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

[cteno4]

Nice touch with the foam bits as some of those cars do rattle around in some of those boxes! Return postage for a broken car in shipping would be more than the car is worth...

 

jeff

[katoftw]

On 2/4/2019 at 4:40 PM, katoftw said:

Pre-ordered the underbody parts for a Kumoha320 aka JR 321 series.  Would be too long ago for anyone to remember.  But I got my Kato 321 series, 3 car basic and 4 car add-on, from a yahoo seller brand new for 10,000 yen, which is crazy low cost.  Once I got it, one of the front dummy couplers was missing and the clip on the motor car for the coupler was broken.  So it would not hold the couplers together.  Since the EMU couplers for Kato are all the same, finding a replacement coupler wasn't difficult.  But the dummy couple doesn't come as a stand alone part.  Since the 321 series is being re-released, so are the shelss, underbody parts and motor car.

 

I only want the dummy coupler, so 950 yen is a bit too much.  And I was thinking of just just getting some old couplers and going custom to fit as a dummy.  But since I paid peanuts for the 7 cars.  Buying a coupler set and overpriced dummy coupler with chassis, light unit, bogies, wheels and coupler attached isn't so bad.

So Kato themselve cancelled the release of this product. Grrr!

 

I am guessing because of the newer 321 upcoming release that the wont be offering parts until later in the year near the newer 321 release.

 

I'll have to wait until the offer the product again.  I bet they re-offer it next week.  Just to be a PITA.

 

 

[Drunkenclam]

Not much exciting this weekend.

 

 

 

 

[katoftw]

On 2/4/2019 at 4:40 PM, katoftw said:

Pre-ordered the underbody parts for a Kumoha320 aka JR 321 series.  Would be too long ago for anyone to remember.  But I got my Kato 321 series, 3 car basic and 4 car add-on, from a yahoo seller brand new for 10,000 yen, which is crazy low cost.  Once I got it, one of the front dummy couplers was missing and the clip on the motor car for the coupler was broken.  So it would not hold the couplers together.  Since the EMU couplers for Kato are all the same, finding a replacement coupler wasn't difficult.  But the dummy couple doesn't come as a stand alone part.  Since the 321 series is being re-released, so are the shelss, underbody parts and motor car.

 

I only want the dummy coupler, so 950 yen is a bit too much.  And I was thinking of just just getting some old couplers and going custom to fit as a dummy.  But since I paid peanuts for the 7 cars.  Buying a coupler set and overpriced dummy coupler with chassis, light unit, bogies, wheels and coupler attached isn't so bad.

 

23 hours ago, katoftw said:

So Kato themselve cancelled the release of this product. Grrr!

 

I am guessing because of the newer 321 upcoming release that the wont be offering parts until later in the year near the newer 321 release.

 

I'll have to wait until the offer the product again.  I bet they re-offer it next week.  Just to be a PITA.

 

 

One day later, they offer the product again with a different stock number and 100 yen price increase. haha

[Welshbloke]

They seem to have delayed a few parts. The gangway hoods I pre-ordered got bumped from March to April production. Don't really mind as long as I do in fact get some, have a Panorama Express Alps set which is missing a few and some EMUs which could use them as upgrades.

[Keith]

A few more random purchases. I have used HS and PlazaJapan before, but also tried Mandarake for the 415 this time and it arrived in no time and was in very good condition.

Edited April 9, 2019 by Keith

[Lina_Blue]

Bought my first EH, I prefered the 200 series, but this 500 had a good price together with the TAKIs.

Now how to get it DCCed, is the question.

 

Also got the Kato Catalogs from 2017 and 2018 for free.

