Sale of Eishindo?

[JohnDMJ]

I heard yesterday that Eishindo had sold its interests in T Gauge. Can anyone confirm this?

If true, who is the new manufacturer and how will it affect stocks, products, deliveries, etc?

[David K Smith]

Where did you hear this?

[JohnDMJ]

From one of the UK importers, now saying they're the sole importer!

[PKP EN57]

From one of the UK importers, now saying they're the sole importer!

I have heard that Eishindo did change the worldwide distributor. Perhaps that is what they meant. If it were sold to another party, hopefully whomever ended up buying it out would end up continuing the progress and improvement that the scale has seen over the past year and a half, as well as start appealing to a broader range of modelers outside of Japan (this scale is starting to catch on with Diecast airplane people it appears, one of which claims to have a Kiha 40 already.)

[rmyers]

I just got an e-newsletter from 'TrainAidsA' (a US dealer) that led with this:

"Please note that K.K.Eishindo (Japan) no longer manufactures T-Gauge
products but has licensed manufacturing and distribution of these
products to The Railway Shop (HK)."

This seems to be the clearest statement of the situation that I've seen. There is reference later to the 'T-Gauge Team', and 'Mr. Hirai', as if the design group might be separate from Eishindo as manufacturer and distributor.

The newsletter followed with other news and notes, which indicate some production and marketing changes, (such as starter sets no longer coming pre-assembled), but which do not seem to indicate doom.

Maybe if T takes off our early production packaging will be collectible.

Bob

[David K Smith]

Hmmm... not sure I'm all warm and fuzzy about this, but as you say, T is not doomed yet.

Darren has been especially quiet of late. Darren, what do things look like from your end of the world?

[B 67]

Hmmm! As it happens I just received a reply from Mr Hirai to an enquiry I sent in late September.

He states that they are "still trying to conquer the very large wall of 'turnout track' ". The attache case layout is now under processing. He also mentions trying to improve the illumination of the street. I'm not quite sure what this means, but he promises a photo. Perhaps working street lights?? Would be nice, but probably not what was meant.

Anyway, the info I've had for some time is that distribution is now from Hong Kong. AFAIK this is for non-Japanese shops. They only supply in carton quantities which has made the cost of stocking the entire range of T gauge somewhat prohibitive for what is, after all, a minority-following scale. The 103 sets used to come in cartons of 12 (of one colour) but now come in 24 thanks (I suspect) to the smaller packaging they are now sold in. However, Mr Hirai has also told me how I can get around this problem, so things are looking up in that respect.

When I first began stocking T gauge, it came from KK Eishindo in Japan. It was then and still is actually manufactured in China. So it was shipped from China to Japan and then to dealers. Later, although I still placed my order with the firm in Japan, the stock was actually sent direct from the factory in China. This cut out an unnecessary part of the shipping costs and therefore lowered the price to dealers.

Regarding the starter sets, I've been getting them with the un-assembled track for about 6 months. As shipping charges can be based on cubic area and not just weight, I realised that I could be getting twice as many starter track sets into the same area if the track was not assembled. I mentioned this to Eishindo and they not only agreed, but had already begun arranging to do this.

Will seek clarification of the situation. Nothing I've been told indicates that Eishindo have actually sold or licenced T gauge to someone else. But then again, I've not been told that they haven't either.

[PKP EN57]

Hmmm! As it happens I just received a reply from Mr Hirai to an enquiry I sent in late September.

He states that they are "still trying to conquer the very large wall of 'turnout track' ". The attache case layout is now under processing. He also mentions trying to improve the illumination of the street. I'm not quite sure what this means, but he promises a photo. Perhaps working street lights?? Would be nice, but probably not what was meant.

Anyway, the info I've had for some time is that distribution is now from Hong Kong. AFAIK this is for non-Japanese shops. They only supply in carton quantities which has made the cost of stocking the entire range of T gauge somewhat prohibitive for what is, after all, a minority-following scale. The 103 sets used to come in cartons of 12 (of one colour) but now come in 24 thanks (I suspect) to the smaller packaging they are now sold in. However, Mr Hirai has also told me how I can get around this problem, so things are looking up in that respect.

When I first began stocking T gauge, it came from KK Eishindo in Japan. It was then and still is actually manufactured in China. So it was shipped from China to Japan and then to dealers. Later, although I still placed my order with the firm in Japan, the stock was actually sent direct from the factory in China. This cut out an unnecessary part of the shipping costs and therefore lowered the price to dealers.

Regarding the starter sets, I've been getting them with the un-assembled track for about 6 months. As shipping charges can be based on cubic area and not just weight, I realised that I could be getting twice as many starter track sets into the same area if the track was not assembled. I mentioned this to Eishindo and they not only agreed, but had already begun arranging to do this.

Will seek clarification of the situation. Nothing I've been told indicates that Eishindo have actually sold or licenced T gauge to someone else. But then again, I've not been told that they haven't either.

Well, I recall seeing somewhere that the houses that Eishindo has made have a small "rod" in the middle of them so they can be easily illuminated from a lighting source at the bottom. He likely could have been referring to this, but if we do get streetlamps in T, more power to T-gauge, and it could help Eishindo, as they can be applied to much more than just a train layout, but 1/400 and 500 scale trainsets.

