What did you order or the post deliver?

[marknewton]

Envy! 

I've toyed with getting one of these myself, but only because it appears to be such a lovely model. I can't really justify having one...

Cheers,

Mark.

[KenS]

That is a lovely model, and if I were doing HO I'd have several. 

There's even a bit of temptation just to buy one for display (I have an HO GG1 I bought for that back when I was doing HO freight and couldn't come up with a way to run it, but wanted the model anyway). But right now I'd rather spend my money on trains I can (at least in theory, if I ever get the layout operational) run.

[marknewton]

Same with me, Ken. I have two DD13s that will make up my JNR "fleet", a DE10 would be a bit of overkill. Still tempting though!

Cheers,

Mark.

[SONIC883]

Arrived on Sunday - not from the postman, friends bring it with from japan

- KATO DE10 warm type
- N-Scale-World 10th anniversary issue
- Japan Railfan Magazine 8/2010

[Martijn Meerts]

Received a Kato C11 with some fitting cars, as well as several replacement parts.

Also pre-ordered a Southern Pacific GS-4, road number 4449. (No, I'm not switching to American trains, but I just really like the American named trains like the Zephyr, Super Chief, Morning Daylight etc, plan to collect many of them over time ;))

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Received a Kato C11 with some fitting cars, as well as several replacement parts.

Also pre-ordered a Southern Pacific GS-4, road number 4449. (No, I'm not switching to American trains, but I just really like the American named trains like the Zephyr, Super Chief, Morning Daylight etc, plan to collect many of them over time ;))

I don't really do American trains...but the Morning Daylight is the exception. It is such a stylish train and certainly wows the crowds at shows!

[Martijn Meerts]

Received a Kato C11 with some fitting cars, as well as several replacement parts.

Also pre-ordered a Southern Pacific GS-4, road number 4449. (No, I'm not switching to American trains, but I just really like the American named trains like the Zephyr, Super Chief, Morning Daylight etc, plan to collect many of them over time ;))

I don't really do American trains...but the Morning Daylight is the exception. It is such a stylish train and certainly wows the crowds at shows!

The morning daylight is definitely something else. I really like the GS-4 as well. Usually I don't much care for steam locomotives that look non-standard so to speak, but the GS-4 just looks amazing.

I've also always liked the F3 and F7 units, especially the Santa Fe warbonnet variant, so obviously I'd like to get my hands on a super chief at some point.

It's a shame those lines have been scrapped, I would've loved to travel on something like the super chief or morning daylight. Sure, it might take 2 days vs. a few hours by plane, but a train just has a lot more charm, and the sights would be so much better :)

[David]

I ordered the E127-0 that was released today, along with the add-on set for the Hankyu 6300 (and a TomyTec fence and Kato coupler). Ordered from HS using the link, so I hope it gets counted. The weight of the jewel cases for the Hankyu (the tooling is back from when Kato packaged EMUs in individual jewel cases in a box) really drove up the shipping.

[westfalen]

It didn't come in the post but I picked up one of these things for Y660 at the Seiyu department store in Isahaya today. I'm not exactly sure what it does but it's a mean looking piece of equipment.
http://www.hwjapan.com/sh/seeke.aspx?seek_code=TTM334132

[scott]

Just got the HW payment request today for the Niigata 115 and E127--I've hadn't been so happy to be asked for money in a long time! 

[bigford]

i finally got the 8 car add on for the m250 
  these cars are sweet,now for the rest of the set
i'll order the the 4 car set next then the power set
will the power set be able to pull every thing?

[Claude_Dreyfus]

i finally got the 8 car add on for the m250 
  these cars are sweet,now for the rest of the set
i'll order the the 4 car set next then the power set
will the power set be able to pull every thing?

Easily... Our layout - Yamanouchi Oshika - has a grade of 1/40 which is easily handled by the full 16-car set. It performed faultlessly under exhibition conditions on a layout that has defeated many lesser models!

[andreas]

Received this one today 

http://www.1999.co.jp/itbig10/10105422a3.jpg[/img]]

and this is waiting for customs clearance 

http://www.1999.co.jp/itbig06/10068925a2.jpg[/img]]

and when it arrives next week, I am away  a longer wait

[KenS]

While JR's Tokyo commuter trains are my main interest, I've been buying Limited Express and other trains for the last six months, to round-out my rolling stock a bit (even I would get tired of seeing nothing but E231s roll by).  The long drought has ended.

I just ordered a 5-car add-on for my Joban E231 (10-553).   I'd been adding car lighting to the Joban sets I have (10-551/552) and that had me thinking about them, so when I was browsing HS I noticed they had re-stocked the 553 and decided I should fill out the complete 10+5 lineup before it went away.  And that got me thinking about the other gaps in my collection.

