49th Shizuoka Hobby Show 2010 predictions and results

[to2leo]

I am all excited about this year show from May 13-16. 
Will we see an E5 or E6 announcement by Tomix? 

Kato releasing more Unitram products?

An automatic Faller like road system by Tomytec? 

The re-release of Rapi:t by Microace?

What are you thoughts?

[bill937ca]

Regarding the automatic road system by Tomix there has already been speculation in the HS blog at the time of Wide Tram Rail announcement that this road system will never appear.  

"additional note 4) Wide Tram Rail may have the road parts productized in the future, may be? (mystery)"

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/blog/100416

That probably means a legal or patent roadblock and its probably based on discussions with Tomix personnel.

We're not likely to hear much until Saturday as the show is trade only on Thursday and Friday and past years not has emerged until during the weekend.

[David]

Hoping for both more Unitram (individual pieces, crossings or points) and paint schemes for other cars beyond the white+colored stripe of the 7 basic portram units (as TomyTec has already done).

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I am all excited about this year show from May 13-16.... 
 

The re-release of Rapi:t by Microace?

Would love this to make a reappearence... 

[bill937ca]

I am all excited about this year show from May 13-16.... 
 

The re-release of Rapi:t by Microace?

No indication of this yet, but I noticed in N Volume 52 yesterday that Microace is re-issuing the streamlined Meitetsu 3400 in cream with a red stripe as a four car set.  Reservations are already open.

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/10_04_1.jpg

[to2leo]

No indication of this yet, but I noticed in N Volume 52 yesterday that Microace is re-issuing the streamlined Meitetsu 3400 in cream with a red stripe as a four car set.  Reservations are already open.

http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/poster/img/10_04_1.jpg

I usually have my reservation with train designs b/w the steam and Shinkansen but this one is catching my attention.  I cannot explain it, though.

[disturbman]

Because it's beautiful? I saw the red version in a shop somewhere in Osaka (maybe one of the Pochi) and it was real looker.

Anyway, I'm not sure Microace really need to make a rerun of the Rapit. Some might be stock somewhere. Today, I saw a brand new Doraemon, Series 2000 and E751 (Tsugaru) appeared in some shops. I really wonder where they came from. They are such old or rare releases that seeing them like that on stationeries they didn't populate before was a shocker.

[bill937ca]

I will be off line most of Thursday and some of Friday.  Here's some links to watch.  

Railcraft Awaza posts photos each year starting  this year on Saturday night, the 15th.

http://www.rc-awaza.com/

Popondetta blog

http://popondetta.com/blog/

Joshin Co blog, model railroad pages:

http://shop.joshin.co.jp/blog/1555skl/archives/category/%e9%89%84%e9%81%93%e6%a8%a1%e5%9e%8b

Most times we don't see much until Saturday or Saturday night.

[to2leo]

Thanks for the heads up, Bill. We will be on the look out!

[to2leo]

Fresh off the press!!!

I think everyone is going to be excited!
Photos and info from:
http://ngi.blog.eonet.jp/
http://blog.joshinweb.jp/joshintrain/
http://casco.blog.so-net.ne.jp/archive/201005-1

First off, Kato Sales Meeting.  I believe not all are shown yet.
But here are a first few.
I especially love how Kato is focusing into building more modern nicer looking buildings.
AND Unitram expansion...the price looks a little steep though...

[to2leo]

Tomix has tons too!
I especially like the remote controller and the bus and tram system...I think I am leaning towards Tomix for its road plate selections...

[to2leo]

Next we have Modemo
Nice looking tram and looks more like an amusement ride. IMHO

[to2leo]

Greenmax

[Toni Babelony]

Dammit Tomix! Stop producing awesome stuff! That bus system is going to hurt me in my wallet. Also, the announcement of the Toyota Crown Sedan in N-gauge... Finally! I've been waiting for this :D

[David]

Not too pleased with the Unitram pricing either - at least with the sets shown it looks like Kato is only selling the track with the associated plate system pieces, which where always expensive (no idea why the plate system is so expensive).

