Martijn Meerts Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 That's what Marklin has been saying for about 10 years now :) We'll see what happens though, if they continue on the same path they've been going down so far, I believe they won't make it... Link to comment
Claude_Dreyfus Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 And that's part of the problem... Marklin are expensive, however their quality is no longer streets ahead of their rivals. There will come a time - which may well be now - that people just will not pay those prices any longer; especially in the current financial climate. Sure, there will always be the 'Marklin Mafia' who will purchase their products come what may, but I fear that will not be enough to sustain the company in the long term. I agree that a total rethink may well be in order from Marklin, or they will become yet another model railway brand consigned to history... Link to comment
Kamiyacho Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Just received a Kato 10-431, Seibu E851 plus cement hopper cars. I've always been a bit drawn to freight as opposed to shinkansen (yes, I know I am an outlier on this forum) and this seemed like a chance to get a set of uniquely numbered freight cars along with, for variety, the Teki and a Wafu with tail lights. Plus, the E851 fits my general time period and geography limitations. Link to comment
David Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Just received a Kato 10-431, Seibu E851 plus cement hopper cars. I've always been a bit drawn to freight as opposed to shinkansen (yes, I know I am an outlier on this forum) and this seemed like a chance to get a set of uniquely numbered freight cars along with, for variety, the Teki and a Wafu with tail lights. Plus, the E851 fits my general time period and geography limitations. You'll have to share how the locomotive performs (noise, smooth slow speed, DCC readyness). I like that set too (also a non-Shinkansen modeler) but have been scared away by the apparent ancient tooling of the locomotive. Link to comment
westfalen Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Just received a Kato 10-431, Seibu E851 plus cement hopper cars. I've always been a bit drawn to freight as opposed to shinkansen (yes, I know I am an outlier on this forum) and this seemed like a chance to get a set of uniquely numbered freight cars along with, for variety, the Teki and a Wafu with tail lights. Plus, the E851 fits my general time period and geography limitations. There are a few of us, a recent order of mine from HS consisted entirely of Kawai freight cars. Link to comment
Kamiyacho Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 You'll have to share how the locomotive performs (noise, smooth slow speed, DCC readyness). So far the E851 seems good to me. I ran it for two full circuits on my DCC layout (Peco code 55 track ) with no issues, other than the usual buzzing sound from a non-DCC locomotive. Then I put it on the T-trak modules (Unitrack) and it ran well at slow speeds with no grinding sound. I'm not at the point yet where I install my own DCC, so I will have to ask someone else to look at that for me. At the moment it looks like a good one and I am happy with the set. Link to comment
westfalen Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Since my last post I checked the post office and found a parcel from Hattons, I knew it was from them because it was tied up with string. Link to comment
quinntopia Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 A bit late, but 'Santa' delivered the green Kato Portram...WOW! They looked good in the photos, but its looks in 'real life' and its excellent running abilities (I was a bit nervous how it would handle my Tomix 103 radius curves...Modemo trams sometimes get cranky on these) have blown me away! I expect I will definitely be getting more of these Kato trams...they are just excellent! Link to comment
Bernard Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 A bit late, but 'Santa' delivered the green Kato Portram...WOW! They looked good in the photos, but its looks in 'real life' and its excellent running abilities (I was a bit nervous how it would handle my Tomix 103 radius curves...Modemo trams sometimes get cranky on these) have blown me away! I expect I will definitely be getting more of these Kato trams...they are just excellent! Quinn - Are you going to run the Portram DC or DCC? Link to comment
quinntopia Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Quote from: quinntopia on January 05, 2011, 05:57:23 amA bit late, but 'Santa' delivered the green Kato Portram...WOW! They looked good in the photos, but its looks in 'real life' and its excellent running abilities (I was a bit nervous how it would handle my Tomix 103 radius curves...Modemo trams sometimes get cranky on these) have blown me away! I expect I will definitely be getting more of these Kato trams...they are just excellent! Quinn - Are you going to run the Portram DC or DCC? My tram line is a simple point to point, so DC with some of those auto-reversers on each end does the trick! Its nice not to have to worry about converting my trams to DCC, although I do miss the constant lighting! Link to comment
