# Shinkansen 500 Japanese Bullet Train Gauge-1



## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Greetings everyone, this will be my 1st post here. I started a thread over on Trains.com, about a project I am starting. I though you guys might ne interested as well. I'm not sure how many people on either forum bounce back and forth, but for those that have not seen it here's my little project. After some great advice, I decided to go with Gauge-1 for this train. Any additional advice or suggestions would be great !!! (coppied and pasted)

Greetings everyone.
This is my 1st post here, so please be gentle.

I'm a scale model builder/fabricator by trade, and I have been throwing a few ideas around in my head for a while now. I've started to put pen to paper now, and have realized, I am getting my self in allot of trouble I think.

I have always loved the sleek design of the Japanese bullet trains, and have been thinking about building a BIG replica. The largest version of this train available is "O" gauge. It's a very well built, working brass train, that is available in Japan. After looking into importing a copy, I was quoted $32,000 to have the set shipped to me. BUT.. only 4 of the 12 unique cars are available so far, and I would have to wait till later this year, or possibly next year the other 8 cars to be produced. Needless to say, the price itself turned me off.

So here I am, back at the drawing board, thinking BIGGER IS BETTER !!
I have the skills, abilities, to build this train in almost any scale.
Right now, I am still trying to decide......
1:27 (scaled the the wheel diameter)
1:29 (more standard for scale)
1:33.3 (scaled to the 45mm track width, to = the Japanese truck width)

1:33.3 would be "G-Gauge" scaled to what a real "G Scale" would be, but he train will be quite a bit smaller, only 41 feet long, as where 1:27 it would be 59 feet long. Either way, it's going to be BIG !!!

Ok, here's my million dollar question.... Do any of you guys think that there would be anyone interested in buying a copy of this train if and when we got it done? 
I am trying to justify the cost that will go into making this set, because I plan on making a custom profile aluminum extrusion, to get the body perfect, and as straight as possible. The up front costs on making a profile like this will be in the thousands, but I would also have enough to build 4-5 sets when I was done. Plus, the labor would be very minimal compared to trying to form sheets into a complex small curve. 
So, I am trying to find out if you guys think there is any market for a G Japanese bullet train of this size. 

Thanks for any help and advice.
James
Check out some of the work I have done over the years.
Model-Displays
radicalrouting
The Puzzle Box

Here's a quick link (reference material) to the $32,000 brass version, (that I will NOT be buying)
Radical Routing

Pic of the real thing.
JRW-500-nozomi.jpg
(Image exceeds max width of 800 pixels changed to link. SteveC mod.)[/i]


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

WOOOOO that picture is HUGE... Your site does not scale the photos huh ?? Well, here's a few more.

Ok, here is my little sample. 1:32-G "Wide Gauge"
Its about 4" tall 4.5" wide, and 41" long. 1/8 laser cut acrylic, with 1/8" aluminum rods to keep everything aligned. I am thinking about using .010 acetate to wrap the whole thing.
I see a few things I'd do different the 2nd time around, but as-is, it's really ridged already. 
I'm seriously considering building the whole train this way. So far, what you see is about $10 worth of materials, and about 3 hours of work.

DSC02696.jpg
DSC02697.jpg
DSC02698.jpg
DSC02699.jpg
DSC02700.jpg
(Images exceed max width of 800 pixels cahnged to link, SteveC mod.)[/i]


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

It will sell I guess; there are people loving those modern snakes ;-) 
1:33 /45 mm very comes close to gauge 1 (1:32), so I think it will surely have Märklin Gauge 1 riders worldwide attention. 

Me? No way! I like the old stuff! Dirty and steamy. 
That's why I love your model of the old London Bridge way by far more! Superb!


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

James, 
If I were you, I wouldn't start creating 'new' scales in this hobby. 
We have enough already. 
The 'standard' and correct scale for Gauge 1 (45mm track) is 1:32. 
I don't know how come your model is 41" long! 
If it is a 25m car, then at 1:32 it should only be 30.75" long. 
I have seen my 14 and 16 car Daylight trains which are a similar length, but they need a big track otherwise they look a little silly. 
Good luck with the project. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Mr Ron (Sep 23, 2009)

I don't think there would be a market for a bullet train in this country. Possibly you might find some interest in Japan. Modelers here model American prototypes mostly; some European, but not too many. A bullet train for one thing would require very large radius curves that may not be available in most garden railways, except for a few with really large acreage. I have the acres, but I'm not into bullet trains. It would be great to see it running. I build in 1 1/2" scale; not live steam, but in wood, metals and plastics. I have built a 4-4-0 camelback and a Swedish class D, 1-C-1 electric engine. I am presently working on an AGEIR diesel. All my models are powered from self contained lead acid storage batteries. I have a complete wood and metal working shop so I can build just about anything within reason. Contact me if you would like to discuss this or other projects.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

1:29th is the right scale, the track gauge is wrong. 
do you have a photo of one? 
I can probably find them on youtube.


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## dkilby (Jul 12, 2009)

James, 

Did you work on the "Old London Bridge" on the model-displays.com website? That bridge is awesome. 

Sorry, steam is king!! 

David


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Yeah, I'm pretty much just building it for myself. While I'm makling one, I may as well make a 2nd. If anyone down the road should ever want it, I'll have the majority of it already built. 
My favorite movie quotes, "" First rule in government spending: Why build one, when you can have two at twice the price "" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-1n1BliRQ8


From the info i have gotten so far, it seems that Gauge-1 will the the correct scale, to run the train on a 45mm G track. 
This train runs on 1435mm track... if we scale it 1:32, we get 44.84375mm almost perfect. 
Below is a real nice little track gauge chart I got off Wiki. 

@ David: ( correct me if I'm wrong ) 
Yes the main cars are 25m each, and the 2 end cars are 27m each (I'm going to do this in mm, it'll be easier for me) 
(25,000mm*14 = 350,000mm) + (27,000*2 = 54,000mm) = 404,000mm total length. 
404,000mm / 25.4 = 15905.5" / 12" = 1,325.5' / 1:32 = _41' - 5" _(roughly) check it though, make sure I got it right. 

So as where a standard train running on standard track might be 1:29th, the bullet trains run on much wider tracks. And if we scale the train down to the track size, we get a 1:32 scale model of the original. 
Actually, I was glad that all the numbers worked out to "realistic" scale, based on the G track size. 


