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

[Kamome]

Really like the look of the IGR7000. When announced it didn’t pique my interest at all but in the flesh, looks very nice.

[disturbman]

So you discovered you liked JRE 701s? 😉

[AbaZ33a]

On 12/9/2021 at 3:43 PM, gavino200 said:

I finally ran the two 700 Shinkansens together. I like them both. They both run well at (estimated) scale speed. The Kato will go a lot over scale speed, faster than the Tomix, but that's not relevant. Both are smooth at all speeds.

 

Aesthetically I like the Kato better. To my eye it's more convincing, and less "plastic" looking. I actually like the look of the Kato car gaps better. I think that's just a personal preference, nothing objective.

 

Functionally, the Tomix couplers are annoying to couple. You have to line up the couplers carefully, and there are many failed attempts, but it's not a huge deal.

 

I'm really not convinced about the "all wheel pickup" of the Tomix. I don't seen any evidence that it's more juiced than that Kato. But with dirty wheels or track, who knows.

 

Bottom line - I like them both 🙂

 

 

 

 

Both of these sets have pluses and minuses and I think it’s one of the hardest “this brand or that one” choices to make. When I try to model a certain series I try to keep things uniform for one brand like I did with the N700 (TOMIX was my eventual choice) but since KATO does not produce all the variations of 700 series it’s not possible to pick just one to go with. When it comes to the Central 0 series 700’s I think even though it’s earliest version is from 1999, overall the deciding factor for me was simply that that KATO connection method looks much better to me. The TOMIX “hoods” really look inaccurate and off putting, when I can avoid them I do. That being said I think one of the biggest issues of the KATO model is that the front window looks alittle too small, the side passenger windows are very recessed/not flush with the body, and it lacks the front wiper, all of these things the TOMIX does correctly. Something very surprising was upon my quest to find a TOMIX West 700 3000 (as KATO does not produce it) I found that they do not have the boxy looking connection method and have a more portypical looking diaphragm in place of it, but the coupling is not in the diaphragm but below it. I think it looks much better and I don’t understand why they abandoned this type. If they had all used this type I would have purchased all my 700’s from TOMIX rather then split them up between the two brands. 

[disturbman]

On 12/12/2021 at 9:24 AM, disturbman said:

It is, but I would like a Tomix reissue.

And the god's of YJA hear me. Three motorized, home-made versions based on Tomix Kihas are now on sale. They look very well made.

 

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/f1025764236

[JR 500系]

4 hours ago, disturbman said:

And the god's of YJA hear me. Three motorized, home-made versions based on Tomix Kihas are now on sale. They look very well made.

 

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/f1025764236

 

OOOHHHH That is nice! Bet you'll be betting on it! I assume it should fetch like 20k or so, being so well made and HG grade and all, but you could get lucky!

[disturbman]

I won't. It's December and I already spent my hobby money. I might have taken a single, not three motorized cars 🙂

[jappomania]

On 12/14/2021 at 2:49 AM, AbaZ33a said:

.... Something very surprising was upon my quest to find a TOMIX West 700 3000 (as KATO does not produce it) I found that they do not have the boxy looking connection method and have a more portypical looking diaphragm in place of it, but the coupling is not in the diaphragm but below it. I think it looks much better and I don’t understand why they abandoned this type. If they had all used this type I would have purchased all my 700’s from TOMIX rather then split them up between the two brands. 

 

..because this coupler type (introduced with the first 800 release and applied also to 700-3000) was tooooo fragile, coupler spare parts are still available just because a lot of people broken them (me too, that's the reason because I've bought enogh spare parts for the nex 10 years....)
typical defect for 800 and 700-3000 set declared like junk on Yahoo

 

ciao!

Massimo

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by jappomania

[Yavianice]

 

8 minutes ago, jappomania said:

..because this coupler type (introduced with the first 800 release and applied also to 700-3000) was tooooo fragile

What is bizarre to me is that they opted to use their weird and (imo) ugly/inefficient light bleeding gangway design rather than doing the same as they did with the current 800 release: same gangway config but modern coupler.

[Rod.H]

Well, I ordered the cheapest - for me (<$500)- used Shinkansen on ebay, a Tomix 8 car 0-2000. Though if I got it on yahoo.jp it would've been a quarter of the price pre-shipping. Also Hobby Search got their hands on more of those JR Freight 19D marked folding crates, so I've got one of them heading my way at some point soon.

[gavino200]

I won this recently on Yahoo auctions. I've been looking for it for quite a while. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

[JR 500系]

3 hours ago, gavino200 said:

I won this recently on Yahoo auctions. I've been looking for it for quite a while. 🙂

 

Yes it is a REALLY lovely inspection trains, heck it even comes with inspection lights on the roof! Did you miss the pre-orders and the re-orders? I recall it being flooded on the market previously and was going for reasonable amount of dough... 

[cteno4]

MOW/test trains RULE!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[gavino200]

8 hours ago, JR 500系 said:

 

 Did you miss the pre-orders and the re-orders? I recall it being flooded on the market previously and was going for reasonable amount of dough... 

 

If there's been a recent pre-order then I definitely missed it. I wasn't able to find it in store anywhere. I got it for a decent price, so maybe there are a lot of them out there. It seems to be in excellent condition, though I won't get to run it until tonight. Fingers crossed.

[disturbman]

Nice, you chose a very unique train for your first MA model.  When you get to run it, we want pictures.

 

I think @JR 500系is confusing dream and reality, MA hasn't announced a new run of the E926.

