Swiss SBB Ce 6/8 As a matter of fact, they do - both on the prototype and on the model. They needed the movement to make some of the sharp turns.
I'll have to take the paint off of them sometime and redoe them. Tetsu, that has to be pretty cool to see, the same way it's cool to watch a Big Boy go through a switch.
C62 - Japanese Hudson I have those Pentrex "Big Boy" videos on VHS. Now I'm going to have to dig those out, hook up the VHS player, and watch them again. Speaking of steam, I thought I'd drop some Japanese steam for your vewing pleasure. This is a C62 (Kato 2019-2) and is probably my favorite Japanese Jiyooki kikansha ("steam locomotive"). I've always liked the lines and balance of 4-6-4 locomotives and I think you will agree the Japanese got it right. This small Hudson was developed by using the boilers from D52 freight locomotives and was used for express passenger service into the 1960s. I believe it still holds the world speed record for narrow gauge steam. This image shows the model with the herald for the Tsubame ("Swallow") express train. Besides Kato, MicroAce also makes a C62 model in N scale as do some lesser known Japanese manufacturers. (Usually with more detail and more expensive.) Since this model is 1:150, it is sized nicely for 1:160 American prototypes. (The actual locomotive is suprisingly diminutive when viewed in person.) This particular unit has been used as the base for a lot of "Americanized" models. I keep thinking that since Kato has such a great mechanism, why can't they bring out a CB&Q S4. Maybe, it stems for some of the work they did in the past for other manufacturers.
I've been thinking of a C62, the newest version from Kato takes the same DN123K3 decoder as the NW2. I've always thought they were well proportioned steam loco and a good example of packing as much as you can in a small space. I had one years ago but I tried Americanizing it, back then I didn't realise Japanese railways were so interesting in their own right. I agree that Kato certainly has the expertise to build US steam should they so desire. Here's some shots of C62 3 I took on a trip from Niseko to Otaru in Hokkaido in 1990, the one of the engineer and fireman posing in front of the engine gives an idea of the size. C62 3 had the extra headlight typical of Hokkaido based steam locos. Sometime between 1990 and my last visit in 2006 JR Hokkaido found the C62 too expensive to maintain and now operate a pair of C11 tank locos in excursion service, which is OK because they are my other favorite Japanese steamer.
Thanks for the C62 prototype pictures. I didn't know they had stopped running C62 3 (I've seen pictures of it operating from as late as 2004) and I'm sorry to hear it although the movement toward smaller steam locomotives seems to be the trend at railroad museums worldwide. I also appreciate the tip that the DN123K3 works on the later Kato C62 models. I have a couple of those to pull the Tsubame and I'll definitely put that info to good use.
Kato's Japanese website has a page of DCC installations. http://www.katomodels.com/hobby/customshop/jouhou/decoder_sheet1.shtml http://www.katomodels.com/hobby/customshop/jouhou/c62_dcc_dec.shtml
That's a really nice looking loco. A Japanese steamer might go around my HCD curves if it's small! lol
Tsubame Passenger Car Pictures My Kato USRA Mikados w/traction tire handle the 315mm radius curves in a K1 set with no problem at all. I wouldn't worry about the C62. (Is it me or does Kato seem to make everything handle at least the 315mm UniTrak?) I agree that a C62 jiyooki kikansha ("steam locomotive") with the Tsubame passenger set 10-534 (below) would look VERY nice indeed. BTW, I was in Lowes this weekend and I think my wife noticed me checking out the HCDs.
Is that the Swallow passenger train? I think it was you that posted a pkoto of it before. It's a REALLY nice train. I have a book on the WP that has photos of the Flying Scotsman crossing the Keddie Wye. No reason a Japanese train couldn't do the same thing!
I'm late to this thread. I've bought a number of Japanese electrics, intending to use the mechanisms for US electrics, the shells of which I'd build myself. Obviously, I haven't gotten around to that. I've used a Kato JNR 2-8-2 under an ancient Atlas Light Pacific 4-6-2 shell. I had to grind out a very small amount from the inside of the plastic shell--about a 30 second job. Aside from the wrong valve chain, it looks good, and certainly runs 100x better. I swapped out the JNR tender for one from another Atlas early disaster--the 0-8-0 Indianan Belt switcher.
A little matter of the tracks being 14 1/2" too wide.:tb-biggrin: But then the Orient Express toured Japan in 1988 with its standard gauge trucks swapped for narrow gauge ones. Things have happened on the prototype that are as strange as anything we can come up with.
Did I? I don't remember seeing the photo in this thread. I can selectively ignore scenery so I say run what you like. A Paraphrased version of The Gandy Dancer's Lament "I'm the one who runs the trains. The whistle I do blow. I'm the one who says how far, The train's suppose to go ...."
I wish I could remember where I saw it. Maybe it was Bernard? I just remember the name and that it was a gorgeous train. And, Westfalen...shhhhhh! No one knows! lol
The coaches may be gone but the train name "Tsubame" lives on as the 800 Series Shinkansen. The Kato set number is 10-491.
I've spent this past Saturday getting the legs on my HCD. I have an oval of UniTrack that I'm going to set up so I can at least run some trains. Now that I have a platform ready, I can start to do some planning. This day has been a long time coming!
"Degoichi" What radius Unitrack are you using? I though I would post the quintessential Japanese jiyooki kikansha ("steam locomotive"); the D51 or Degoichi (from "D Go Ichi" or "D Five One"). The Japanese made more D51s than any other type of steam locomotives and they were used into the 1970s. At least 170 D51s are preserved (including one in Okinawa where there are no railroads) and one on the Russian controlled island of Sakhalin. D51 498 is preserved and in operating condition. There are several variants with different smoke deflectors, stacks, and streamlined domes. I know Kato makes a few D51 variants as do MicroAce and Real Line. Kato 2006 Kato 2009 Kato 2006-3 http://www.1999.co.jp/itbig09/10096796a2.jpg
I don't know as of yet. I'd like to keep it as broad as possible, so I can still run my Cali Zephyr. I have a Kato K1 set right now, and will probably use Peco code 55 for the layout. Those are some nice locos. I heard once a long time ago that the 2-8-2 was a Japanese wheel arrangement (hence the name "Mikado"). I can see that I'm going to end up with a few steamers, too!
Wow, lucky on two counts! Do both of you use UniTrack? I was planning on using Peco code 55 track for my layout as it's based on the Tidewater Southern. Then, I saw the price. $25 for a turnout...ouch. Chuck at Feather River has them for a lot less, but Atlas code 55 is cheaper still. BUT, will Japanese prototype trains run on Atlas code 55?
I like UniTrack and really don't have anything but that and Atlas code 85. (I am going to try some of the extremely small radius Tomix Fine Track, however.) I've never tried code 55 so I can't comment. I've used the 315mm radius from the K1 set and I didn't think the Zepher looked that bad on the curve. (I make what I call the "Reduced Zephyr" with four cars and one CB&Q F3.) I know the Kato cars and E8s will handle the 282mm radius as well but that starts to look a little tight. The Japanese were early adoptors of the 2-8-2 wheel arrangement but they sure took off here as well. D51s were homegrown in Japan starting around (I think) 1936. It appears Westfalen has some wonderful railfan experiences in Japan and I look forward for the opportunity to do the same.
