Tomix Railbus

Well Folks,

This here is a Tomix railbus, (#92158), which along with their Nanbu-Jyukan railbus (#92134) is what really got me into Japanese N-scale trains (N-scale in general actually).  I have another Tomix railbus on the way, so I think I can start calling them a collection ;D

Anyone else have a soft spot in their hearts for tiny diesel railbusses?

-Cody

Here's one of the Nanbu-Jyukan Railway railbusses (posed with my scratchbuilt tram shelter and a Japanese national park postage stamp-something else I have a collection of)...

Very nice, what era does that bus spring from? Are they still in service?

Very nice, what era does that bus spring from? Are they still in service?

You know, I have no idea if these are still running.  I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Nanbu-Jyukan railbus (railbusses?) are being preserved some where...  I'll see if I can find where I read that.

Or if anyone else knows? ;D

This might answer some questions about the Nanbu-Jyukan railbus:

http://www.ogaemon.com/r-bus/r-bus-top.html

I don't read Japanese, but there are allot of good pictures.  And as far as I can tell, they hold an open house or excursion every year.

-Cody

Hi all! I am also very interested in these Japanese railbusses. Being a railway-man from Germany, it might seem a little strange, but these quite "handsome" vehicles really are quite something. Although I am not really into railway models, I have now started to build a model-railway "Japanese Style". The example will be the Nanbu Jyukan Railway. Thankfully, I was able to purchase a railbus-set on ebay, and I am really looking forward to receiving it.

Regards, Pero

Hi

JNR introduced the Kiha 01/02/03 series rail bus in the 1950s as an attempt to reduce costs on rural lines.

I cannot remember the exact differences but one version was for Hokkaido with heaters and frost screens.

They were all withdrawn by the late 1960s. There was also the one off parcels railbus.

The Nambu Jukan rail bus were introduced in 1971 if I remember correctly. 

Hi

 

JNR introduced the Kiha 01/02/03 series rail bus in the 1950s as an attempt to reduce costs on rural lines.

I cannot remember the exact differences but one version was for Hokkaido with heaters and frost screens.

 

They were all withdrawn by the late 1960s. There was also the one off parcels railbus.

 

The Nambu Jukan rail bus were introduced in 1971 if I remember correctly.  

If my memory serves me correctly the Nambu Jukan railbus I rode in 1996 about six months before the line closed had a 1968 builders plate, I didn't get a photo of the plate as I often do now I shoot digital and aren't worried about saving film.

Railbusses are very cool, and we've gotten a number of Japanese and European models. They are fun to get a bunch of them going on a layout at the same time. (yeah, yeah, I know, pictures, pictures, pictures!)

I have a similar interest, but specifically with the Hakone Tozan Railway.  Check these out:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10020010

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009548

... and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakone_Tozan_Line

I plan to model the railway some time in the future.  I really love this little train. :blob5:

Cheers,

The_Ghan

Hi all!, I have a question, and hopefully, one of you guys might have the answer: Could it justbe, that the Japanese N-scale models do not run on "European N-track"?. I have now received my Tomix NYR-Railbus, and one of the two motor-cars derails all the time. Has anyone else experienced this?

Regards P. Schmidt

Hi all! I am also very interested in these Japanese railbusses. Being a railway-man from Germany, it might seem a little strange, but these quite "handsome" vehicles really are quite something.

It's not so strange Pero, they're nice little models. And they probably remind you of a Ferkeltaxi, no? 

Cheers,

Mark.

Hi all!, I have a question, and hopefully, one of you guys might have the answer: Could it justbe, that the Japanese N-scale models do not run on "European N-track"?. I have now received my Tomix NYR-Railbus, and one of the two motor-cars derails all the time. Has anyone else experienced this?

Pero, they should run on European track, as it's the same gauge as Japanese track, 9mm. I'd guess that either one or more wheels are not properly spaced on the axle, or the wheels aren't square on the axle. I don't know what the proper back-to-back measurement is for N scale, but that's the first thing I'd check.

Cheers,

Mark.