@ NTCGRR: 
Yes, I have tons of photos. Here is a link to a page I put together of ref. info for myself. 
http://www.radicalrouting.com/500/

and here is a link to TONS of Google images
http://www.google.com/images?rlz=1T...amp;tab=wi



@ dkilby: 

Yes, my old business partner and I built the bridge from scratch. It went to a tourist attraction over in London. Took us about 6 months, and was 20 feet long, and 4 feet wide when it was finished. 
Everything you see on any of my websites, either myself, my partner, or the two of us together built it. 


Here is a nice photo of the actual high speed tracks... Looks like this is going to be all custom as well
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...on_001.JPG



Gauge picture: 
http://www.radicalrouting.com/500/gauges.jpg


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I'm not a big fan of modern stuff but that sure is a beautiful train.


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

Toy Maker, The Shinkansen uses standard gauge track so it is best to use 1:32 scale (gauge 1). That will be long enough. While you are planning please consider the most spectacular new addition to the Shinkansen roster which is entering service this year - the E5. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:Nq5n28TNHbeJDM::&t=1&usg=__paFZX2pBNHSQcYxNukIxapsNvpg= 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E5_Series_Shinkansen No commercial models of this Shinkansen are available yet. I hope to ride one next year!! Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Probably the only persons in the US who have track to accommodate a 21-car set of Shinkansen stock running at scale speeds would be either Jens Bang or Dr Rivet. 

...and BTW, in support of Zubi's comment - Gauge 1 track IS 45mm - the standard has been set since the beginning of the last century. 1/29th scale was the invention of Mr Polk to give his models, as he put it, more 'Wow' factor by comparison with the somewhat smaller Euro stuff. 

It predominates American and Canadian trains around that scale, but the world-standard for Gauge 1 remains 1/32nd, and your project would probably be sold out in Japan in minutes if you built it in the correct scale. 

Would look spectacular on the Japan Garden Railway track, but you'd have to arrange battery power...... 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Posted By Toy Maker on 20 Jul 2010 08:32 PM 


@ David: ( correct me if I'm wrong ) 
Yes the main cars are 25m each, and the 2 end cars are 27m each (I'm going to do this in mm, it'll be easier for me) 
(25,000mm*14 = 350,000mm) + (27,000*2 = 54,000mm) = 404,000mm total length. 
404,000mm / 25.4 = 15905.5" / 12" = 1,325.5' / 1:32 = _41' - 5" _(roughly) check it though, make sure I got it right. 




James,
I was commenting on your second post with the photos of the sample car, where you said:
Ok, here is my little sample. 1:32-G "Wide Gauge"
Its about 4" tall 4.5" wide, and 41" long.

The ONE car should only measure about 31" 
31" x 16 cars = about 41' as you say for the complete train. 
I assume it was just a typing error!
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Posted By tacfoley on 21 Jul 2010 05:39 AM 
Probably the only persons in the US who have track to accommodate a 21-car set of Shinkansen stock running at scale speeds would be either Jens Bang or Dr Rivet. 


tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund 
Tac,
I would think that at a scale speed, NO track would be able to take it, but it would be an interesting experiment.
We have all seen live steam go around 12 foot radius at a scale 120 mph, so maybe a scale 200 mph around 15 or 20 foot radius will work.
James, make sure you build the nose capable of a crash landing from a four foot high track. 
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Mr Ron (Sep 23, 2009)

What are your plans for the trucks and power units?


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## Slipped Eccentric (Jan 2, 2008)

Dr. Rivets track can, and has, handled a 200smph train. It would be wonderful to see this model running there strutting its stuff.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1_gusQ0GeU


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Sorry David, I saw the typo late last night, and the forum wouldn't let me edit it. The cars are 31" long

"Crash Landing"
AWW **** NO !









300km/h scales down to about 5.6mph. That really doesn't sound that fast. We walk at 3mph, and the train would be going about the same as a slow jog.

The turns would have to be big yes. 20' might not be big enough. I am thinking about making my own custom track too. The high speed rail system is way different than what I can buy in the store.


Here is a great photo of the Japan rails. I can buy the rails, and make the sleepers, and have the mats photoetched. 









http://www.radicalrouting.com/500/Toyohashi_Station_001[1].jpg 
This is over my head, but here are is all the math behind laying the high speed rails 
http://www.europakorridoren.se/spargeometri.pdf

As far as motors, and trucks, all custom I'm expecting. I need to find someone that can spin cast the truck halves. Anyone on her do spin casting??
Here are a couple real good photos of the "O" gauge brass version made in Japan. I plan to copy this I think.
RC car motors are pretty cheap, and have a ton of ass.


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

WOW, This thread is going to be fun to watch. I can't wait to see what you do.


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

Well... 

*I can help you with the maths...* 

As to building your bogies -could I suggest something that might not have occurred to you? I would use a simple "compensated plate bogie" and applique the details onto the side of it. This will give you a solid (say 2mm thick) steel plate to affix your motor and gear tube shaft to. The bogie sides rather than being "cast" could be produced by "Stereo Lithography" AKA "3D Printing". The rate of production would be slower -but it would be faster than designing a metal die mould and having it cut. http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page  The "master" could then be used to produce a rubber mould from and then the sides poured from resin. 

regards

ralph


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Yeah, I worked with a friend on a rapid prototype job earlier this year.
I helped him with the 3D model, and then we sent it off to a buddy of his the get the parts grown.
The micro detail they can do is pretty impressive.

Here are a couple photos of that job.


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

UPDATE: 


Well, I have the profile all worked out, and am in the process of getting quotes on extruding it out of aluminum.


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Does anyone have any good links to any Japanese "1" or G gauge sites where someone might be interested in a set ??


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

There are indisputably Japanese Gauge 1 fans - as well as fans of Japanese Gauge 1 - who might well be interested in your project, and for whom the cost is immaterial. 

As for 'G gauge' I'm not sure what you actually mean. As I understand it, 'G gauge' is 45mm, and 45mm IS Gauge 1 - with a linear scale of 1/32nd. 'G', by the way, is not a scale, but a very loosely-defined descriptive term used when discussing a variety of larger scales between about 1/30th and 1/13th. 

However, and this is going to make me very unpopular, but it must be said - at the risk of being a total wet-blanket and PITA, you seem to be going about this ass-about-face. You appear to be on the brink of making a VERY expensive model with no obvious customer base, because - as yet - you don't seem to have much idea about what scale to build it in. I assure you that this WILL matter to those with enough funds to afford your model.

To make it look right with other Japanese models it will need to be built to 1/30th scale. This is because JR track is Cape Gauge, or 3ft 6in, NOT standard gauge, and as a result their beautiful locos, especially the steamies, look just like 7/8 full-size models in real life.

