MicroAce - New Releases

[JR 500系]

On ‎18‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 12:00 AM, Kabutoni said:

 

I don't know the exact details, but it had to do something with the shoddy finish of the moulds. No matter how well the detailing was, the moulds ruined it for Tokyu. This post that compares both Kato, MicroAce and Greenmax product quite well illustrates it: http://tamaden-club.sakura.ne.jp/index.php?itemid=2270 Especially when you see all front cars next to eachother, it's easy to see why Tokyu was so upset with this result... Especially considering it as its first and only Tokyu product, this was a massive letdown...

 

Thanks Toni san! Now I do understand why Tokyu was so upset... I mean, look at the MA versus the other 2!

[katoftw]

Glad to see the Ibusuki no Tamatebako 3 car.  Not 3 car price friendly though...

 

Hopefully that means a black (and not navy) version of the Hayato no Kaze will soon follow.

 

Now to sell off my 2 car Ibusuki no Tamatebako set.

Edited October 19, 2017 by katoftw

[IST]

48 minutes ago, katoftw said:

Now to sell off my 2 car Ibusuki no Tamatebako set.

 

I would buy it.

3 car set is pricey for me, while 2 car set is sold out everywhere.

[Yavianice]

54 minutes ago, katoftw said:

Glad to see the Ibusuki no Tamatebako 3 car.  Not 3 car price friendly though...

 

Hopefully that means a black (and not navy) version of the Hayato no Kaze will soon follow.

 

Now to sell off my 2 car Ibusuki no Tamatebako set.

 

Couldn't agree with you more. And I will also sell my 2 car Ibusuki no Tamatebako; personally I find the 2 car version too short :)

 

And I want to have an ASO Boy re-release too!

[kvp]

On 10/17/2017 at 7:41 AM, cteno4 said:

Interesting question! Hard to say how old JNR stuff was parceled out in privatization. On the steam locos the originating design might have just been licensed to other manufacturers or sold. Rights can also get split. It can be nasty finding rights ownership even when it looks obvious. I use to hate when a rights question cropped up on projects, always headaches!

There are two owners for these trains, one for the design, which in many standard stock cases was kept by JNR, while there are owners for the liveries for each company who operatated them. The rights could also be found at the manufacturer if it was their own design. Then each paint needs a separate licence. In case of very old trains with old paints, the original licences have probably ran out a long ago. Those standard JNR designs probably belong to the Railway Technical Reseach Institute now, so getting a licence might be easier there especially if the train is produced with the old JNR logo. Defunct companies with no successors are also good targets for free to manufacture models as well as old state owed designs like standard JGR stock. Another way to obtain a licence for a modern train is to ask the current owner/operator if they have bought the full commercial rights for their trains, so the manufacturer(s) won't have to be contacted. Imho it's not too complex, but having a good licencing specialist lawyer is always a good idea.

[IST]

33 minutes ago, Yavianice said:

 

Couldn't agree with you more. And I will also sell my 2 car Ibusuki no Tamatebako; personally I find the 2 car version too short :)

 

Another potential seller, cool!

[katoftw]

Better for you also.  Euro to Euro would be massively cheaper on shipping compared to Oceania to Euro.

[Suica]

5 hours ago, Yavianice said:

 

And I want to have an ASO Boy re-release too!

And I'm still waiting for the A-Train...

[katoftw]

I'm awaiting for both.  And a Kiha 185 Yufu Express 3/4 car set.  And Kiha 47s 2 car set in Kyushu colours  And...

[Das Steinkopf]

1 hour ago, katoftw said:

I'm awaiting for both.  And a Kiha 185 Yufu Express 3/4 car set.  And Kiha 47s 2 car set in Kyushu colours  And...

 

What, no love for Keihan Otsusen anymore, I would really like an 800 Series in the "new" Keihan Mainline livery.

 

Currently waiting for this months release of the JR Tokai 213-5000 Series, my contemporay Iidasen fleet is nearing completion I just need Kato or Tomix to release a 313-3000 Series and I will be done.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 19, 2017 by Das Steinkopf

[katoftw]

33 minutes ago, Das Steinkopf said:

What, no love for Keihan Otsusen anymore, I would really like an 800 Series in the "new" Keihan Mainline livery.

 

Currently waiting for this months release of the JR Tokai 213-5000 Series, my contemporay Iidasen fleet is nearing completion I just need Kato or Tomix to release a 313-3000 Series and I will be done.

My 800 was a rough runner, got it cheap off yahoo anyway.  As were the many 600s/700s from Tomytec, typical of Tomytec though.  Kinda kills the joy.

 

If a manufacturer were to the 600s/700s with directional lighting and better couplers, then I might be tempted with Otsusen again.