Hi all!, I have a question, and hopefully, one of you guys might have the answer: Could it justbe, that the Japanese N-scale models do not run on "European N-track"?. I have now received my Tomix NYR-Railbus, and one of the two motor-cars derails all the time. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Regards P. Schmidt

Some Japanese trains can have problems on some European track. For example, I've had to modify several Minitrix large radius curved turnouts, because at some point the gauge of the turnout is more like 10mm instead of 9mm. With European trains it's not a problem because they have thicker wheels. Tomix, MicroAce, Kato (Japanese and American models) have more to-scale wheels and they can derail if the track gauge isn't correct.

Hi all!, I have a question, and hopefully, one of you guys might have the answer: Could it justbe, that the Japanese N-scale models do not run on "European N-track"?. I have now received my Tomix NYR-Railbus, and one of the two motor-cars derails all the time. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Pero, they should run on European track, as it's the same gauge as Japanese track, 9mm. I'd guess that either one or more wheels are not properly spaced on the axle, or the wheels aren't square on the axle. I don't know what the proper back-to-back measurement is for N scale, but that's the first thing I'd check.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Hi Mark, guess you're right, one of them REALLY behaves like the real Ferkeltaxi, except for the original doesn't derail that quickly  :laughing7: Cheers Pero

Hi all!, I have a question, and hopefully, one of you guys might have the answer: Could it justbe, that the Japanese N-scale models do not run on "European N-track"?. I have now received my Tomix NYR-Railbus, and one of the two motor-cars derails all the time. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Regards P. Schmidt

 

Some Japanese trains can have problems on some European track. For example, I've had to modify several Minitrix large radius curved turnouts, because at some point the gauge of the turnout is more like 10mm instead of 9mm. With European trains it's not a problem because they have thicker wheels. Tomix, MicroAce, Kato (Japanese and American models) have more to-scale wheels and they can derail if the track gauge isn't correct.

Hi! Thanks for all your answers. I have checked the derailing railbus, and it seems, that one of the axles might cause the problems. I will have to fix it. However, I am now going to purchase the tracks I need from my Japanese supplier to make sure, that rolling stock and track fit together properly.

What I really find regrettable ist the fact, that the user's instructions, that come with the railbus, are only provided in Japanese  :dontknow:. I still have to find out, what the two oblong pieces of metal are supposed to be for. The drawing suggests, that they have to be fitted in the railbus. Is that right?

Regards Pero

Hi all!, I have a question, and hopefully, one of you guys might have the answer: Could it justbe, that the Japanese N-scale models do not run on "European N-track"?. I have now received my Tomix NYR-Railbus, and one of the two motor-cars derails all the time. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Regards P. Schmidt

 

Some Japanese trains can have problems on some European track. For example, I've had to modify several Minitrix large radius curved turnouts, because at some point the gauge of the turnout is more like 10mm instead of 9mm. With European trains it's not a problem because they have thicker wheels. Tomix, MicroAce, Kato (Japanese and American models) have more to-scale wheels and they can derail if the track gauge isn't correct.

 

Hi! Thanks for all your answers. I have checked the derailing railbus, and it seems, that one of the axles might cause the problems. I will have to fix it. However, I am now going to purchase the tracks I need from my Japanese supplier to make sure, that rolling stock and track fit together properly.

What I really find regrettable ist the fact, that the user's instructions, that come with the railbus, are only provided in Japanese  :dontknow:. I still have to find out, what the two oblong pieces of metal are supposed to be for. The drawing suggests, that they have to be fitted in the railbus. Is that right?

 

Regards Pero

The market for Japanese trains outside of Japan isn't big enough for either of the brands to translate the instructions. Only the Tomix track cleaning car comes with English instructions as well, because it's become so popular worldwide.

The pieces are metal are most likely just for added weight, which in turn improves running characteristics of the train. The railbusses are VERY light without the extra weight. (I have Tomix's Kiha 01 set, Kiha 02 set and Kiha 03 set ;))

Hi! Thanks for all your answers. I have checked the derailing railbus, and it seems, that one of the axles might cause the problems. I will have to fix it. However, I am now going to purchase the tracks I need from my Japanese supplier to make sure, that rolling stock and track fit together properly.

