So I gotta ask...

[Theteejmiester]

Anyone else on here interested in Japanese Steam? I picked up a kato 2016-1 D51 498 and i must say it is one sweet little machine...then I found this web site and was blown away..http://www8.plala.or.jp/genzo-ocean/n_gage/d51_498d.html Think all of my American stock may be getting traded in..

Oh and first post on here,so a brief intro about myself .been lurking on here  for a bit. been on the railroad line forums and Nscale.net for a long time. I model mainly American narrow gauge in 0n2...but N has been a guilty pleasure of mine on and off for about 15 years. I am mostly interested in scratch building/detailing steam. But I am tired of not having a layout so I am in the process of designing a N scale shelf layout along two walls of my studio...just may be Japanese prototype now  oh and they call me Tj

[rsn48]

On Vancouver Island as part of an effort to keep the RR alive there, one consideration was to purchase a brand new steam engine made in China and run it on an excursion train. There were problems with curves or trestles or something like that, maybe Tim Horton if he reads this might know more.  Or Andrew, quit being a lurker and chime in here.  There was little concern as to prototype historical steam engine consistency as the owner group realized the average person wouldn't care that it was a Chinese steam engine, and just enjoy it instead.

I'm as not into steam as 99.9% of all model RR'rs are, won't bore you with the reason's why but lets say it has to do with how often they had to stop to get water.  So I have a multitude of engines like all N scalers, but not one steam engine yet.  I do plan to have one or two, right now I'm looking for a steam engine for my CN exercusion train that can pull passengers cars up a 2.2% grade with roughly 8 cars in tow.  Maybe the Japanese stuff might work.

[Theteejmiester]

The Kato D51 is far above any other experience I have had with plastic N scale steam detail wise.and runs better than all of my brass before re motoring,re gearing  etc. So it would be a fine choice for a first steamer....going to put in my per-order for two more D51's with Giesel injectors from Kato next week. oh and the Tomix C57

[strummer]

See page 3 of this forum,topic titled "C55". Yes,I'd say there's interest and then some...

Mark in Oregon

[Theteejmiester]

^^ seen it, seems to me its mostly about info for kitbashing and cookies lol. My question is if anyone models Japanese railways or equipment on here...read through 212 pages on here so far and notta lot  of people even mention it...guess I was hoping they were hiding lol[/i]

[peteski]

I have some Japanese steam (and even more European steam). If you think there are lots of Japanese N scale steam models, you should check the variety of European N scale steam models! 
Keep in mind that most Japanese steam is modeled in 1:150 scale (not 1:160) becasue most of them are depicting narrow-gauge railroads (while still using the N gauge, 9mm track).

[Theteejmiester]

^^ Yup, Japanese is cape gauge(3 foot 6 inch)older Kato is 1/140...new kato is 1/150 and Tomix is 1/150 while most Microace is also 1/140...Realline and nakamira precision is 1/150  Oh and I have a few fleischmann loco's too, a older Piccolo Dr44 and some Roco rolling stock...Pizza cutter wheel flanges are a huge turn off. Although I have seen some nice work done over the pond by the brits turning down there wheel flanges( I must confess I do love some of the Bachmann/Graham Farish Loco's. Oh and Dapol's fine little machines ) and over in Germany a few very talented modelers doing some fiNescale modeling like this chap... http://stummiforum.de/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=50628&start=25 His pine tree's are to die for But Japanese steam is simply beautiful me thinks.


Edit this is what I am used to looking at lol...Maine 2 foot gauge and one of my favorite loco's.

my last weathering effort

[superturbine]

Welcome,
Looks good!  Glade to have another steam fan!!

Jason Smith

[tom mann]

Nice weathering on that On30 model.

[Theteejmiester]

@ tommann:why thank you sir...its a work in progress, working on re-gauging her to On2 standards not as easy as I thought it would be 
@ superturbine: I have been drooling over your UP modeling for quite some time there are some really talented folks on here, I hope to talk to you all more and learn a few things along the way!!!

   True Beauty right ther!!! .....better pics than I could take too....

[spookshow]

I have some Japanese steam (and even more European steam). If you think there are lots of Japanese N scale steam models, you should check the variety of European N scale steam models! 

Yikes, tell me about it. In recent weeks I've been slowly gathering information about European and Asian locomotive models (for an expanded locomotive encyclopedia) and it's been quite an eye-opener. Just amassing a barebones list of what's out there (past and present) will likely keep me busy for years. And that doesn't even include acquiring and testing them all! I should live so long... 

Cheers,
-Mark

[peteski]

Yikes, tell me about it. In recent weeks I've been slowly gathering information about European and Asian locomotive models (for an expanded locomotive encyclopedia) and it's been quite an eye-opener. Just amassing a barebones list of what's out there (past and present) will likely keep me busy for years. And that doesn't even include acquiring and testing them all! I should live so long... 

Cheers,
-Mark

Fun, isn't it? 
I have accumulated some European models over the years. Time permitting, I might be able to assist in your (very worthy) cause.  I know, I still owe you some photos. 

[spookshow]

Fun, isn't it? 
I have accumulated some European models over the years. Time permitting, I might be able to assist in your (very worthy) cause.  I know, I still owe you some photos. 

Yeesh, the further I get into this the more bewildering it becomes. Basically manufacturer X makes locomotive Y and then sells it to a dozen different railroads (both state-run and private) in a half dozen different countries - with each of them then assigning their own "class" or "series" designation to it. It's the equivalent of the UP calling their SD40-2's "1234UP", BN calling them "100.456", Rock Island calling them "XYZ-555" (ad nauseum). I swear, the index alone is going to have 10,000 different entries 

Cheers,
-Mark

[peteski]

Yeesh, the further I get into this the more bewildering it becomes. Basically manufacturer X makes locomotive Y and then sells it to a dozen different railroads (both state-run and private) in a half dozen different countries - with each of them then assigning their own "class" or "series" designation to it. It's the equivalent of the UP calling their SD40-2's "1234UP", BN calling them "100.456", Rock Island calling them "XYZ-555" (ad nauseum). I swear, the index alone is going to have 10,000 different entries 

Cheers,
-Mark

Yeah, but you seem to actually enjoy doing this kind of research, and then publishing the results for everyone to reap the benefits of your extensive work! 

[spookshow]

Yeah, but you seem to actually enjoy doing this kind of research, and then publishing the results for everyone to reap the benefits of your extensive work! 

Further muddying the waters is the fact that these state-run railroads will change their series/class designation for a given locomotive, oh, approximately whenever they feel like it (as near as I can tell).

But you're right Pete, I can't deny that it doesn't get my OCD juices flowing. I just keep tossing the different puzzle pieces into a big pile until the obvious organizational patterns start to emerge. Always a fun moment for me (as sad and pathetic as that may sound) 

If you want to follow my progress, it's here - http://www.spookshow.net/locos2.html

I don't have any links to it off my main website yet, as it's definitely not ready for public consumption (nor will it be for many months/years).

Cheers,
-Mark