Has Anyone Ever Seen or Heard of the GOEMON N Scale Coupler?

[jagged ben]

Well here's my klutzy comparison attempts.  Seems like the knuckle dimensions are quite similar. 

[Scottl]

They sure look better than MT.  I'll be interested to see the size.

[learmoia]

I'd buy but the $7.80 shipping for a $1.40 piece is a killer.  Damn thing could be shipped for a whole lot less.

Jon

I've been talking to the seller... they are acting as a US seller for the Japanese MFG...

They said someone just bought 10.. (Maybe someone here.. )

Right now Price is PER COUPLER.. not per pair..

I'm trying to get them to relist as pairs and have bulk discounts (for pairs)

And (right now) shipping is flat up to 100 (couplers).

~Ian

[nkalanaga]

I think that's the first small-scale model coupler I've heard of being sold individually.  Not many cars/locos need one coupler.  Steam engine tenders, maybe, but that's about it.

[Chris333]

Talk the guy into tooling 1015's.

[SandyEggoJake]

Was looking for info on the company, and found that Bryan Vianco of Streamlined Backshop is also selling them ... and I suspect you might get combined shipping or a better postal rate from him.

http://store.sbs4dcc.com/NGOEMONRealisticNScaleCouplerfromJAPAN1pr.aspx

Also came across intriguing info on the name, Goemon.

Wiki sez "semi-legendary Japanese outlaw hero who stole gold and other valuables to give to the poor.  He and his son were boiled alive in public after their failed assassination.

Does the inventor seek to steal the gold from MTL?  Are we the poor?  Will he get boiled alive in patent litigation?   

Hmmm ... 

[learmoia]

I just ordered 10 pair from SBS.. Shipping was $4.75 first class.. (thats including 2 SoundTraxx speakers)..

Got a reply back from the Ebay person.. No discounts offered for bulk purchase..

~Ian

[peteski]

Also came across intriguing info on the name, Goemon.

My brain somehow associates that name with Pokemon.    No disrespect meant of course.  Seems like a like Japanese version of Robin Hood.

[Nato]

                    Any Japanese Anime Fan who has watched any of the "Lupin The Third" "Lupin the III" movies or the Lupin TV series will recognize GOEMAN as one of Lupin's trusted side kicks, in this case a Samari (spell check) warrior in his robe with his sword and his moves that enable him to cut through anything, a moving light plane as seen in the opening sequence for the TV series. Sorry the E Bay seller will not offer large number discounts. Good to see that there is another source that will. However, the slinky effect is a turn off. Nate Goodman (Nato). 

[mmagliaro]

If anyone has an actual address in Lake Oswego, OR from which these are being shipped, I'd be happy to take a little drive over there.  It's 10 minutes from my house.  Of course, if it's just a warehouse location, there won't be anyone there to talk to.  But I would guess somebody has to be  there making  up packages and doing the mailing.

I have to admit, while I wasn't all that  interested in these at first because they looked just like a ripped-off MTL design, upon further review, they sure do look a lot better.

Perhaps they have carefully investigated the MTL patents and found a loophole wherein they can  make these two parts and sell them as long as they do not sell the springs, box, or other parts.  They have changed the look of the molded part enough that they are clearly using  their own tooling.  It might just be sneaky, but legal.

Now, MTL could step up and try to buy this guy's tooling, and introduce an improved 1015 with better looking knuckles - or license the use of his tooling.  That may even  be what the guy's ultimate goal  is - to be  bought out by MTL.

[SandyEggoJake]

My brain somehow associates that name with Pokemon. 

Really?  My brain must be wired differently...  I only associate Pokemon with 11 year olds wasting time.   

[tom mann]

How come this came out of nowhere?  How come this is like the only non-Kato model railroad item not made in China? Why is the little sign hand-lettered?

[Mark5]

Yeah, since this thread started I couldn't stop thinking ... [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[peteski]

Perhaps they have carefully investigated the MTL patents and found a loophole wherein they can  make these two parts and sell them as long as they do not sell the springs, box, or other parts.  They have changed the look of the molded part enough that they are clearly using  their own tooling.  It might just be sneaky, but legal.

AFAIK, MTL couple patents expired many years ago. That was the time when many model RR companies started producing various versions of the automatic N scale knuckle coupler (more or less compatible with MTL).   I think that was the pivotal time for N scale when knuckle couplers begun replacing Rapidos on US-prototype models. So, I don't think that the designer of the GOEMON coupler had anything to worry about. Neither did DKS when he designed his coupler.

[peteski]

How come this came out of nowhere?  How come this is like the only non-Kato model railroad item not made in China? Why is the little sign hand-lettered?

It is a sign of fine Japanese craftsmanship! I seriously think that.

Hopefully the maker will be able to recoup the cost of those molds and will offer additional couplers (complete).  Hopefully, with quantities the price will also drop.  For all we know, the mold can only produce one coupler at a time, so that also makes it more expensive.

Google search for Goemon n scale coupler brings up several hits - so it is not all *THAT* new - we just didn't know about it.