On the plus side, at least one new tram line is very welcome. Hopefully there will be more like TomyTec, as I find the full body paint schemes much more interesting (the red Portram paint scheme looks vaguely TTC'ish in color scheme, but I don't think I'd be putting on Bloor St. headboard decals anytime soon).

[jappomania]

wow, I think I need to start a new leasing, too much items to buy, and sincerly the Yen/Euro exchange rate is really bad now..

ciao
Massimo

[bill937ca]

From the Hobby Search newsletter.

"This is the topics of Shizuoka Hobby Show.

Moment, is being held in Shizuoka Hobby Show. (Until May 16)
From manufacturers, new products were presented as follows.

* KATO *
(N) D51 498 (Steam Locomotive)
(N) DD54 (Diesel Locomotive)
(N) Series 24 Sleeper Limited Express `Hokutosei`

* TOMYTEC & TOMIX *
(HO) EF510 Hokutosei Color (Newest Electric Locomotive)
(HO) EF510 Red Thunder (Electric Locomotive)
(Railway Collection) J.N.R. Series 70 Chuo-sai Line (Chuo West Line)
(Railway Collection) J.N.R. Series 70 Hanwa Line Train Rapid Service
(The Bus Collection) Basic Set of `Running Bus Collection`
(The Bus Collection) Motorized Chassis of `Running Bus Collection` (?)
(Control System) Wireless Power Unit

* GREENMAX *
(N) Nankai Sereis 10000 Limited Express `Southern`
(N) Tokyu Series 8500 Oimachi Line Color
(N) Keio Series 6000 Old Color
(N) Keihan Series 2400 1st Model Old Color"

[cteno4]

it looks like tomix/tomytec is pulling the trigger on the bus system! Shizuoka hobby show blog shows more pictures. looks like they will have a system to not only start and stop, but also have a remotely switchable slow and fast speeds! also appears they will make these as mechanisms for the tomytec bus lines like the mechanism for the rr series so you can mix and match! really a great combo for tomytec as they have so many bus shells out there already and scads of collectors that will want to run their busses now! im hoping they can really get the mechanism cost down to near what they do the tram mechanisms for if they could do $25-30 they would really have a big hit on their hands i think.

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://popondetta.com/blog/cat3/tomytec_27.html&rurl=translate.google.com&usg=ALkJrhjsWfh93CuWHjel_NA36iKzDeHWsQ#more

cheers

jeff

[cteno4]

also forgot, the prototype wind generator looks cool. better solution than the faller which does not match up well with the wind generators i was able to locate pictures of in japan. will be great if motorized! translation reads "it is a thing that works." and it has a large box as the base with a wire coming out of it.

http://popondetta.com/blog/DSC01230.jpg

way too much fun! tomytec is like a leach on my wallet... hi im jeff and im a tomytec junky...

cheers

jeff

[bill937ca]

The mini me of 500 Series Shinkansens.

[bill937ca]

Does anyone else see a move away from scale model trains in many of the items announced at the Shizuoka Hobby Show?  New products seem to be moving towards gadgets and motorized accessories. Even the Kato Pocket Line trains, especially the blue and orange train looks more like a toy.  But they are supposed to be a bridge between toys and trains. So far I've seen very few true train models.

[cteno4]

There are a lot of trains to, i think its just that there are more gadgets, buildings and such coming out now days and it gets some attention. the volume of trains coming out feels pretty consistent to me, but i dont track it by the numbers, more in the number of trails that come out that catch my eye. even though i have tried to slow my train buying (i have more trains than i can run now!) there is still a pretty good steady stream of trains catching my eye (and wallet).

i think its just the novelty factor that makes the blogs focus on different stuff and not a string of train releases. at these shows also i think the manufactures put the sexiest things out front and some new gadget that does something fun or really looks different will get the eyeballs and the case of trains sits more to the back as its not a novelty. trade shows are all about pizzaz.

cheers

jeff

[to2leo]

On the plus side, at least one new tram line is very welcome. Hopefully there will be more like TomyTec, as I find the full body paint schemes much more interesting (the red Portram paint scheme looks vaguely TTC'ish in color scheme, but I don't think I'd be putting on Bloor St. headboard decals anytime soon).

