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

[Sr.Horn]

Spent a couple of days in Andorra with my family, and of course, I visited the Basar Valira shop, a major model store with lots of stock.

 

As always in european shops, model trains are overprized, but tracks and others are OK so I adquired some Unitrack tracks and the KATO piers set. 

 

 

37 euros in total. Not bad.

 

Now I'm suppose can make a layout in viaduct but... it's possible without viaduct track sections? 

 

 

[Giugiaro]

Oh, I heard of Valira from someone who sold me his coaches second hand!

 

Though it seems their catalogue is much bigger than what they show to have on their website. 🤔

[ED75-775]

Despite attempts not to fall to temptation, I still find myself weak to buying more trains. Case in point, some impulse purchases from Mandarake:

 

 

The ED78 had been sitting in their Nakano store, while the two coaches - an OHaFu 33 and an OHa 61 - came all the way from the Sapporo store. Talk about a long way to go!

 

The coaches further pad out my passenger collection, while the ED78 plays into my love of boxy red AC electrics.

 

Meanwhile in Osaka, another steam loco is preparing for departure, this time a Kato C11 that was *only* $100.30NZD including VAT. Plus some extra spare parts for my ED75 fleet. The spares, necessary; the C11, an impulse...

 

I really need to up my resistance to temptation!

[ED75-775]

Got the notice that my *other* new Kato C11 has come into stock at Hobbysearch, now the question is which of the two I have coming will arrive first: the secondhand one or the brand new one? Either way I’m still going to get two shiny new C11s!

 

Thoughts are now turning towards cases for some of my other rolling stock. At the moment I’m being squeezed for space and could do with a few recommendations on who has the best cases. I keep hearing good things about the Casco ones on this thread.

 

To give an idea of what’s triggered this tangential thought, here’s how I currently store my collection:

 

 

Turns out a 27L clip-lock container was great for a small collection, but mine ain’t so small now! The majority of stuff inside is Kato - all in individual cases - but there’s a smattering of Popondetta and and a few Tomix strays inside, plus most of my track. This part of the cupboard also houses my Märklin H0 tinplate stuff plus in the other containers, some of my video gaming stuff and some DVDs and VHS tapes for good measure... and yes, I am old enough to know what VHS tapes are!

 

 

And up the top, the rolling stock in its cases plus a few games and more books. I have a *small* library stored throughout the house, garage and attic... most likely over 200 books... and surprise, most of them are about trains! The gap at right normally houses my two Kato V-sets which are going to have to move.

 

Someone on the Märklin-users.net Facebook group once told me that my hobby would be like a gas, it would fill the space I gave it. How right he was!

 

Alastair

 

 

[bill937ca]

Latest tram acquisition.  A Tomytec Brunswick City Tram GT6S body and the TM-LRT04 power unit.

[Wolf]

Just a bunch of random stuff that PlazaJapan miraculously still had on stock, as I initially just wanted to get a KoKi and the Foliage XD
 

[cteno4]

Ahh the old since I’m paying for big shipping might as well look for some other bits to throw in and not pay much shipping for! I never do that! 😜

 

jeff

[cteno4]

What can I say, I’m a sucker for ultraman, it was a big part of getting home from grade school to watch it! Box of odd amazon stuff showed up today.
 

cheers,

 

jeff

[JR 500系]

Sorry for the llloooonnngggg silence.. I have been real busy with work and stuff and yeah, it certainly took a toll.. Only till recently i get some time to play with my trains and forgot i hadnt post in a really long time!

 

Let's slowly go down the list of the parcels i've received thus far... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Popondetta bus are FINALLY out, and they look GREAT with those front and rear lights!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man the HC85 sure is sweet!

 

 

Finally gotten back a full 10-car 221 series ~

 

And a recent Mandarake steal... The weakening yen is proving very nice to grab these lovely deals!

 

 

 

 

Two rather old trains, and 3 really old classic cars that was in the bargains bin so why not...

 

 

This was listed as package damaged. amazing standards right?

 

 

 

I initially told myself i didnt want a 0 series as i find it rather odd looking... But now that i have one, it really has its own appeal!

 

 

 

 

7000 LSE, in renewal colour so why not. Now to hunt for a HISE and that's sweet!

[JR 500系]

Missed out on this as well... LOVED the GV-E400s!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Englehart]

^^ that's a lot 😁

[cteno4]

Holy crap sammy that is a load! 
 

jeff

[Giugiaro]

My first RG-Rokko parcel has arrived, containing the train I wanted for as long as I remember!
 
After my cat claimed the box for himself, I could check the state of the JNR 485-200 with its tall cab magnificence!
Oh, and the tram. I also took the opportunity to grab it. 😂

 

 

 

[cteno4]

Now that is a “Mine! Don’t mess with” me look!

 

jeff

[200系]

11 hours ago, JR 500系 said:

I initially told myself i didnt want a 0 series as i find it rather odd looking... But now that i have one, it really has its own appeal!

 

 

*inhales sharply* I'm going to pretend I never read this... *walks away disappointed... (bad Sammy!)*

 

*pokes head around the door* For your information, the 0 series design is nothing less than absolute perfection on rails!😤 *walks away for real this time...*

[Giugiaro]

7 hours ago, 200系 said:

For your information, the 0 series design is nothing less than absolute perfection on rails!😤

 

It's so good, even the Italians copied it!

