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Talking T Gauge
The Original Forum Dedicated to the World's Smallest Model Railroad Scale
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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 Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Ozrail wrote: | You southern states get all the fun. 
Nothing great happens up here in QLD.
I'm probably going to sound annoying and repetitive about the Garden Scale.
But it does make me eager for possible future products for the scale.
I'll be over the moon if they do make a Garden Scaled Steamer. |
Not so long ago, we in the 'Garden State' were always moaning about New South Wales getting all the models (in HO). For the non-Australians here, the local model railway market is relatively tiny, which meant that until recent times, there were very few Australian model trains to buy - apart from crude kits. Each state had its own railway system and usually its own gauge. So most trains from one state were not seen in other states. This fragmented an already small market even further.
Ozrail is in Queensland, one of the states that uses a narrow gauge system. Although Queensland Railways is a huge system (and one arguably better run than those of the 'southern states'), relatively few models of its trains are available. One problem for manufacturers when it comes to narrow gauge is what scale and gauge to offer models. Some QR modellers use HO scale and HO gauge track. Some use HOn3˝, others go for OO (4mm scale) or Sn3˝. So that fragments the market even further. Very tough for people wishing to make and purchase models of QR models. And also way off topic. 
Anyway, I can see where Ozrail is coming from.
No mention was made of the steam locomotive today. Although there was mention of another kind of steamer. 
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Darren,
Stratford,
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David K Smith
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Joined: 03 Sep 2008
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Location: New Jersey, USA
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Ozrail
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| Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | ="B 67
No mention was made of the steam locomotive today. Although there was mention of another kind of steamer. |
Ooo, was is Thomas the Tank Engine?
If so, I claim the first model!!!!
Last edited by Ozrail on Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:20 am; edited 1 time in total |
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zomer
Joined: 03 Nov 2008
Posts: 124
Location: Victoria, Australia
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| Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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| B 67 wrote: | | Ozrail wrote: | Wish I was down there to ask a few questions about future products.
I'm really keen about getting Garden Scale now.
Out of curiosity, how many fishplates/joiners would you get with the flex track? |
Hmmm! Now, rail joiners DID get mentioned. But I cannot recall now what was said about these. Perhaps Paul or Adrian can help me. 
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Yes these were mentioned. Mr Hirai said that experimental fishplates were too brittle so a special 'rail joiner' was on the cards however none were there yesterday. Im still very exited about the flex track!!!!!!
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Victorian T Gauge Blog
http://www.victorian-tgauge.blogspot.com/ |
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:25 am Post subject: |
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I assembled the bridge / ramp pieces today, just to see how the system works.
It was more complex than I expected at first. As I had no instructions on how everything went together, I had no idea what some of the parts were for as I cut them off the sprues. But as we are becoming used to with Eishindo, everything is well thought out and works well.
The sample I received included one of each item in the range. Unfortunately this isn't actually enough to build a complete example of all the variations possible with the bridge system.
The pieces include straight and curved sides for both level and ramped tracks. For curves, allowance has been made for left up/right down and right up/left down sections as well as accommodating catenary poles. It took me quite a while to work out which piece was which.
Once I worked out what each piece was for, assembly was straight-forward. Everything pushes together. No glue needed. The pylons consist of two pieces. The base has Eishindo's standard 1mm pin to assist with mounting on a board. Otherwise, in some cases it may be easier to clip this off and glue to the layout. I used the base of the Desk Top Case which has holes in it already.
Track sits snugly between the side walls.
Yes, they have thought of everything. For the ramps, a special base for the catenary poles is provided to ensure they remain vertical.
The level section shown behind the ramp has only 3 pylons. Provision is made for pylons / piers to be mounted in the middle of each span. However, only three full height ones were provided in the sample, so I am not yet able to show you this.
The small 4-pin plates at bottom right are intended to hold two (or more) pylons together for multiple track bridges.
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Darren,
Stratford,
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:40 am Post subject: |
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Here's the Desk Top Case.
It comes "flat-packed" and simply clips together. Some of the joins are a very tight fit, but with care, it goes together well and is quite rigid.
One panel is hinged to allow easy access.
The door is easily removed to allow the base to be slid in and out.