 

[Sheffie]

Ordered:

 

Greenmax 2114 Single Track Tunnel Portals (Unelectrified) (2pair) (Model Train) N Scale,1/150 Structure
Item price: 540 yen  x  Q.T.Y: 1  =  540 yen

Tamiya 74112 Precision Pin Vise D-R (0.1-3.2mm) (Hobby Tool) Tamiya Craft Tool
Item price: 1,520 yen  x  Q.T.Y: 1  =  1,520 yen

Tomix 3157 J.R.. Container Type 30D (New Color/2 Pieces) (Model Train) N Scale,1/150 Accessories (Container)
Item price: 810 yen  x  Q.T.Y: 2  =  1,620 yen

Tomix 3164 Private Ownership Container Type ISO 20ft (SENKO) (2 Pieces) (Model Train) N Scale,1/150 Accessories (Container)
Item price: 810 yen  x  Q.T.Y: 1  =  810 yen

Popopro MT-021 [memory`s] Planting (Conical Shape) 40mm (5 Pieces) (Model Train) N Scale Layout Material
Item price: 700 yen  x  Q.T.Y: 1  =  700 yen

Popopro MT-022 [memory`s] Planting (Conical Shape) 50mm (5 Pieces) (Model Train) N Scale Layout Material
Item price: 800 yen  x  Q.T.Y: 1  =  800 yen

Popopro MT-023 [memory`s] Planting (Conical Shape) 60mm (5 Pieces) (Model Train) N Scale Layout Material
Item price: 900 yen  x  Q.T.Y: 1  =  900 yen

Popopro MT-008 [memory`s] Cherry Blossom (40mm) (3 Pieces) (Model Train) N Scale Layout Material
Item price: 900 yen  x  Q.T.Y: 1  =  900 yen
 

 

Because you can never have too many trees!

(or containers)

Edited April 9, 2019 by Sheffie

[gavino200]

12 hours ago, Waisneed said:

Bought my first EH, I prefered the 200 series, but this 500 had a good price together with the TAKIs.

Now how to get it DCCed, is the question.

 

 

Inobu did a guide on this install. Unfortunately the picture links are down.

 

 

Here's a picture of the install from defor's gallery.

 

 

I tried this method on an EF-200 but could never get the shell to close right. I eventually redid it with a tiny D&H decoder, which worked but was extremely difficult. I fit it in right next to the drive shaft. This install was the closest I ever came to destroying a loco through successive decoder install failures. I sort of love it all the more now because of all I went through with it. 

 

 

 

[chadbag]

19 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

I tried this method on an EF-200 but could never get the shell to close right. I eventually redid it with a tiny D&H decoder, which worked but was extremely difficult. I fit it in right next to the drive shaft. This install was the closest I ever came to destroying a loco through successive decoder install failures. I sort of love it all the more now because of all I went through with it. 

 

 

On the EF200, I had to cut out some of the shell (underneath the top piece so you don't see it) but did get the shell to easily go on after doing that.  One of these day I'll be posting my pics.  I used the TCS equivalent.

 

The board replacement type installs are all pretty similar -- sometimes you need to move LEDs or replace LEDs, and you often need to make small removals of pieces of the shell (underneath top snap on pieces so you don't see it) in order to get the shell back down. I have not done an EHxxx of any sort but if it uses a standard KATO lightboard, I would expect it to be similar.

 

The trick is to remove just enough to get the shell to go back on and not remove too much.  I removed a little too much on the EF200, though it works.

[Keith]

I thought I would see what a catalogue was like, thinking It would be a normal size. After the postage got added I thought they maybe made a mistake. Then it arrived, I had no idea it would be this large, heavy and comprehensive.

I had also added a Sankei kit just to ensure postage wasn’t more than the product. 

It could now get expensive..

[serotta1972]

My souvenir from the Kato Hobby Center, the layout and displays were impressive and I thought to myself - JR500 has all these trains and more, actually me too. 🙂

 

[IST]

4 minutes ago, serotta1972 said:

My souvenir from the Kato Hobby Center, the layout and displays were impressive and I thought to myself - JR500 has all these trains and more, actually me too. 🙂

 

I bought the same souvenir from there a few month ago. Did you buy the motorised chassis?

[Kiha66]

Wow that looks great Jr, I should have had you pick one up for me while you were there! 😁

[serotta1972]

No motor, IST because I figured it'll just be a display though I might eventually get a motorized chassis.  Sorry Sam, I know I should've got you one.  

