Vol. 2 - No. 19

11th September, 2005

   
 CONTENTS

LATEST RELEASE NEWS

NOW AVAILABLE

LATEST PUBLICATIONS

PRODUCT REVIEWS

DVD REVIEWS

Other Pages

Index page of previous Product & DVD
reviews & Newsletter Back issues

RELEASE INFORMATION NEWS 
Tomix
Kato
MicroAce
Greenmax
Modemo
Others

 EDITORIAL

My apologies again for the time between this and the last Newsletter :-(  I was in Japan for 2 weeks, and spend a lot of time (and money) in the shops there !!! I also went to the annual JAM exhibition, and saw lots of samples of the new model releases, like the Tomix E4 Shinkansen, Odakyu VSE50000 (both excellent models), and the new series of car, buses, and trucks. It was very crowded though, and hard to get a good look at some stands. Kato had nothing at all to offer, and MicroAce only had some of their releases on display.

If you have any comments about this service, and would like to make suggestions as to what you do or do not want to see included, please free free to let us know. If you are paying for something, we would like to know that you are 100% happy with what you are getting, and that it is fulfilling your needs. Please write to the Japanese Model Train News Yahoo! discussion group with any comments you may have.


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.


***** from TOMIX *****

79 days to release :-)

Latest Release News

11th September 2005

MicroAce announced their tentative releases for February 2006 ...

A0568 183-1500/189 series EC 8 car set 'Shiosai' (Cream / red) - „23,200
A0569 183-0/183-1500 series EC 9 car set 'Kaiji' (White with pale blue window band and violet stripes) - „24,800
A1170 Kumoyuni74-200 series EC 2 car luggage van set (Green / orange) - „11,500
A1171 Kumoyuni82-800 series EC 2 car luggage van set (Blue / cream) - „11,500
A1172 Kumoni83-800 series EC 2 car luggage van set (Blue / cream) - „11,500
A1173 Kumoyuni74-0 series EC 2 car luggage van set (Green / orange) - „11,500
A1350 Meitetsu Kiha8000 series DC 5 car set 'Takayama' (Cream / red) - „17,000
A1353 Meitetsu Kiha8000 series DC 6 car set 'Kita Alps' (Cream / red) - „21,000
A8527 DD51-1140 series DL + 14-500 series PC 6 car set 'Marimo' (JR Hokkaido - blue with white stripes) - „23,700 
A8634 EF64-66 series EL + 14-700 series PC 6 car set 'Europia' (JR Central - white with blue stripes) - „23,000
A8635 DE10-1029 series DL + 14 series PC 4 car set 'Resort 88 Hakuba' (JR West - white / red) - „20,000
A8638 TDE11-3 series DL + 14 series PC 5 car set 'Usuzumi Blue Line' (Tarumi Railway - blue with white stripes) - „21,500

Their new catalog #2 will be out on the 29th of September ...

Bandai have announced their next two series of 'Working Vehicles' ...

October 2005

12 mini buses - Enoshima, Keio, Keihan, Niigata, Fuji etc

December 2005

12 Cement mixer trucks with 6 each of two types of truck

9th September 2005

MicroAce announced their releases from September

14 Sep 2005

A8671 Kiha261 series DC 6 car set 'Super Soya' (JR Hokkaido - original type)
A8672 Kiha261 series DC 6 car set 'Super Soya' (JR Hokkaido - with reinforced windows)
A1051 Meitetsu 3400 series EC 4 car set 'Caterpillar'
A1054 Meitetsu 3400 series EC 2 car set 'Caterpillar'
A7703 E10-1 series SL (Kanazawa depot)
A7704 4100-4104 series SL (Bibai railway)
A1371 DF50-2 + DF50-6 series DL 2 car set (Nagano depot)
A1378 DF50-61 series DL (Takamatsu depot)

15 Sep 2005

A8680 Kiha22 series DC 2+2 car set (both powered)
A8681 Kiha22 series DC 2+2 car set (both powered)
A8682 Kiha22-700 series DC 2+2 car set (JR Hokkaido - both powered)
A8683 Kiha22 series DC 2+2 car set (Morioka area - both powered)
A1270 713-900 series EC 4 car set
A1271 713-900 series EC 4 car set (JR Kyushu)
A1272 713-900 series EC 4 car set 'Sunshine Miyazaki' (JR Kyushu)

Tomix announced the re-release of the following on the 15th  ...

