www.Nn3.ca

This is the Starter Set from PRMLoco or Crown set for early April 2010 release. List price taxes in in Japan of 19,245 JPY or taxes out price of 18,000 JPY and early reservation pricing has been as low as 13,320 JPY taxes out. Some in Japan are already referring to this roadbed track as Primrail. Power pack appears to be a retool of the Akia unit with different colour and controls.

Freight Cars release date late of July 2008 was delayed to end of November 2009
EF-64 release date end of 2008 was released in June 2009.

 These car have been available since November 2009

Crown model of EF-64-1000 was released in early June 2009. At the Tokyo Int'l Toy Show July 17/18 Crown announced release of their 3 pack of 2 axle box cars. The tank were delayed and became available in Sept. 2009.

This is the latest paint scheme for the EF64. It started to ship in November 2009. Taxes out price of 7800 JPY. Discount pricing as low as 6240 JPY.

New drop bottom Gondola due later this year

new colour scheme for tank car due this summer

new colour scheme for 2 axle box car due this summer

new variation on container car due this summer

Starter package from PRMLOCO no date or price yet. In May 2008 still no release date for this set.
PRMLOCO EF65-1000 Electric Engine + 3 blue train passenger cars (25 types of 24 system) silver band

EF65-1000 powered with head and tail illumination and folding pantograph silver band on blue body.

Baggage car (Crab 24-0) blue body with silver band and illuminated tail lights

Coach [ohane] 24-100 blue body with silver band
Interior light yes optional part required

Lead or Tailend coach [ohanehu] 25-100blue body with silver band
Interior light yes optional part required

No Release Date given for these items.
Power pack/Throttle 100vac to 12vdc (same voltage as Pro-Z)

Roadbed style Track
Straight line 110mm x 3 pieces
Straight line 110mm x 1 (feeder railroad track)
Curved line 240mm30° x 12 pieces ( This is a widest radius offered any of the Japanese manufacturers. They mention a Relay Ra 1 but I have yet to identify what this actually is.

 Update May 2009

Shown here is the undecorated EF-64 pulling 2 axle box cars on a circle of track and the same engine in a static display with a group of tank cars behind it. The track is Marklin and the station in the background is the Akia (RealZJ) station. Ef-64 due for release at end of the year 2008. The release was delayed but advanced reservations have been taken by several shops on line during early May 2009.

Update July 2009

The 80000 series 2 axle box cars in 3 packs are to be released this month by Crown Model. The tank car promised last month is still indefinitely delayed and no delivery date given for the container cars.

sources for this information in Japanese are
http://www.jzf.jp/
http://www.rc-awaza.com/
http://www.proz.jp/index.html
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/uo3jp

Update January 2010

The packaging for the freight cars changed and at time of issue in November 2009 there were two containers cars per box and two tank cars per box and 3 box cars per box. The trucks have metal wheel sets and Rapido type couplers but unlike the Pro-Z cars there is no mylar spring backing the coupler so they tend to droop and come uncoupled when under strain in a long train consist. This can be over come by moving the cars around in the consist. The couplers do mate with the Rapido type from Pro-Z and Tenshodo.

The starter set with EF64 and two container flats is to be delivered in April along with Power Pack and an oval of track for about 150.00 US dollars.

The power pack, half circle packs of 195mm radius and 220mm radius track will also be available, plus 220mm straight track, and connector cable between track and power pack. also slated for Early April delivery. Early indications are this track and power pack are the same as was produced by RealZJ and we hope it is compatible and can be connected with the earlier product.

No date yet for the passenger set but it is still promised for late summer.

New starter set with EF64 and 2 container flats and oval of track and power pack as shown at Shizouka Show May 2010.

Update Fall 2010

The new paint schemes for the freight cars are all due now at the early November 2010 except for the drop bottom gondola.

The passenger sets are numerous two 6 car sets of  SUHA 43 series in 2 colours due end of November 2010. The type 25 series 24 passenger cars will be available in a 6 car set and 2 car ad on set and should be available in mid October 2010 along with an EF64 in brown livery.

24/25 series of passenger cars


Hakusan 489 EMU

In October 2008 we have learned that Terranetz Co. has taken over ZJ from Plus Up Co. and will use the brand name Yamato to replace the RealZJ and Akia brands used by Plus UP.

The 24/25 Passenger car series will be issued in 2 sets of 7 cars in late January 2009 for the "100" series cars and in late February 2009 for the "0" Series cars. Suggested retail is to be between 180 and 190 US dollars in a display case. This release has been delayed and as of May 2009 still no new release date, but the summer Trains Show season is almost here and hope to hear more soon.

The planned release of the Hakusan set has happened on the 27th of November 2008. The coupler system has received poor press in that they swing freely and it is hard to couple the cars. People seem pleased with the presentation but operation through switches has received negative press.

Terranetz Co. Ltd.
The following is a translation of portions of the companies press release.
With drew from Z-scale market June 30th 2009.
Only the 489 x 7 car set was ever released.

As for the ZJ gauge which is produced at this corporation ST (standard grade) and HG (high grade) it starts developing in 2 types. As for ST by the fact that request cheap price is actualized child way and fan such as woman. It expanded the base, with HG satisfaction was in the people from the past of the railroad fan Just the [ru] way, detail of appearance and SI you adhered to vehicle efficiency thoroughly The way we have become.

As for this corporation in addition to such vehicle railroad track, point (switch) and structure etc. To offer the pleasure of Z gauge by the fact that it keeps developing consecutively, the Z gauge market You aim toward activation and brand establishment.

