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

[ia909]

On 5/27/2021 at 4:23 PM, ia909 said:

I'm quite sure we (and Arctic) know exactly who!! Called this morning to chase, went to voicemail so I've sent an email as requested. Never tried them before, knew of their poor reputation but I took a punt and never will again.

 

GM messed a payment up over Christmas for a Roco Vectron and in fairness they have given me a £20 voucher as compensation (which just about brings their prices in line with the market). If only they had something I wanted.........

Update! Received an email back saying the firm is awaiting delivery of the loco, (so I guess the ‘in stock’ marker last Sunday was a simple human error). Given the comments on the forum, I’ve asked for a refund. 

[ED75-775]

Just received email confirmation that my Tomix 97935 set has arrived at Hobbysearch and is being prepped for departure. And it has transfers for the set I rode on in Kyoto so I kinda spontaneously fist pumped at that. No word on that 98735 Express Goods set though which Tomix list as arriving next month, Hobbysearch still claims it'll come this month, not that there's much left of it. But hey, I can be patient and there's other stuff to tempt me while I wait. For example, there's new production runs of some wagons I've been looking at for a while, like the Ka 3000 livestock wagon.

 

In other news, Exhibits C through F in the New Arrivals lineup were delivered on Thursday along with two Starbucks mugs for my collection. So I'll post some photos tomorrow (of the trains, not the mugs! We're here for trains!) for everyone to enjoy.

[ED75-775]

Sooo... as promised, Exhibits C through F lined up for your delectation.

Of course, even just a little package like this deserves to be shown off, so to start we have C12 51 and three 31-series coaches which I’ve wanted to do since 2019 when I saw it suggested in my new Kato catalogue. 

Followed by C57 135 with a mixed train, maybe there’s some perishable priority goods in those ReMu’s?

Meanwhile back in Asakusa a green 103 series commuter train has been packed and dispatched via EMS. It should arrive early next month. Then I’ll have some more N-scale stuff later that month, plus (fingers crossed for this one) my Märklin H0-scale Insider Club loco and car set.

 

With all this stuff coming, my N-scale collection will need some larger storage tubs to keep it in! (The H0-scale stuff has its own storage space under my layout in the garage.)

Edited May 30, 2021 by ED75-775

[ED75-775]

Meanwhile a smaller consignment slipped in a few days before: a set of 3075-1E2 number plates for an ED75-1000. I already have a complete rolling chassis, the pantographs, and a spare lighting board, now all I need is that super-rare 3075-1A body shell to turn my 90% complete loco into a 100% complete one!

 

           

 

So far my searches for said shell have been fruitless and the one store that might have had it, a little joint in western Tokyo called Heisando, politely declined to confirm they had it as they don’t sell outside of Japan (I should have mentioned I have an agent in Tokyo who had been looking for me!).

 

So, then, a polite request: should you encounter a wild 3075-1A body anywhere, please do inform me of its whereabouts and cost. I will gladly pay for it to be acquired and shipped to me. I hate having this unfinished business, oops, I mean locomotive, in my stock box!

Edited May 30, 2021 by ED75-775

[Tony Galiani]

@ED75-775 - You might try Model Trains Plus to make the purchase and ship it to you.  He has a buying service and I have used it once with good results (as his service is always pretty good).  Of course, the extra cost involved may be a factor - not sure how much his service would add to the cost.  His English is excellent so communication is pretty easy.

Cheers,

Tony Galiani

[ED75-775]

37 minutes ago, Tony Galiani said:

You might try Model Trains Plus to make the purchase and ship it to you.  He has a buying service and I have used it once with good results (as his service is always pretty good).  Of course, the extra cost involved may be a factor - not sure how much his service would add to the cost.  His English is excellent so communication is pretty easy.

Thanks for the suggestion Tony! I'll get onto that and make some inquiries tomorrow.

 

Regards,

Alastair

[JR 500系]

So i bought a whole carton of EF66-0 cause i love it so much ~  😛

 

[ED75-775]

I'm all for a little variety, but seriously.... eighteen EF66's? Blimey, Sammy - I hope you've got a good line on third-party number plates!

 

TBH though the new Tomix EF66's are nice models. I'm happy with my 7142 though I haven't run it much yet, I only got about ten minutes max. out of it before I had to scurry off to work the night I tested it. I might get it out this weekend and have another play with it.

[Socimi]

4 hours ago, JR 500系 said:

So i bought a whole carton of EF66-0 cause i love it so much ~  😛

 

 

18 Units!? Really!?

 

You might have just become the JNSForum record holder for "how many locomotives of the same type are in your possession" beating @EH500 (12)'s titular twelve EH500s!

[bill937ca]

4 hours ago, JR 500系 said:

So i bought a whole carton of EF66-0 cause i love it so much ~  😛

 

 

Ha ha ha. Go Sammy!!

[roadstar_na6]

Tokonami-San does like to recycle his carboard boxes, I have yet to receive one of those tho 😄

[Martijn Meerts]

Probably just camouflaged busses ...

 

[disturbman]

18 EF66 busses.

[RMB]

Took delivery of a Kato 11-214 LED Interior Lighting Kit V2. love the effect. Getting some flickering which I assume means the tracks need cleaning?

 

[Yavianice]

4 minutes ago, RMB said:

Took delivery of a Kato 11-214 LED Interior Lighting Kit V2. love the effect. Getting some flickering which I assume means the tracks need cleaning?