One of the earliest commuter train sets I bought was Kato's 10-471 "Suburban" E231, which was an 8-car set first produced in 2003 that could either be expanded with a two-car double-decker set, or a two-car normal set, to make two different versions of the train.  I'd held off buying the single-deck expansion, hoping I'd turn up the double-decker.  Kato had put out a couple of subsequent versions (2005, 2007), but without offering the double-deck cars separately, and they always seemed to have one of the sets sold out when I found them. Then last March, Kato came out with the updated 10-594/595/596 set, with the double-deck cars (again mixed in with others), and I thought then that I really should give up, and just buy the new one.

But I'd put off buying it, due to other priorities this spring and summer, even though I'd had this nagging feeling that it might disappear before I could get the complete set (again). So, while I was ordering the Joban set,  I finally decided to buy the new Suburban train (all three sets), and apparently none too soon, as the basic set went waiting-list after I placed my order.

I also ordered the single-deck two-car 10-472 expansion for the original train (which is still available; guess it wasn't too popular). Now I have both the early and late version rosters (or will when they arrive) of the full 10-car E231 Suburban train.  There's also a 5-car add-on to the March set (to make a 10+5 configuration), but it was already sold out; I'd waited too long, I guess, maybe it will re-stock, or I'll find it on one of the other sites.

And it's all the fault of the car lighting. If I hadn't been installing those kits, I wouldn't have ended up ordering all these trains. 

I did use the affiliate link, so the forum should be a bit of help from my addiction to commuter trains.

[disturbman]

Received this one today 

http://www.1999.co.jp/itbig10/10105422a3.jpg

Yes, this one is a beautiful set. I've it also. :)

[Krackel Hopper]

hey hey,

I just received order of my MicroAce Kiya 95 'Dr. Tokai' DR1 formation.

UNDERCARRIAGE -
This set is pretty amazing.  MicroAce took extra attention to detail on this model.  For starters, the undercarriage is just a plain black or gray molded piece of plastic.  It is actually painted with details. 

LIGHTING -
The real Dr. Tokai DR1 has several sets of observation lights - some mounted under the middle car for rail observation and a pair of spotlights mounted on the roof that light up the pantograph.  MicroAce has re-created these lights using LEDs.. and from my initial test run I think they work/look great!  The LEDs are not overpowering, but are just bright enough.  There are little switches under the respective cars to turn the observation LEDs on/off.

MOTOR -
As with the handful of MicroAce trains I own, this train runs smooth.  Very fluid start/stop and runs at very low speeds with no issues.

At some point I am going to build a massive MoW yard.  I think right now my train collection is about 50% MoW equipment.. lol..

[clem24]

One of the earliest commuter train sets I bought was Kato's 10-471 "Suburban" E231, which was an 8-car set first produced in 2003 that could either be expanded with a two-car double-decker set, or a two-car normal set, to make two different versions of the train.  I'd held off buying the single-deck expansion, hoping I'd turn up the double-decker.  Kato had put out a couple of subsequent versions (2005, 2007), but without offering the double-deck cars separately, and they always seemed to have one of the sets sold out when I found them. Then last March, Kato came out with the updated 10-594/595/596 set, with the double-deck cars (again mixed in with others), and I thought then that I really should give up, and just buy the new one.

I have the same set and *had* the same problem. For some reason, I passed up buying the Saro E230/231 set when I was at the Kato store in Shinjuku in 2008, only cause it was MSRP and I didn't feel like paying MSRP. I figured these things would be everywhere in Japan, but it wasn't. I didn't see it again and when I got back, I forgot about it a bit and then find out it's sold out everywhere. I did not want the regular (single deck) 2 car add-on. About 2 months ago, my jaw smacked the floor when a used set came up on Popondetta. Needless to say, I snapped it up. And I'll also assume it's NOT a super rare item cause I only paid about Y2,700 for it, and I know Popondetta prices rare items accordingly (i.e. > MSRP). So keep looking I guess. Very nice cars, the only thing being the couplers are different color (dark grey) than the 8 car set.

[spacecadet]

Well after about 10 years of dilly-dallying, I finally purchased my first Japanese train!  Probably sounds cliche, but I got the Kato 0 Series shinkansen 8 car set (10-453) from this Ebay listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370416243494

This set seems to be sold out pretty much everywhere else, and the 0 series sets from Tomix and MicroAce are a lot more expensive.

