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26th June, 2005 |
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CONTENTS
Other Pages
Index page of previous Product & DVD
RELEASE INFORMATION
NEWS |
EDITORIAL
From time to time we like to do price comparisons, to make sure we are offering the best deals available to our customers. I went into the city last
Friday night, and compared the prices of some items (if you live in Sydney, you will know which store I am talking about) .... This newsletter is available by subscription, unless you are a customer of 'Japanese Model Supplies'. Normal rate is US$1.00 per month, payable 12 months at a time in advance. The 12 month subscription period will be from June to May inclusive. We hope to supply at least one issue per week, more if there is more news. We believe this amount is good value, and very modest for the amount of information you will receive - it represents (per month) a lot less than just 1 coffee at a 'trendy' cafe (eg Starbucks), or a burger & fries at a family restaurant (eg McDonalds). Please do not reveal the page addresses to non- members. If they want to see it, they are free to take out a subscription like every one else. Also please note that the contents of this publication are
copyright, and may not be reproduced without permission. |
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24th June 2005 Tomix announced the following releases ... 1st July 2005 30th June 2005 23rd June 2005 Kato announced the following release dates ... 28th June 2005 30th June 2005 'early' July 2005 10th June 2005 MicroAce announced their releases for November 2005. A4950 701-100/1000 series EC 4+2 car set (Sendai area -
Silver with red/white/green stripes) - „19,800 You can see a poster of these releases here. Kawai announced two new freight car releases for KP-223 Taki35000 Series bogie tank car x2 ('Japan Oil'
old colour scheme) - „2,500 24th June 2005 Kato re-released the following ... 10-231 E231 series EC 8 car set (Tokaido line) 23rd June 2005 Kato released the following ... 8001 Toki15000 open wagon 21st June 2005 Tomix re-released the following ... 3123 12ft container JRF x3 'Eco-friendly' 18th June 2005 Tomix re-released the following ... 92251 EF81 series El with E26 Cassiopeia 2 car sleeper train
set 15th June 2005 MicroAce released the following ... A5110 Osaka City 20 series EC 21 type 6 car set (Midousuji
line)
A5120 Osaka City 20 series EC 22 type 6 car set (Tanimachi line)
A5160 Osaka Port Transportation System OTS series EC 6 car set
A0031 715 series EC 4+4 car set (Kyushu colour)
A0032 419 series EC 3+3 car set (JNR colour)
A8162 DD14-333 + DD14-334 self propelled snowplough x2
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Railway Illustrated (Tetsudou Gahou) #1 (Spring 2005)
This is a new magazine, from a company called 'Makoto Seibundou Shinkousha'. It contains a 'feature' article (first issue is 45 pages on the Odakyu 'Romance' cars), as well as other topics (lots of Spring train photos, Nagoya trams, steam locos, historical details of the EF53/56/57 EL, old 'Tsubame' & 'Hato' Passenger cars), all backed up with plenty of photos (the majority in colour). From the title, it looks like it will be is published quarterly. Kato 3046 EF66-100 EL
Whilst the EF66-100 is a brand new release from Kato, the EF66 'Blue Train' version is also sufficiently different to make it a new release too. The EF66-100 is a JR Freight loco, and the EF66 is a version that is the most recent pulling sleeper trains out of Tokyo in the last few years. Both of these locos come with lots of fiddly details - other than the normal many roof mounted items - there are front hand holds as well as coupler lift bars to fit. Kato are really pushing the limit for N scale detail here, much more than the previous versions of these locos both by themselves and Tomix. Both locos are cleanly painted, with the yellow stripes and colour separation a lot cleaner than on previous releases I have seen. They have LED headlights, but do not exhibit the bluish tinge that other releases have recently had. Wheel sets are also blackened, and the flywheel drive is very quiet and smooth. However each of these will not pull a 15 car passenger train up a reasonable gradient, which I was surprised to see !!! Numbers for the EF66-100 are 117,120,124 & 127 (all JR Freight) and for the EF66 are 43,46,47 & 53 (all JR West). Headboards for 'Asakaze' & 'Hayabusa' are also included with the EF66. Certainly a very nice release of these popular locos, and better than any other versions going around at the moment. June 2005 Kato 10-231 E231 series EC 8 car powered set (Tokaido
line)
This is the Kato version of the new E231 trains that are gradually taking over the Tokaido line, running south of Tokyo. Tomix have had their version of the same train out for quite some time now. The train is usually always 15 cars from Tokyo, with 10 or 5 car sets continuing further depending on demand. This train had two double deck green cars. Special price for this month for this 4 car set will be A$499.00. The normal retail would be A$590.00 and the MSRP is A$680.00. If a 15 car set is too long for you, I may be able to do a deal on a 10 car set. Stocks of these monthly specials will be limited, and will be sold on a 'first paid - first allocated' basis and the separate sets are not available individually at these special prices. July 2005 - MicroAce Osaka subway Midosuji line
10 car set |
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(ADVERTISING) This information service is sponsored by ... Japanese Model Supplies o New and second-hand Japanese trains As mentioned above, this service is sponsored by 'Japanese Model Supplies', the only Japanese-only model train and other hobby item supplier in the world, outside of Japan. Other suppliers have recently been broadening their ranges, and supply other things like computer games, and Chinese & European trains - 'Japanese Model Supplies' will always stay with Japanese-only products. It is often difficult to source these type of items and get accurate and timely information in English, when you do not live in Japan, cannot read Japanese web pages or do not have any contacts there. We have the facilities to access this information and these products, and whilst based in Australia, currently supply customers all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Israel, South Africa, Canada and the USA. Therefore you will find that the items you see presented are not just 'fantasy' items that get released in Japan and you have no way of acquiring them - 'Japanese Model Supplies' CAN get these items, and CAN ship them to anywhere in the world (unlike some other retailers of Japanese model trains, who refuse to ship to the USA etc) !!! See their web page at the address listed above for all the information on what has been
produced and how to get it. If you are in Japan, and visit the Osaka area, I recommend you take the time to visit "Railcraft Awaza". They have a large range of products available, together with friendly advice and service (but only in Japanese). Some photos on this site are taken by them and appear with their permission. For details of their shop location, see their web page at ... |
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Abbreviation |
Explanation |
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TEC |
Shinkansen (Bullet train) |
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EC |
Electric car (EMU) |
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DC |
Diesel car (DMU) |
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PC |
Passenger car |
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FC |
Freight car |
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SL |
Steam loco |
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EL |
Electric loco |
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DL |
Diesel loco |
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Page contents copyright 2005 - Doug Coster
Photos copyright of the respective manufacturers & Railcraft Awaza Osaka.