Tomix Dealer Preview

Japanese businesses are into the new Japanese year and are beginning to show their new products planned for the new year. Tomix and Tomytec new products were recently previewed to dealers in Tokyo and Osaka.

Tokyo based Popondetta has photos of many of new products on their Japanese language new product blog. Included are photos of Tomix’s new cant track, Tomytec kei trucks and modular tunnel portals. The long awaited Toyama Light Rail LRV announced last year, appears to have been delayed because of problems with developing an articulated Tomytec power drive.

A Simple Figure Eight Track Plan

On the back of the Tomix 3018 package you will find a simple figure- eight track plan. This could be set up as a stand alone layout or part of a larger track plan.

2 sets Tomix 3018 Brick Pier Set
1 piece Tomix 1022 S280
2 pieces Tomix 1121 C280-45
10 pieces Tomix 1171 HC280-45
2 pieces Tomix 1071 HS140
1 Tomix 3028

Figure 8 track plan

Golden Week

When purchasing model trains or other hobby items from Japan it pays to have some knowledge of Japanese culture.

At the end of April and beginning of May every year there is a series of National Holidays known collectively as Golden Week. During Golden Week, Japan as a country, largely shuts down.

Already Hobby World Japan has indicated they will be closed April 29th, May 2nd-6th and May 9th and 10th. Rainbow 10 will be closed April 29th-May 6th inclusive. The other internet dealers will follow shortly with their closures.

What usually happens is that internet orders pile up while the Japanese are off on holidays and there is a backlog to be processed when the Japanese dealers return back to work. If you order during Golden Week expect delays in processing and shipping. The backlog and delays can last for as long as two weeks. Email support is minimal or non-existent during Golden Week, much like it would be in the West at Christmas and New Years.

My suggestion is order soon enough before the 29th that your order has cleared Japan before Golden Week or order about two weeks after Golden Week ends to avoid the usual delays at this time of year.

Tomix 2008-2009 Catalog

Time to take a look at the 2008-2009 Tomix catalog issued late in 2008.

2008-2009 Tomix Catalog

The heavy catalog has 432 large pages with almost all photos in color. Section headings and model headings include English text. Although 80% or more of the text is in Japanese, you will be able to make out the model number, length of the unit or dimensions of a structure, which car has the motor (indicated by a symbol–a bold M inside brackets, headlight arrangements and which cars are included in various sets and sub-sets. For passenger trains there are small photos of each car in the train.

At the front there is an article on the ED75-ED79 four axle JR electric locomotives. The track package pages have all the usual simple track plans. The revised Tomix switches are in this catalog for the first time, but I was surprised to see the old switches still listed in the new catalog issued in November 2008. The old switches had disappeared from the market by late spring 2008.

There are sections on electric locomotives, Shinkansen trains, Electric trains: JR/JNR Limited Expresses, JR /JNR Ordinary Expresses, JR / JNR Suburban trains, JR / JNR Commuter trains; Diesel trains: JR / JNR Limited Express, JR / JNR Ordinary Express, JR / JNR Local Trains; Joyful Trains, JR / JNR passenger coaches, Goods Wagons, Private Railway and Third Sector trains, and Inspection cars. There are also sections on track and related products, control systems, structures, accessories (which is mainly containers) and various publications.

Next comes the Tomix HO section which apart from a couple of container choices is limited to HO scale rolling stock. You will find HO electric locomotives, a single HO diesel locomotive, various JR electric trains, a few JR diesel passenger trains, JR passenger cars, a few goods wagons and a couple of trams. Tomix does not offer track or structures in HO.

At the back of the catalog there is some information on optional parts and spare parts, but as much of this information is only in Japanese text it is less useful than the main body of the catalog. You will also find some pages on basic track configurations and two track plans (the same plans as last year).

New this year is a five page section on the Tomytec Diorama Collection which focuses on items released in 2008.

The differences from last year’s catalog are the addition of the new switches, any new trains, the Tomytec Diorama Collection and the deletion of older Tomix cars and Tomix figures.

All in all a very useful reference volume for the Tomix modeler, but shipping from Japan does carry a hefty price tag for this heavy volume.

Tomix Three Way Switches

Tomix three way switches [# 1262 N-PLR541/280-15(F) and # 1261 N-PRL541/280-15(F)] have again come available at Hobby Search, Plaza Japan on eBay and shortly at other Japanese sources.