It can be:

- Cleaning of the track or wheels or the axle part for the pickups

- Poor connection of the light board to the pickup (Bending the prongs on the lightboard fixes this)

- Poor connection between the pickups and the internal copper parts (slightly bending the pickups down approx. halfway fixes this)

- Poor connection between the internal copper parts and the bogie pickups (this is a bit harder and depending on model, but sometimes you can also bend the coppers slightly "down" so the prongs on the bogie make a bit more contact. But you should first try the first three options before doing this).

Edited June 1, 2021 by Yavianice

[inobu]

Well, instead of a case of egg patties I get Signal Pilots. Oh well maybe I can find some use for

them on a layout never know.

 

[bill937ca]

Plaza Japan orders shipped in mid-April and early-May arrived today. There is a Greenmax 2601 prepainted Train Garage and A Fukui Railway 200  train set along withthe TM-27 power unit.

[JR 500系]

Wahaha let's just stop the teasing ~~ We all know it's not quite possible i will get 18x EF-66 ~ (cant say the same for a Toei bus) 

 

 

 

Always LOVE how Rokko packs and ships their items. PERFECTLY packed with ample protection! 

 

 

Individually wrapped bubble wrap with love 

 

 

13 hours ago, Martijn Meerts said:

Probably just camouflaged busses ...

 

You know me well!!! 

 

 

Aero Queen collection! I love these double decker coaches so much i had to have at least one of every variant ~~ The 6 bus pack comes in a REALLY cute box!

 

 

Track maintenance vehicles 

 

 

Doremon Go First car museum 

 

 

Plarail wrapping ~ Cute and lovely!

 

12 hours ago, disturbman said:

18 EF66 busses.

 

Is there really a EF66 bus? 😛

 

 

[Dinosbacsi]

Today's small haul, a Soft-Kun wheel polisher and two Kobaru zokutto cars ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[Madsing]

Could you zoom on the cars? How do they look compared to Tomytec's?

[Dinosbacsi]

6 hours ago, Madsing said:

Could you zoom on the cars? How do they look compared to Tomytec's?

Sure, here they are up close.

 

I don't know how they compare to Tomytec's cars, as these 3 are my first N scale cars, but they're not bad. The painting is a bit wonky at places, most noticeably on the white one. They also have good details, like pretty good wheel models and body details, but (due to the paint layer, I suppose) they're not as sharp as my train models, for example. So due to their bit wonky looks, I don't think the 1400 yen price for one is really justified. But unless you look at them really up close, they look alright details wise and the tuner look is really cool.

[gavino200]

I've been tempted by these a few times. What's always held me back is that the clear plastic for the windows doesn't seem to fit very well. You can see the gap between the roof and the plastic. Otherwise the shell looks good and there are some interesting models available. 

 

What do the cars look like underneath. How hard would it be to take them apart and adjust/replace the clear window plastic?

[cteno4]

Yeah many n scale cars can have not good fitting windows or very thick clear plastic that gives an odd look of like tank glass! it’s funny they usually make the window piece out of the thickest plastic when it’s not taking any stress and actually is best if it could bend a little to be a tight fit. It may be that clear styrene just does not mould well thin.
 

I’ve often knoodled if/how some better fitting windows could be made for those great cars save the bad windows. One thought was thermoforming the thinness possible film over the existing windows then squeezing those in instead the original windows. or using the liquid glazing stuff, but that will give only flat windows within the frame and I think some windshields will be too big and finish may be too uneven. Cutting and shaping (even out of a thermoform copy) would be the ultimate tedium.

 

jeff

[Dinosbacsi]

41 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

What's always held me back is that the clear plastic for the windows doesn't seem to fit very well. You can see the gap between the roof and the plastic. Otherwise the shell looks good and there are some interesting models available.

Yes, especially on the two Skylines, the black and the blue one, it's really noticeable. It's like the window piece is sunken in way too low.

 

42 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

What do the cars look like underneath. How hard would it be to take them apart and adjust/replace the clear window plastic?

They do have some basic detailing on their undersides as well, similar to what you would see on a HotWheels car, for example. There is more underside detail on the Skylines though, the white has a pretty basic underside. I can take pictures if you'd like.

 

Anyway there aren't any rivets or screws, so I suppose they're just glued together. I can't tell how difficult it would be to take them apart. But it also interests me a bit as well, because it would be nice to be able to fix the windows.

[gavino200]

1 minute ago, Dinosbacsi said:

Anyway there aren't any rivets or screws, so I suppose they're just glued together. I can't tell how difficult it would be to take them apart. But it also interests me a bit as well, because it would be nice to be able to fix the windows.

 

I bet it would be possible to fix the windows. My guess is that it's all molded as one piece which doesn't quite fit. Perhaps they use the same piece for all cars. 

 

My first thoughts

1. take the one-piece stock window plastic (I'm assuming), separate the component pieces, adjust as necessary and place individually into the window spaces. 

2. Remake them with clear plastic. I wouldn't favor this as I think the flatness of clear plastic would be obvious. Especially how it reflects light. 

3. Perhaps find some clear plastic that's quite thin but could be moldable. Do evergreen have clear styrene sheets? Cut and sculpt to shape as per 2. but then thermomold them over a hot spoon or something. Then fix into place. 

 

I may experiment with this at some stage. Sources for new cars are a bit scarce.