BUT - if you want your train to look right with European and US/Can Gauge 1 scale models, it will need to be 1/32nd scale - YOU have to decide which market you are going to prioritise for.

I'm pretty sure that Zubi will make an appearance pretty soon and offer his advice. Now I'm no longer working in Japan I can't offer you any advice about either the Japan Garden Railway Society or the Kochijoji group where we used to go and run our trains. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Mr Ron (Sep 23, 2009)

Last night (07-26), there was a show on BBC TV featuring James Day, the toy guy who set up a OO gauge rail line in the U.K. It is the longest model rail line in the world; TEN miles long. He had a bullet train that ran the ten miles. It looked great. Maybe a similar feat can be set up here to run a #1 gauge bullet train.


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## Mr Ron (Sep 23, 2009)

I was thinking there may be a market for a bullet train or some other high speed train in countries that have high speed trains now running. In this country, you could advertise in magazines that cater to the rich and famous. A department store like Niemann Marcus could be a good outlet. FAO Schwartz could also be a good place. You could contact a city park and/or a shopping mall in a large city like LA, NYC, Boston, SF, etc; set up a track to display a running high speed train. You would get good exposure from the public and TV media would cover it. You might want to look into a U.S. prototype high speed train. I have seen Christmas layouts in shopping malls. They all use G scale trains. I could imagine a high speed train running around a mall at about 10 feet above the floor for a mile or more. Think "Mall of the Americas".
This doesn't answer your question, but I hope it will give you some ideas.


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

As far as scale, I am pretty sure it's going to be 1:32. The scaled down train becomes a perfect match to the 45mm rails. Any other scale, and the body will be out of proportion to the track, and then it becomes yet another G-odd-ball scale. 
I think keeping everything to a specific scale would be best ?!? 

Zubi put me in contact with a possible customer who seems very interested in buying a set. We have talked a few times, and he also seems to agree 1:32 is the right way to go. 
The train will be huge even at 1:32. 41 feet long. 
I'm pretty excited... The main reason I am doing this is "I WANT ONE". Putting out feelers for other potential buyers is really only to help justify the cost on making my own at such a high quality level. 
If I were to build it out of plastic, and just "make it look good" I could build it pretty inexpensively. There would probably be allot of time and labor going into a one-off scratch kit, but the cost would stay low. 
It would look pretty nice, and no one could really complain about it. 
But wanting to build it as perfectly as I possibly can, going over to an extrusion is the way to go. Every car will be the perfect shape, and not time at all would go into trying to get 16 cars the perfect shape, and profile. 
All the time can go into the detail work. But saving allot of time on the profile costs allot more. Give and take. 
Having another person or 2 interested in a set, makes the extrusion idea, much more realistic. Trying to scratch build 48 cars would take weeks, but cutting off 48 pieces of tubing, will take a couple hours. 

As for marketing, I SUCK AT IT. I am best suited to designing, and building things. I don't venture out all that much. I like being stuck behind my computer, or tinkering in my shop. 
The forums are fun for me. I really like seeing what other people are doing, and posting the things I'm working on. 

Ron, I was thinking the same thing. If this works out, and it's feasible to do the extrusion for the Shinkansen, I also want to do a 1/32 French TGV as well. 
Then we can have French / Japanese races !!!


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## Mr Ron (Sep 23, 2009)

As for marketing, try to find someone who is good at it or in promoting it. I think the mall idea would be the easiest to promote.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Mr Ron on 27 Jul 2010 10:12 AM 
Last night (07-26), there was a show on BBC TV featuring James Day, the toy guy who set up a OO gauge rail line in the U.K. It is the longest model rail line in the world; TEN miles long. He had a bullet train that ran the ten miles. It looked great. Maybe a similar feat can be set up here to run a #1 gauge bullet train. 
James May. Presenter on the UK BBC TV's 'Top Gear' programme.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIgwqhBZi0 

James May Toy Stories Episode 6 Part 1


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Mr Ron on 27 Jul 2010 12:27 PM 
As for marketing, try to find someone who is good at it or in promoting it. I think the mall idea would be the easiest to promote. 
What if you don't own a mall to run it in?

On the other paw - a travelling Shinkansen road-show is not a bad idea. Over here in UK we have a local shopping mall at Milton Keynes that is over half a mile long...that should be enuff.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration fund


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## jonathanj (Jan 24, 2008)

Interesting projest - couple of thoughts...

What radius curve will a 1/32 coach with scale width truck sideframes negotiate before the trucks hit the bodyshell? I doubt anyone will be too worried about LGB starter set curves, but the ability to negotiate 4ft radius might be useful, particularly if you are looking to sell in Japan, where disposable incomes are high, but floorspace is expensive.

You haven't mentioned a price, but I'm assuming several hundred dollars plus per coach, which puts a full 16 car train in the $10,000 area, plus or minus several thousand dollars - my guess would be that the total number of sales worldwide for complete sets would probably be in single digits. Worth considering maybe that although the 500 series may be prettiest to some eyes, they didn't make the grade in terms of long term service, and are already being withdrawn - more than half the original cars have been scrapped already, and all but one of the remaining trains are cut down from 16 cars to 8 to operate stopping Kodama services. The Japanese model market is particularly sensitive to 'newest and best', and while there's always a market for history, we're not talking about a classic design like the original 0-series.


A while ago (several years) I started collecting data to build a couple of shinkansen models (got some of the info, but not done the models yet), and there was some interest on the Japanese Railways forums in just the end cars as static displays, in particular the 500, which was pretty new at the time (as it happens, I don't personally particularly like the 500, and so it wasn't part of my 'plans'). I suspect that if you could offer a complete assembled and painted cab car, maybe with realistic section of display track, for below 100,000 yen (say $1000 before shipping and insurance), and make a profit on it at that price, you'd sell enough to help support the volumes for main project - if you could do that same unit for under 50,000 yen ($500 ish) you're probably below another mental price threshold and would shift several times as many, easily outnumbering the complete sets. Put it in a couple of premium Japanese stores for 50,000 yen ticket price, and you'd be in a whole new league for volume, but you'd also need to be selling the cars to shops at 50-65% of the RRP if not less, which I'm guessing is impossible for anything other than injection molded plastic.


Jonathan


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Good tips !!!

Right now, I am laying out the "engine" or end cars, whatever you want to call it. I am working up a 3D wire-frame drawing in AutoCAD, and will be sending it out to another guy that does amazing 3D model surfacing work in Solidworks.

I never got into surfacing, and this thing has a pretty complicated surface mesh. 

