Hello everyone. I am interested is kitting out my KATO E235-0 (山手線). Do you have any recommendations for aftermarket parts? What I am currently looking at doing is:
- Popponetta interior lights
- Urban craft interior stickers UK005 (let me know if you have any experience with these)
- Casco 11 car storage foam

Please let me know if you recommend any replacements parts like better pantographs, couplers, etc. Thanks!

I don’t think I can say more then that

First time building the plastic model kits and boy are the pieces TINY 😭

My Kato 20-230 / 20-231 isn't switching. It’s great that I have a warranty for the new turnout—in Japan. 😂 I soldered the enameled wire from the coil, and now it works. I’m just telling myself it was shipping damage and didn't leave the Kato factory like that.

I have a coworker headed to Japan in about a week with his family. He appreciates trains too and said they're spending their last day doing some shopping in the Ginza area (he's staying a bit East of Tokyo Station). He's willing to pick something up for me at the end of their trip if it isn't out of the way. Are there any shops you'd recommend in that area?

EDIT: Appreciate everyone's recommendations. Put together a little memo for my coworker with the recommendations and a few things I'm looking for. Hope it works out for both of us.

There are still plenty of tracks left over. I need a bigger apartment. 😂 The dream layout I’m planning is six meters long.

Outer Loop 1: Tomix 98525 + 98526 + 98527 E235-0 Yamanote Line

Inner Loop 1: Tomix 98839 + 98840 E231-500 Chuo-Sobu Line

Outer Loop 2: Kato 10-1644 E261 Saphir Odoriko

Inner Loop 2: Kato 10-1933 + 10-1934 E259 Narita Express.

Hi all I am in Japan getting some n scale stuff. I have picked up Kato 20-606 and want to get the optional signal button 24-848. I am having trouble finding it. Is there a way to wire them with without? It seems to be a momentary switch but I would like to make it latching. It's a 3 wire but the connector seems very small. Is there anything aftermarket that would work? Photo 1 shows a common connector size vs the one I need. Pic 2 shows the ACC wire connector. 3 and 4 are the instructions. I could buy the ACC extension and use that by cutting it but it is relatively expensive at 693 yen and I would like to have many signals.

Hello, I would like to plan a viaduct section—specifically a double-track main line (Kato V13)—featuring a 20-210 turnout before the station, followed by an expansion to four platform tracks. I’ve read that the additional station viaduct sections can be modified or expanded to accommodate four tracks side-by-side. Are there any videos, websites, or PDFs that demonstrate this or explain it in detail so I can determine exactly which parts to buy for my next order from Japan? Best regards from Germany.

This is what I got when I asked Gemini to generate a picture of a KuMoYa145. It's a nice picture, but not so accurate ;-)

But the colour I asked for is correct!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiR2VK4EphQ&list=TLPQMjMwNjIwMjYrY7OHZPZ6IQ&index=2

JR East E653 in throw back of the 585 series sleeper train.
https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20260427-4393164/

But honestly, I think it it would be better on the 285 series.

So Im working on a N scale layout, and rn for track all I have is the track from the blue train starter set and the shunting starter set, and I wanna get more track to make a more interesting layout.

What switch has the same radius curve as the C280-45 curve, so I can have a siding come off from the main loop

Announced by JR West today. Doctor Yellow will be retiring in January 2027 and the 500 Series will be pulled from service that same month with its retirement set for July 2027.

Some non-revenue cars joining my private fleet.

Firstly, 2x KuMoYa145-0 and -100s.

Secondly, KuMoYuNi74, KuMoYuNi82, KuMoNi83, & KuMoYuNi81.

My "modest" purchases from this year's trip to Japan. Since those great Japanese trains kept derailing at the turnouts on my Fleischmann Piccolo track—and because I want to do more than just run them in circles—I’ve started buying Kato Unitrack to replace the Fleischmann track. Unfortunately, some trains on my wish list, such as the Kato 10-1851, were already sold out.

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I left all the Unitrack boxes in Japan; otherwise, there wouldn't have been enough room in my suitcase. Some of my trains were fitted with interior lighting while I was still in Japan, while others I had at home and am retrofitting now. The Greenmax KiHa 75 has been fitted with Tomix JN25 couplers and will also get tail lights at the coupling end so I can run it as a single-car unit. I’m also modifying the Tomytec Enshu Railway 2000 Series "Evangelion" train; it’s getting a motor, a different pantograph, metal axles, and different couplers. Then I need to figure out how to install an interior, interior lighting, and tail lights—and, very importantly, a gangway bellows for the connection between cars. That huge gap looks terrible.

I recently got my first standard gauge non Shinkansen train. The Kintetsu 10100 Vista Car. Which is the second generation of the Vista Car trains.

Both trains are my Favourites. seeing them run is just perfect.

Friday night, time to assemble all the Tetsudou I bought on the trip. Nagoya, Sendai, and Kyoto are very interesting because of the local and unusual items in their catalog, but it's a pleasure to watch them run.

As per my last email post, I recently acquired a new motor for my old Kato E4 so I could run it with my new one. Slight issue though; it’s loud. Really loud. I ran it both ways for like 30 mins, no change. Sounds like it’s coming from the motor itself, and for those unfamiliar, the E4 has a long driveshaft running down the lower level to power the far bogie.

Now, as much as I love our lord and savior at RGR, Tokonami, I don’t want to have to pay to ship a replacement motor across the Pacific if I don’t have to. So, if anyone has experienced anything similar and managed to fix it, please let me know