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

[SL58654号]

@cteno4 
Forgive me if this doesn't belong here, but I had to get a copy of this once I learned of its existence, and after a bit of searching I found one in decent condition.
I'm glad that it arrived sooner than expected! The inclusion of Yoshitsune at the end was a surprise for me, or should it have been? 😃

Well, needless to say these color photos give me nostalgic steam vibes and further fuel my urge to finish my JNR-era layout.  

[disturbman]

On 11/24/2023 at 9:50 PM, Zeether said:

Cannot wait to motorize them, I think the right one is gonna have to get the motor treatment first because the left is only half a train and I didn't realize it until I saw the different color stripe on the package.

They are both half-trains. If I'm not mistaken, the second car in the package with the green stripe doesn't have a cab even though the car end is shaped like it does. You will notice that the cab-looking end doesn't have a door for the driver.

The MicroAce A8489 which models a similar formation also does not have cabs on the intermediate cars, but it models the train as it ran before its retirement in 2015.

[bc6]

Today I received 10-1703 set E235-1000 Series Yokosuka-Sobu line.

Only 7 more cars to go for a complete set, Maybe I'll be able to pick up the 3 car set and another 4 car set in the future.

 

[SL58654号]

I haven't got it yet, but there's a certain item awaiting me in Nikkyosha Model Shop that I'll be purchasing this Saturday. It'll be the most expensive individual item for my layout bar none, but my plan calls for one. Can you guess what it'll be? 😆 

 

Plus, the owners of Nikkyosha say a purchase of one comes with an added bonus. I wonder what that'll be?

[lighthouse]

Yesterday, I got the last one package from Japan for 2023...

 

MicroAce A1265 KOKI71-5 + 6 Car Rack Container

 

[SL58654号]

Well, I made good on my promise to purchase that turntable, so here it is! Having such a significant part of the layout and of importance to showing off and storing my locomotives further motivates me to get my Sakuragi no Yu Sen DONE!
I really liked @Fanofthomas31's video of his purchase of the same turntable. 

The last photo is where I bought mine from locally. I like their new hobby store emblem. ☺️

[Kingmeow]

A whole bunch of stuff from Plaza Japan but DHL Express just went on strike at their biggest hub in Cincinnati.  And then I read this:

 

The company, a division of Germany's Deutsche Post AG (DHLn.DE), said it expects the strike to garner "sympathy support" at various pickup and delivery locations across the U.S. and that it is prepared to deploy replacement staff.

 

It made it to my Destination Service Area (final step before Out For Delivery) and then went Shipment On Hold with Estimated Delivery Date wiped clean, replaced  with "Unavailable".

 

The painful wait now begins....  I'll post pictures when they finally decide to delivery it.  🤬😡🤬😡🤬

[Kingmeow]

Well, DHL certainly surprised me.  The next day, it still said Shipment On Hold with no estimated delivery date.  It was like that until noon time.  Then after lunch I decided to check again just to beat myself up.  😄  Out For Delivery!  Yeah!!!!!  3 hours later, the DHL van pulled up.  I asked the guy if they were affected by the strike in Cincinnati (I'm in the Metro NYC area) and he said no, just a lot of holiday packages.  Overall, not bad, just a day late but I wished they would have updated to say that instead of no estimated delivery date.

 

So here are the goods!  🤑🤑🤑

 

 

 

Everything was packed perfectly.  Nothing damaged.  No Customs charges.  An overall perfect experience.  Need to order again!  😀

Edited December 10, 2023 by Kingmeow

[beakaboy]

some secondhand goods from local auction site arrived the other day. All in very good condition and the early DD54 locos are quite quiet for spring drive models and run beautifully.  

[beakaboy]

some very nice secondhand models in very good condition all the way from Martin in Germany arrived in NZ in August 23 and I forgot to post pics then. There was also an early  Tomix 110v controller for the Tomix EF66 and coaches as well as an overhead station and platforms. (this was an early starter set which unfortunately I had to get Martin to discard the original box and pack items individually to keep postage costs down. I have an early boxed Tomix Nozomi 500 series set and I blew the 110v transformer recently when forgetting to connect it to my power converter transformer, so the controller from Martin will replace it in the set. (It has now been labelled with 110v only on the front). 