What I really find regrettable ist the fact, that the user's instructions, that come with the railbus, are only provided in Japanese  :dontknow:. I still have to find out, what the two oblong pieces of metal are supposed to be for. The drawing suggests, that they have to be fitted in the railbus. Is that right?

Are the metal parts silver/steel colored flat rectangles? Or long copper/brass colored strips? If they're thin copper colored strips, those are for electrical pickup (Most Japanese passenger stock, even non-motorized cars, have them. They can be for the cab lights, or for permitting the addition of optional interior lights in mid cars). If it's a rectangular steel colored strip about a centimeter wide, or so, it's to add weight.

Hi! Thanks for all your answers. I have checked the derailing railbus, and it seems, that one of the axles might cause the problems. I will have to fix it. However, I am now going to purchase the tracks I need from my Japanese supplier to make sure, that rolling stock and track fit together properly.

What I really find regrettable ist the fact, that the user's instructions, that come with the railbus, are only provided in Japanese  :dontknow:. I still have to find out, what the two oblong pieces of metal are supposed to be for. The drawing suggests, that they have to be fitted in the railbus. Is that right?

 

Are the metal parts silver/steel colored flat rectangles? Or long copper/brass colored strips? If they're thin copper colored strips, those are for electrical pickup (Most Japanese passenger stock, even non-motorized cars, have them. They can be for the cab lights, or for permitting the addition of optional interior lights in mid cars). If it's a rectangular steel colored strip about a centimeter wide, or so, it's to add weight.

Silly me, of course they are rectangles (not oblong) :BangHead:.  I thought that they are supposed to add weight, wasn't quite sure, though.

Thanks again :-)

Hi all!, I have a question, and hopefully, one of you guys might have the answer: Could it justbe, that the Japanese N-scale models do not run on "European N-track"?. I have now received my Tomix NYR-Railbus, and one of the two motor-cars derails all the time. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Regards P. Schmidt

 

Some Japanese trains can have problems on some European track. For example, I've had to modify several Minitrix large radius curved turnouts, because at some point the gauge of the turnout is more like 10mm instead of 9mm. With European trains it's not a problem because they have thicker wheels. Tomix, MicroAce, Kato (Japanese and American models) have more to-scale wheels and they can derail if the track gauge isn't correct.

Hi! I have now found the problem, why my KIHA-10 alwavs derails. N-gauge = 9mm, but there's only 7,8mm space between the wheels of the railbus. Therefore it cannot fit at all. I shall have to write to my supplier...

Regards Pero

Hi :-)

I could't help but doing this, because the similarities are just too close: On the left railbus "Ferkeltaxi" (piglet-taxi) clas 171 of the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR), former GDR, in the centre DB German National Rwy class 798, and you might know the railbus on the right anyway... ;-).

Regards Pero

Nice!

Cheers,

Mark.

I'm quite looking forward to these 3 actually: http://www.digital-plus.de/spur0/spurnull_vt98.php =)

Nice railbusses, I am glad to say, that I have actually had the honour to have driven them myself.  I would actually be glad to look forward to this: Tsubokawa Station http://www.ogaemon.com/r-bus/goods/putirama.htm. Does anyone have an idea where I can get one of the station-models? They seem to be sold-out, and unfortunately, the guys from www.ogaemon.com are not responding (as yet), although I would really like to purchase quite a bunch of the items they have on sale...

Regards

Nice railbusses, I am glad to say, that I have actually had the honour to have driven them myself.  I would actually be glad to look forward to this: Tsubokawa Station http://www.ogaemon.com/r-bus/goods/putirama.htm. Does anyone have an idea where I can get one of the station-models? They seem to be sold-out, and unfortunately, the guys from www.ogaemon.com are not responding (as yet), although I would really like to purchase quite a bunch of the items they have on sale...

Regards

I have a non-powered model of the railbus I bought before Tomix brought out the powered version. It would look great sitting on that diorama.