Once he is done, I am going to be sending the 3D nose model off to a friend in California, who will be running me 3D machined aluminum billet noses for the train. Those will be fitted to the extrusion and welded together.
Once it's welded and sanded, the seam should be invisible. 
I got great news back from my source in China last night... They are going to waive their usual 2000lb minimum and go ahead and run the smaller quantity I was hoping for.








Most of the really "hard parts" are getting ironed out, and it seems like this is going to be pretty do-able after all. I know I am going to be running into little obstacles all the time, but the really big issues
(body and nose) are working themselves out it looks like. 

Next will come the trucks, and powering them. So far, I really like what KMT did on the O-gauge version. I am planning on copying that design. But I need to find a way to synchronize 8 electric motors, when 4 will be at one end, and the other 4 will be 25 feet away in a different car. What are the chances that 8 of the same electric motor are all going to be close enough in RPM to not have to synchronize them ?? Anyone know of a small electric motor that you can manually adjust its RPM?? That might be a good way to go.
If you sync all 8 before putting them in, than they should all continue to run at the same speed. Maybe check them every so often. Put a small adjustable pot on each motor... I dono.
Here's a link to a big verson of the same image http://www.radicalrouting.com/500/3Dmodel1.jpg


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## Doddy (Jan 23, 2008)

"Next will come the trucks, and powering them. So far, I really like what KMT did on the O-gauge version. I am planning on copying that design. But I need to find a way to synchronize 8 electric motors, when 4 will be at one end, and the other 4 will be 25 feet away in a different car. What are the chances that 8 of the same electric motor are all going to be close enough in RPM to not have to synchronize them ?? Anyone know of a small electric motor that you can manually adjust its RPM?? That might be a good way to go.
If you sync all 8 before putting them in, than they should all continue to run at the same speed. Maybe check them every so often. Put a small adjustable pot on each motor... I dono."

With the amount of weight in the 1/32nd version of the Shinkansen 500 it is likely that the motors will try and push and shove each other a little, but their combined RPM would be limited to the actual speed of the train, you could purchase 12 or 16 motors and select those eight which operate with similar characteristics to reduce that effect I.e: match RPM vs Volts applied for the full set of motors. 


I had an old EL-2B chassis (7 1/4" gauge) which used 16 electric motors and each motor had very slightly different running characteristics and current draw to each other - but the loco was as smooth as silk when running due to the weight of the locomotive.


Certainly if the motors RPM speeds are approaching that of the original train set and the model train is very light, then it may be that the power of the RC motors will cause individual motor slips to occur, in which case you might need a good power controller rather than potentiometers to control them. There are electronic motor controllers which can be used with RPM tacho feedback (pulsed or voltage) but these are not track powered and also do not equalise between multiple motor tacho inputs. And besides which the electronics would likely as 'not fit' in the 1/32nd train set you are building.


Unless you can find somebody who can design and build such equipment I think you have a situation of looking for a problem where you probably do not have one.

Good luck with this project. 


best regards,


Robert 'Doddy' Sumsion 


PS: PM sent


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## jonathanj (Jan 24, 2008)

Like Doddy, I don't think I'd worry too much about motor speed - modern small motors are very much a mass-produced industrial product made to tight tolerances and the mass of the train will have no difficulty in smoothing out any small differences between nominally identical units.

What I would be more concerned about is the having just two power vehicles more or less at opposite ends of the train - I think you're probably asking for trouble on curves. For example if you were running the train on a simple oval with LGB R5 curves at the end, there's only room for about 9 coaches on 180degrees of curve, so if the 'engines' were in cars 2 and 15, there'll be some time when neither is on the curve, and you're going to run a real risk of bowstringing, particularly as these are long vehicles, and probably all about the same weight as the 'engines'.


I'd be more inclined to distribute power down the train - the real things have every axle powered, but you probably don't need that. The idea that appeals most to me is to split the train up mechanically into 2 car units, each with one power truck, and maybe a drawbar connection between the two coaches - something like (2-2&B-2)-(2-2&B-2)-....-(B-2&2-2). Obviously you want to interconnect the pickups all the way down the train.


Jonathan


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Well, I went ahead and bought a few different brushless motors last night off eBay. These motors might work just perfectly for what I am thinking about doing. 
Most of these motors COME APART... Which means I can make custom drive shafts for them. They are also small enough to place BETWEEN the wheels. 
Direct drive on as many axles as I want. I am thinking all 4 axles on 2 cars (8 motors) should be plenty of power. These motors can be driven via the track voltage, or they will be able to be run off battery packs. 

They will be in this week or next, than I can do some real testing on them, and see which ones will work best for this application.


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## jgallaway81 (Jan 5, 2009)

Just a silly question here, Have you figured a price for these units yet?

Learning that they are already being taken out of service in Japan and scrapped, I thought that I could arguably have one "shipped" over to teh US for my model railroad empire to do some bashing and testing on for its single commuter corridor.


If I was to purchase such a unit, I would only be interested in two power units and two coaches though. Its just a thought at the moment, so don't go writing me down for a purchase just yet... the key would be cost for me.


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

So you are going to use 3 phase AC for your traction motors? I have to confess this could be the first application of this to a loco that I have seen outside of full scale... I am more familiar with "conventional" PWAM systems for locomotive traction. Most of the modern PWAM systems feature regenerative braking -which is a plus point for a battery electric loco. I assume the motors that you have selected have some form of integral force cooling ie in built fan(?) It might not be a bad idea to force cool your on board electronics, remember that the loco will be running for some time -although I suppose you could use the bodywork as your heat sink -it did after all work for Mitchel(!) 

regards 

ralph


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Sorry, no idea on price yet. I don't see it being "cheap" by any means though. We'll have to see what it costs as the project progresses. 

Yes, most of the motors are self cooling. They have fins or slots cut into the back end of the body, that force air down through itself. Pretty cool if you ask me !! 
Each motor will need its own speed control, but the prices are surprisingly low if you buy them in sets, and in quantity. 

I think this will be a really easy way to power the train, and if you want or need more power, change or add more motors. Very easy. 

Here's a picture of the inside of one of the motors, you can see just how easy it will be to modify it with a custom drive shaft for the train wheels.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Just a thought, Mr Toymaker, but most of the 'layouts' I have seen in Japan that are big enough to run this enormous train of yours do not have track power - they are predominantly live-steam operators. This probably goes a long way toward explaining why nobody has so far done what you want to do, in spite of the Japanese love of the Shinkansen. 

You might like to give a lot of thought to battery power in the your plans. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

So far, my plan is to make the train run both ways, it will be an easy flip of a switch to change form one power cource to another. 