[Kiha66]

No worries, its one of those trains I didn't think I wanted till I saw others getting one!  Knowing my habits, I'm sure I'll end up acquiring one sooner or later.  😁

[Kiha66]

Picked up a box of old throttles from Paul last week, now to go through them and find out if any are worth keeping!

[cteno4]

What a haul!

 

Ha, I still have one of those mrc hand helds in the middle.

 

jeff

[Kiha66]

That black MRC Tech II is a great product, I own three!  The rest here may have been nice in the 1980s/90s but now are well behind the more basic throttles on the market. I'll be keeping the Japanese controllers for fun (they have some nice gimmicks and great build quality, if less that amazing control) but most of the other controllers will be given to younger members of the local club who don't have anything to run trains at home, or stripped for parts and tossed as they aren't worth selling.

[Welshbloke]

Older controllers were often intended for older, higher current draw motors. This is why they're not impressive with modern motors. Witness the old Hammant and Morgan range in the UK, which are great metal-cased battleships of the controller world. Brilliant for Hornby Dublo or Triang trains from the 60s, not so good for modern N. At the same time trying to run Dublo with a Kato controller will probably lead to a lot of pops from the cutout button.

[Martijn Meerts]

I really shouldn't have, but I ordered various couplers and accessories to experiment with. I was doing a bit more research into the Peho current conducting magnetic couplers, and stumbled upon Krois current conducting couplers. Then I noticed Krois also has digitally controlled couplers for N-scale, which is of course interesting for some shunting and for example terminal stations where the locos can decouple and go into service and such.

 

Now, Peho has it's own store, as does Krois, but they charge quite a bit for shipping outside Germany (Peho) and Austria (Krois), but then I found a place in Germany that sells both brands, so I only need to pay crazy shipping once.. Decided to give it a go, so I ordered some 2 and 4 pole current conducting couplers from both Peho and Krois, a digital coupler from Krois, a set of 10 couplers that clip together meant for static consists, as well as a set of tools to install brass cups in the bogies of coaches, to sort of create the power pickup idea that Japanese brands already use. 

 

Should hopefully get it sometime next week, should be interesting to experiment with.

 

[railsquid]

A couple of E231-500 cars from the junk piles of Akihabara to flesh out my 4-car basic set:

 

kato E231-500 (Yamanote Line) - intermediate cars by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

They even came with passengers, a couple seem to be drunk and have fallen over (well it is Friday evening) but they do even seem to be reasonable quality ones (i.e. not your cheap 100-pack Ebay hoi-polloi in garish clothing).

Edited April 12, 2019 by railsquid

[JR 500系]

5 minutes ago, railsquid said:

A couple of E231-500 cars to flesh out my 4-car basic set:

 

kato E231-500 (Yamanote Line) - intermediate cars by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

They even came with passengers, a couple seem to be drunk and have fallen over (well it is Friday evening) but they do even seem to be reasonable quality ones (i.e. not your cheap 100-pack Ebay hoi-polloi in garish clothing).

 

They look like Tomytec figures, which is pretty good! The railway man from 'Working people' set and the photographer from 'Photography' set... Pretty strange though why the railway employee is sleeping in the car …   😛

 

 

A little parcel from Ami last week, featuring the Railway 28 collection! I seriously dislike the case for the railway collection, they simply cannot fit all 10 cars in it, and only come with slots for 6 cars... on the plus side though, they come with a blank car for those very inclined painters to try their own liveries... 

 

Gotta love these cars! (despite the price)… 

 

I have a question regarding these coupons... they seem to be for some lucky dip or sort? Probably doesn't apply to overseas customers though... 

[Welshbloke]

The best I've found for the Railway Collection are the Casco ten slot cases. If you can get the type B ones they have two columns of five slots, which can handle up to 20m stock. They sell the foam separately if you want to retrofit the Tomix case.

[railsquid]

Meanwhile, in a sudden moment of weakness, the purple version of the Narita Express.

 

Kato E353 (Azusa/Kaiji) by Rail Squid, on Flickr