[PRCo] Re: Trolley modeling

Mon Jan 5 10:27:07 EST 2009

Production runs go very fast in Japan and warehousing is prohibitively expensive.  I know Rich Kerr is having fits trying to get the Tomix mini-rail track he wants for this streetcar lines.  Through the fall dealers have been selling out within days of getting a restock. Still, I've managed to get all I need, but with the occasional delay.
Bill

Bob Dietrich wrote:

There is a new activity in the East Penn Traction Club involving Japanese
light rail vehicles. Several of our members bring a bag of "stuff" to a
meeting and on a flat table set up street track, buildings, and other
details and run some very nice LRV cars.  The biggest problem they seem to
have is the availability of the components.  

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org] On Behalf Of Bill
Robb
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 8:52 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Trolley modeling

I get all my buildings from Japan.  They're made by Tomix, Kato and Green
Max. I like the big city look and all the details like sign sheets that are
included in the box.  They also give a pretty good bang for the buck. I
started with streetcars and interurbans but found the trains just too
tempting.  Inspite of all the variety available, you sometimes end up
waiting quite a while to get just what your want.
I was attracted to Japan by the model trains, then got interested in the
prototype and finally that raised questions about the culture and I started
reading about the Japanese culture.  I've ridden PCCs in Toronto, Boston,
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore but I saw but rarely rode the pre-PCC
cars.  So there has always been an interest in the pre-PCC cars, but that
usually meant looking to the past.  Now I can see these cars, hear their
noises (on You Tube videos) and read about them in the present.  Everything
I'm really interested in is traditional traction, but it's interesting to
see it in an everyday operating environment and with a lot modern technology
added too.

Bill

Mr.Robb;

This is splendid indeed.  While the other photos are needed
to give a sense of the layout, I especially enjoy the first one
as it is eye level for a patron of the system isn't it.  The skyline
is astounding - small older buildings interspersed with tall
modern buildings.  Never investigated "N" but availability
of structures seems very good.

Your 'affinity' for Japan is obvious from your posts yet
you never visited.  I meant to ask about your strong
interests; please tell us more.  I did visit for a short spell
many decades ago when it was 'much' less expensive
wasn't it.  I was far more than favorably impressed.

I trust you shall be able to make the trip soon;  you won't
be disappointed.

Phil

PS  I did see an "O" model of a Japan transit / tram car.
It had 'all' details inside and out including working 'strap
hangers' - they moved back and forth ala the prototype.
Absolutely splendid model.  Pricey.  This was in a
hobby shop a couple decades ago.

----- Original Message ----
> From: Bill Robb <bill937ca at yahoo.ca>
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 5:14:27 PM
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Gas Prices-- trolley modeling
> 
> Jerry,
> I have an N gauge layout.  It's N gauge because I use Japanese trains
which are 
> 1/150 for the ordinary trains which are mostly 3ft6in gauge and 1/160 for 
> Shinkansen trains.
> 
> My layout is on two 2 1/2' x 5' tables arranged in an L shape, so the
layout is 
> 7 /12' x 5'.  Its basically a double track interurban main line going
around the 
> tables with a four track station, a short tunnel and a stub terminal.  It
all 
> provides lots of space for parking trains and lots room for running.
> 
> I started out with a streetcar layout using Tomix track covers, but this
is now 
> more or less completely a train i.e. interurban layout.  My maximum train
is 
> five cars.  I have longer trains but if I put the whole train on the
layout 
> the cab would be chasing the tail end.
> 
> Everything is two rail. The poles are plastic.  The track is Tomix, which
is a 
> Japanese roadbed track.  Kato Unitrack is a copy of Tomix Finetrack. I buy

> directly on the internet from Japan.  (Right now is the New Years break in
Japan 
> and all vendors, along with the post office are closed until January 5-7)
> 
> Japanese trains are a pretty good bang for the buck.  I have added a 4 car
Kato 
> EMU train for as little as $78 US. My streetcars are made by Modemo, which
is 
> always releasing new interubans, Setagaya LRVs and streetcars
periodically.
> 
> There are three photos of the current layout which emphasizes EMUs with a 
> streetcar line in the middle and two older photos of a previous version of
the 
> layout with a lenghty elevated viaduct and more streetcar lines. That
layout had 
> less operational flexibility than the present layout.  I hope to move my 
> streetcars to a 18" x 24" mini layout sometime next year which will run
with a 
> Tomytec battery powered streetcar controller.
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Derrick
> Religion and Politics - I guess year end thinking, but yes lets talk
"Trolleys". 
>    I am wondering how many
> in our group have a "Layout"    A Street Car Layout?    A Train layout? or
a 
> combination of both as I do,
> Those in O gauge/scale, the new Lionel/K-Line superstreets make a great 
> operating layout, using the 
> MTH PCCS or Brill trolleys, or converting your Corgi street cars to "live"
three 
> rail operation is pretty cool! 
> --
> From: Jerry "Matt" Matsick "PHD"
> 
> AGING: Eventually you will reach a point when you 
> stop lying about your age and start Bragging 
> about it. 
>  -------------- Original message from Derrick J Brashear : 
> --------------
> 
> 
> > How'd we end up mired in religion and politics, exactly?
> > 
> > Just curious.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
>      
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