Yeah, you are right, it does looks a little like Bombardier's Flexcity II for Toronto's streetcars and Transit City's LRVs!  I cannot wait for them to come to my street!

http://lrv.ttc.ca/default.aspx

Does anyone else see a move away from scale model trains in many of the items announced at the Shizuoka Hobby Show?

I also believe both companies see this as an unchartered segment of the market.  That's because its range can now attract people who like skyscrapers, model cars, model buses but not necessary trains.  All of which will help the two companies grow.  Who knows, in the future they might come up with airplanes and airports  

[Hobby Dreamer]

Thanks for posting the links and pics!

A good day for the hobby.. I mean its a tough time economically so one might expect almost nothing or re-releases, but there are some nice new offerings and Tomix and Kato have committed further towards trams. Some disappointment regarding the tram track but having any new track is probably a good omen for future releases.

The Tomix bus system rocks! 

 

[to2leo]

From youtube!
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/MvxTEdHieb4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/MvxTEdHieb4</a>

[David]

And a close up on a bus

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/MrHp0CiQsBY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/MrHp0CiQsBY</a>

[bill937ca]

That's an old video. 2008 or 2009.

And a close up on a bus

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/MrHp0CiQsBY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/MrHp0CiQsBY</a>

[quinntopia]

Gender: Male


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Re: 49th Shizuoka Hobby Show 2010 predictions and results
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2010, 05:37:01 AM »
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Fresh off the press!!!

I think everyone is going to be excited!
Photos and info from:
http://ngi.blog.eonet.jp/
http://blog.joshinweb.jp/joshintrain/
http://casco.blog.so-net.ne.jp/archive/201005-1

First off, Kato Sales Meeting.  I believe not all are shown yet.
But here are a first few.
I especially love how Kato is focusing into building more modern nicer looking buildings.
AND Unitram expansion...the price looks a little steep though...

Oy my goodness...those are AWESOME BUILDINGS!!!! Way to go KATO!!! WHOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

[nekomo]

Thanks for the links.

And those motorized buses are really exciting. I knew the Faller Car System ones, but this system looks better for me with those plastic street platforms.

[bill937ca]

Oy my goodness...those are AWESOME BUILDINGS!!!! Way to go KATO!!! WHOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

More photos and another corner building.

http://pics.livedoor.com/u/zip_osaka/6715539

http://pics.livedoor.com/u/zip_osaka/6715540

http://pics.livedoor.com/u/zip_osaka/6715542

Kato seems to have dug right into your pocket books!  All this is probably causing KenS pain!!!  But you don't have to get them all right now. Knowing Kato these will be available for 10-15 years.

[KenS]

All this is probably causing KenS pain!!! 

Only in the wallet. 

Those are some nice looking buildings.  And they look like they (at least the brown corner one, and probably the others) are "modular" so you can combine floors from two of the same to make taller buildings, as with a couple of the other Kato towers).

I was wondering what I was going to do to fill in the rest of my city scene. My scratchbuilding skills aren't good enough that I'd want to do more than one or two of my own.  These should help nicely.

[Scaper]

Wow these are awesome. When are these available? And who is selling them?

Cool looking buildings for sure!

[to2leo]

Wow these are awesome. When are these available? And who is selling them?

Cool looking buildings for sure!

Kato is selling these buildings for about 4000 Yen each MSRP.
There is no date set for them yet.  Another bonus about this building is Kato has included a slot where you can insert LED lights to light them up.

[cteno4]

these will be nice to fill out with the tomix high rises. not bad on price when you figure the kato 6 story buildings are 2800Y and the tomix 9 story is 2200Y. the new kato look to be almost 2x the footprint of the tomix and 8 stories. look to have the level of detail on the kato 6 story bldgs as well, the tomix high rise has little in the way of detail.

too bad kato doesnt get smart and sell a 4 stories of center floors as an addon!

cheers

jeff

[bill937ca]

Something interesting.  Tomix had special commemorative cars sold only at the Shizuoka Hobby Show. Limit two per customer.

http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/report/kilopost/sizuoka_hanbai.htm

[KenS]

too bad kato doesnt get smart and sell a 4 stories of center floors as an addon!

