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

[Densha]

@JR500

How come your wife doesn't notice any of your new packages lately? Or does she? I thought she became dangerous if she saw one.

 

Where I live model trains usually get only cheaper when they are phased out, the reason is that they can't sell them so decide to lower the price. I guess the approach in Japan is completely different.

[JR 500系]

@ Densha:

Haha! I took some ninja training while i was in Japan so...

 

Just kidding! Well, i made 'some' $$$ in selling my Lego so kinda got some permits to buy more trains... Just need to restraint myself before she 'evolves'...

Think 'Resident Evil' and i'm the Zombie... Think you get the picture... Kekeke ~

 

Densha, With Lego, it's ten times worse. Let me quote you an example: When sets gets phrased out after a few years, the prices start climbing until really sky high. It's really scary. A set that cost US$150 before has now escalate to almost US$600! Really scary, and i'm not kidding! Here's a really good example:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lego-CREATOR-Cafe-Corner-10182-NIB-SEALED-/130730765203?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e70292b93

For a BRAND NEW box, and it caused only RSP (Regular Selling Price) of US$149.99 then. Can you imagine this!

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lego-10182-Cafe-Corner-/130730137904?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e701f9930

Even a USED set carries a mark up of more than 4 times!

 

Which brings me to the next issue. Due to the large investment posibilities of Lego, there are A TON of people just buying and keeping them only to sell them later for a HUGE profit. I hated seeing this trend, and the Lego fan group slowly dissolved as more & more newbies joined us, with the sole intention of getting infomation from us (veterans) on which set had the highest 'investment' value. Really saddening...

[Densha]

It makes no sense that they would join you just for that, and I understand why you would dislike that. But I guess you understand that it is tempting to get such sets as an investment.

[JR 500系]

Off Topic abit, it's really difficult to know which are geninue fans and which are not, cause everyone tells the same story when they register. We moderators have a veery hard time trying to find out who is lying.. We then tried moderating the infomation that goes up onto the forum, but eventually the moderators themselves become tempted so.. It's really hard, i mean, who will say no to quick cash? There were times where we offered to queue up the night before for SUPER 50% off RSP type of clearence sales, and we even organise groups to 'sweep' the sets and distribute to fans of the group, only to find these sets up in Ebay on the actual day at an inflated price. All that hard work for nothing, profits goes to the scapler and hard work goes to the people with passion of Lego and trying to help newbies. The hard-standing few that decided to totally run off and close the forum forever, leaving the local Lego scene altogether. For myself, i totally leave Lego largely due to this reason, and also Lego stops appealing to me once i bought my first Tsubame!

 

It's sad, but a true fact here in Sillypore.

 

Getting back to topic, the E3 is scheduled to retire next year 2013, so the model will be definately worth to get while they are around!

[Guest ___]

Off Topic abit, it's really difficult to know which are geninue fans and which are not, cause everyone tells the same story when they register. We moderators have a veery hard time trying to find out who is lying.. We then tried moderating the infomation that goes up onto the forum, but eventually the moderators themselves become tempted so.. It's really hard, i mean, who will say no to quick cash? There were times where we offered to queue up the night before for SUPER 50% off RSP type of clearence sales, and we even organise groups to 'sweep' the sets and distribute to fans of the group, only to find these sets up in Ebay on the actual day at an inflated price. All that hard work for nothing, profits goes to the scapler and hard work goes to the people with passion of Lego and trying to help newbies. The hard-standing few that decided to totally run off and close the forum forever, leaving the local Lego scene altogether. For myself, i totally leave Lego largely due to this reason, and also Lego stops appealing to me once i bought my first Tsubame!

 

It's sad, but a true fact here in Sillypore.

 

Getting back to topic, the E3 is scheduled to retire next year 2013, so the model will be definately worth to get while they are around!

 

I'm totally missing something here.

[cteno4]

Just read back a few posts and you will get it, it's about the Lego situation.

 

Jeff

[Guest ___]

Gets a tad tough when there is over 2200 posts to the thread.

[cteno4]

Like 5 posts back

[JR 500系]

Hi Shashinka:

 

It's 7 posts in front of this upwards (including this post it's 8), made by me, on this page. Jeff is correct, it's about the scalping of LEgo sets for personal profits and the destruction of a fan group... Topic sparked me when Densha posted the question about train sets rising in prices when it is phrasing out and i was illustrating a perfect example of Lego.

 

Sorry about the Off Topic though...

[Guest ___]

Found it.

