Doubling up on train sets

[Odakyu]

Just wondering if any of you purchase duplicate train sets for models you particularly enjoy? Given the nature of limited runs by manufacturers, I sometimes feel the compulsion to purchase more than one set of a particular model - sort of to keep as a back up in the event the first set gets damaged or the engine fails. Or are the extra sets unnecessary since these sets are designed to last a very long while?

[1954G]

I don't usually purchase duplicates due to cost considerations.  The exception would be if multiples of the same train can be combined into a larger formation.  Well, that's how I justified pre-ordering two 16-car Eurostar formations that I can combine into one prototypical 20-car set with two motor cars.  :)

 

...purchase more than one set of a particular model - sort of to keep as a back up in the event the first set gets damaged or the engine fails.

 

This is just my opinion, but buying a second set brand new just in case you need spares in the future is seldom cost-effective.  Kato and to a lesser extent Tomix are pretty good about selling individual replacement parts even several years after a model has been released.  For example, Loco1hobby was able to order replacement drive shafts/motor for my Tomix 253 series Narita Express even though my model is from the late 1990s. 

 

If in the future your train needs parts that are no longer sold by the manufacturer, you could always buy a cheap used set off Yahoo JP auctions.  Or you could get lucky and find a seller who "breaks up" sets and lists the cars individually.

 

I admit there are certain rare trains (Micro Ace East i, Kato 700T, etc) for which this strategy would not work. 

[katoftw]

Yup agreed.  Costly to buy a second set for parts required 15 years from now etc.  There are always used junk set floating around various avenues to purchase to buy if need be.

 

And depending on your collection size, some trains may only get 30 minutes of run time per year, so they should barring natural disaster last nearly forever.

 

It would probably be a lot more cost effective if you just brought the spare part you thought you might need in the future, ie motor chassis ($20-$25), couplers ($7 for 2 pack) and pantographs ($7 for 2 pack).  These are the items 9 of 10 times you will need to replace sometime in a models life.

Edited July 23, 2015 by katoftw

[Kabutoni]

I have a double Hokusō Kaihatsu 7000 type from MicroAce, but one is to be remodeled to a Chiba New Town 9000 type (Yellow Train). However, I can't remember how many GreenMax Keikyū 1000 type economy kits I have bought...

 

I think that contemporary model trains are very high in their quality standards, so even if something goes wrong, it can be fixed. Personally, I don't see the need for duplicates for this reason. MircoAce sometimes being an exception on the rule...

[NuclearErick]

Yes, i dont have the pic right now but mine is a 2x 92968 500系 Nozomi Last Run the current the only 500系 Nozomi with POWER COUPLER thats why i got 2 of those babys

[NB1231]

The only duplicate set I really have is the kato 10000 odakyu romancecar set because I acquired a broken one and the parts are not made anymore and difficult to find.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6 using Tapatalk

[JR 500系]

Good discussion ~

 

I too will think buying a second set for spares is kinda... expensive. Unless you are running trains very often, I think the trains are not that liable to damages so often right?

 

I don't have duplicate sets due to cost considerations. If there were a newer model with new features, more often than not, I would sell the older model, like the 500 series or the 700 Railstar. I sold the older models because the newer ones had power couplers on them...

[HantuBlauLOL]

Only tomytec Kumamoto 6211F is double.. Because 2 cars just not enough.

[mrp]

Ha Ha.  I’m the exact opposite!

 

Nothing says “Japan” to me quite so much as having two of the same type of train pulling into a station in opposite directions, or passing on a long curve.

 

And one of the goals of the automation system I’m working on is to be able to have commuter trains follow each other around a long track section with exclusion blocks, signals and station stops.

 

With the automation, I have a suspicion that I’ll never be able to get 100% reliable stop/start operation with just one motor car (unless the set uses power coupling like the new Tomix Shinkansen) - so I’m thinking that maybe for longer operating runs I’ll need to double up on the motor cars.

 

Plus one motor car is a single point of failure - and with the lack of spare parts and problems with out of country repairs - I feel more comfortable having two.

 

Fortunately I don’t have any compulsion to buy every train ever made - I just stick with sets that I really like the look of - so this approach works for me.

 

I guess that’s the amazing thing about a forum like this - you’re always going to find ONE person with an opposing view…

 

Edited July 24, 2015 by mrp

[VJM]

Only 2?  A true otaku has no less than 4 or 5!

 

One to run, one to display permanently on in the glass cabinet, one as backup and/or to remain mint in sealed box, and one to sell should it ever become some hugely rare and expensive collectors item!

 

[HantuBlauLOL]

Only 2?  A true otaku has no less than 4 or 5!

 

One to run, one to display permanently on in the glass cabinet, one as backup and/or to remain mint in sealed box, and one to sell should it ever become some hugely rare and expensive collectors item!

