Among the more interesting things I've acquired recently is the Micro-Ace Barbeque Train and I picked up a Micro-Ace A-7203 C58 33 2-6-2 (small smoke deflectors w/JNR logo) from a dealer at a train show on the weekend.
You could have stretched those out over two posts. I'm interested in the Barbeque Train. What's the prototype? (I'm assuming the barbeque is not the passengers.) BTW, did you see that C61 20 made her inagural run last weekend? Also, my Hokutosei EF510 came in the mail today. I've got a nice set of 24 series cars for it. Andy Tetsu Uma
The BBQ train was operated by JR Hokkaido, this is the Japanese Wikipedia article. There is another Japanese site with more photos but I can't find the link at the moment. The Micro-Ace set comes with a powered and dummy Kiha-40. JR北海é“ナãƒ29000形客車 - Wikipedia There was some video of C61 20's first run posted on the JNS Forum, she looks very nice.
I'll have to get the wife to translate thw Wikipedia article. Have you ridden this? I think the 4-6-4 configuration in general gives a nicely proportioned steam locomotive and the C61s and C62s are probably the prettiest in Japan. Andy Tetsu Uma
Never got the chance to ride it, apparently only ran from 2000-2003. Pity, it sounds like my kind of train.
I was finally able to visit the local hobby shop in the German town I'm in. Flashback: I have previously purchased an ICE-T (Inter City Express - Tilt) and a regular passenger train from the 70/80's on previous visits. I would like to get models of perhaps three or four of the different types of trains I've ridden in while I'm here for a year. At the hobby shop I looked primarily at the double decker Regional Express cars used all over the country. I can make a rather prototypical train with a locomotive, a control cab car and four cars in between. Light boards are available for them, too. I'd like a different version of an ICE as well as the three-unit German equivalent of an RDC. Prototypical passenger cars/trains are common here. I'd like to find a Kato TGV to add to the list/fleet. I'll be taking the TGV to Paris soon. Terry
See, if I was drivin' that E5 and went right past a Denny's, I'd just stop the train and get out right there. "Screw the schedule, I want a Heartland Scramble and cheesy fries..."
My love, (Lady Grandure), has made it clear I cannot run my E5 Hayabasu until the next stage of expansion is in place. Argggg! So, one guess what will be running before another 7 days pass?
Nothing like a little incentive. Did you go with only the powered section of the "Falcon?" I sprang for the whole set on the basis of the possiblity I might ride it someday. My okusan (wife) keeps clear of my trains and railroading in general but she does translate the Kato instructions and Japanese rail stories. She also nods and makes the appropriate comments when I explain/show her something and she does suffer the obligatory trips to various railroad museums and scenic railways. What would we do without them? Andy Tetsu Uma
Um, well, ah, and I quote: "You can have trains or the track to run them on." shhhhhh, quiet, um, /psst, < looks both ways > Ya, I ordered just the powered set and then 2 days later the rest. It's nice as the add on box includes places for the powered set. My love is as participative as she can be. She, like her predisesors, has made it clear that the bullet trains are her favorites followed closely by other passenger and the "cute" steam engines. My beautiful bright red Canadian Pacific with multi-mark unit coal train is a very distant 5th and sigh don't even mention my grain trains. Oh well, "You can lead a man to beauty but it don't mean he's gonna see it". In truth she can be very very helpful in many ways as she asks questions that point out issues I have overlooked or generate ideas for features to implement.
I am surprised my fellow Aussies haven't posted anything about Australia's first injection moulded N scale locomotive being released. The "Gopher Models" NSW 48/SA 830 class in all four versions and multiple NSW colour schemes. Example: http://www.badgerbits.com.au/images/stories/gm-48/large/Candy.jpg The 48 is an Alco World Series model DL-531 (RSD-8) designed for the export market, I believe it was/is also used in Brazil, Pakistan, Peru and India. Cheers, Hendo
I must admit I model railways from just about everywhere except Australia, for some reason I'm not really interested, unpatriotic I know. I did see the new 48 class in person at the Toowoomba train show weekend before last though and looks like a very well done model. I think it would entice new modellers into modelling Australian railways were it not for the $240 retail price, we all know the economics of producing for such a small market but the newcomer who sees a Bachmann GP9 complete with DCC for $60 or a Kato Japanese locomotive for $60-70 might not see them as such a bargain.
E5 Falcon Bullet Train: Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D503qQxfsq4 Very light lead loco meets "bullet dented" #6 turnout: The lead locos, (which are being pushed), are quite light and seem to find subtle issues with the track. The turnout in question has probably been severly abused and is ready for retirement as the train navigated all of the other #6s on the layout. Edit: I figured it out. It is already off the track when it hits the turnout. There is a 10" radius 180 degree curve then 14"s of straight just before it hits the turnout. I'm pretty sure it is the 10" radius that is throwing it off. The rest of the train is fine because it is being pulled. It works ok in the opposite direction because the cross over turnouts, at the other end of the layout, re-rail it on the fly before it enters a 15" radius 180 degree curve which leads to a #6 turnout and into the other end of the passenger terminal. ---
Thanks guys. Confirmed: In the video the train is moving counter clockwise which is fine. The train hits the 10" radius and the lead loco is derailed but not enough to stop it. When it reaches the turnouts in the upper left of the layout it is re-railed and takes the diverging #6 at the station easily. I am burying wires and hope to have a nice clean video by Monday with all of my bullet trains.
Kato's U.S. and Japanese websites both give the minimum radius for the E5 as R315 (12 3/8"), I think this applies for most of Kato's Shinkansen.
