Hey there everyone, this is Tominon.
To start off, let me ask you what it is that happens about this time every year. Is it:
1) The Model Train Show at Matsuya Ginza
2) The Model Train Show at Matsuya Ginza
3) The Model Train Show at Matsuya Ginza
You guessed it! It's time for the Model Train Show again!
This year is the 32nd show - it has a lot of history.
I went to check it out with Kapinozuka so here's my report!
...But first, here's some great new information for Tetsudou Musume fans.
In addition to the
Tetsudou Musume Premium figures, a
Misono Kawaguchi Limited Edition figure with an illustration card by Koyori Sorahana is coming in August!
A
limited edition! The illustration is of Misono smiling, with the Saitama Railway behind her. It's nice, cute artwork!
More information will be coming later to the Tetsudou Musume website so keep your eyes peeled!
And that's it for Tetsumusu news.
Now, I write the entries on figures in this blog, but the only figure on display at the Model Train Show 2010 was Misono.
So this time I'll be covering the diorama displays!
Kapinozuka will be covering the model trains soon so stay tuned for that if you're interested.
There were giant displays by TOMIX and KATO in the center, and other smaller displays from other companies all around.
It must already be summer vacation or something, because there were a bunch of kids all gathering around the displays, taking pictures with their arms up as high as they would go.
And every time a train rolled around they'd get really excited and proclaim "it's here!" with glee.
The huge diorama displays had them hooked! I definitely saw some railway enthusiasts in the making.
There were platforms placed all around the display for smaller children to get a good look, too. How nice.
Zoom in on the structures...
* Business Building A Dark Brown 3 Story Basic Set
* Business Building A Dark Brown 2 Story Expansion Set
* Business Building B Beige 3 Story Basic Set
* Business Building B Beige 2 Story Expansion Set
The beige and dark brown building on the right is a combination of the above sets. You can extend the basic sets and expansion sets with like sets horizontally, and stack them up vertically to make any kind of building you like.
The large displays had monitors showing the view from cameras set up in various locations to watch trains go by.
I almost forgot I was only looking at model trains!
Most of the smaller displays were cased up behind glass panels.
The kids were pressed right up to the glass, staring intently.
Every diorama felt like they actually took the real thing and shrunk it down.
Every little person in the display seemed like they had a story to tell.
* DioTown Boutique and Office Building
* Shopping Complex 1 (Ivory)
In fact, Let's take a look at some of them.
* DioTown Policemen
The little girl is showing off her yukata to the police officer.
Girl:
My mommy helped me put on this yukata!
Policeman:
It looks great! But the festival's not until next week.
The old man and woman looking at the bulletin board.
Old man:
Is it lunch ye? Where's the restaurant?
Old woman:
Oh, silly you. We just had lunch two days ago.
* DioTown Passers By
A thug trying to pick up a little girl.
Thug:
Hey there, sexy lady! Wanna go for a ride?
Girl:
Buzz off, kid.
* DioTown Postmen
The thug, sad from his failure.
Policeman:
Oops, I tripped!
Some schoolgirls talking.
Girl A:
Gnarly.
Girl B:
Totally rad.
...And so on. I could spend hours looking at these little guys.
You could have a lot of fun setting these displays up yourself too.
Making displays is great because you can make entirely different scenery just by placing pieces differently.
For example, this base.
You can make a Niigata snowscape like this...
Or a summer Nagano with waterfall like this.
The rails and tunnels are exactly the same, but they turn into completely different locations.
* Family Restaurant Denny's (The Classic Diner)
This is the restaurant in the middle, with a lot of customers inside.
You could probably use the
* N Figure Set Blue Train Dining Car Crew as waitresses.
These close-up shots turn out intense.
You can even use these train model diorama sets for your Gundam model and car model displays.
This is what it looks like inside a diorama base!
It's pretty simple compared to how intricate the outside is.
Once you have the rough base formed out of styrofoam and newspaper, you make the surface with plaster over it, and then place the rails, buildings, people, and so on.
And if you really want to make a display in your own room but really have no space...
There's still hope! There's a glass case table that serves as both a table and a display case.
I want one... I could eat dinner while watching a model train chug around...
"When this battle is over, I'm going to buy a glass case table..."
Well, that's all for today.
This show is going on until the 26th, so if you're in the area (Tokyo, Japan) go check it out.
You can even test drive an N-Gauge/N-Scale train around!
The show's site is
here.
- Tominon