I'm excited, though a *little* bit disappointed, because I got sniped out of the auction I really wanted to win (an actual auction from a regular guy), which was for a Tomix 100 series shinkansen 7 car set.  It was only at $115 with 5 seconds left, but somebody was obviously running some sniping software and I saw it hit $117.50 with 2 seconds to go.  Nothing I could do.  Was my own fault for low-balling the bid.  I really wanted a 100 series both because it was the first shinkansen I ever rode, and because I like the look of it - both the nose and the middle bi-level cars breaking up the consist.  Well, I'll get one sometime.

Next purchases: a couple stations and some track (which I can get locally), then my next trains will be Joban line (haven't decided whether to go current or retro), and one of the famous night trains.  Might have to wait for the new releases of those night trains, though.  Seems like both the Cassiopeia and Hokutosei are being updated; not sure what's going on with the Twilight Express.

[jappomania]

Well after about 10 years of dilly-dallying, I finally purchased my first Japanese train!  Probably sounds cliche, but I got the Kato 0 Series shinkansen 8 car set (10-453) from this Ebay listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370416243494

This set seems to be sold out pretty much everywhere else, and the 0 series sets from Tomix and MicroAce are a lot more expensive.
I'm excited, though a *little* bit disappointed, because I got sniped out of the auction I really wanted to win (an actual auction from a regular guy), which was for a Tomix 100 series shinkansen 7 car set.

Hi, good choice to start with the 0 series, and sincerly I think you are lucky, the Tomix 100 7 cars set is the old release, if you in the future would try to complete your Shinkansen I think is impossible (outside Japan), is better if you wait the next re-release of the new 4 car set or, if you want, you can find the Kato version V set
on Rainbowten

ciao
Massimo

[spacecadet]

Hi, good choice to start with the 0 series, and sincerly I think you are lucky, the Tomix 100 7 cars set is the old release, if you in the future would try to complete your Shinkansen I think is impossible (outside Japan), is better if you wait the next re-release of the new 4 car set or, if you want, you can find the Kato version V set
on Rainbowten

Thanks - I will probably get the Kato 100 series set eventually, but it was more just the price of that Tomix set (plus only $9.95 shipping) - I feel like somebody got a really good deal with that.  I don't mind if something's a bit older or used or both if it's for a really good price.  (So I'll be checking that classified section of the forum often!)  I know the Kato 0 series I got instead is a little older too, but it was the best deal for any shinkansen I could find... I plan to run 7 or 8 car trains and to get 8 cars in any other shinkansen was about $30-$40 more.  And it's not like there are going to be any further updates to the 0 series prototype that any of the manufacturers have to work into their models, so I figured it being older probably didn't make much difference except that I'll need to solder in a decoder when and if I switch to DCC.

[clem24]

Thanks - I will probably get the Kato 100 series set eventually, but it was more just the price of that Tomix set (plus only $9.95 shipping) - I feel like somebody got a really good deal with that.  I don't mind if something's a bit older or used or both if it's for a really good price.  (So I'll be checking that classified section of the forum often!)  I know the Kato 0 series I got instead is a little older too, but it was the best deal for any shinkansen I could find... I plan to run 7 or 8 car trains and to get 8 cars in any other shinkansen was about $30-$40 more.  And it's not like there are going to be any further updates to the 0 series prototype that any of the manufacturers have to work into their models, so I figured it being older probably didn't make much difference except that I'll need to solder in a decoder when and if I switch to DCC.

I agree with Massimo.. Don't kick yourself over losing that set. It's quite old, and it's not really that great of a deal. It's also harder to complete the set if you plan on it. The newer Tomix releases (4 and 2 car sets) make it much easier to complete a prototypical train if you ever plan on going that route (even if you say 8 car now, you might get the itch later). The 100 series set is very common from ALL manufacturers (except the Microace X1 set which is somewhat harder to find OUTSIDE of Japan but VERY COMMON inside Japan). As long as you're not in a rush, you'll land a great deal on a 100 series set on eBay. They're really not that sought after. You just have to be patient.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Yet another(!) EF64...this time the blue Kato model. This one was for sale on another forum, having been purchased a few years ago for the chassis! Fortunately it has been spared this fate, and will soon be safe and sound with six other class-mates on Yamanouchi Oshika...

[spacecadet]

Yesterday and today's haul:

Kato M1 master track/power pack set
Kato island platform set
Japan Railfan
MR Modelers

The latter two came from Amazon yesterday; the first two I bought locally this morning.

I'm moving forward on getting together my first Japanese layout!  Need more track, but I've pretty much blown my budget for now.  Think I have enough left for some people to populate my platform...

[Fenway Park]

Micro Ace 421 emu Hobby Search restock.  This was last made some years ago.  So where did HS get in from?
It's a vital piece to any JNR Kitakyushu layout so will be company for the other one I purchased some years back.