I wish they would too, but it probably wouldn't be worth it for them.  The plastic/assembly of these models is likely a relatively small part of the cost.  What we're paying for is the design development, set-up cost (mold construction, which can be astronomical for injection-molded plastic), and packaging/distribution/retailer's percentage. And an expensive model has more margin to pay that cost than a cheaper one would.

To sell a 4-floor add-on unit at a lower cost and make more money, they'd need to anticipate selling enough of them that the volume would make up for the extra costs (package development/printing and inventory management), lower margin, and loss of retailer shelf space that could go to a higher-margin model. Otherwise they'd net lose money doing that.

And I'd guess that those of us who use the modularity to make taller buildings are a small percentage of their overall sales.

[quinntopia]

I've already started triage on some of my existing buildings to make room for these!  :-)   

Can anyone tell what the dimensions are from their relationship to the Unitram plates?

[Shashinka]

Looks like I'll have to rework my plans for stage II on the layout to take the Tomix tram and bus system in to account. Goodbye new Nikkor lens to buy this fall.

[to2leo]

I've already started triage on some of my existing buildings to make room for these!  :-)   

Can anyone tell what the dimensions are from their relationship to the Unitram plates?

Judging from the pictures, I believe it is twice the footprint of Kato's glass office building kit.

[KenS]

Can anyone tell what the dimensions are from their relationship to the Unitram plates?

The basic dimension of the building space on the Unitram Road Plates is 124mm (frontage) x 112mm (depth) on the straight plates, and 112mm x 112mm on the corner. There is printing on the plate of parking spaces so an 81mm deep model can be placed at the back and have parking spaces in front of it.
 
Judging from these photos, the two corner buildings are 112mm square, and the two straight buildings are 124mm x 112mm.

Most of Kato's existing towers (e.g. 23-434) are 81mm square, although some (e.g., 23-431) are 64mm (frontage) x 81mm deep.

I don't have any of the Dio Town Road Plates (I do have a set of the Unitram plates), but it's possible the new buildings are too large for them, since I think they were sized for the 81mm footprint.

[cteno4]

too bad kato doesnt get smart and sell a 4 stories of center floors as an addon!

I wish they would too, but it probably wouldn't be worth it for them.  The plastic/assembly of these models is likely a relatively small part of the cost.  What we're paying for is the design development, set-up cost (mold construction, which can be astronomical for injection-molded plastic), and packaging/distribution/retailer's percentage. And an expensive model has more margin to pay that cost than a cheaper one would.

To sell a 4-floor add-on unit at a lower cost and make more money, they'd need to anticipate selling enough of them that the volume would make up for the extra costs (package development/printing and inventory management), lower margin, and loss of retailer shelf space that could go to a higher-margin model. Otherwise they'd net lose money doing that.

And I'd guess that those of us who use the modularity to make taller buildings are a small percentage of their overall sales.

yes its a dream, but in this case the lions share of the cost of the new product is done with the design/moulds is already done with the original building. also since you are already running and assembling the floors for the main building running the run say 10% extra is a negligible cost (main run cost is set up of the line and getting a good volume --  larger volume usually reduced price per unit further too). packaging and inventory are the only extended costs. to be simple in the packaging they could even keep the same form factor on the boxes, just new printing (this is cheap to set up and run and event this is a minor edit to the building box graphic) and even the same insert could be used with a small spacer at top and bottom. over all for this product product its a small fraction of the cost that a new product is.