A couple posts above ^^^ 
"These motors can be driven via the track voltage, or they will be able to be run off battery packs"


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## Doddy (Jan 23, 2008)

Brushless Motors rated at 8 to 11 Amps per motor should allow Shinkansen style track to be installed in Northern America with self heating to de-ice the track. (8/11 Amps x 8 Brushless Motors = 64/88 Amps of power draw)

These are designed to run at high speeds driving propellers with low resistance forces, Rated at 22,000 - 24,000 thousand RPM and to be powered locally by Li-Po battery pack's.

Think you might be better off looking at Canon's miniature DC motors. Something similar to this maybe - http://www.directindustry.com/prod/canon-precision/dc-electric-micro-motor-30082-414911.html


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

This is because JR track is Cape Gauge, or 3ft 6in, NOT standard gauge 
I thought that the bullet trains ran on std gauge tracks? So 1/32nd would be corect.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

They are also small enough to place BETWEEN the wheels 
Toy Maker, 
Take a look at the NWSL 'magic carpet' drives: 
http://www.nwsl.com/motors-power-drives/the-super-magic-carpet-i-ii-22mm-motor-based 

They have been talking about re-introducing the gauge-1 version, but maybe lots of the O-scale drives distributed along your train would work?


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## Doddy (Jan 23, 2008)

ABC Gears in the UK make traction units for Gauge 1 applications - looking at using 8 of these for the 1/24th EH500.

http://www.abcgear.talktalk.net/html/traction_motors.html


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Pete Thornton on 01 Aug 2010 10:42 PM 
This is because JR track is Cape Gauge, or 3ft 6in, NOT standard gauge
I thought that the bullet trains ran on std gauge tracks? So 1/32nd would be corect. 

Pete, JR DOES run on Cape Gauge.

The Shinkansen DOES run on standard gauge. The two systems only meet up in train stations.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## jonathanj (Jan 24, 2008)

Are you planning on gearing the motors to the axles? I'd assumed that, and the O gauge version looks to be geared down about 7:1, but from reading some of previous postings it looks as though you might be thinking of mounting the wheelsets directly on the motor shaft. If you did, I suspect you'd wind up with a unit with a very high theoretical top speed (about a scale Mach2+, and a real 40mph or more) that was only actually 'achievable' by standing it on blocks and measuring the rpm, and that didn't actually have enough TE to pull the skin off a rice pudding when it was standing on the track.

The real thing has 860mm diameter wheels (when new), so at 300km/h, they are doing just over 1850rpm, say a maximum of 2000rpm when the tyres are fully worn. Most small motors in the size range you're looking at have fairly flat torque curves and run up to 10-12,000 rpm or more, so if they're not geared down, you've only got fifth or less of the motor's output available to you.


If you want to PM me some speed and torque numbers for the motors you're thinking of, I'll do some thumbnail calcs to see what traction characteristics the train would have.

J.


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

At 1st I was thinking about gearing the motors... but now I am thinking direct shaft drive through the motors... 


Just so everyone knows, I think will be using 33" wheels. I got a few sets of Bachmann # 92422 wheels from a local train shop, they are sooo close to being the right size, and the guy's getting them for me 10% above his cost. It's only about a 2mm difference between the scaled size, and the actual Bachmann wheel size.The motor I am looking at is 1600 rpm at top speed. At top rpm, it should give me almost 7 feet per second. If I bump it up to the 2000rpm version motor, I'd get 8.7 feet per second At max speed the real train runs 300khm or 178mph... the 1:32 scaled train should have to go up to 102" per second. or 8.5 feet per second. This is WAY fast for any track I'm sure. Unless someone is going to build an actual 1 mile long straight track, and a 100' radius, I doubt anyone would really ever get it up to those speeds. ( It WOULD be cool as **** to see though !!!! )


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## jonathanj (Jan 24, 2008)

PM sent.

'fraid that motor isn't 1600rpm top wack, it's 1600rpm per input volt. Max voltage 11.1v, approx 18000rpm, scale 3500km/h. 

Still think you should gear it down, both to make best use of the motors, and to get reasonbale 'low-speed' control. 


J.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

So whiel I understand that exense is not a problem here how do they justify about $120 for ONE motorized wheelset? OUCH! 

chas


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Posted By jonathanj on 02 Aug 2010 01:39 PM 
PM sent.

'fraid that motor isn't 1600rpm top wack, it's 1600rpm per input volt. Max voltage 11.1v, approx 18000rpm, scale 3500km/h. 

Still think you should gear it down, both to make best use of the motors, and to get reasonbale 'low-speed' control. 


J. 




I did not realize it's 1600rpm "PER" volt







How freakin' stupid !!!!!!

I'm going to go crawl back into my shoebox, and see what other stupid ideas I can come up with now.


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't be so hard on yourself, those brushless motors are very nice,

Its just that I got one in my ducted fan rc jet  (about 20,000 rpm spinning)
(OT link, but you can hear the motor scream on takeoff (over the music, yes I know), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2qblDtUi-A)


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

If that's your video, you are down here in S. Florida too ?? 
I'm over in Fort Myers.


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

Not to throw your thread off but:
Yep, I am the guy who is building the club track at tradewinds park in South East Florida (its the same park that has butterfly world, just the north side). 
http://www.livesteamers.org 


Track Building progress form, still obtaining materials (and waiting for the inferno heat to die down muhahahaha) 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/11/aft/114981/afv/topic/afpgj/3/Default.aspx#166056 


When the bigger track is built your welcome to come over any time and run (we are there every third weekend of every month, using a small track for now)


Andrew


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

I'd love to come over and check out all the toys !!!
I don't do much on the weekends, so a day over ther could be fun.

Do you think a 10mph bullet train is going to get along with all the old steamers ??
My wake might just blow them off the track. HAHAHAHAH


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## Doddy (Jan 23, 2008)

Wonder who built these?

http://www.hood-online.co.uk/shinkansen/tokaido/042-AnniversaryDisplay.php 


Inspiration for the 500 series...


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Probably the same people that made these.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Toy Maker on 03 Aug 2010 09:32 AM 
I'd love to come over and check out all the toys !!!
I don't do much on the weekends, so a day over ther could be fun.

