Something special: Metal kit of a Japanese JNR C51 4-6-2 loco

[peteski]

First time I have seen one of those.  I'm contemplating getting it, but the Japanese instructions might be problematic. Plus it is not American or European prototype.  Still, it looks like a really cool kit! Tender-drive with a coreless motor.

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10960962

[Chris333]

We don't need no stinkin' instructions.

You can get Google to translate it.

[delamaize]

We don't need no stinkin' instructions.

You can get Google to translate it.

This. Google Translate does a pretty passable job. Gets you close enough to understand whats being said.

[thomasjmdavis]

I think this is the first time I've seen the 'before' pictures of a brass locomotive.

At under $200, I can think of a couple dozen North American prototypes I would purchase if the company made kits for them, Japanese instructions notwithstanding. 

[nscaler711]

I mean, from what I've seen they are relatively easy to put to get her and run fair. I've always wanted to get one but I am too sheepish to have it done correctly.
Which is crazy because I bought the Shiki 800 kit plus load and I am not going to build it because shortly after Micro Ace announced theirs. Which will be here soonish.
Now for what to do with the Shiki 800 kit... No clue. Thought it'd be a decent stand in for the Schnabels running around the US.
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[randgust]

Wow, I thought the GHQ L1 conversion kit looked tough....

Max, time to write another article...

But I'm not convinced on the engineering, despite the Japanese reputation.  After my success with the D16 tender drive to the locomotive, and the HVRR 5 done the same way, and Chris333's 2-6-2, a motor in the tender with 8x8 pickup combined with a really heavy and weighted front end driven from a driveshaft with a gearhead has been just so successful.   I'm not convinced that a tender could push a metal locomotive around and not loose a whole lot of tractive effort, particularly when the tender is small and taken up with the motor.

[peteski]

I agree that driveshaft driven loco with tender-mounted motor would be the optimal solution, but tender drive has been (successfully) utilized in most Fleischmann N scale steam locos for over 40 years.  Not optimal, but works. Those driven wheels in the tender have traction tires (often more than just a pair). We also have to remember that European and Japanese trains are shorter than the U.S. trains.

[Cajonpassfan]

That looks like quite the project! The exploded diagrams tell the story, but make my head hurt...😁
Otto