[disturbman]

Hey! Why rename this thread? I don't see the added benefit of adding "perpetual" to it. We know it's pepertual. :)

[Densha]

Hey! Why rename this thread? I don't see the added benefit of adding "perpetual" to it. We know it's pepertual. :)

I don't get this either.

[billk]

Just received something substantial for the scenery - Fujimi Model kit of the Byodoin Temple in Uji. Will be a project on its own building that.

[Densha]

Oh, right. I don't know why I forgot to say it, but today I got myself some tools to proceed with doing kits and some (clump) foliage from Woodland as well.

I went on my bicycle to a neighboring town because the train shop where I live does not sell that stuff. It was the first time I came there, so I didn't know what to expect. But if anything, it was not that I would be assisted that bad. There were 4 guys in there, but the only one who did a bit normal was a boy who was about 15 years old I guess! It only went there because I needed things I couldn't get elsewhere, but I'm not visiting that place again! Then I guess even an internet shop would be better.

[Dani]

Yesterday I went to buy some colors to start decoration of rails and plastic kits:

 

* Model Air Color (Vallejo): some grays and concrete colors for the gutters and concrete sleepers, and dark brown for wood sleepers. This kind of colors are perfect for the airbrush, no need to thin it (http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/gb/model-air-gb.html).

* Tamiya: black, white, XF64 to airbrush rails (rust color) because Tamiya seems to fix better in difficult sufaces than Vallejo

* Vallejo pigments: light gray, dark gray, rust. I want to experiment with this kind of pigments (http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/gb/pigments-gb.html).

 

I started painting catenaries and pigments work very well to weather it and eliminate brightness. I also experimented some typical techniques with oils to achieve the effect of the rust drain in the metallic pieces.

 

Cheers,

Dani.

[sedril]

Just ordered the Kato C56 along with Vegetable and Container cars.

I have a small store in Southern ON that's importing them for me, it'll be interesting to see how this goes.

[cteno4]

three 1/144 scale dekotora trucks just showed up. rare find on ebay, one more coming. one has the roof bling on the cab missing so ill have to build that and bling it! Now i have 8 total so will make a respectable little show in a parking lot somewhere with lots of folks taking pictures. Ill have to model aaron and his camera bag!

 

jeff

[Densha]

Received my MicroAce JR Shikoku 8000 series Renewal 5-car set today. I ordered it a few days ago from Modelbahn Union in the bargain corner for just a mere €100! If I had to order it from Japan it would have costed twice (including shipping, taxes, etc). The renewal set isn't available new at the moment either, but the original livery is.

When I opened the package I was so amazed, at first by the great packaging that MicroAce has done and second with the amazing detail the model has. I'm so glad I got it.

Now for a test run, hopefully tomorrow. I already took some pics, but I'm not putting them up now that it's so late.

[JR 500系]

Nice Densha! Waiting for your pictures/ videos of your new train!

 

Here's what my postman brought me yesterday!

 

YES! So Happy!

 

So, whats inside you ask?

A Kato-411 Eiden 900 series Maple Red Kirara!

 

Kato 10-258 Yamanote line 5-car basic set! USED from Popondetta! First time buying used train sets and i must say the quality control in Japan is really good! This set is classified as ALL 'A' so it's really almost like new!

 

Then there is another Kato 10-397 700 series Nozomi 8-car set. SWEET! This is classified as ALL 'B', but the quality is really good!

 

I have no complains at all! This buying round enhances my believes in Japan USED train sets! Will be getting more as soon as budget allows ~~

[The_Ghan]

Nice work JR,

 

If, like me, you're more into running your trains than collecting then the second-hand market can reap some rewards.

 

A couple of years ago, I picked up a 700 Series 10-276/7 for $80, delivered to Sydney.  The train had barely been used.  I looked at the wheels with my magnifying glass and they were perfect.  My Fujisan 10-238s were similar.  I've got two of them and they were less than $100 each plus shipping.  That's half price.  I also bought the 10-260 second-hand for $140.  They're worth over $300 second-hand on Yahoo at the moment.

 

On the other hand, my first purchase using Yahoo and Jauce was a flop.  I bought the MicroAce A2152 Odakyu Series 3000 5-car set, which is quite rare.  Including shipping to the door it cost me nearly $500 because I just wasn't aware of all the fees and charges that Jauce apply to a sale.  It cost me more than double the price of the item new.  But it is worth it to me and THIS is what trains are all about.  Needless to say, MA will probably re-release it next year for $180 !!!!