westfalen Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 This reminds me I have a decoder for a Kato Portram sitting in my box of DCC stuff, I'll have to dig it out and pick one of my four trams as a guinea pig to try it out. Link to comment
Nozomi4ever Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Received my MRCE dispolok.. But meanwhile I will post the functions before the pictures.. F0 Headlights /marker lights F1 Long-distance headlights F2 Operating sound F3 Horn F4 ABV F5 Main Relay F6 Headlights at Engineer cabin 1 off ( Only works with Headlights/marker lights, F0) F7 Blower motor F8 Headlights at Engineer cabin 2 off ( Only works with Headlights/marker lights, F0) F9 Station Annoucement (German)(Mobile Station users don't get to enjoy this function) Last one is a special bonus function!(11th Function) Double A Switching light : ( Only works with Headlights/marker lights, F0) Central Station 2/Mobile Station 2 : F0+F6+F8 Mobile Station : Light symbol on controller+F1+F8 If only Kato or Tomix can introduce these functions on their trains and market it at a premium price , hmm Link to comment
Claude_Dreyfus Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 A while ago I ordered an H0 Kato DE10 from my local shop. Well, it has now transpired that owing to a lack of understanding of the Kato production cycles as well as a serious misunderstanding of the levels of interest in Japanese model railways in the UK on their part (you can order anything from Kato via them, but they won't place the order with Kato until they have at least six orders for the same item - which means that by the time they get six orders of something (if at all) that item is long out of production) I have missed out on the DE10. As I was still after a diesel in H0, so have gone for the slightly bigger DD51 - I collected it on Friday. Compare and contrast with its little brother... That's two engines that I still need to add all the detailing gubbings to... 1 Link to comment
westfalen Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 A while ago I ordered an H0 Kato DE10 from my local shop. Well, it has now transpired that owing to a lack of understanding of the Kato production cycles as well as a serious misunderstanding of the levels of interest in Japanese model railways in the UK on their part (you can order anything from Kato via them, but they won't place the order with Kato until they have at least six orders for the same item - which means that by the time they get six orders of something (if at all) that item is long out of production) I have missed out on the DE10. As I was still after a diesel in H0, so have gone for the slightly bigger DD51 - I collected it on Friday. Compare and contrast with its little brother... That's two engines that I still need to add all the detailing gubbings to... Nice, I've often thought of getting some Japanese HO to run on the club layout. I can't see that hobby shop getting many successful orders, there is a shop here that I'm sure does the same thing with Walthers in the U.S., I've had stuff on order for two or three years with the promise that "it's coming", then I got fed up and ordered straight from Walthers and got it in ten days. Link to comment
Nozomi4ever Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 A while ago I ordered an H0 Kato DE10 from my local shop. Well, it has now transpired that owing to a lack of understanding of the Kato production cycles as well as a serious misunderstanding of the levels of interest in Japanese model railways in the UK on their part (you can order anything from Kato via them, but they won't place the order with Kato until they have at least six orders for the same item - which means that by the time they get six orders of something (if at all) that item is long out of production) I have missed out on the DE10. As I was still after a diesel in H0, so have gone for the slightly bigger DD51 - I collected it on Friday. Compare and contrast with its little brother... That's two engines that I still need to add all the detailing gubbings to... Nice one! Claude!! A baby DE10 and a large DE10 ... I suppose a brass DE10 will look even better.. Link to comment
Fenway Park Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Hi Claude, I presume you are referring to the new Kato wholesaler for UK? They appear to be unaware of the UK market for Japanese N and HO and their web site is very vague as to what they have in stock. So how can we best educate them so as their stock levels of everyday items such as freight wagons remain at a good level? Link to comment
