more than 3,000 yen which I hadn`t splurged on myself yet.  I think this one looks pretty good

[railsquid]

My dad got me some buildings including one of those massive KATO office/shopping buildings that cost more than 3,000 yen which I hadn`t splurged on myself yet.  I think this one looks pretty good

 

You need to fill those empty floors with rows of desks and sleeping salarypersons ;) Make sure the lights on most floors burn late into the evening too.

[1954G]

The 223 series' attractive front end and tasteful paint scheme make it one of my favorite trains.  Congratulations on receiving Kato's excellent rendition of it.  

 

A quick question: what technique did you use to make your roads?  The color and texture looks pretty good.  

[Sean]

Railsquid - Actually I might see if I can crack it open and toss some people in there, one of the problems with those Kato office buildings is that you can see everything inside and the lack of interior activity is noticable.

 

M1954G - thanks!  I`m quite pleased with it, KATO did a good job of making it look like the real thing.

 

My roads are made of fine-grain sandpaper painted grey, with the lines done by hand.  The sandpaper works great, though I think I will try to print rather than handpaint the rest of the roadway that I am working on. 

Edited November 5, 2014 by Sean

[1954G]

Railsquid - Actually I might see if I can crack it open and toss some people in there, one of the problems with those Kato office buildings is that you can see everything inside and the lack of interior activity is noticable.

 

M1954G - thanks!  I`m quite pleased with it, KATO did a good job of making it look like the real thing.

 

My roads are made of fine-grain sandpaper painted grey, with the lines done by hand.  The sandpaper works great, though I think I will try to print rather than handpaint the rest of the roadway that I am working on. 

 

Sandpaper is a neat idea. I'll try it out once I have enough buildings to make a proper downtown. 

 

Ken did a detailed write-up on the Kato office buildings, but he did not mention options for adding interior details.  

Here it is, in case you haven't seen it: http://www.sumidacrossing.org/OtherElements/KatoTowers/

[railsquid]

Railsquid - Actually I might see if I can crack it open and toss some people in there, one of the problems with those Kato office buildings is that you can see everything inside and the lack of interior activity is noticable.

 

I've got the Tomix equivalent (picked it up 2nd hand for 800 yen) and the windows are kind of tinted so it's hard to see inside from any distance. OTOH it's missing every second floor so if I did add lighting that might stand out.

[beakaboy]

Whaaa~ 9 cars of the 800 Series? I hope they're Kato made, since they're pretty valuable collectors items. If they're MicroAce, they're not too bad as well.

 

In the beginning, these trains ran in 3-car formations or combined 3+3, depending on the demand. This was only during the time they were painted in red with a creme window band. After repainting them to full-red with a white belt below the window in the mid-eighties, they were fixed into 6-car formations and had the control cabs removed in the middle. They have never run in 9-car formations.

 

I expect these trains to be repainted in the first livery (creme window band) just before retirement. One of the Keikyū 2000 types now also runs with the old livery as it's about to be retired very soon.

Great  info Toni.Thanks! They are all Kato units. I suspect the power chassis have been replaced though . They have 14012 marked underneath the power unit and there is no lighting for the end cars. Correction. on closer inspection one of the end cars has the original lighting installed. Super cool effect as well especially the red lighting. I have also realised that I have 2 sets of the red with crème window  band and 1 set of the full red with a white belt below the window. would be great to get end lighting sets for the other cars (5)

Edited November 5, 2014 by beakaboy

[JR 500系]

Very lucky chap Sean! I never receive train stuff as gifts before...  :(  

 

And Happy Birthday!

 

The 223 series is really a tasteful train. When I first laid eyes on it, I was like, just another metal commuter train with a boring colour scheme. I got lucky with HS on a bargain set and the more I run and look at it now, the more I like its eyes and rear lights below the headlamps, and the 'Shin-Kaisoku' logo on the sides... It really gets to you the more you look at it!

 

Actually, you can run a 4-car formation of the 223 series, just remove the 4 middle cars. They are still prototypically correct, but as a different service.