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

[Giugiaro]

First batch of RG-Rokko pre-orders have arrived!

 

Obligatory feline take-over:

 

 

 

 

Unpacking and reorganisation at my workplace, with group photo:

 

 

[jappomania]

40 minutes ago, Giugiaro said:

First batch of RG-Rokko pre-orders have arrived!

 

Obligatory feline take-over:

 

 

 

.....

 

and the empty box? for the white o the grey "panther"? 😍

is better if you place another order, so both can play with his own box (that can be a good reason to justify yourself with your wife 😇 )

 

 

[jappomania]

On 1/11/2023 at 10:02 AM, ED75-775 said:

No new trains... yet, but plenty on the book front that could tie into future purchases. A moment of weakness and Mandarake book searches turned up a couple of tasty tramway books - plus one or two railway ones. Of course I couldn't resist, but then made the mistake of being impatient and paid the price for it, literally. DHL postage (¥6,600) actually cost more than the purchase price (¥6,000). Ouch! My bad, my bad...

 

 

sure?

 

the "weight of knowledge"... (around 15kg.... 😩)

 

 

 

1999 JPY of magazines, a little less than 10.000JPY for local+int.surface shipping (and 2,5 months of waiting and 27€ VAT 😭)

 

and.... the last box delivered just today

 

 

around 7000JPY for local+int.surface shipping (and 2,5 months of waiting and NO VAT! 😋 strange but sometime happen) mistake, it was a IOSS shipping 😔

 

the good news is that the collection from 1979 till now is done (just 1984 is still on the way, a couple of week I hope)

the bad news is that form 1970 to 1978 is more expensive and hard to find in good conditions

 

Ciao!

Massimo

 

 

Edited January 12, 2023 by jappomania
IOSS shipping...

[Giugiaro]

1 hour ago, jappomania said:

and the empty box? for the white o the grey "panther"? 😍

 

Obviously. I need to pay rent to the resident catlords.

All three of them!

 

1 hour ago, jappomania said:

is better if you place another order, so both can play with his own box (that can be a good reason to justify yourself with your wife 😇 )

 

My who? If you know who my wife is, tell me please! 😂

 

My father brags about my trains more than I do myself, and my mother has her own enormous nativity scene collection so she doesn't question my investments.

[Aleks]

Now you guys got me browsing through some Japanese train books and I know an order will be placed....

 

I needed to get Tomix insulated joiners as I totally forgot to buy them when I was in Japan... so had to order from Plaza Japan. Shipping was getting golden for a $20 joiner order, so I ended up also taking E2 shinkansen (regular white/blue colors). They are about to be retired and I suspect about to be sold out (already sold out on 1999.co.jp) and given that, may never be printed again, at least not any time soon... and for me this is one of the images that I strongly associate with shinkansens.

 

Speaking of E2, when I was in Tokyo 3 weeks ago, and about to perch myself at a high floor staircase to start taking pictures of passing shinkansens, legacy color white/green E2 whizzed by... just a few seconds before I was ready. 😞 And I did not have time to wait for it to turn around at Tokyo Station and come back.

 

However, the really important thing the mail delivered is this. Now I can start staining, finishing and setting up my model train table that will be L-shaped, 8'x4' on the long side, plus 2'x3 1/2' on the short side. All I now need is some relief from rain (it's been raining for a week and will continue)...

Edited January 13, 2023 by Aleks

[ED75-775]

On 1/14/2023 at 12:19 PM, Aleks said:

Now you guys got me browsing through some Japanese train books and I know an order will be placed....

Did someone mention books?

 

 

The Mandarake haul arrived this afternoon, though it took me a little while to dig in since I was working (read: pulling track up, cleaning it and then reassembling some of it) on my H0 layout. The Yokohama tram book (lower left corner) turned out to be slightly more... interesting than I expected, mostly photo album with some then and now shots, color profiles of the different tram types, and just for @JR 500系, a couple of trolleybus images. The Streetcar EX 14 (lower right) was a bit of everything, literally - mostly Japanese stuff including a nice Toden article, plus some French, Hungarian and Eastern European stuff on the side. And the blue-edged tram book in the middle is a guide to all working tramways in Japan - mostly photos, one of each operating tram/train type in service; and yes, the Keihan lines around Biwa-ko, the Enoden and Kumaden technically count as tramways too thanks to their street running tracks.