 

Glad you're having fun with your second-hand purchases.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[Densha]

Received my MicroAce JR Shikoku 8000 series Renewal 5-car set today. I ordered it a few days ago from Modelbahn Union in the bargain corner for just a mere €100! If I had to order it from Japan it would have costed twice (including shipping, taxes, etc). The renewal set isn't available new at the moment either, but the original livery is.

When I opened the package I was so amazed, at first by the great packaging that MicroAce has done and second with the amazing detail the model has. I'm so glad I got it.

Now for a test run, hopefully tomorrow. I already took some pics, but I'm not putting them up now that it's so late.

Nice Densha! Waiting for your pictures/ videos of your new train!

Forgot to say that it's brand new and unused of course, if you thought it was a bargain because of that. Really unbelievable for that price, I still don't believe it myself .

 

I was so curious I couldn't wait and went for the train immediately, so no picture of how it came in from the postal service.

 

First, the packaging:

     

 

The train:

     

 

A detail of the pantographs: (not a very good photo but will take a new one soon when it's on the tracks)

 

 

Kato 10-258 Yamanote line 5-car basic set! USED from Popondetta! First time buying used train sets and i must say the quality control in Japan is really good! This set is classified as ALL 'A' so it's really almost like new!

Do you know it's a slightly older set? Meanwhile three (?) new versions of the E231 Yamanote line were released. The one I got is the 10-578, a 4-car set from 2009 with the old 6-door cars. I was sort of disappointed when I came to know that it was already outdated, but even more by that it would be more difficult to extend it because the add-on sets would not be available from when the April 2012 released sets came out on.

[The_Ghan]

One thing to watch for is any sign of cigarette smoke.

 

I have one second-hand train that the box, and the carriages themselves, smell faintly of cigarette smoke.

 

I have made other purchasing decisions based on the fact that the Yahoo listing indicated the seller did not smoke.

 

Just something to keep in mind.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[JR 500系]

@ Densha: Nice train! I like the colour banding on the trains and the aerodynamic front! Great buy and thanks for the pictures! Yes i know that the one i bought is the older version of the Yamanote. There were two set, 10-258 (what i bought) and 10-259, the add-on six car set for the former. There was another similar release in 2008 10-261 (basic 5 car) and 10-262 (add-on 6-car), before the current 10-578 (4 car basic), 10-579 (4 car add-on) and 10-580 (3 car add-on). As my basic cost-saving stratgery is to keep the train not more than 8-cars, i chose the 5-car basic and will stick to it, MAYBE getting the 10-580 3 car set to bump it up to 8 cars IF BUDGET ALLOWS, but there are more other trains i would love to channel the funding to...

 

@ The_Ghan: Yes i totally understand. Smoke lingers everywhere in a smoking house. This was the case for Lego too. Believe it or not, even a FACTORY-SEALED box of Lego CAN smell of smoke when opened if it was placed and stored inside a smoking environment... Nice of Yahoo to list the seller as a smoker/ non-smoker...  Great steal buys on the 700 and the Fujisan mate! Totally steal price! By far, the best deal i think i have gotten is paying SGD$200 for a FULL 6-car set of Toix 92279 & 92280 800 series Tsubame from the one & only seller in Sillypore hence zero shipping costs...

[Densha]

@ Densha: Nice train! I like the colour banding on the trains and the aerodynamic front! Great buy and thanks for the pictures!

Exactly what I liked as well, and I already loved looking at photos of it on the internet so I just had to buy it.

 

...

before the current 10-578 (4 car basic), 10-579 (4 car add-on) and 10-580 (3 car add-on). As my basic cost-saving stratgery is to keep the train not more than 8-cars, i chose the 5-car basic and will stick to it, MAYBE getting the 10-580 3 car set to bump it up to 8 cars IF BUDGET ALLOWS, but there are more other trains i would love to channel the funding to...

The current one is not the 10-578, that's the release from 2009 I got as well, as the 4-car set. In April 2012 a renewed set with only 4-door cars has been released as they currently ride the Yamanote line: the 10-890, 10-891 and 10-892. Personally I prefer myself the latter, so I'm still bashing my head I bought my first set like that, at least it made me decide that I wanted to do Japanese trains.

Extending the 10-258 with a 10-580 makes no sense because that's from two different productions. Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad, but if I had the 10-258 I would stay with it or extend it with the appropriate one. And maybe you would even have double cars if you extend it with that add-on!

[disturbman]

@ Densha: Nice train! I like the colour banding on the trains and the aerodynamic front! Great buy and thanks for the pictures!

Exactly what I liked as well, and I already loved looking at photos of it on the internet so I just had to buy it.

 

I just love that train. I have the two 3-cars set and I still think it's one of my favourites.