Tokyo 10000 Monorail (review)

[Super]

Could you just not use one of the Tomy multi-level stations in your layout Super? Then you have the upper level for the mono-rail, the lowere and mid-level for 'normal' trains and maybe even the lower for 'metro/underground' trains?

If you don't have the station you could always flog your slopes to fund the purchase lol!!

One other thing you didn't mention in your non-mini-review, its darn slow lol!! Pretty colours mind, although I'm not sure why the middle car is a different colour scheme to the other two, that looks a bit odd too...

Good question about the middle car color as I didn't even notice it until your mention. Figured it may be that way because of the real one being that way so I searched for some images and it looks like the real ones have a sort of wave of the different blues along the length. (see picture & video below)

Yes the monorails are slow. I had seen a YouTube video of a hanging video with an upgraded Power Dash motor and it was crazy fast and very loud. (see video below) Even though in a big room the whir of the original motor on the 10000 is not that annoying (you can hear it in Suzukawas video up close) adding a higher speed motor was way to much noise.

Not sure what station you are referring to. The problem with the addition of this monorail into our layout was that it was to run on top of the hanging monorail track which had to rise up over some elevated train tracks and go back down. Right now I have removed the hanging monorail line entirely and replaced it with this one level overhead rail. This is now the third reduction in the height of our layout over the last year or so. It now has two less train loops up there and one less hanging monorail. I am trying to figure out if I can include the hanging mono within the layout but probably not in a loop but in a point "A" to point "B" run where the monorail reverses at each end of the line. As far as a station I have my hopes up for a one of a kind custom one.

I'll buy it for 50% off

Sure, go ahead and buy a Disney Monorail for 50% off

(Still watching the Gacchannel and Suzuwaya Ayako after 2 hours)

This isn't exactly the one I saw the other week, but it is a triple level station to give you some idea of what I meant

Big plarail station

One question tho', is there any reason why the monorail has to be the highest element of the layout? I don't see why you couldn't have a spiral that goes higher than the monorail and the mono even going between different levels of normal rail. Would look very good I think, very blade runner

[Super]

Would look very good I think, very blade runner

LOL...are we giving away your age?

Now I see what you mean by station, thats a big one for sure.

Sure, I like the way you think. The monorails don't have to be the highest level of any layout and I had thoughts on to do that with the overhead monorail. Weaving in and out, up and down. But not having the ability to use the slopes for this one put the kibosh to the idea. Plus the fact that you would need the space of two risers (6" more I think for hang mono's) to run the between two normal train rail lines.

Add in to the fact that I am slowly re-doing, altering, changing the layout in a way that reduces the size and height to where eventually it will all be dis-assembled totally. The reason for this is that even though floor level layouts are great with the ability to go big and wide there is the cleanliness factor and the dreaded bane of the trains......dust. Being on the floor it collects dust and even though once in a while I go through the cumbersome ritual of trying to vacuum around everything its just too hard to do and over the few years it has taken to erect our layout the carpeting needs a thorough cleaning. My idea is then to get six or eight of the big party, folding tables and erect a layout similar to how Ucwepn built his. Maybe with underground and monorails spanning an opening between two table top arrangements. I think sight lines are going to be better on a table along with better abilities to make any videos.

Sorry, I droned on and on.

I can fully understand the idea of moving the whole thing to a table setup, as you quite rightly detected by the Blade Runner reference (although it was only a couple of years ago we had the re-re-re-mixed ultimate directors cut 2nd attempt re-release so its not that old ) I'm getting too old to kneel on a floor putting this stuff together lol!

Good idea also using the mono-rail to bridge any gaps, as it is with the subway - you going to use the clear tunnels also? If you can get some of the square ones you could potentially have a two level subway/metro system like the real ones too - one north the other south or whatever.

But thinking about it, if you got the mono-rail(s), subways/metros and maybe a suspension bridge for the normal rail?!? How about going the whole hog and having a backdrop with skyscrapers as well? If done right you could potentially fit LED's behind it to make them light up - get those strip ones that change colour automatically and it would look well cool. Add to that a final touch of say a cheap 7" tablet on top of a skyscraper running some video of oriental/tech type adverts and bingo you'll have Blade Runner PlaRail!!!

[Super]

Wholy She-mowley, those are some great ideas Nigels. They are certainly food for thought. They are stored in my memory bank...er...chip, to use when the creating of a new table top layout occurs.

The train lays upside down, baking in the hot sun, spinning its wheels, trying to get to the next station. But you're not helping.

-plarnold

[Super]

The train lays upside down, baking in the hot sun, spinning its wheels, trying to get to the next station. But you're not helping.

Is that dialog from the movie Plarnold?

There is a reference in Blade Runner to a 'Turtle' laying upside down baking in the sun waving its legs trying to get up but you're not helping

[Super]

The train lays upside down, baking in the hot sun, spinning its wheels, trying to get to the next station. But you're not helping.

-plarnold

There is a reference in Blade Runner to a 'Turtle' laying upside down baking in the sun waving its legs trying to get up but you're not helping

LOL...now I get it.