Do you think a 10mph bullet train is going to get along with all the old steamers ??
My wake might just blow them off the track. HAHAHAHAH 


As I'm sure Dwight would agree, you are very welcome to try and blow a forty pound Garratt off the track...might just be harder than you imagine. But first of all, as they say, build your bullet train. BTW, as you have prolly noted from the movie clip, a GS4 over at Dr Rivet's place - an 'old steamers' as you call it, holds what is probably the world speed record for any model Gauge 1 loco.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

My little aster lion is stupid fast, I have never found out the full speed of that little single cylinder locomotive because I don't want it flying off the track! I was on a great big oval track once and I tested it a little on the middle rail, I was running after it as fast as I could and the engine was pulling away from me at an alarming rate, I stopped it successfully, never tried that again lol.

The track I am building is a community/club track, it will have electric, live steam, battery, if its gauge 1 (and also gauge 0, high possibility), you can run it on our track! Also, you will find that a 20 foot diameter STILL is not very big for speed, Dr Rivet has 40' diameter curves and when justin was down in FL (he use to be a member of TARR in his early days when he lived in south florida), he told me that the GS4 was leaning when he was running that speed test. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1_gusQ0GeU

When you have considerable time and money invested, you'll probably slow it down a bit hahaha (but maybe not hehe). Remember, most old steamer aster's are hard to slow down lol (they run them really fast in japan from what I understand)


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Back from vacation !!! 
Sorry it's been a while since I posted, had a ton of personal stuff going on... (still do)
but at least now, I have my head above water.

Just wanted to update everyone on the Bullet train.

I finished the drawings, and sent them off to the extruder.
Here's what I got back as a "sample"



http://www.carveraudio.com/Shinkansen/Extrusion/ext1.jpg
http://www.carveraudio.com/Shinkansen/Extrusion/ext2.jpg

Coming along, slowly but surely !!!


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi James, 
Looking very nice. 
So, what is the thickness of the sides where the windows will be? 
How are you cutting out the window? 
All the best6, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

I thinned out the material where the windows go. The entire profile is 2mm thick, except around the windows, there it's only 1mm thick. I made little micro notches top and bottom of the window, that I can just snap in a strip of .005 - .010 thick acetate behind the metal.
The material thickness will be so thin, it should look really clean when the windows are put in.

As for cutting everything... I have (2) CnC router tables, each is 6' x 12'.
The plan so far is to make a master jig, that will hold the 36" long car in place, and will have removable window pattern inserts for each of the different car window/door spacings.

Since there are 12 different car layouts, it will be easier this way, than to set up everything in the machine. Building custom jigs for the machine is fine if you are going to run 50-100 of the same thing, but running 16 cars, where 12 are different, isn't worth the setup time.
I will probably be cutting the windows with a trim router. I have tons of cutting tools. 

Building the jig will be the tough part, but once it's setup, doing the actual cutting will go really fast. I'd expect I could do each car in 10-15 minutes at worst.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

running 16 cars, where 12 are different, isn't worth the setup time 
So you are only making one train - what about the rest of us ?


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

I will be able to make a few... But they will not be cheap by any means.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

But they will not be cheap by any means 
Well, just to offer some parameters - we're used to paying (having to pay?) $200-300 for one plastic coach. Accucraft's brass 1:20.3 coach set for the D&RGW San Juan train was $500 per car, and ended up with 6 cars, or $3000 for the 6 car set. Aristo's 1/29th plastic heavyweights are $150-200, and a custom 1/32nd coach from David Leech (David Leech's website ) will run you $400 and up. And that's not including a power system.

Let's hope you can make it for $100 per car ;-) 
P.S. We're used to "selective compression", and a 16-coach train is going to be big. Would a 10-car bullet train model work, perhaps?


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome back from vacation. I was starting to wonder what happen to this thread. Nice to see it active again. 

I second Pete, as far as numbers go, hypotheticals and guestimations help to narrow down "not cheap".


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Well, as for the price, I say "not cheap" because I am building this thing to the best on my ability (within reason) This train will have 2 Maxon motors in each car, so you can add $125 per car right there, and that's just he cost of the motors, that does not include the wheels or trucks. so right there, we're looking at around $2000 just in motors. I'm sure I could skimp here and there, but this is not being built as an "affordable retail product" When I build things for myself, I build them as if the cost doesn't matter, even though it does, sometimes I just don't care, and want it to be as good a finished item, as I can. 
The extrusion was about $6000 up front. But that includes more material than just the 2 sets I'm building right now. The die cost was the BIG $$$ item line. The material is only a fraction of the total bill. Still in the end, the $6000 is cheap compared to the amount of time and labor I will save trying to form the cars all exactly the same. If I were only making 1 set (for myself) I probably wouldn't have done the extrusion. But having another guy that anted a set, and having to make 2 sets at once, it made scene to go with the extrusion. Keep in mind, each 16 car train will be around 40 feet long. That's ALLOT of profile to make by hand. The nose cones are going to be fun as well. I have 2 ideas for them, and both are going to be very expensive. #1 would be to have a buddy of mine in CA. CnC machine them from solid blocks of aluminum. This would be the "best" way to make them, but also very expensive. The 2nd plan is to have them "grown" in plastic. Rapid Prototyping is an amazing process, and would make an amazingly detailed part, but it would be plastic in the end too. I'n sure the plastic ends would be perfect, and allot cheaper, but they would still only be plastic. If I machine them, I can weld the noses to the body profile, and they would be SOLID. Like I said, the best job I can do (within reason) 
In the end, I am seeing this train being in the upper $10,000 - $15,000 range. Which is still only 1/2 to 1/3 of the price of the O-gauge set I could have bought from Japan. Their set is very nice, but $32,000... The way my mind thinks... "**** I can build 2-3 for that price" So I am  

If I never sell a set, that's ok too. I am really only doing it for myself. 
There is always the possibility of selling the train as a kit, and letting the customer put their parts and time into it, instead of paying for mine... Just an idea. 

But I really see this train getting up into the $10-15k range realistically, if someone wanted me to build them one and finish it.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

This train will have 2 Maxon motors in each car 
Hmmm... sounds like a lot of power. Any special reason for so many - 32 motors for one train?


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Sorry for the long time gaps between posts, but this is a pretty slow moving project, since so much of the project has to be shipped in. 

The full batch of aluminum extrusion pieces are complete, and on their way to the US as I type. The motors have been bought and paid for, and are on their way. 
I am super excited to see all these parts coming in at the same time. 

@ Pete:
As for the number of motors... I have gotten some amazing advice on the forums from a few people.
One of which is a guy that is a servo motor engineer, who spent a number of hours helping me calculate the (weight / torque / traction / RPM) ratios of this train.
Each car is going to be in the neighborhood of 5 pounds for a total train weight of about 75-100 pounds

The big problem, was getting the train up to "full scale speed" within a reasonable amount of time.
The train will run on fewer motors, but you will start to run into traction, and ramp-up speed problems. With this many motors, the train will get up to speed faster, and will little to no slippage.



