Vol. 3 - No. 03

18th February, 2006

   
 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

Sorry it has taken so long to get this issue out - I have been busy with work that involves a whole new computer system. It will either give a lot of new opportunities for the future or put me out of a job !!! Also I have been busy starting Japanese lessons two nights a week again.

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. Please write to the Japanese Model Train News Yahoo! discussion group with any comments you may have.


This Newsletter is available to customers of  'Japanese Model Supplies', as well as members of the 'Japanese Model Train News' and 'JR Forum' Yahoo! discussion groups. We hope to supply at least one issue every week or so, more often if there is more news. 

Please do not reveal the page addresses to non- members. If they want to see it, they are free to join the group like everyone else. 

Also please note that the contents of this publication are copyright, and may not be reproduced without permission.

Latest Release News

COLLECTIBLE SERIES NEWS

Most of the new Tomy Collection sets now have their own web pages - please see below ...

February 2006

Bandai have delayed the release of the 5th in their 'Working Vehicles' series - hopefully they will be out in February,

Tomy 'The Truck Collection' #2 - this set contains 12 vehicles made up of mixture of Hino TC, Hino ZM & Isuzu Giga as delivery vans, dump trucks and cement mixers, and a single Isuzu TX fire engine. 

See official web page at ... http://www.tomytec.co.jp/hobby/truck/index.html

February 2006

Tomy 'The Trailer Collection' #1 - this is 10 vehicles comprising of 2 different cab-over prime movers with a dry and a refrigerated 40' ISO container for NYK, MOL and K-line, as well as a plain dry container; plus 3x 26,000 litre tank trailers for ENEOS, JOMO and IDEMITSU. The containers are removable and can be used with the Tomix Koki200 container wagon. 

See official web page at ... http://www.tomytec.co.jp/hobby/torera/index.html

March 2006`
The second in the 'Railway Daughter' series is slated for release this month.

See official web page at ... http://tetsudou-musume.net/character/index.html

Tomy have announced their first HO collection set - a set of cars !!! It will contain 12 vehicles made up of 3 of each of the following ...Toyota Highace van, Toyopet Crown van, Toyota Highace DX, and Toyota Crown sedan.   

See official web page at ... http://www.tomytec.co.jp/hobby/carcollection/carcolle80_01.html

20th January 2006

Tomix have officially announced the release of the following in March ...

Tomy 'Machinami Collection' #5

Contents are - old style Japanese Inn, Bank, Modern glass corner building (like in Ginza), Movie Theater, old style Public Bath House, and Fire Station. Because these are larger buildings, this time only the Bank and Movie Theater will come in two colours. 

See official web page at ... http://www.tomytec.co.jp/hobby/torera/index.html

Tomy 'The Bus Collection' #8 

Contains 8x Nishinihon Shatai Kogyo C-1 & SD-1 'Limousine' buses (Fuji Kyuko, JR Kanto, Tokyo Airport, Hankyu bus, Osaka Airport, Hokaito Central bus, Nishi-Nippon Railroad, and Nishitetu Sightseeing) and 4x Fuji Heavy Industries R13 type (JNR bus, Keio Teito Electric Railway, Tohoku Express bus and Miyazaki Travel). 

See official web page at ... http://www.tomytec.co.jp/hobby/torera/index.html

Tomy The Railway Collection' #2

Contains 10 items which include cars from - Hitachi Electric Railway, Nagareyama Railway, Cotoden, Kumamoto Electric Railway, Takamatsu Electrci Railway, Niigata Kotsu and Wafu1 and Wa115 freight cars.

See official web page at ... http://www.tomytec.co.jp/hobby/tetsudou/index.html

Reservations for these 3 sets are closed.

Advertised sets, without firm release dates yet, are ...

Tomy's 'The Car Collection' #3 (above)

Tomy's special Nissan Fairlady Collection (above) 

Tomy's 'The Minibus Collection ' #1 (picture of shell above), as well as Bandai's 'Working Vehicles' #6 (cement mixers). Keep an eye out for the official release of each of these.