Edited October 19, 2017 by katoftw

[Das Steinkopf]

1 minute ago, katoftw said:

My 800 was a poor running, got it cheap off yahoo anyway.  As were the many 600s/700s from Tomytec, typical of Tomytec though.

 

If a manufacturer were to the 600s/700s with directional lighting and better couplers, then I might be tempted with Otsusen again.

 

I see your point with the Tomytec's, after you have spent money on motorising them and changing the panto's you are pretty much on par or a few hundred yen off what it would have cost for a complete train from Kato or Tomix, with your 800 Series she is being used as a source for spare parts these days as I already had both models 😉

[Densha]

14 minutes ago, katoftw said:

If a manufacturer were to the 600s/700s with directional lighting and better couplers, then I might be tempted with Otsusen again.

TN couplers are cheap and usually a huge improvement for any model train. Directional lightning should not be very difficult to do yourself. Still, there's so much to upgrade on Tomytec trains that it gets expensive quickly. I only get them when I really like a certain train and there's absolutely no Kato/Tomix/etc. alternative.

[katoftw]

21 minutes ago, Densha said:

TN couplers are cheap and usually a huge improvement for any model train. Directional lightning should not be very difficult to do yourself. Still, there's so much to upgrade on Tomytec trains that it gets expensive quickly. I only get them when I really like a certain train and there's absolutely no Kato/Tomix/etc. alternative.

True true.  But since for example the otsusen 600s/700s cost you about 6500 yen with motor and trailer parts fitted.  Another 5000 yen for third party directional lighting and 600 yen for 2 couplers.  It is a lot of money for a 2 car set with below average running motors and trailers getting speed whobbles due to loose fitment for bogies.

[JR 500系]

wow now I am thinking if I really should get the newer 3-car set, especially so since the 3-car set is so costly and probably the 2-car set will be cheaper to get...

 

Would love the Kiha-185 Yufu and Kiha-185 Aso Boy too!

 

I guess MA's best way to go now is to go on re-releasing its older models in newer consists... I think they probably generate more income this way without the need for many newer moulds ~

 

 

Official poster, taken off HS:

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/blog/img/17_10p.jpg

Edited November 17, 2017 by cteno4

[Sascha]

Dang. They are releasing the Ibusuki no Tamatebako as a three car formation. Just bought the two car one from katoftws . But 22000 yen is a bit expensive anyways, so I'll be happy with the two car version.

[IST]

On 2017. 10. 19. at 11:40 AM, katoftw said:

Better for you also.  Euro to Euro would be massively cheaper on shipping compared to Oceania to Euro.

 

If Hungary would have Euro...

But sadly we are not going that way.

[katoftw]

I'm reminded of the 3 car Kiha 140/47/47 Isaburo-Shinpei at 15,300 yen.  Shows how much they lost getting that model out at the pre China factory meltdown prices.  Now this 3 car Kiha 140/47/47 Ibusuki no Tamatebako is 22,000 yen.  6700 yen more.  Same moulds, same parts, same A4 full size bookcase etc.

[Gordon Werner]

On 10/19/2017 at 3:27 PM, Das Steinkopf said:

 

What, no love for Keihan Otsusen anymore, I would really like an 800 Series in the "new" Keihan Mainline livery.

 

 

I am eagerly waiting for that to be announced/released

Edited October 20, 2017 by Gordon Werner

[katoftw]

So I thought MA had cancelled these after a long process of deferments after more deferments?

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10409891

 

 

 

Although they are around 4,000 yen more than the Kato version.  KAot comes which close couplers and better front dummy coupler.  Cannot see any reason to buy MA version.

Edited November 17, 2017 by cteno4

[JR 500系]

8 hours ago, katoftw said:

So I thought MA had cancelled these after a long process of deferments after more deferments?

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10409891

 

 

 

Although they are around 4,000 yen more than the Kato version.  KAot comes which close couplers and better front dummy coupler.  Cannot see any reason to buy MA version.

 

I think the release was not cancelled, the only one that was cancelled immediately once Kato announced its release of the Shirakami is the Shirakami that MA has dropped immediately,, but I think the Asunaro & Furusato were remained...

 

Strange the Asunaro came out and not the Furusato... perhaps MA also dropping this since Kato has already done this...

Edited November 17, 2017 by cteno4

[katoftw]

Furusato is still up for pre-order.  So probably available next month releases.

[Densha]

New MicroAce releases announcement:

 

[Pashina12]

So MicroAce has a C11 too? Cool. Though 42k yen for a locomotive and six cars I have no use at all for is a bit much. Hopefully there'll be a solo release of the C11...

[katoftw]

I'm surprized Kato or Tomix didn't jump on the Taiju first.  They are all models that both have previously released.  I have seen it in other scales already for release.