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Darren,
Stratford,
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:43 am Post subject: |
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Some more photos of the flex track. This time, not on a white background.
Showing the underside of the flexible track.
Flexible and standard T gauge track.
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Darren,
Stratford,
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:46 am Post subject: |
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The two images below were sent to me in November. But I thought I would include them here as well.
German ICE
Japanese N700
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Darren,
Stratford,
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:14 am Post subject: |
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| Ozrail wrote: | | Quote: | ="B 67
No mention was made of the steam locomotive today. Although there was mention of another kind of steamer. |
Ooo, was is Thomas the Tank Engine?
If so, I claim the first model!!!! |
Hmmm! How do I put this? You may be aware that, a few decades ago, Arthur Sherwood of Sydney was building 1:480 scale electric trains and 1:240 scale live steam. Well, Eishindo have given us the electric trains, so, ummm...... gosh!
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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia. |
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zomer
Joined: 03 Nov 2008
Posts: 124
Location: Victoria, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:15 am Post subject: |
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WOW Eishindo are great at keeping me glued to the edge of my seat. I cant wait to see whats next. Platforms and a station would be good!!
The 3d work is amazing!! There would be no trouble with the trains operating at scale speed!!!
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Victorian T Gauge Blog
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Ozrail
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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| B 67 wrote: | | Ozrail wrote: | | Quote: | ="B 67
No mention was made of the steam locomotive today. Although there was mention of another kind of steamer. |
Ooo, was is Thomas the Tank Engine?
If so, I claim the first model!!!! |
Hmmm! How do I put this? You may be aware that, a few decades ago, Arthur Sherwood of Sydney was building 1:480 scale electric trains and 1:240 scale live steam. Well, Eishindo have given us the electric trains, so, ummm...... gosh!
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Sorry I'm not the brightest person on the forum, so you have lost me in this comment.
So what kind of steamer are you talking about.
Bye everyone |
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David K Smith
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 435
Location: New Jersey, USA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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Great new batch of photos, Darren!
Ah, so that's the Desk Top Case. Was wondering about that. It wasn't on my price list, and your mention of it was the only thing I had to go on. Now, there it is in the flesh.
It's too band Eishindo's financial resources are (understandably) used almost exclusively for product development; they could use a little marketing help, or at the very least someone to keep their website up to date! I think mine is in better shape than theirs...
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—David
http://www.t-gauge.net/
http://1-450.blogspot.com/ |
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Ozrail wrote: | | B 67 wrote: | | Ozrail wrote: | | Quote: | ="B 67
No mention was made of the steam locomotive today. Although there was mention of another kind of steamer. |
Ooo, was is Thomas the Tank Engine?
If so, I claim the first model!!!! |
Hmmm! How do I put this? You may be aware that, a few decades ago, Arthur Sherwood of Sydney was building 1:480 scale electric trains and 1:240 scale live steam. Well, Eishindo have given us the electric trains, so, ummm...... gosh!
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Sorry I'm not the brightest person on the forum, so you have lost me in this comment.
So what kind of steamer are you talking about.
Bye everyone |
Bye? Going so soon?  Hope it wasn't something I said.
I don't think it's anything official yet, so I was just trying to say, without saying. If that makes any sense?
I didn't want to go too deeply into things that are probably a long way off at this stage. However, Mr Hirai was talking of live steam. He has many great ideas for future products. And I'm sure he hasn't yet told me all of them.
| David K Smith wrote: | | Great new batch of photos, Darren! |
Thanks. Feel free to...."
| David K Smith wrote: | | Ah, so that's the Desk Top Case. Was wondering about that. It wasn't on my price list, and your mention of it was the only thing I had to go on. Now, there it is in the flesh. |
Yes, I had no previous advice of its existence or impending existence either, other than a post elsewhere with a link to one of the Japanese vendors. I just have to decide what to put inside now. 
| David K Smith wrote: | | It's too band Eishindo's financial resources are (understandably) used almost exclusively for product development; they could use a little marketing help, or at the very least someone to keep their website up to date! I think mine is in better shape than theirs... |
Well, given a choice between a manufacturer that has a flashy website with heaps of announcements of coming items that take years to materialise - at best. Or one that releases lots of goodies that it doesn't always immediately tell us about. I know what my choice will be.