[bill937ca]

Micro Ace 421 emu Hobby Search restock.  This was last made some years ago.  So where did HS get in from?
It's a vital piece to any JNR Kitakyushu layout so will be company for the other one I purchased some years back.

I don't know how they do it, but when you see the "The article of this place has little stock. When it was a sellout, please forgive it." tag you know you have to move quickly.

[Martijn Meerts]

Got the 300 series base set last week, hopefully the add-ons will arrive sometime later. Sure looks good =)

I've also finally received some Peco code55 track and turnouts I ordered for testing. It definitely runs much better than the minitrix track we're using on my father's layout, and it also runs (and looks) better than the Tomix track. Needless to say, my Japanese layout will be mainly Peco code 55, except for the bits where I need Tomix's mini turnouts (ghibli modules, track track etc.)

I'm not considering building a strorage yard/hidden yard that can hold full 16-car shinkansen and has 28 tracks (which means I need 52 turnouts ....)

[clem24]

Got the 300 series base set last week, hopefully the add-ons will arrive sometime later. Sure looks good =)

I actually thought quite the opposite.. Yeah it's nice to have a 300 series set, but the molds, including the body, uncarriage, and especially the interiors (it's a bench seat!!!), are still reusing the old 1990s mold (1991 I think??). Mind you, people don't notice when it's whizzing by at 600 km/h, but still... You'd think they'd at least update the tooling, like how Kato did with their new Hokutosei EF510 vs. the original EF510...

[Lawrence]

Just picked up Kato 8022 guards van and Tomix 2719 JNR Refrig Container Wagon KOMU1, brand new off ebay trader for £15 inc postage.  Plan to distress the guards van and possibly use it as a static piece, detail is fantastic tho, might stick on the back of some freight

[Martijn Meerts]

Got the 300 series base set last week, hopefully the add-ons will arrive sometime later. Sure looks good =)

I actually thought quite the opposite.. Yeah it's nice to have a 300 series set, but the molds, including the body, uncarriage, and especially the interiors (it's a bench seat!!!), are still reusing the old 1990s mold (1991 I think??). Mind you, people don't notice when it's whizzing by at 600 km/h, but still... You'd think they'd at least update the tooling, like how Kato did with their new Hokutosei EF510 vs. the original EF510...

I've only really checked the exterior of the thing. I've always like the nose of the 300, and the nose looks good on the model too =)

[marknewton]

Another book arrived today.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300456090108

Cheers,

Mark.

[grumbeast]

Well finally got some pocket money from the wife so went wild and ordered some more tomytec buildings ( farmhouse, bathhouse and small housex2, two large apartment buildings, some greenmax Japanese embankment walls and other residential walls.   And cause it's such a pretty blue, a Kato 6 car series 381 Kuroshio set.  It seems I'm quite by accident concentrating of equipment used by JR West :)

Graham

[cteno4]

rained containers today! order from HS of the prohobby plain 12' and 20' containers with decals and an order from HW of the lighted reefer containers!

the plain containers are nice. they are about 1mm wider than kato and tomix containers. nice thing that at $3 each you get a good selection of decals to use on them. to get ones like a yanmar is a lot cheaper than buying Hogarakadou at more like $8 ea!

the lighted reefers are interesting, but i am a bit disappointed in the lights. they are constant, they do not flash as i thought they were going to. also the way the little light pipe works you can only see the light at about 20-30 degrees off the horizontal, so you dont see it unless you have the container near eye level. at around $10-12 ea they are not horrible for nice reefers like this with the light. they are about 1.5mm longer than other 40' reefers from Hogarakadou and just a tad thinner. you get a sheet of additional decals to detail the containers up more, but the containers have a good set of markings already applied.

the coloration of the contaiers is all a gray to off white that is not painted, but the plastic color itself.

cheers

jeff

[scott]

My pre-ordered Kato Niigata 115 and E127 arrived--they both look really good. I've been after a white/green Niigata 115 for a long time now, and it's nice to finally get it.

[KenS]

My preordered Kato Taki 1000 set just showed up at HS. These 8 cars, with the four I already had, will give me a reasonably-sized twelve-car oil train for the EF210 to pull.

[Martijn Meerts]

Ordered a ET6 Flirt Eurobahn in Rhein Ruhr Express colors for my father. It's a rather nice train with the added benefit that it makes a stop at the station near to where I live ;)

4-car train, 2 motors, interior light and all that, made by Lilliput in cooperation with Modellbahn Union (which is a brand owned by the guy running Japan Model Railways in Kamen, Germany)

[bill937ca]

The first of my Tomix Wide Tram Rail  (set SA-WT) arrived yesterday and I got an email today that HS has the individual pieces in stock.