[jappomania]

@gavino200

don't worry, no particular problems with this MA model, just take care of red pantograph (too fragile) because you can forget spare parts - Tomix/Kato can be adapted with small modification, but "only original parts" is better

 

@disturbman

I think @JR 500系 talk about first run and the second run (the number of MA train released 2 times is very little and E926 is one of this), the second run has not been "sold out" so fast like they thinked, I remember that has been available till not so far time from Nariichi and Rokko, and, strange to tell, the last one has been put on "bargain sale" from Hobbysearch (I was tempted, but, 1st I already have it, 2nd I buy from Modeltrainplus 😜 )

probably Gavin started his Shinkansen collection after

[disturbman]

RGR still has a few sought after and rare sets to sell. The E926 was sold in 2013, I supposed for us long-timers 8 years ago is not that far.

[jappomania]

18 minutes ago, disturbman said:

RGR still has a few sought after and rare sets to sell. The E926 was sold in 2013, I supposed for us long-timers 8 years ago is not that far.

 

mmhhh..... brake! 😋

 

2013 was the first release, when I was not yet grey like Santa and blind like a mole (f..k, I'm just 50...), just when Naoto leaved Rainbowten and has done some personal shopping for me (this one, the MA 300 J and F.....)

the re-release is not so far (2018-12) and it was on sale the first months of 2019, if you ask to Nariichi or Tokonami "san" when he sold the last one, believe me, is not so far (less than 1 year), same for the "bargain sale" but I don't think there is somebody in Hobbysearch that remember

 

...but at the end the best thing is that Gavin has found one for is collection 

 

Ciao!

Massimo 🎅

 

(after 20 years of Shinkansen collection is "certified" that I'm tooooo old to still play with trains....)

 

[chadbag]

I do remember a re-release of it.  I had wanted to get one but have been on moratorium (mostly) for a couple years with the house project.  (There were a couple of exceptions).

[AbaZ33a]

17 hours ago, gavino200 said:

I won this recently on Yahoo auctions. I've been looking for it for quite a while. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

This is also on my list. It’s a shame that MicroAce went from having some of the closest and most accurate connections between cars to now an awfully wide cavernous gap between cars. The 0 series used to be so close but after seeing the recent 0 1000 NH it’s been changed and looks much worse due to the Rapido couplings. 300 series is also wide because of the Arnold couplings. I’m searching for a solution to remedy this. 

[disturbman]

10 minutes ago, AbaZ33a said:

300 series is also wide because of the Arnold couplings. I’m searching for a solution to remedy this.

If you search ggle for マイクロエース 新幹線 連結器 300 you can find people that installed TN on their MA 300s.

 

https://tec300.exblog.jp/17734321/ or https://twitter.com/fujiyan913/status/1378904631644803072?s=20

I'm sure you can find more clear step-by-step processes if you search long enough. I usually start with image searches.

 

 

[jappomania]

@AbaZ33a

the MA300 is the much simple (but pricely) to update with Tomix TN coupler, but forget the small radius curve and the short turnouts

here you can see something.. (scroll down)

http://www.speedsphere.jp/RailRoad/Shinkansen/Tec300SeriesModelReview05.aspx

maybe try to convert 3-4 cars to see what happen....

 

 

On 12/15/2021 at 5:45 PM, Yavianice said:

What is bizarre to me is that they opted to use their weird and (imo) ugly/inefficient light bleeding gangway design rather than doing the same as they did with the current 800 release: same gangway config but modern coupler.

 

probably because the final resul is not so good like hoped...

(scroll down) http://www.speedsphere.jp/RailRoad/Shinkansen/Tec800SeriesModelReview02b.aspx

the comparison between Kato/old Tomix/new Tomix (the gap with the last "hook and ring" evo is bigger than the original JC50 coupler), without kinematic solution the "hook and Ring" system has reached his limit, it's impossible to reduce/eliminate gap between cars without the swinger hood

what is strange for me is why they haven't developed the JC50 type, at the end this coupler is break everytime in the same points, studing another/improved solution wasn't impossible, also Kato has do the same
(maybe someone remember the fu....ng E1 coupler and how many lower chassis pins broken, but the evolution applied to 100 and 500/700 basically is still in use...  and the same has been done with the TGV's Mx/Rx new coupler that retrofitting the old ...)

 

who knows.....

 

(anyway is better than Kato 0/200 - Arnold 😄 )

 

[Brennan91]

Back to inspection trains, is there any good place to find an MA East-i D/E? They were sold out on Hobbysearch but that’s the only online shop I’ve checked. I guess an online auction like yahoo would be my best bet, but a quick search doesn’t find anything.

[disturbman]

There is one E193 East i-D listed YJA, and one E493 East i-D at Hobbyland Pochi. There are relatively rare and can sell for a high price, but the Hobbyland Pochi one is a bit on the crazy side. Check the closed search to know how often they come around and at what price they usually sell.

[Kamome]

There’s a small Hobbyland Pochi in Hakata and it’s always pretty expensive for most complete sets or new condition used stock. 

 

It’s good for “junk” items and individual cars without boxes though and you can always find stuff you’ll never find anywhere else.

 

Nice to mooch but prices for most things boxed are a little laughable but I guess if there is that set you just can’t be without.

[gavino200]

14 hours ago, disturbman said:

Nice, you chose a very unique train for your first MA model.  When you get to run it, we want pictures.

 

As you wish...

 

I'm really happy with it. A few things. One if comes with interior lights. I don't know if that was factory or added by the previous owner. But they're expertly installed with no flickering. The lights on the roof are green and yellow. I wasn't expecting that, and I love it. It's also a great runner, and seems to be without any marks or defects, including the box. I think it's my current favorite train.

 

Hey, look. I also have a GreenMax train. Another first! 🙂