 

The RM Library books are mostly interesting too, turns out I was wrong about Vol. 221 - it's about shunters' trucks, or 'dinghies' as you'd call them in some English speaking countries. Good mixture of prototype images and explanations. I'm looking forward to some of my other volumes arriving later this month!

 

Gotta go, almost time for the Märklin New Items presentation!

 

Alastair

 

Edited January 18, 2023 by ED75-775

[Fanofthomas31]

I've recently received Kato's new 58654 SL Hitoyoshi set. Here's a video of me presenting it: 

 

[ED75-775]

Forgot to mention last night - too busy watching the Märklin New Items for 2023 - that I've also added another train to the Reserved Items pile: the Tomix 97955 KiHa 40/KiHa 48 Tadami Line limited edition set. While I've never travelled the Tadami Line, the set contains a KiHa 40 (a type I've ridden), it's a Tohoku area train (albeit a more 'modern' version than what I normally go for), and because new train! Great rationale, I know... 🤣

 

It'll also come with a 24-page photo book of the Tadami Line as well, so that's a bonus for those who preorder or purchase this set.

 

Meanwhile back in Zenmarket-land, I managed to snag further RM Library volumes which are slowly starting to arrive in Osaka, this time on:

• Sendai trams (Vol. 90 - in transit)
• Steam railmotors (Vols. 103, 104 - in transit)
• Yokohama trams (Vols. 119, 120 - in transit)
• Osaka trams (Vols. 49, 144, 145 - in transit)
• Nagoya trams (Vols. 170, 171, 172 - arrived in Osaka today)

And to go with all these, I'm starting to look at more new Railway Collection trams.... ooh, there's a Tateyama trolleybus on Hobbysearch, must have that!

 

Alastair

[JR East]

My EF510-301 has arrived at RGR, but the mamoth order is pending the last releases in March. In the meantimes, I asked them if they could take a couple of pictures as I was more than impatient to see it. They kindly do it (and it's really where RGR is a great place to buy, they really do take care of their customers) and I'm pleased to share with you a close look & feel : 

 

 

 

 

It's really a gorgeous livery esp. the red line underlining the bottom. Probably the first locomotive I'll run when I'll receive my big box in March 2023 !!!

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2023 by JR East

[ED75-775]

While Zenmarket packs my latest haul, I couldn't resist this little beauty which I managed to snag for ¥7,000 ($85.57NZD): a Tomytec Railway Collection Iyotetsu MoHa 2000, complete with motorized chassis! This came from the same seller that sold me my Kyoto tram, which I got for the same price.

The seller has quite a bit of Railway Collection stuff plus some stock N gauge models and a few Märklin Z gauge trains too; in the case of the Railway Collection stuff, everything has been fitted with the relevant powered/unpowered chassis for operation and has been tested and serviced to boot.

 

And just because I could, I snagged another RM Library volume, this time Vol. 210 "History of Osaka Municipal Trackless Tram" - in reality, a trolleybus. Having enjoyed riding trolleybuses at Ferrymead here in Christchurch (and once on a trip to Wellington in 2016 a year before they abolished them...) and thus developed something of an interest in them, I've found myself curious about how different the Japanese 'buses were to what I've learned about here in New Zealand. There will probably be more volumes to follow though, I've got another Kyoto tram one sitting on my watchlist.

 

These two purchases won't arrive in time to make the package being made up which is already big enough anyway - when I put the packaging request through it came up with a total weight of 4.018kg! Though, mind you that's for thirteen RM Library volumes, one catalog, three packs of spare bits and three different N gauge models... and of course the books/catalog are on coated paper which weighs more than it looks. Luckily for me, Zenmarket is running their Lunar New Year sale so I should get 50% off freight for this one.

 

Alastair

[Giugiaro]

Both two parts of my recent Plaza Japan order have arrived.

 

Two turnout controllers that I forgot to order last time, the 500 HashiTetsu that was out of stock, and the V15 set with plenty of DX platforms.
EDIT: I forgot that there's also a Tomix Cleaning Car in the order.

 

I've already designed a 9mm platform end to properly match the V15 with a full length platform. My idea, at least, is to be able to have a full 1010mm long platform, for the shortest length of track.