As always, early reservation is ESSENTIAL to obtain any of these sets, because the cut-off date for orders is often well before the actual release date. You cannot wait until the release of these items, so you can see what they look like, before making your decision if you want to get them or not !!!


17th February 2006

On the 1st March, Tomix will release the Sayonara Asakaze and Seto PC sets, as well as the new coloured 581 series 'Nikko' EC sets and cars.

15th February 2006

On the 23rd February, Kato will re-release the 20/25 series DC's. The Keihin Tohoku 209 sets and Kiha110 DC's will be later in February.

13th February 2006

Kato will release another version of the Thalys TGV set - this time the RENFE 'Euromed'.

MicroAce have reorganised their releases for March and April, as follows ...

March - 183 EC, Meitetsu Kiha8000, JNR luggage vans and 4 various passenger sets.
April - 115/117 EC and EF58 passenger car sets. See the 'Release Information News' page for full details.

12th February 2006

MicroAce announced their releases for July 2006

A1594 200-1000 series TEC 'K' set renewal type 6 car set (White/blue/green stripe) - „17,500
A1595 200-1000 series TEC 'K' set renewal type 4 car add-on (White/blue/green stripe) - „10,000
A1650 213 series EC 3+3 car set Marine Liner 'Momotaro' - „21,500
A1652 213 series EC 3 car set 'Super Saloon Yumeji' - „11,000
A1750 Taki 8600 series tank car 'Nissan Chemicals' 2 car set (White) - „2,400
A1752 Taki 8600 series tank car 'NRS' 2 car set (White) - „2,400
A1753 Taki 8600 series tank car 'NRS Ecomark' 2 car set (White) - „2,400
A1754 Taki 8600 series tank car 'UBE' 2 car set (White) - „2,400
A8520 DD51-866 series DL (air-conditioned - Red / gray) - „6,400
A8642 8620-58654 series SL 'Aso Boy' plus 3x 50-700 type passenger car set (Brown / cream) - „21,000
A8644 50-1000 series PC 6 car set (Chikuho line - Red) - „15,800
A8646 50.51 series PC 6 car set (Hakodate main line -Red) - „14,800
A8647 50.51 series PC 2 car add-on set (Red) - „4,800
A9214 ED76-500 series EL - „6,200

10th February 2006

Greenmax announced the following releases ...

late March
4039 Tokyu 5050 series EC 4 car set (Toyoko line)
4040 Tokyu 5050 series EC 4 car add-on (Toyoko line)
late April
4041 Tokyu 5080 series EC 4 car set (Meguro line)
4042 Tokyu 5080 series EC 2 car add-on (Meguro line)
1059T 103 series EC 4 car painted kit (Osaka area orange)
1060T 103 series EC 4 car painted kit (Osaka area orange)
1059M 103 series EC 2 car painted middle kit (Osaka area orange)
late May
1061T 103 series EC 4 car painted kit (Osaka area green)
1062T 103 series EC 4 car painted kit (Osaka area green)
1061M 103 series EC 2 car painted middle kit (Osaka area green)
late June
1063T 103 series EC 4 car painted kit (Osaka area blue)
1064T 103 series EC 4 car painted kit (Osaka area blue)
1063M 103 series EC 2 car painted middle kit (Osaka area blue)

8th February 2006

Modemo announced the release of another Tokyu Setagaya line tram - this one is NT54 #307 in a Silver/Lavender colour scheme. it is due out in March

1st February 2006

Tomix will bring out their 2006 catalogue in late March. It will be about 40 more pages than the previous edition, and consequently the price has risen slightly. Orders placed before the release date will be given a discount in that the current price will still apply (A$40), otherwise the new price will be A$45 (plus postage).