I have also met a new local friend here is Fort Myer, one of my daughters frineds father.. and we are talking about running the nose cones from solid blocks of aluminum again. 
He just moved to Florida, and is looking for somewhere to setup his 4-axes CnC milling machine  and it's looking like my shop might be the perfect place for it. 
So very shortly, I may be able to 3D mill all the needed parts IN HOUSE !!! GOD that would be NICE !!! This guy is a Soldworks master, and is willing to teach me everything I'd need to know. 

So, things are moving forward, and looking GREAT. I can't wait for parts to start showing up... 

I'll post some more as soon as I have something for you guys. 
Hope everyone's hollidays were great !!!!

James


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Well, all the extrusion profiles came in today. Guess it's about time to start doing some REAL work soon.


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Wooo hoooo. Now the fun starts, I can't wait to see the progress.


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Well this project is going "Slow but Sure"
I have been having to learn a whole new world of 3D design. 
These complex compound surfaces are very tricky to redesign

The hard part is almost over, and the nose design work is almost finished.
I opted to go back to AutoCAD for the nose cone. The new 2013 version now has ALLOT of the same features that SolidWorks has, but it much more flexible in the drawing department.
The hard part is over. Now I just have to do the bottom skirt portion on the nose. 

My son also just bought an awesome new toy..... 
Should make making all these custom parts MUCH faster and easier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx2AvY2Qsa8


http://www.carveraudio.com/Shinkansen-500/NewBody1.jpg


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Mate, this is awesome! The end result will be worth it.


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

MAJOR UPDATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE.... Follow and LIKE this project on Facebook from now on. 
https://www.facebook.com/Shinkansen500 

It's a little too much for me to keep posting in 3-4 different places/forums trying to keep everyone updated. 
My son has set up a Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Shinkansen500 
This is where he and I will be uploading photos, videos, and new info. It's much easier, and pretty much automatic to upload to FB from any of our phones, and cameras now. 




This project has been going pretty slow over the last year. Been slammed with work at the shop, and haven't had much time to work on hobbies. 

This week, my son took on a few parts, and I thought I'd update everyone. 

He worked on a jig that took 2 days to build, that allows us to lock the cars in place, and machine the windows, doors, and any other openings that need to be cut from the sides. 
He also machined a few end-caps for the cars. We needed to do a few tests to see which would be the tightest fitting inserts the help keep the extrusion to the perfect shape for the outer end-caps to fit perfectly. 

Please go to the FP page to see the new parts


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

I don't 'DO' Facebook, so I guess that I will never know if the project is completed. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Time for old dogs to learn new tricks....
You learned how to use this forum, it's really no different. Just a much bigger forum. 

I refused to use FB for years too.... But I have to admit, it IS a very good "tool"


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

First time I noticed this thread ... wow, what a great project! It's interesting to see a project approached on close to a production manner. 

Using aluminum extrusions strikes me as a good way to get high scale accuracy, durability, and a nice finish. 

I wonder - I skipped the middle of the thread since it was so old - how you are approaching suspension and propulsion? To actually operate the train, I presume some people would be using outdoor railways, and some of those are live steam or battery. Outdoor railways can have uneven track.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave

Same here....if you think MLS is tracking you get connected with FaceBook and it is unlimited. I do not have nor plan to establish any friends (yes, I have a few..) or other aspects of the FB forum. So, I share the disappointment of not seeing the finished product to which I was very interested in.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

You can see his pictures on Facebook without joining. I'm not on Facebook - too time-consuming, when I'm already too consumed on the internet - yet when I clicked his link, I see his pictures and posts.


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Its worth checking out.... 

http://www.facebook.com/Shinkansen500/


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Just thought I'd drop by and let everyone know this project is still chugging along !!
Here's a link to the video of one of the cars being machined
























https://www.facebook.com/Shinkansen500


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

WOW, that is neat to see. Had forgotten about your project. How long are the cars? How will you make the front of the locomotive?


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Yup. it's coming together slow but sure...

The standard car length is 30"

The nose, I'm either going to machine it, or if I can find someone to run is in lost-wax. The biggest issue is the tapered nose portion is almost 18" long alone.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Earlier before you said you were going to use Bachmann wheels. I think they are sintured/pressed wheels so perhaps not the most truest ones around. Small deformations, out of roundness and surface texture will show up on a high speed train of any gauge as vibration. Some quality machined wheels may be a better choice. Chrome plated LGB ones are very smooth.

Andrew


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)




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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Pretty sure the bachmann wheels are cast pot metal. I think shrinkage and manufacturing assembly tolerances help contribute to the inconsistency of the Bachmann wheels.

What diameter wheels are needed?

Greg


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary raymond has good wheels in different sizes.


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## WundaMutha (Dec 8, 2020)

Toy Maker said:


> As far as scale, I am pretty sure it's going to be 1:32. The scaled down train becomes a perfect match to the 45mm rails. Any other scale, and the body will be out of proportion to the track, and then it becomes yet another G-odd-ball scale.
> I think keeping everything to a specific scale would be best ?!?
> 
> Zubi put me in contact with a possible customer who seems very interested in buying a set. We have talked a few times, and he also seems to agree 1:32 is the right way to go.
> ...



I have nothing technical to add to the discussion (my hubby is the engineering/forum type guy). With that said I AM interested in a g-scale shinkansen. We have long term plans to have multiple types on g-scales running in our backyard, sort of a "Small World" kind of theme, with a Santa Fe in the "desert" area of the yard, an Orient Express, etc. 

I will say, whether or not you think you're a marketing guy or not, I recommend that you START taking video and photo documentation of EVERYTHING you are doing: All of your musing and calculations, your trials and tribulations, etc. Document it all, even if you're a crap videographer/photographer, (ideally get someone to help if that's the case). What you are doing is so niche, that if you get it on social media, you'll have a market. Create instagram and (especially) YouTube accounts and start following and commenting on ALL of the Shinkansen/ train enthusiasts. You'll find your market that way for sure. Try to put up some of your own videos, even if they stink at first. 

I am in the market for a g-scale shinkansen - just not a 32k one.Get those YouTube followers and then make something affordable for all of them to buy.  

Another idea: If you do make only one or two super high end models for yourself, maybe you could consider making the blueprints for the cars available to buy for 3D printing purposes? That's another community you might check out on YouTube - huge amount of interest there now.

Looking forward to hearing updates.

Ciao,


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You realize he has not posted in 3 years?