[ED75-775]

Today’s arrival - three KoKi 106/7 container cars, and two packs of containers so I could load my container train:

 

 

I will either be preordering the new Tomix 19D containers or purchasing them in person next year, I am starting to think I want another trip to Japan in mid-2024. Either way, when they do arrive they’ll go onto the empty KoKi 107.

 

Alastair

[KateM]

"No Battery,No Glue" package from our favourite seller has arrived today, with stuff I've been acquiring since summer. I did an unboxing earlier today on Discord 🙂

 

Micro Ace A0301 Maya 34-2002 JR East Track Inspector. Very nice model, really can't see it's a re-release of 20 years old model. Got treated with interior lights and now I'll think about which TN couplers it's gonna get (in reality it has double-headed coupler).

 

 

Tomix 8750 Wamu 60000 2-car set. It is a new release, although the Wamu 60000 cars has already been included in two larger Tomix sets in the past (with different numbers, some of them with yellow express markings). Classic black boxcar that I already own a lot of, but still couldn't resist getting more 🙂 

  

 

Tomix 98127 Sanriku Railway 36-700 2-car set. Got two sets of these even though I also already have quite a lot of these 🙂 I plan to try to do some custom liveries on these new ones. And if something goes very wrong, I can use a spare chassis for 36-501 or to upgrade older cars with M9 to M13.

 

Tomix 4299 Platform set (girder) kit. Got two boxes of these because they are quite universal, might be prototypical for smaller stops on branch lines. I'm looking forward to building these in some more distant future.

 

Various Tomix and Tomytec parts. Immediately used them to grade up Tomytec 11 Piki no Neko Aoimori Railway 700, Tomytec Kiha E131-500, and Micro Ace HB-E300 Resort Asunaro. The Tomytec trains now look at least little bit less toyish than before, and Asunaro can now couple to other JR East stock.

    

[KateM]

And now for the main item - SL Ginga. Sold as two separate items - Tomix 2009 C58-239 and Tomix 98522 Kiha 141 4-car set.

 

The steam loco is High Grade specification and required a little bit of processing (radio antenna, flame tube, head mark, hose, loco numbers, tender TN coupler), however everything has been described in manual with pictures so no problem here. There is a foam bit inside the loco cab that need to be removed before running which is warned about using a separate paper sheet that was initially put over the train before opening the box. Also there is a correction sheet included, the manual has one illustration incorrect. It is really a beautiful steamer. White headlights work nicely both in the front (only main headlamp is lit) and in the back (tender), however red lights in tender are not lit. There's a window at the top of the cab that can be opened or closed. Manual says that minimal radius is 280mm and that the loco can derail if it runs through a turnout in the not-set direction (spring points).

 

 

The diesel cars are also very nice, they just miss the prototypical shine of some of the livery bits. Even windows are printed with stars in one place (it's not dust 🙂). What I really find problematic are the rapidos between cars. The manual says that JC6384 can be used (they are the same as Tomix used at cab sides) however they are not easily available right now. I installed the antennas etc. and added interior lights as well. After I get my hands on some TN couplers, it's gonna be very beautiful consist. Night running will be magical.

 

 

[ED75-775]

Nice @katem, I just got my SL Ginga today too.

 

Unfortunately mine came with an unwelcome surprise - the combination lever in the driver’s side valve gear was missing. Not in bag, not in box. So I’ve just emailed Hobbysearch and asked if they could send out a replacement lever.

 

Wee bit gutted but oh well, these things happen and it’s an easy fix once the replacement lever shows up.

 

EDIT: got an email back one hour later, Hobbysearch are already escalating it. Which means a repair could be on the cards very soon!

 

Alastair

Edited December 22, 2023 by ED75-775

[Kamome]

On 12/20/2023 at 9:06 AM, katem said:

What I really find problematic are the rapidos between cars.

Yes, I noticed this upon seeing a lad at the rental layout running his. I assume its the usual Tomix "cut off the rapido housing from the bogie" affair. Still seems like butchery to a new model but the TNs will make it look way better and the train looks very nice. Just wish Tomix would jump onboard like Kato and make body mounted couplers as standard on the more exquisite models. The polystyrene loco insert in the foam case also looks a bit of an oversight. Could Tomix not just have made a foam insert to fit the C58 in the Kiha 141 case too? The majority of purchasers will obviously be including or adding the SL at some point. These are all minor points but I feel they take something away from the presentation and the majesty of adding a new model to your fleet.  

