Vol. 2 - No. 20

27th 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

Another show has passed - the annual Tokyo Pramod Rajicon show (that's the way the Japanese abbreviate 'Plastic Model & Radio Control') !!! While this is a 'trade' show only (as in no layouts), all the major manufacturers usually unveil new releases there.

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 *****

63 days to release :-)

Latest Release News

27th September 2005

Tomix announced the release date of the following ...

1st October
Mini-Finetrack left & right hand points

30th September
Odakyu 7000 series LSE set (New colour)
300 Shinkansen sets & cars

29th September
200 Shinkansen sets
TCS Automatic train controller
Koki106 container wagon

27th September
30th Anniversary EF30 EL & Railcleaner set

There are also many changes to the next couple of month's release schedules - please see the Tomix 'Release Information' page for all the details.

26th September 2005

MicroAce announced that the release of their new catalog #2 has been put back to mid-October.

At the Pramod Rajicon show on the 23rd/24th September, some new items were revealed ...






From Tomy, we had a preview of the Machinami #5 building set, this time quite larger buildings. They include a cinema, fire station, and old style bath-house.




They also showed samples from the next Truck Collection, and the new Trailer Collection. The 40' containers can also be used on their new Koki200 wagon.

The new Tomix double slab track was also revealed.

The Galaxy 999 DC set is very colourful.

The guards van in this set is a very rare colour scheme.




Kato
revealed a new range of wooden houses.

MicroAce had many new items on display, but if this is the most colourful train you have ever seen, say 'Eye !!!'

17th September 2005

Kato announced the release of the following ...

27th September
313-3000 series EC set
Yo5000, Waki1000, Suni40 & Waki5000 freight cars

30th September 
Special release Wamu380000 freight 8 car set

'Early' October
EH5000 EL (3rd type)
485 series EC 'bonnet' type set
Wooden town buildings (post office, hall etc)

'Mid' October
E231 green car 2 car set
EF65-1000 EL

12th September 2005

MicroAce announced their 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

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Latest Publications

Tokyo Shopping Guide

I found this book by accident, and it is basically a guide to the different areas in Tokyo that specialize in a similar type of commodity. What it does show is a strip showing the buildings along a street,so you can identify the building where a business is located, but I thought this could be used for background scene on a layout !!! The cost was only 980 yen. See example below ...

'


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Product Reviews

MicroAce A8157/A8158 Odakyu NSE3100 series 

A8157 - this is a special one-off paint scheme called 'Yume70', and is basically a white background with alternate read and blue panels and running figures.
A8158 - this is the standard gray, red and white colour scheme, but lettered 'Sayonara NSE3100' for the last running version.

The NSE3100 was built in the 60's and has the distinctive high driver's cab over the front so the passengers get a panoramic view of the track. The set is articulated and the 'parts' of the trains just clip together. Small contacts pass the electrical current through the whole train. The wheels are blackened and the motor car runs smoothly and quietly. A nice addition to the Odakyu fleet currently headed by Tomix.

Tomy Machinami #4

Once again we have a set of 12 buildings - 6 types with two different colours each. The theme this time is buildings at and around a small station.

This is a small bus depot with a lean-to office on the side. The standard building is brown with pale gray roof, and the lean-to is dark green. The alternate building is dark green with a pale green roof, and the lean-to has a brown roof. There are some small details in and around the buildings eg stacks of tyres, gas bottles, etc.

This is the station building. There are seats inside as well as a telephone box and some signs. The standard building is pale green and white with a light green roof and brown verandah roof. The alternate building is brown and white with a black roof and dark green verandah roof.

This is a platform set, which has a small waiting room and canopy. The standard buildings are pale green with brown roofs. The alternate buildings are light brown with dark green roofs.

This is a set of 2 small sheds (one could be a toilet) and a police box (kouban). The standard buildings are pale green with brown roofs and the kouban is pale yellow. The alternate buildings are light brown with black roofs, and the kouban is a grayish colour. Also included are some drums, fences and single track overhead wire supports.

This is a Nittsu (a famous Japanese transport company) office building. The standard building is an olive green with a dark gray roof. The alternate building is tan with a green roof. There are some crates outside the loading dock at the back.

This is a taxi company depot and office. The standard building is dark green with an reddish brown roof and the office roof is pale gray. The alternate building is reddish brown with an olive green roof and the office roof is pale gray. There are some small details in and around the buildings eg stacks of tyres, gas bottles, etc.

Each building also has some stickers that can be used as advertising or alternate names.


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DVD Reviews

Odakyu Super Express 50000 Romance Car VSE

Company : Vicom / Nippon Sharyo
Title : Odakyu Super Express 50000 Romance Car VSE
Number : DR-4835
Time : Disc 1 - 90min, Disc 2 - 120min
Zone : 2
Format : NTSC 4:3
Price : „6,825

This two disk set celebrates the commencement of Odakyu's new VSE50000 Romance car set. Disc 1 contains a short history of the various Romance Car sets, and then goes through the designing and building of the VSE series. Retired drivers are given a tour and give their opinions. The delivery run (at night via JR) is also shown. Then test runs and the opening ceremony are shown. Disc 2 contains 2 cab rides - firstly from the depot at Kitami into Shinjuku, and then from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto (partly multi-angle so you can watch the driver as well).

The two discs are also available as separate volumes.


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Now Available

15th September 2005

Tomix re-released the following ...

92733 400 series TEC 7 car set 'Tsubasa' (new colour)
8503 Ohanefu25-0 series PC
8504 Ohane25-0 series PC
2535 Kani24-100 series PC
2537 Kani24 series PC
2556 Ohanefu24 series PC
2557 Ohane24 series PC
2558 Orone24 series PC

MicroAce released the following new models ...

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 2+2 car set

A1271 713-900 series EC 2+2 car set (JR Kyushu)

A1272 713-900 series EC 2+2 car set 'Sunshine Miyazaki' (JR Kyushu)

14th September 2005

MicroAce released the following new models ...

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)

13th September 2005

Tomy released the Machinami #4 set - see review section for details

Kato re-released the 10-435/436 221 EC sets.

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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

 

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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

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