Claude_Dreyfus Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Hi Claude, I presume you are referring to the new Kato wholesaler for UK? They appear to be unaware of the UK market for Japanese N and HO and their web site is very vague as to what they have in stock. So how can we best educate them so as their stock levels of everyday items such as freight wagons remain at a good level? I think you have the culprits identified! In terms of educating, it is something I have been working on. Several of the staff know that I am into Japanese N Gauge. I do believe that unless they carry a balanced stock of Japanese trains, then the market will never expand; at least through them. For example, they do not have any Bullets in stock, nor any of what I would term the 'bread and butter' items - a smattering of locos, a few units and, yes, a regular stock of freight vehicles. I obtain the vast majority of my stock direct from Japan; although the cost saving, once VAT and Customs charges are taken into account, is no longer significant. It would be so much easier for me to obtain items from just down the road...and a lot easier for UK customers to purchase their items from a UK dealer. However, by selling just the motor carriage (an intermediate car) of a Kiha 82 with none of the other cars, including driving trailers in stock, they are hardly pressing the benefits of Japanese railways. I have commented on the very poor selection they carry - and the annoying habit of getting in the add-on sets without the master sets. I accept there is a certain element of 'chicken and egg', and agree that they don't want lots of stock hanging around on their shelves, however they need to invest in the right sort of items to attract the buyers; the bold, the bright and the iconic, as well as picking up from the previous wholesalers (who even now, still carry a greater stock level than their successors) in trying to adertise the stuff. Link to comment
Martijn Meerts Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 My GS-4, 12-part Series 151 and Totoro house arrived today. Either I was unlucky, or Kato's quality control is getting worse. The shell of 1 of the cab cars of the 151 was half loose (easy enough to fix), and the GS-4 sounds like it's binding somewhere, as well as the locomotive shell being loose. I haven't checked yet if it;s possible to just snap it into place. It definitely doesn't run as well as I expected/as it should though. On the upside, both trains look stunning, the GS-4 is massive. The locomotive alone is almost as long as Tomix's C57 WITH tender. It's also quite a bit wider and taller.My biggest gripe though, is the coupler rod between loco and tender is HUGE. The 151 runs amazingly smooth and looks pretty incredible. The bonnet is definitely something else, and it's just great seeing something in the old JNR colors running around :) Link to comment
Claude_Dreyfus Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Only four months late; however at last I have been notified that the MA KiHa 53-200 is in stock... http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10114992 Link to comment
Nick_Burman Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Kato M1 track set + EP-481 turnout. Gives me somewhere to test my stuff. Used it today to test-run my American locos which have been in storage for quite a while. Cheers NB Link to comment
KenS Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 I got the paypal notice from HS this morning for my MicroAce Shiki600 + Yo8000 set. I'm glad I pre-ordered, as it's already sold out. This was originally due in February, but apparently it came in early. Link to comment
Martijn Meerts Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Ordered another 5 silver mini decoders, 2 ESU Lokpilot fx micro function decoders to test, another ESU Lokpilot micro for 1 of my father's trains, some ballast (woodland scenics fine ballast, 2x buff, 1x grey, 1x light grey, they'll all be mixed into 1 color), as well as some black Evergreen sheets, 000, 00 and 0 sized brushes, primer, thinner, liquid masking, water-slide decal softener, putty, lids for my airbrush cups, mixing glasses, connection set to hook up the glasses to the airbrush, and around 49 different Gunze colors ;) Good thing pay day is getting closer again =) Link to comment
cteno4 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Just got the HW email that my DD53-2 snow plow is finally shipping! woo hoo now just the sal wait! cheers jeff Link to comment
Krackel Hopper Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Just got the HW email that my DD53-2 snow plow is finally shipping! woo hoo now just the sal wait! Me too, my DD53-2 plow shipping with my kokifu 10000-10900 (inspection container?) Now, do I pre-order my DD14 rotary plow set from HS? Or wait and see if HW offers it? http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10137233 Link to comment
Kamiyacho Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Micro Ace Wamu 8000. 15 cars - looks great. Freight is taking over my layout! Link to comment
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