I just wonder if the market for extensions in a case like this is limited currently as you have to buy two buildings and usually waste some $$ as you may not use the top and bottoms (some work if you make a short and a tall building). Tomix does this with their high rise and apartment building. the middle floors are just pop apart and mix and match, but unless you get 3 or 4 to build with you end up with extra tops and bottoms and those are the more 'unique' items that probably cost the most to produce. Just an interesting thought to see if they could stimulate a bit more buying by modularizing some and getting folks out of just doing the standard thing. but most of the kato stuff is so out of the box type stuff their market may have no inclination to modify.

just few opportunities to get any sort of twofer (well all most) like this. always interested to see how the market might respond to the potential. question is would it stimulate more interest in buying the building and doing expansion (thus more over all sales) than the slight loss in sales from the few who would buy 2 or more building then mix and match for expansion.

cheers,

jeff

[KenS]

yes its a dream, but in this case the lions share of the cost of the new product is done with the design/moulds is already done with the original building.

Agreed. But my point was that they need margin to recover that cost. A lower-margin sale recovers less of it, so it's less interesting to them to do that than to just sell more full buildings to those few people who want extra floors.  Unless there's volume to make up for the lower margin, it's not likely to be attractive to them.

[cteno4]

yes its a dream, but in this case the lions share of the cost of the new product is done with the design/moulds is already done with the original building.

Agreed. But my point was that they need margin to recover that cost. A lower-margin sale recovers less of it, so it's less interesting to them to do that than to just sell more full buildings to those few people who want extra floors.  Unless there's volume to make up for the lower margin, it's not likely to be attractive to them.

yes but you have a lower unit cost (due to the original building paying for all the design, moulds, and production setups) for the extension units thus a much higher margin on the extension vs the full building, thus works ok with a lower sales (ie low sales need high margin, higher sales can work with lower margins). also gets them the modular caché as well.

jeff

[to2leo]

Speaking about modular buildings, what happened to Greenmax ones?  Did its venture into modular buildings fail?  I have heard anything being announced.

[cteno4]

just the first set as far as i have seen, nothing new at this last show...

cheers,

jeff

[Scaper]

I've got so many of those 2102 2101 -03 etc... buildings. I still don't know what to build of them. I've literally have 2 boxes full of those box kits. Crazy.. They take a lot of work to put together so I want to build something really cool with them.

As far as these new Kato buildings... I'm really excited for them. As I mentioned. I had thought I had got to the point where All I was buying were a few more extra kits I need for taller versions of current kits I already have. And a last order from CMR.

But.........  Yikes... more cool stuff. I'm definitely going to be buying some of these. Regardless if they are stackable or if Kato offers mid section add ons its going to happen for me. Even If I have to take out the dremel and start cutting away. I always find uses for the left over base sections anyways if need be.

The one that might be hard to extend in height is the 0101 building or the round facade kit. With only a single window at the top and the visible stair case climbing the floors to the roof, it maybe difficult to add onto this kit. Plus is got such an ugly blank wall all the way up...it maybe a really ugly looking building taller. That said not all buildings have to be tall anyways.

However the one that would look killer 3 plus times the height would be the green mid block office building. I love this model!!!!

[Scaper]

I toyed with the idea of making one 2 high... I used mspaint..not the best...but it works to give a visual.

[KenS]

Nice photo. I sure hope they are modular; I could see one of those on my layout.

Plus is got such an ugly blank wall all the way up...it maybe a really ugly looking building taller.

One of the things I don't like about Kato's tall buildings is that most seem to have at least two walls that are little more than flat slabs with a couple of molded-in details. This looks really bad when they're next to a shorter building, or if you need one on a corner where three sides are exposed.

Still, the overall effect is nice.

[CaptOblivious]

No one's commented on this yet:
http://www.hobby-show.info/shizuoka2010/0386.htm

It's a photo of Tomix's new wide-rail tram. Notice the middle straight pieces…and notice the three(!!) different options for track spacing—the tightest of which is way tighter than Kato's Unitram!

[bill937ca]

No one's commented on this yet:
http://www.hobby-show.info/shizuoka2010/0386.htm

It's a photo of Tomix's new wide-rail tram. Notice the middle straight pieces…and notice the three(!!) different options for track spacing—the tightest of which is way tighter than Kato's Unitram!

Maybe because its been on reserve for a while now.  I've already ordered the track for my first tram layout with the second layout pending until the fall or when there is money.