[David]

My preordered Kato Taki 1000 set just showed up at HS. These 8 cars, with the four I already had, will give me a reasonably-sized twelve-car oil train for the EF210 to pull.

I waited for those before ordering, but the pictures on HS showed the wheels as shiny rather then blackened, which tipped me over the edge to ordering a string of 10 Taki1900 cars (Hitachi run on the Joban line) instead along with a Niigata area MCR600 snowplow unit, some knuckle couplers to help in a near-future conversion of my freight stock to Kato knuckle couplers, and some TomyTec drivers (going to wait on passengers for the moment). I don't have an EF81 to pull the Taki cars, however I don't really like it anyway. Instead my Tomix ED75-1000 will likely be filling in as a specially scheduled train (they seem to be operated as fill in locomotives by JR East, including on the Joban line).

[Nick_Burman]

Ordered: Halling HOe (HOn30) AEG steeplecab. The loco is Austrian (Lokalbahn Mixnitz - St. Erhard) but with a few detail changes could be "Japanified" in an instant. Mine will stay Austrian though.

Also ordered the Tenshodo HO Toshiba loco, except I don't know which version I'll be getting! A friend of mine who is a pro modelmaker in Rio ordered one for resale. He asked for either the green (Nankai) or the undec version. I snapped the loco off him. However I'll have to wait untill a friend of his in Tokyo assembles a package of stuff (detail parts, etc...) to get the loco.

Cheers NB

[Bernard]

I've always liked the E3 Komachi Shinkansen and decided to order it. I'm just hoping it doesn't have the spring driven worm on the motor. Has anyone converted this model to DCC? Here is what it looks like: 
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10013035

[scott]

Ordered a ET6 Flirt Eurobahn in Rhein Ruhr Express colors for my father.

That sounds great--if you get a chance, please post pictures somewhere.

[Martijn Meerts]

Ordered a ET6 Flirt Eurobahn in Rhein Ruhr Express colors for my father.

That sounds great--if you get a chance, please post pictures somewhere.

Will do, not sure when I'll get it though. As it's a rather limited run there's no release date set. So far, it's expected at the end of this year, which would be nice, considering it's meant to be a christmas present of sorts ;)

[keiman]

Just been asked by HS to pay for my B Train containers

[scott]

Let's see--I've ordered track-cleaning supplies, a cleaning car, more lichen, a bunch of terminal blocks, and rolls of 14 gauge and 22 gauge wire. I guess I know what my next few layout projects are....

[Nozomi4ever]

Somethings I bought from Japan during my recent Japan trip
Japan Railfan Magazine 10/2010(Featuring JR VS Private railways definitely worth reading!!)
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10120482a/20/1
Train Modelling manual Special issue featuring the Kato new E259 Narita Express building process!(Very expensive magazine ) http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10121983a/20/1
Kato Shirasagi 683 (5 units)(Picked it up at KTM. Saw the E259 Narita Express model in person ) )

[cteno4]

postman left a nice box with the hyper construction set #3 and a sankei apartment building. have to try and make some time this weekend to put it together.

little review of the construction vehicles up here:

http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,3557.msg35454.html#msg35454

cheers

jeff

[grumbeast]

A lovely series 157 Amagi arrived today,

I know its a little "historical" but i just found it to have a really nice look..  I think I have to save for a hakusan/asama series 489 :)

 I have to say, now I have Kato, Tomix and Microace sets, I think Kato still have the edge in run quality (but they're all great!)

Graham

[Nozomi4ever]

Ordered a ET6 Flirt Eurobahn in Rhein Ruhr Express colors for my father. It's a rather nice train with the added benefit that it makes a stop at the station near to where I live ;)

Does the train "flirt" with girls?   Anyway here is picture for your enjoyment.  
 http://www.express.de/image/view/2009/10/9/-/1098056/highRes/640233/-/2nga5543.jpg.jpg

How to insert image into this forum?

[bill937ca]

How to insert image into this forum?

When posting, look below the white text are and click on Additional Options.  You should see Attach below the white text box and a browse button.  Maximum size 1000 KB.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I've just ordered another Kato footbridge from HS (I have exhausted the supplies here in the UK!), a couple of packs of fencing and a number of signals.

I have also added one of the new MA KiHa 131-132 set to my order list... A bit of time here; its not due until next February.

[jappomania]

well, well,
my Shinkansen 500 Nozomi last run is on the fly 
(number 5, I need 4 more and I have the complete fleet)

ciao
Massimo