92733 400 series TEC 7 car set 'Tsubasa' (new colour)
2535 Kani24-100 series PC
2537 Kani24 series PC
2556 Ohanefu24 series PC
2557 Ohane24 series PC
2558 Oronei24 series PC
8503 Ohanefu24-0 series PC
8504 Ohane24-0 series PC

7th September 2005

Kato announced the release on the 13th of the following ...

10-435 221 series EC 4 car set
10-436 221 series EC 2 car add-on

5th September 2005

Kato announce the release of the following in January 2006 ...

10-413 183-1000 series EC 7 car set
10-414 183-1000 series EC 2 car add-on
4442-1 Saro183-1000 series EC
4496 Moha201 series EC (Chou line - with single arm pantograph)
4315 Kuha201 series EC (Chou line)
4317 Moha200 series EC (Chou line) powered
4318 Moha200 series EC (Chou line) non-powered
4319 Saha201 series EC (Chou line)
4320 Kuha200 series EC (Chou line)

3rd September 2005

Kato announced the releaser in December of the following ...

10-253 101 series EC 10 car set (Chuo line) special anniversary edition release.

1st September 2005

Tomix announced a special release for November ...

92941 Kiha181 series DC 3 car set 'Sayonara Isokaze'

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Here are some photos from JAM2005 ...

getting there, on the Yurikamome

along with every other man, woman and child going to Odiaba for a Saturday outing

Modemo Enoshima 'Yoshitune'

new Tomy 'Truck Collection' items

the mechanisms for the new 'Train Collection' - even has flywheels !!!

the E4MAX looked VERY nice !!!

as did the Odakyu VSE50000

Kato were showing some paper mockups of a new old style wooden house range

some Modemo Tokyu 300 sets nicely repainted in current advertising colour schemes

proving you don't need much space for a diorama - this is very Aussie!!!

Latest Publications


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Product Reviews


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DVD Reviews

Kiesarishi Resshatachi

Company : Vicom
Title : Kiesarishi Resshatachi
Number : DR-4691
Time : 90min
Zone : ALL
Format : NTSC
Price : „3,800

This series from Vicom has many titles, and is basically a 'Big Parade of passing trains'. This particular title translates as 'Disappearing Trains', and shows all trains that are not currently running any more, from passenger, electric, diesel , Shinkansen, both JR and private. There are too many to list, so hopefully you can read the contents from the back cover.

It is interesting to note that there will be a freight train issue in this series, released next month.


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Now Available


9th September 2005

Tomix re-released the 2140 EF210 EL.

6th September 2005

Kato re-released the following ...

3024 EF64-1000 series EL (with A/C)
5036 Oha14 series PC
5037 Suhafu14 series PC
5038 Ohafu15 series PC

1st September 2005

Tomix released the following items ...

2133 EF81 series EL (Hokutosei)

2215 DD51 series DL (Hokutosei)
8505 Ohanefu25-0 series PC
8506 Ohane25-0 series PC
8507 Ohanefu25-200 series PC
8508 Ohane25-100 series PC
92615 24.25 series PC 7 car set 'Hokutosei' (JR Hokkaido)
92756 24.25 series PC 7 car set 'Hokutosei' (JR East

92725 E3 series TEC 6 car set 'Komachi'

31st August 2005

Kato released the following ...

10-258 E231-500 series EC 5 car set (Yamanote line)

10-259 E231-500 series EC 6 car add-on (Yamanote line)

30th August 2005

Kato re-released the 10-453 0-2000 series TEC 8 car set.

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(ADVERTISING)

This information service is sponsored by ...

Japanese Model Supplies
PO Box 24
Northmead 2152
Australia

o New and second-hand  Japanese trains
o Robots & Gundam 
o Gashapon & Shokugan collectibles 
o Dolls & Figures
o Radio Control
o Tools & accessories
o Plastic Kits - Ships, Planes, Cars, Bikes, Military
o Railway books & monthly magazines

Web page

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

Some photos also thanks to Dave Fossett.

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Abbreviation

Explanation

TEC

Shinkansen (Bullet train)

EC

Electric car (EMU)

DC

Diesel car (DMU)

PC

Passenger car

FC

Freight car

SL

Steam loco

EL

Electric loco

DL

Diesel loco

     Useful Links


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Page contents copyright 2005 - Doug Coster
Photos copyright of the respective manufacturers & Railcraft Awaza Osaka.