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Darren,
Stratford,
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David K Smith
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 435
Location: New Jersey, USA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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| B 67 wrote: | | David K Smith wrote: | | It's too band Eishindo's financial resources are (understandably) used almost exclusively for product development; they could use a little marketing help, or at the very least someone to keep their website up to date! I think mine is in better shape than theirs... |
Well, given a choice between a manufacturer that has a flashy website with heaps of announcements of coming items that take years to materialise - at best. Or one that releases lots of goodies that it doesn't always immediately tell us about. I know what my choice will be. |
I wasn't suggesting they have a killer state-of-the-art website (or even a reasonably decent one like mine), but just keeping what they have a little more up-to-date would go a long way. Learning about new products from other websites is just a little embarrassing. Perfect example: I found drawings of a gas station and a convenience store on a Japanese blog. Presumably the drawings were done by Eishindo. But I've not seen one scrap of information about these items anywhere outside of that one blog post.
This sort of thing tends to start up a rumor mill, and rumor mills are always unreliable; worst case, they create false expectations. It's one thing to start a buzz about a forthcoming product, and another thing to learn that no such product ever existed or was going to exist. But the way things are with Eishindo is the way things are with many other hobby companies, and it's just a little sad.
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—David
http://www.t-gauge.net/
http://1-450.blogspot.com/ |
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:57 am Post subject: |
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| David K Smith wrote: | | B 67 wrote: | | David K Smith wrote: | | It's too band Eishindo's financial resources are (understandably) used almost exclusively for product development; they could use a little marketing help, or at the very least someone to keep their website up to date! I think mine is in better shape than theirs... |
Well, given a choice between a manufacturer that has a flashy website with heaps of announcements of coming items that take years to materialise - at best. Or one that releases lots of goodies that it doesn't always immediately tell us about. I know what my choice will be. |
I wasn't suggesting they have a killer state-of-the-art website (or even a reasonably decent one like mine), |
One of the hazards of writing something in a forum is that one's words can be read and interpreted in not quite the same way that was intended. Sadly, this seems to be part of the reason Ozrail has left. He has sent me PM explaining, and I do hope he reconsiders.
What I meant was that there ARE some other manufacturers that DO have flashy websites (and magazine adverts) announcing products that never seem to appear. I would be happier to see them spend their money actually making the products and then announce them, either when they are ready, or about to enter production. Eishindo seem to be doing a bit of both. Some products appear with no announcement (at least in English) and others we hear about well in advance.
This shouldn't be taken as a complaint though. I'm very happy to see as many items released as they have already, considering the relatively short time T gauge has been on sale to the public. Not to mention the incredible detail they have managed to achieve in them.
| David K Smith wrote: | ...but just keeping what they have a little more up-to-date would go a long way. Learning about new products from other websites is just a little embarrassing. Perfect example: I found drawings of a gas station and a convenience store on a Japanese blog. Presumably the drawings were done by Eishindo. But I've not seen one scrap of information about these items anywhere outside of that one blog post.
This sort of thing tends to start up a rumor mill, and rumor mills are always unreliable; worst case, they create false expectations. It's one thing to start a buzz about a forthcoming product, and another thing to learn that no such product ever existed or was going to exist. But the way things are with Eishindo is the way things are with many other hobby companies, and it's just a little sad. |
Actually, this one had sort of been announced earlier. But not on their website. I have some Eishindo leaflets (sent out with the demonstration pack I made my layout from). In this there was mention in text form only, that future structures will include a gas station, convenience store, restaurant, civic buildings and more houses.
Interestingly though, no mention of these items was made on Saturday. I had not seen the plans above before.
Ozrail - if you're still reading. I like the Thomas the Tank Engine in T gauge idea. I'll confess to being a Thomas fan myself - there's an incredible amount of history in and behind the stories which many are unaware of. I don't know if Eishindo have any plans in that direction. Mr Hirai did comment on the Thomas sets in my shop. I imagine the licensing arrangements might be a hurdle though. But here's a thought.
In T gauge, it would just about be possible to consider a scale model of the entire Island of Sodor.
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Darren,
Stratford,
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