* 1st as for feature you sell from ST specification 489 Hakusan 7 sets As for 489 systems the wheel to become 3.9 pies (mm diameter) and actual reduced scale size, the winch (motor) and the like the respective company So the design and production, with the fact that also the motor car increases motor torque quiet. Whether, we actualized smooth travelling which has stability low at price. In addition, by the fact that the coupler (coupler) is devised in upward cheapness of slope You consider, you have strengthened also draw bar pull with rubber ring wheel loading. (traction tire on engine) and will be capable of handling up to ten cars.
 

* Commodity summary

I have a set and it is much better detailed than the Akia RealZJ version with smaller wheels with very fine flanges. Couplers are dummy knuckle couplers and they are free to rotate on their pins so the cars are hard to couple. The power car has two traction tires so pulls more than the Akia RealZJ units do. These units sit much lower to the track on their scale wheels. Several people had great difficulty putting the trains on the track and on curves the small flanges tended to pick the switch rather than go through it. The switch can be modified to stop this happening but it annoyed most people. This set does not have lighting and there are no pick ups on the non powered trucks. It is a shame as the head end cars do have the plastic inserts for head lights and tail lights in the head end cab cars. The RealZJ units had the wheel pick ups but no optics in the head end cars.

* In the future sale schedule  

24 systems (HG) 43 old passenger car (HG) 7 car set blue or brown
HG railroad track (straight line 220, curved line R195 & curved line R220) 103 (ST) 7 set 4 colors
EF66 direct current electric locomotive (HG)

These passenger cars have been delayed from their earlier published delivery date of Feb 2009 and new date as surfaced. They have added another type of passenger car to the proposed list with pricing but no delivery dates as yet.

All in all this is a step up from the RealZJ 485 sets but not a leap ahead in technology or anything. The Terranetz book case sleeve is a true case like those used by Tomix and Kato not an adapted video cassette sleeve like those used by RealZJ but both work just fine for carrying the models.

UPDATE February 2010

What is the model really like. The first of  8 variations delivered is the streamlined version with no white trim. It is 19mm high 90mm long and 13mm wide. While it has a 12v motor, but Tenshodo says because of the gearing they recommend operation from 0 to 6vdc only, because at higher voltages it is likely to leave the rails. The weight in the engine body is made of tungsten and there are no traction tires but the model still pulls 20 Pro-Z or PPRMLoco cars up 1.5% grades on my layout. Engine weight is about 40 grams which a bit lighter than a Marklin USRA Mikado. Physically this Japanese Mikado is smaller and has an operating headlight but it needs almost 3 vdc to become lit.. The motor is located in the tender and there is a drive shaft from the tender to the firebox of the cab. It has 16 wheel electrical pickup and two wires run from the engine to the tender. All axles are on the track which is quite different from Marklin design. Operation is smooth with the valve gear made of stainless steel and it is more complete than any Marklin Engine. It comes with two coupler versions, one is a mini rapdio style coupler to match Pro-Z and PRMLoco cars and then a dummy knuckle similar to the ones we see on AZL cars. The only detail to be added to the model is the locomotive number and there are four different numbers and each set  includes two extra boards per number.

Ztrains has been in contact with Tenshodo and is importing all versions of the D51 models for sale in North America and their list price is 106.00 plus 14.00 shipping for the USA so 120.00 in Total. It is about 10.00 more than getting it EMS from Japan or 20.00 more than getting it shipped SA from Japan. However delivery times are shorter and your dealing in country if you live in the USA. 

Watching the stocking and sold out on the Hobby Search  site they seem to be flying off the shelf. There was a period in early Feb. where in a promotion they were selling for as low as 7600 JPY.  The reservation price was 8550 JPY and the current price at Hobby Search is 9025 JPY which is a 5% discount.

1. Engine No 2 Hokkaido type in photo above
2. Engine No 3 Hokkaido Type
3. Engine No 15 Hokkaido Type
4. Engine No 16 Hokkaido Type
5. Engine No 2 Umekoji Type
6. Engine No 3 JR Hokkaido Type

The C62 was used almost exclusively, in passenger service

In addition to the above cars Tenshodo (Premium Z) was saying that they will have starter sets with track and power pack and passenger cars Type 24 Class 25 also ready for delivery in the summer of 2010. AS of late September still no delivery dates for most of this stuff. Only the gondolas have been delivered so far

.
These passenger cars are also to be released this fall in two versions in two colours. The end coach has end marker lights that will operate and the other is a standard coach in blue or brown colours.

I received the first of freight cars from Tenshodo on the 12th of October 2010. They are the open gondola, the box car in two versions. The brake van and reefer are not released as of this date. The cars are very nicely detailed but a bit light. Trying to couple the cars with the rapido couplers can be problematic as the spring is a bit stiff for the weight of the car and it might end up being derailed. I added split lead shot to cars for a bit more weight and operation of coupling was improved. The cars come with mini rapido couplers but non functional knuckle couplers are also included and they do mate with Micro trains in auto couple and with non operating couplers of AZL by 0-5-0 movement. Bowser bucklers are not consistent with auto couple. Decorating is good and crisp and the wheels are blackened metal wheel sets so rolling is effortless. A great addition to JR Z. The recall of the passenger cars is over and the replacements are now being sent out in mid April 2011. Due to a possible fire hazard all the passenger cars with lighting were recalled to have the electronic lighting boards replaced. This recall is over now and all new stock has been updated.

In North America the best source for Tenshodo is Ztrack Center and its dealers http://www.ztrackcenter.com/

Outside North America I would suggest Hobby Search in Japan and their English web site.

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/list/1030/0/1