 

Then suddenly someone reproduce them again with far better detail and mechanism and also much cheaper :

[JR 500系]

Ahah! Well done mrp san! Truly two of the SAME set! It's a great wonder especially for the Nagano 2100 series, a most will definitely buy one of each of the two models available, but you bought 2 of the same one!   :)

[kvp]

For real operations in urban environments, you really need more than one set of the same line. Sometimes i buy sets from the same line with slightly different consists, like some of the old scrapheap Iida and Gotemba line sets, where they didn't even have two matching cars. The 101 series ran in 3 car formation on the Chichibu in the various old JNR colors. Same series, same consist, different liveries. I have a 113 and 115 series set in the same yokosuka color that look very similar, but not quite the same. But generally i don't buy two exactly matching sets. For the Yamanote line i have an older jnr 103 series and a jre 231 series. I would need a 205 series to be able to model the 1985-87 and 2003-2004 state of the line. Of course i can think of situations where two perfectly matching sets (except car numbers) would be a must, but it's a very rare one.

 

Actually i don't really buy spares as Tomix seem to have a rather good rerelease strategy and i think it would be possible to get parts for most of their trains, especially the more common ones. Of course if i had to replace the drive unit of a standard 20 meter car with a spring worm drive, i would buy a modern cardan drive replacement frame, which would allow me to upgrade it while fixing it.

[Martijn Meerts]

I do have a bunch of trains multiple times, but they all have different running numbers, so they're not really duplicates ;)

[mrp]

...especially for the Nagano 2100 series...

 

Yes - well - about the Snow Monkey.

 

I used to catch the old 253 Series NEX into Tokyo every couple of weeks for a number of years and grew quite fond of it, but by the time I started collecting they’d moved on to the E259 which I don’t have the same feeling for.

 

But then they sold a couple of the old 253 sets to Nagano Electric Railway and they showed up as Tomix “High Grade” models with the original NEX paint scheme.  Perfect!  The only problem is that ridiculous monkey on the side.

 

But that’s why I didn’t bother with the revised 2100 colour scheme.

 

Unfortunately my “local line” at the time was the Namboku-sen - possible the most boring line in all of Tokyo - so I don’t have any special affinity for some of the more interesting trains everyone seems to collect.

[Densha]

I have a whole fleet of the same train type, although they're all slightly different:

 

5x Keihan 600 type, soon to be 7x. I only have a single power unit though; I maybe need to get a few more before they're out of production. I didn't get a power unit for the 350 type back when it was released and now the power unit is not available any more.

[JR 500系]

 

I have a whole fleet of the same train type, although they're all slightly different:

 

 

 

Aahhh yes you need more Keihan buses Densha san!  :)

[Densha]

Yes I do actually. That reminds me to post about that in the bus topic. :P

[Guest keio6000]

Sigh.. embarassing

 

Direct duplicates:

 

- Kato 301 Chuo line 6 car set - have two. Also have another set which is the one with the alternative ("flat") front.

- MicroAce Seibu 701 - 6 or 7 car set whatever it is - have 2 in yellow plus the "akaden" version

- Kato Seibu 101 2-car motorized set - for whtever reason i have like 4 or 5 of these

- MicroAce Odakyu 8000 - have 2 8 car sets identical.

 

Probably a few duplicates in locos too.  And many many examples of owning different liveried versions of the same underlying mould such as both the Mitaka and Nagano Tomix HG 169s and much more.

Sigh :)

[cteno4]

LOL, it's true it takes all kinds!

 

I too have a few double sets of trains for the same reason as kvp. Two full 16 car 500 and 700.

 

Jeff

[Davo Dentetsu]

Only 2?  A true otaku has no less than 4 or 5!

 

One to run, one to display permanently on in the glass cabinet, one as backup and/or to remain mint in sealed box, and one to sell should it ever become some hugely rare and expensive collectors item!

 

You have blue hair, no doubt about it

[Philphil]

On 7/24/2015 at 1:34 AM, VJM said:

Only 2?  A true otaku has no less than 4 or 5!

 

One to run, one to display permanently on in the glass cabinet, one as backup and/or to remain mint in sealed box, and one to sell should it ever become some hugely rare and expensive collectors item!

 

100% AGREE! Unfortunately... 

[Kiha66]

I'd like to say I'm better than this, but my ever growing collection of kiha 66/67 sets (I'm up to 5 pairs now, with two more on preorder) seems to firmly point to my guilt.  At this rate I'll soon have more than JNR actually built....

[Philphil]

2 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

I'd like to say I'm better than this, but my ever growing collection of kiha 66/67 sets (I'm up to 5 pairs now, with two more on preorder) seems to firmly point to my guilt.  At this rate I'll soon have more than JNR actually built....

Hey, that's not too bad, that's only twelve units total! At least they aren't 10 or 15 car sets! 

[Azamiryou]

I only pick up a second (or third, or fourth, ... don't ask how many EH500's I have!) when I want to be able to have more than one in a scene. It's not unusual at all to see several of the same type of train in a depot or station.