He started the thread in 2010.

A tip on coming to a new forum, look at the history of the thread before tacking on, if someone has not posted for years, you might try a private message to see if that person is still "there"

Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I was wondering if that lady was soliciting business as an internet marketing specialist . . .


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## WundaMutha (Dec 8, 2020)

Pete Thornton said:


> I was wondering if that lady was soliciting business as an internet marketing specialist . . .


No, I'm not a marketing specialist. I'm a shoe designer and YouTUbe enthusiast that wants an affordable g-scale shinkansen, who (unlike my husband), has never been on a forum like this.  Someone just wrote me to point out the convo has been dead for 3 years....I didn't notice the dates on the posts. That is all.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, a common issue, you really need to check first. I hope the original poster comes back, would like to see his progress.

With all the suggestions, I definitely took you at face value wanting one, good comments.

Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

WundaMutha said:


> No, I'm not a marketing specialist. I'm a shoe designer and YouTUbe enthusiast that wants an affordable g-scale shinkansen, who (unlike my husband), has never been on a forum like this.


My humblest apologies, and welcome to the forums. We don't often get enthusiastic posts suggesting ways to make more and thus bring the price down.

I love seeing the Japanese N scale layouts at my local shows, with Shinkansen trains snaking around the curves.

Toymaker (the original poster, or OP,) is here in my home town in Florida. I had an email conversation with him some years ago about his project. I'll send him another email and ask him to post an update. (If I can find his email!)


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

I'm still around..... I just got tired of trying to post everything in 3-4 different forums which were all different formats. So I moved the entire build project over to Facebook. I figured if anyone is really interested, they can follow me 

Lots of updates... working RC prototype, 7 sets of train cars machined. CUSTOM G-SHORTY design, Arduino scrolling car signs, RailPro RC controller with endless engine motor synchronization... all kinds of good stuff GO CHECK IT OUT !!!








1:32 Shinkansen 500 Bullet Train Project


1:32 Shinkansen 500 Bullet Train Project. 909 likes · 3 talking about this. 1:32 (G-Scale) Shinkansen 500 Nozomi Bullet Train Project




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TONS OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS:




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Got our 1st real test on an open track today. This thing ran perfectly!! Full speed on level rails and we were only able to get it to derail once.... | By 1:32 Shinkansen 500 Bullet Train Project | Facebook


1K views, 43 likes, 2 loves, 2 comments, 7 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from 1:32 Shinkansen 500 Bullet Train Project: Got our 1st real test on an open track today. This thing ran perfectly!! Full...




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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Your last facebook post on the Shinkasen project was May 2019, any more recent pictures? Painted? car ends? It's a big project, but looks like the expensive/tricky part, the extrusions, is done.

Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Your last facebook post on the Shinkasen project was May 2019, any more recent pictures? Painted? car ends? It's a big project, but looks like the expensive/tricky part, the extrusions, is done.
> 
> Greg


Greg, you missed the start of that post. James said :"I moved the entire build project over to Facebook. I figured if anyone is really interested, they can follow me "


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

But Pete, Greg WAS talking about the last post on Facebook being May 2019!
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thank you David for paying attention. 

Pete, I know I am a fun target, but you even quoted me saying "Your last *facebook *post on the Shinkasen project was May 2019 "


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Either way I've been tracking your work on Facebook and on here. Keep up the good work, it's gonna look amazing when you're done.


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## WundaMutha (Dec 8, 2020)

Oh cool, Toy Maker is back. I was getting back on this forum to let folks know that I thought I'd found Toy Maker's updates on YouTube and Facebook. Amazing work! I guess there are still no plans to commercialize it, right? Ever consider Kickstarter to finance/promote the project?


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## WundaMutha (Dec 8, 2020)

Pete Thornton said:


> My humblest apologies, and welcome to the forums. We don't often get enthusiastic posts suggesting ways to make more and thus bring the price down.
> 
> I love seeing the Japanese N scale layouts at my local shows, with Shinkansen trains snaking around the curves.
> 
> Toymaker (the original poster, or OP,) is here in my home town in Florida. I had an email conversation with him some years ago about his project. I'll send him another email and ask him to post an update. (If I can find his email!)


 No apology necessary - my husband (a forum regular) explained that I had committed the newbie sin of "necrobombing." As you can see, I'm still getting the hang of it -posting all over the place. Pardon my lack of decorum, I'll try harder. :-D


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

WundaMutha said:


> I guess there are still no plans to commercialize it, right? Ever consider Kickstarter to finance/promote the project?


I think Toymaker is only reading/posting on Facebook, according to his post above.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Pete,
But as Greg has pointed out, nothing since May 2019, so no work on it for 18 months I guess.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

David Leech said:


> Pete,
> But as Greg has pointed out, nothing since May 2019, so no work on it for 18 months I guess.
> Cheers,
> David Leech, Delta, Canada


David, 
James started that project in 2010 and has only been updating the public sporadically. At the moment he seems consumed by the current politics.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Interesting that a project with an obvious significant investment in time and money has slowed way down, the pictures shown in May 2019 were old pictures of things shown earlier, unless it is just more of the same done.

No big deal, but I posted in the first place bedause it was not headed anywhere in a hurry.

Greg


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Because 93 projects are not enough, I’m going to take a stab at a 700. Running tests today for temps, thicknesses and such. Should be done around 2024.🚅


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Passenger car is coming along. Built in 3 sections. I rough combined the shells and added an end cap to show the entire car. Roughly 1:22. I only had images to work from, no plans or dimensions. One end section has been printing for about 30 hours and is now about 90% done. sections have a key built in to ensure alignment.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Since Toymaker started this thread, might I suggest you start your own build thread with your own trains, as opposed to jumping on an existing thread.

Greg


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

Jerry Barnes said:


> WOW, that is neat to see. Had forgotten about your project. How long are the cars? How will you make the front of the locomotive?


The cars are 30" long. a full 16-car set would be 40-feel long  The nose is 3D printed.
You guys don't need a Facebook account to go look at the 500 page... Log into Facebook


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## Toy Maker (Jul 20, 2010)

jonathanj said:


> Interesting projest - couple of thoughts...
> 
> Jonathan


I'm also trying to get hold of JonathanJ if anyone knows him.. I have a new little motor project I'd like to know if he would give me a hand with the motor and gearing.








jonathanj







www.mylargescale.com


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

thanks for the fb link, what a project! Keep up the good work.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Toy Maker said:


> trying to get hold of JonathanJ


According to his profile he was last seen in 2013.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Coming along very nicely, looking forwards to the first test run.


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