[JR 500系]

17 hours ago, cteno4 said:

Holy crap sammy that is a load! 
 

jeff

 

23 hours ago, Englehart said:

^^ that's a lot 😁

 

Disclaimer - it's not all in one go but actually over almost 2 months of not posting here ~  🤣

 

12 hours ago, 200系 said:

 

*inhales sharply* I'm going to pretend I never read this... *walks away disappointed... (bad Sammy!)*

 

*pokes head around the door* For your information, the 0 series design is nothing less than absolute perfection on rails!😤 *walks away for real this time...*

I knew 200kei will be triggered... Sorry mate, the 0 really didnt appeal much to me more than the 500kei... maybe i was just too biased... But now that i have the actual model, it kinda grows more and more... I can see why many still considers the 0kei as their fav shinkansen!

 

 

[ED75-775]

1 hour ago, JR 500系 said:

The 0 really didn't appeal much to me more than the 500kei... maybe I was just too biased... But now that I have the actual model, it kinda grows more and more... I can see why many still considers the 0kei as their fav shinkansen!

I'm going to be honest and come out saying that my personal favorite has to be the 500 Series, from the one photo of it I had in a book, it looked so modern to my youthful and less educated self growing up in the early 2000's. Even though the 300 Series came out the year I was born, I never really had much interest in it, too 'meh' and not all that exciting. I probably thought much the same of the 0 and 200 Series... so 'same-y', looks like the same train in a different colour... and they didn't look all that modern next to the then-current 500 and 700 Series trains either! Cue Shinkansenology lecture from @200系… 

 

Anyway, the only reason I'm here is because a couple of trains showed up! These are (checks stock list quickly) the last trains I have on order until October, and given I haven't found anything much to tempt me until then, I think I can mark myself 'safe' for the time being.

 

 

Starting off with the entrée of two Kato C11's, one at left brand new via Hobbysearch and the other second hand via Yahoo! Auctions Japan and Zenmarket. The former arrived on Monday; despite claiming it would also arrive on Monday, the latter didn't show up until today. The second hand one required a little surgery as well as it came with a Kato knuckle on the rear bogie which absolutely didn't want to come off its pivot, and no amount of tweezer-pulling and autistic frustration could move it. After about five minutes, I gave up and called in the heavy artillery - my Side Cutters of Doom, which tactically reduced the offending coupler to mere plastic scraps and permitted reinstallation of the Rapido coupler.

 

Note to self 1.) I hate user-installed knuckle couplers, note to self 2.) Don't buy anything that has them installed unless you have no other options.

 

 

Also in the Zenmarket package was some spare parts for my ED75 fleet - spare grab rails, M.U. hoses and traction tires for when I need to commit to maintenance. The ED75-1000 in photo was out briefly for M.U. hose fitting and replacement of a 'missing' grab rail that I wiped off with a clumsy knock earlier this month. Nice move, numb nuts... The parts themselves came from Hokutosei, again without any pretty postcards, I'm so sad about that! 😭 Oh well, maybe I'll get at least one next time, if and when there is a next time (cue friendly jokes about claiming safe when you know you're not really 😄).

 

Alastair

[jappomania]

7 hours ago, Giugiaro said:

 

It's so good, even the Italians copied it!

 

when? 🤨

[E233 Series]

I am fairly new to the hobby and now I got myself a Keikyu N1000 from Greenmax. I am a big fan of the Keikyu trains and now finally got myself one. The price was a little intimidating for me, but it seems to run very smooth. I plan to run it more on the weekend and add the missing parts.

 

[disturbman]

Nice choice, I approve. The price is definitely intimidating at first, but Greenmax is good quality. Not fully on par with the others on livery quality -- I find their finish is usually slightly duller than Kato, Tomix or MA. But it's not an issue, and as always, their motor is a pleasure to hear and see running around.

Btw, don't worry if the front windows fall off. They are made to be removable as the destination stickers go behind it. Just need to glue them after installing the stickers.

[Giugiaro]

5 hours ago, jappomania said:

when? 🤨

 

Vide: Pendolino

[jappomania]

18 hours ago, jappomania said:

 

when? 🤨

 

13 hours ago, Giugiaro said:

 

Vide: Pendolino

 

mmhh.. I don't think 😕

(or better, is not what told Oreste Santanera on his book "I treni Fiat" and Giovanni Klaus Koenig on "Oltre il Pendolino")

it was an evolution based on wind tunnel study started with ETR200 (Viper Face) and evolved with the last typical 70' solution like elevated cabin for better line view (like APT and TGV001, and more complicated caused by the car side section with different panel inclination, not like a typical brick on boogies)

at the same mode the 0 type nose whas inspired by Douglas DC8 (but I remember that somebody report it was based on another japanese airplane, it was inside an old "Shikansen EX"  magazine, I try to find it..), for me it's really similar to Schienenzeppelin prototype so is really hard to tell "who copy who"

(just Odakyu admitted that his panorama trains has been inspired by ETR300, but not copied)

 

ciao!

Massimo

 

[chadbag]

On 8/17/2022 at 6:50 AM, JR 500系 said:

I knew 200kei will be triggered... Sorry mate, the 0 really didnt appeal much to me more than the 500kei... maybe i was just too biased... But now that i have the actual model, it kinda grows more and more... I can see why many still considers the 0kei as their fav shinkansen!

 

It's a 707 on rails.

[cteno4]

707, another classic of design.

 

jeff