They also announced the re-release of the following items  in June 2006 ...
2203 DD54 DL
2211 DE15 DL and snowplough set

92049 Kintetsu 30000 series EC 4 car set 'Vistacar' 

92726 E3-1000 series TEC 7 car set 'Tsubasa'
2769 Koki106 series FC grey
92131 Kiha120 series DC 2 car set (Etsumi Hokusen)

92133 Kiha120 series DC 2 car set (Kisukisen)

92753 14 series PC 7 car set
8501 Suhanefu14 PC
8502 Ohane14 PC

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Latest Publications

Railfan (03/2006)

This month, the feature articles is on the 'E231 Family', and as this is JR East' 'standard' suburban train type of the Tokyo area, it covers in great depth all the different sets that currently run on the Sobu, Joban, Yamanote, Tozai, Tohoku, Takasaki, Tokaido and the new E531 sets on the Joban line. One interesting graphs show the numbers of each type of train from the 101 to E231 after 1987, so you can see how many there were each year, and which one could be seen together. Like all other magazine, the soon to disappear Izumo is also given the historical treatment. Other articles cover trains with unusual combinations of cars eg 115 + 111 type EC's, or 12 + 20 type PC's - also the last running EF58's and the Izu Hakone Railway.


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DVD Reviews

Hankyu Densha Vol.1

Company : Teichiku Records
Title : Hankyu Densha Vol.1
Number : TEBJ 38020
Time : 97 minutes
Zone : 2
Format : NTSC 16:9
Price : „3,800

Company : Teichiku Records
Title : Hankyu Densha Vol.1
Number : TEBJ 38021
Time : 94 minutes
Zone : 2
Format : NTSC 16:9
Price : „3,800

The Hankyu Railway in Osaka is one of my favourites - their clean & shiny deep maroon trains always look very handsome !!! These two DVD's cover all the Hankyu lines, as listed below. There is more commentary and views of the trains in these two volumes that the usual Japanese train DVD which usually has mostly cab-view footage.

Vol.1 - After a brief opening, you get a menu with a choice of the following lines ...

  • Takarazuka line

  • Nose Tetsudo

  • Kobe line

  • Itami line

  • Imazu line

  • Kobe Kosoku line

It covers the following train types - 3000, 3100, 5100, 6000, 7000, 8000, 8200.

Vol.2 - After the same brief opening, you get a menu with a choice of the following lines ...

  • Kyoto line

  • Osaka Subway Sakaisuji line

  • Senri line

  • Arashiyama line

It covers the following train types - 2300, 3300, 5300, 6300, 7300, 8300.

The three double track lines out of Umeda on the bridges over the Yodogawa River are spectacular when there are 3-4 trains all running at the same time - I don't think there is a location in Japan where you can see something similar. There are some interesting shots showing traces of the 1995 earthquake. 


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Now Available

16th February 2006

Kato released two more versions of the DD51 DL - the 7008-2 JR Hokkaido 'Hokutosei' colour (top), and 7008-4, another JR Freight type (bottom).

15th February 2006

Greenmax released the 4004 JR Kiha54-500 series DC.

14th February 2006

Kato released 4 old style wooden residential buildings in the Diotown range.

11th February 2006

Tomix re-released cars in the Kiha28/58/65 range.

8th February 2006

MicroAce released the following new items ...

A0434 103 series EC 3 car set (Tsurumi line)
A0424 103-3550 series EC 2 car set 'Train with Eyes' (Kakogawa line)
A8570 Shiki600 transformer transport vehicle 'Fuji Electric' + 2x Yo8000

A8574 Shiki801 transformer transport vehicle 'Nippon Express' + 2x Yo8000

A9521 D51-473 series SL (Nagano)
A9531 D51-758 series SL (Imperial train)

7th February 2006

Kato released a Bank building in the Diotown range.

4th February 2006

Tomix released the first items in their new double track Slab system.

31st January 2006

Kato released the DF50 DL.

28th Janaury 2006

Tomix released the following items ...

92934 JR Kyushu freight set

92942 Sanriku Railway 36 series DC set 'Shiokase'

2218 DD51 DL JR Freight

2702 JNR Yo8000 guard van

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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 2006 - Doug Coster
Photos copyright of the respective manufacturers & Railcraft Awaza Osaka.