 

As for my orders, pre-ordered a Kato Panda Kuroshio 10-1847 to run with my Ocean Arrow 10-1839 (went for the 9 car) which should be arriving in the coming days. Also pre-ordered the Shiki 801 and transformer load from MA plus have added 4 more Tomix Chiki 7000 to add a few more varieties of JGSDF loads from YSK models. I already have 3 twin-packs of the Type 87 recon vehicles and 2 twin-packs of FH70 155mm howitzer loads. Looking at a 2 pack of Type 73 APC loads and perhaps 2 twin-packs of the Morooka Material Carrier Vehicles. Wish someone would produce the Komatsu LAVs or the Type 96 Wheeled APC as these were also seen on military equipment transport trains.

[ED75-775]

@Kamome there is space in the KiHa 141 case for C58 239 - it's at the top behind the cardboard cover with the train photo and map. You also have to trim 239's insert to fit the box as well, but the provision is there for it. One of @katem's photos does show this.

 

Update on my own C58 - Hobbysearch has confirmed their options - either I can return the locomotive to them and get a fresh one, or get it sent back to Tomix for repair - or I can accept a points refund for the inconvenience. I'll have to think about it, but either way I do want this particular locomotive.

 

[Kamome]

3 minutes ago, ED75-775 said:

there is space in the KiHa 141 case for C58 239

What I meant was that the space for C58 in the photos appears to be a large rectangle to add the polystyrene tray from the loco box. While this works fine, from a designer's perspective, it looks a bit "function over form" which detracts from the overall presentation. The coaches are surrounded by laser-cut foam and then you can plonk the cheap  polystyrene loco tray up here. Same with the extra coach space at the bottom. It was not needed as this train runs as a 4 car set. Just Tomix found a generic 5 coach and loco tray insert that would fit the bill rather than create a custom one for the train which I think takes points away considering the SRP for this formation totals ¥40,000.

 

If there is indeed a C58 shape cut into the foam insert in the main case, then it would negate my rantings.

[KateM]

3 minutes ago, Kamome said:

If there is indeed a C58 shape cut into the foam insert in the main case, then it would negate my rantings.

It is not, your comment is totally on point. Moreover the car slots are just a liiitle bit smaller than needed for the two Kisaha to fit comfortably without possibly breaking their "hood frames" off.

[disturbman]

I think they reused one of the inserts from the Thomas Oigawa railway limited edition set from last year. That said, afaik, Tomix always has had the locomotives in their polystyrene tray when designing such sets. Them changing to offer a laser cut urethane inserts would be immense news. But all the Japanese manufacturers employ similar cost cutting designs.

[cteno4]

I would fear a steamer’s rather ragged outline may be hard to pop out of lasercut foam and too many parts to easy catch and break off getting them in and out.

 

jeff

[cteno4]

I was weak earlier this week when I saw the release of the SL Ginza KIHA 141 set. Love the blue hues and the soft gold art. I’m a sucker for these…

 

man it’s up to like 4500¥ for shipping a single case these days, luckily dollar is so high. I’m just so spoiled from a couple of decades of SAL shipping, I’m sure it would have effected my buys in the hobby more with much higher shipping, but maybe I would have just been eating more spam and baked beans.

 

i also succumbed to the damn little bird train which should be along next week…

 

jeff

 

PS I know am pretty sure how motor chassis trucks get knocked out of the chassis in the post. I caught the DHL driver throwing the box from 8’ from the door into the door with a good thunk! The door is 80% glass to boot! They popped back I  well enough but they were very jammed into the foam and lots of wiggling required to get them loose.
 

Going to have to complain again th DHL again, it appears they are drifting back into bad local delivery contractors again… at least this time he didn’t put the box behind the car in front of a wheel.

 

[railsquid]

For some reason I had this on my list of bits to purchase, having found one I now have to remember exactly what I wanted it for. Presumably to replace a buffer on something, but what?

 

[MeTheSwede]

Looks to me like you planned a good excuse for having to buy a train that needs this part. 😀

[beakaboy]

another pcl arrived yesterday with some secondhand goodies that have never seen the track. need to get some more containers now. 

 

[railsquid]

8 hours ago, MeTheSwede said:

Looks to me like you planned a good excuse for having to buy a train that needs this part. 😀

 

Digging around on the internet a bit, it looks like they are for the Kato OrientExpress '88 set. Digging around in my memory, I suspect given their generally rectangular shape, I suspect I have them in mind for a German coach, but which one?