JMTN blog

In July, Modemo will release their 3rd variation of the Enoshima 600 series 2 car set.

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Finally - something (slightly) new from Kato for a change

In June, they will release the components to make up a version of the ‘Kamome’ (Seagull) passenger train, that ran between Kyoto and Hakata in the late 50’s/early 60’s before it was replaced by Kiha82 sets. This is mainly a re-release of existing items in the standard brown colour, but put together to make this particular formation.

• 3053 - EF58 series EL
• 10-290 - 7 car passenger set
• 10-291 - 3 car passenger add-on

Formation is as follows … Hakata end (←博多)

1. オハニ36-20 baggage coach
2. ナロ10-27 first class coach
3.  ナロ10-25 first class coach
4. ナロ10-19 first class coach
5.  オシ17-5 dining car
6. ナハ11-9 second class coach
7. ナハ11-3 second class coach
8. ナハ11-6 second class coach
9. ナハ11-4 second class coach
10. ナハフ11-8 second class coach with guards compartment

Kyoto end (京都→) Cars 4,8 & 9 are the ones on the 3 car add-on set.

Just found out that along with the changes I wrote about recently, the A3508 EF64-42 EL that was due to be released this month has also been postponed until next month …

What is going on at MicroAce at the moment

Kawai have announced quite a large range of trees and other scenery items, for release in early April.   Read more »

Just for a change, Kato have decided to release something new - a variation of their Taki1000 bogie tank car.

The Taki1000 is a 45t tank car, capable of running at 95km/h. It is mainly seen running in the colours of ’Japanese Oil Terminal’ (dark blue with red ‘J’) or ‘Japan Oil Transport’ (green & light gray with red circle & yellow ‘wings’).

On the 18th March, a new service called the ‘Super Oil Express’ will run from the Tokaido line Kawasaki Freight Terminal to Koriyama on the Tohoku line, and 60 of these cars have been repainted with colourful feathers for this service.

The Kato number is 8037-4, and it is due for relase in April.

It appears there are BIG problems at MicroAce at the moment - hot on the heels of the announcement of March’s releases was …

1. Delay of the 14-800 series PC ‘Roman’ joyful train sets until May
2. Delay of the 485 series EC ‘Aizu’ & ‘Akabee’ set until ‘early summer’
3. NOW we have just been told that the 165 series EC ‘Alpha’ & ‘Shuttle Maihama’ joyful train sets, and the Chichibu Railway 3000 series set, have been put back with April’s releases !!!!

What is going on over there

BTW - that ‘Alpha’ set is one mighty fine lookin’ train

In late February, Tomix released their version of the 321 series EC, in two configurations …

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The following items are scheduled for release in June & July of this year …

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There seem to have been some changes made to the releases planned for the next three months, as follows …

March 2007

• Kuha455 + 413 series EC sets (2)
• 165 series EC Joyful train sets (2)
• Chichibu 3000 series EC set
• EF65 series EL’s (4)
• EF64-42 series EL
• C51 series SL’s (2)

April 2007

• 24 series PC ‘Yume Kukan’ (re-release)
• 103 series EC sets (2)
• 715 series EC sets (2)
• 419 series EC sets (2)
• 14-500 series PC sets (2)
• ED76-551 EL

May 2007

• 789 series EC sets (2)
• Hankyu 2800 series EC sets (2)
• 113 series EC JR Shikoku sets (2)
• 12-700 series PC ‘SL Yamaguchi’ sets (2)
• C57 series SL’s (2)

2 sets of items seem to have disappeared from the schedule

1. 14-800 series PV ‘Roman’ Joyful train sets (2)
2. 485 series EC ‘Aizu’ & ‘Akabe’ sets (2)

Information about this, is now posted in the comments below …

The tentative new releases for August 2007 have been announced by MicroAce … 

• A0215 EF70-13 series EL (JR West with sealed beam light)
• A0216 EF70-69 series EL (JR Kyushu)
• A2280 JNR Kiha42500 series DC 2 car set (old colour)
• A2288 JNR Kiha07-200 series DC 4 car set (standard colour - Tarumi line)
• A2462 205-1000 series EC 4 car set (Kansai area)
• A2463 205-1000 series EC 4 car unpowered set (Kansai area)
• A2850 Keihan 8000 series EC 7 car set ‘TV car’ (original type)
• A2851 Keihan 8000 series EC 8 car set (with double deck car)
• A4082 Sagami Railway 10000 series EC 8 car set

 Some changes have also been made to releases originally planned for March, April & May - I will post these shortly …

‘New’ releases 

In July, Tomix will re-release the Keihin Toihoku 209-0 series train for the 3rd time !!!

1. It was first released in 1994 as a 4 car set, and with all cars also available separately.
2. 6 door cars were added to the train in 1995, but Tomix did not release this car until 2003, and at the same time reconfigured the set to be 7 cars (with the ‘6-door’ logo on the front), with only the Saha209 trailer car now being available separately.
3. Now it will be released as a 3 car set (92329), as per all the latest releases, a 4 car add-on set (92330), and the Saha209 trailer car (8917 - 3 needed for the full 10 car train). This is a different set in that it matches the lartest version of the train with openable windows.

If you want to read more about the details of the Keihin Tohoku line, please go to this page …

http://redracer.wordpress.com/2007/03/06/jr-easts-keihin-tohoku-line/

Also being re-released at the same time is the 6 car Nambu line set (92794)

 Re-releases

• 92240 - EF81 series Electric loco + 2x 24-25 series ’Twilight Express’ sleeper cars
• 92241 - 24-25 series ’Twilight Express’ sleeper train 5 car set A
• 92242 - 24-25 series ’Twilight Express’ sleeper train 3 car set B
• 92757 - EF81 series Electric loco + 24-25 series PC 5 car set (ELM)
• 92261 - E231 series EC ‘Yamanote line’ 2 car add-on A 
• 92262 - E231 series EC ‘Yamanote line’ 3 car add-on B