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Giugiaro

[Aleks]

My book order arrived from Suruga-ya... The big reason I made it is this... and they are damn good layouts. Except a surprise that awaited me in layout #50 (simple oval on a really small table... where I expected the exact opposite, a complex one). 🙂

 

 

And to justify the cost of shipping.... some tram books

 

 

Some scenic line/photography books on trains...

 

 

some miscellaneous books...

 

 

And a really old model... Kumamoto tram.

 

Edited January 25, 2023 by Aleks

[cteno4]

The 50 layouts book is just the best!

 

jeff

[Cat]

9 hours ago, cteno4 said:

The 50 layouts book is just the best!

I've been slowly going through it, taking in 5 plans at a time then setting it aside.
 
A lot of great stuff.  My only quibble is that some of the designs have very extensive tunnels, and turnouts in tunnels (Eeks!).  With those, I would use a backdrop and move it inland to unbury much of the track and have it accessible from behind the scene.  A curved backdrop that bows inwards to cover a portion of track would work well for some of them.

[cteno4]

Yes it’s one of those books I can just pick up and browse for a while and always satisfying and good for the imagination.

 

yes lift away scenery over tunnels is a must to clean track and remove derailments.

 

jeff

[Kamome]

The mini diorama contest commemorative model was released a few days ago and I was pretty happy about its announcement back in August 2022. 

 

Each year Kato have been releasing a Kiha 58 and 28 set in various liveries.

A few years ago for the 2019 contest, Kato released a JNR colour training car (訓練車) version. 10-948

 

In 2021 they released a JR Kyushu livery to coincide with the dual venue of Tokyo and Fukuoka. 10-952

 

The 2022 followed on with Kyushu and as they had announced their SL Hitoyoshi, Kato set on producing the Aso 1962 livery of the Kiha 58/28.

 

Firstly,  being essentially a Roundhouse model, this is a repaint so some features of the actual train are not there. But this repaint is exceptionally good and includes a lot of the ornate detailing common on Kyushu joyful trains. It uses the base model as previous years have so things like the bike park section of the train are not modelled. 

 

Tomix did this some train years ago so I would assume that theirs is possibly more accurate. There are a wealth of details to install on this Kato version which really enhance the look of the model as well as a transfer sheet to model the various services. 

[beakaboy]

some goods received from a retailer who is closing down due to age related health problems. very good prices. The turntable was NZ$195 . love the flashing disco lights upstairs  in the suburban store. 

[bill937ca]

Some small details from Outland Models.  Traffic cones and traffic barriers for along my Unitram track. and a small booklet Outland Models Gallery Book 2022. Ordered January 16th and received January 30th.

Edited January 30, 2023 by bill937ca

[Aleks]

Buildup pieces keep coming in... the hookup wires I thought were lost arrived yesterday... and today an order of Woodland Scenics incline starters and risers.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Aleks

[bill937ca]

A couple of additional items from Plaza Japan for detailing the layout. The Tomytec City Street Trees fare for detailing the Unitram tram street. The Wide Tram sidewalls and fences are potentially for detailing trams with fenders or gates. Building up a small collection of these items.

 

Sorry for the poor photo. Its a brilliantly bright sunny day with super frigid temperatures. As Jeff would say you left the freezer door open. For sure, I see ice in Dallas, Texas.

Edited February 1, 2023 by bill937ca

[Cat]

Ooh, I hadn't come across the city street trees before, we'll be needing something like that for our streets.
 
I've made note of them from a number of street views.  What the heck type of tree are they?  I presume they are pruned to that shape, yes?

[bill937ca]

Tomytec doesn't really say.  I find these are generally more pruned trees than shade trees.

 

 https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10182035                   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10287707

 

Another older source is Kato 24-076   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10033088

[railsquid]

They look very plasticky and blocky, would be a good match for a Minecraft diorama or something ;).

 

I improved mine by dipping them in glue and sprinkling grass flock over them:

 

street-scene-crossing by Rail Squid, on Flickr

[bill937ca]

After looking at the photos online I was thinking of some kind of ground cover to enhance them.  

[shadowtiger25]

Been on a spree

 

fee things will be coming, most notably a full Niseko express set form kato with both C62-2 and C62-3

some various freight

a D51 Hokkaido style

some round house parts and various yard structures

Some station parts

A tramway c11 Hokkaido style

 

and some other auctions I'm hoping to win