By turnout track, I wonder if he meant the switchtrack, as I have yet to see this on site of the retailer that I buy from. Either way, it seems to be a slow, but productive progress that T-Gauge is going. I wonder if by the summer if we'll see the first of the N700 Series Shinkansen and ICE 3s in their T-Gauge form. It would be cool if they came in what is a standard set in the real world rather than a 4 unit set too!

[B 67]

Well, I recall seeing somewhere that the houses that Eishindo has made have a small "rod" in the middle of them so they can be easily illuminated from a lighting source at the bottom. He likely could have been referring to this, but if we do get streetlamps in T, more power to T-gauge, and it could help Eishindo, as they can be applied to much more than just a train layout, but 1/400 and 500 scale trainsets.

Hmmm! I don't think the rods in the buildings could have much to do with street lighting. But perhaps if the current street lights were moulded in clear material and painted all over apart from the actual 'light' part, it may be possible to light them up from below.

By turnout track, I wonder if he meant the switchtrack,

Almost certainly. Outside America, switches are generally known as turnouts or points - well, in other english-speaking countries. I suspect the comment about 'conquering the wall' means the same as jumping the hurdle or surmounting the obstacle. So I guess it is just taking longer to get it all right than they expected. But better they make the effort to get it right than release something that doesn't live up to expectations.

as I have yet to see this on site of the retailer that I buy from. Either way, it seems to be a slow, but productive progress that T-Gauge is going. I wonder if by the summer if we'll see the first of the N700 Series Shinkansen and ICE 3s in their T-Gauge form. It would be cool if they came in what is a standard set in the real world rather than a 4 unit set too!

I agree. A 4-car Shinkansen or ICE is bad enough in HO. In T it is going to look much too short. But we must remember the difficulties of running a scale-length train in T gauge at present. So a 16-car train may well need 8 powered cars. I can picture the number of uncouplings and derailments already.

[BN3140]

Doesn't the real thing have permenant coupling? If so, wouldn't the ICE and Shinkanese work better permenantly coupled.

[B 67]

Doesn't the real thing have permenant coupling? If so, wouldn't the ICE and Shinkanese work better permenantly coupled.

Even the "permanent" coupling on real trains can still be uncoupled. Do you think you could unpack a 14-car train and get it on the track without something getting damaged?

[adnar]

Being a US distributor, and based on my communication with The Railway Shop, allow me to clarify a few points here, while adding some other information and some personal views.

1) The stories about "doom" are just "stories" or better call them "rumours".

2) The rumours may have been generated due to the delay in shipments for the past few weeks, but those delays will bear fruit soon.

3) "The Railway Shop" (Hong Kong) has been Licensed by K.K.Eishindo to handle the production and distribution of T-Gauge Products. T-Gauge is still a K.K.Eishindo (Japan) brand. In my personal opinion this is an effort to gain from logistical & other operational advantages that Hong Kong offers being near to China, their production base. Operationally it is completely a K.K.Eishindo controlled operation.

4) All stock/inventory etc. has been transfered to The Railway Shop, to the best of my knowledge. All communications with the dealers and distributors, all repairs and warranty coverage, is going to be handled by The Railway Shop (HK). We have updated this information on our site under the "Repairs" section of "T-Gauge Tech Support".

5) I feel that even though there has been a delay, it was necessitated by this transition, the introduction of new version of Series 103, and other items such as manual turnouts/switches and other products, some of which have not yet been announced.

6) These new items will most probably be presented/introduced by Mr. Hirai on his visit to the USA in the near future. (Those interested to attend can contact me off-list if they wish to join in. I will keep them abreast of the schedule etc.). He then would be introducing them in Nuremburg at the Toy Fair in early February.

7) As far as we know, Mr. Hirai is in full operational control of The Railway Shop and is personally in Hong Kong for the last few months and most probably will be there until the whole operation is running smoothly.

On another note, on our suggestion (and perhaps from others too), The Railway shop is preparing some videos on how to take day-to-day care of the T-Gauge cars etc. and will be making them available soon to all, most probably via "youtube.com".

I will add a note on new products in the appropriate section of the forum very soon.

Hope this clarifies the situation better.

Happy Holidays !!!

http://www.trainaidsa.com/shop-tgauge.shtml
our site updates as and when necessary.

[David K Smith]

This is certainly reassuring news. Thank you for sharing it.

I'd definitely be interested in meeting Mr. Hirai, although if his US itinerary doesn't include the Northeast, it's probably not going to happen.

[rmyers]

Being a US distributor, and based on my communication with The Railway Shop, allow me to clarify a few points here, while adding some other information and some personal views.

Thanks for weighing in. I hope you didn't mind my sharing the snip from the newsletter.

Bob

[adnar]

I am working on it. All I know is that he is interested in making the visit happen soon. I am pushing on getting him to east coast at least. The schedule apparently is not too flexible it seems, considering I do not have his exact dates as yet. I was told that it will be before Feb.2010, before the Nuremburg fair. I have indicated my preferences.

-- Hoping for the best.