Kato 500 Series Shinkansen Nozomi Bullet Train Review

WOO! A Japanese bullet train!

[@tskjr1]

I just got this set and I have to say that I disagree with your “average” rating of 66. I would give it an overall rating of 90, just off the top of my head, without considering discrete attributes as you have. First, the individual cars are of typical Kato high quality. You are right that they are light in weight; they are deliberately made this way so that they can “fly” along the tracks. I don’t think they look cheap at all. I actually have ridden this train, and the Kato cars look prototypical, the way I remember them and as they look in actual photos of the real thing. I don’t think you can fairly detract points because “all the cars look the same,” either. After all, it’s a passenger train, and all passenger cars look pretty much the same on the outside, with the possible exception of window arrangements. Second, the train is called a “bullet” train for a reason. Actual bullets move in a straightforward trajectory; they don’t go around curves. In Japan, these trains run straightforward routes directly between major urban areas; they may make an occasional stop, but they are not meant to be commuter trains that run a curvaceous route. It’s unfair to criticize the train set because it occasionally derails around curves on your layout when it (and the actual train) were designed for high speed, straightforward routes. Your layout is about as good as anyone could create at home, unless you live in Mar-a-Lago! It shows how the set can potentially run on straightaways, as well as its potential difficulties on curves. This particular train set really needs to be run on a large club layout, without all the curves in a smaller layout, or in a commercial space to see it “fly” as it does on the Kato layout in Tokyo. In summary, I would recommend this set to anyone interested in owning a beautiful model bullet train with the caveat that your own layout - and not the set’s design and construction - will affect its performance. Get the four car starter set, don’t bother trying to create a long consist, and be satisfied with running it at 1/2 to 3/4 full speed. And don’t try to run it on a layout that has any curve track with a smaller radius than Kato # 20-110 Unitrack 282mm (11”). Get it and enjoy it for what it is - a model!

[@ModelTrainsWow]

I totally get what you are saying, I think it should be more highly rated than it got as this is one of my favorites. Yet, I still have to judge it for what it is, independently of the real thing and truly give a valid rating for each section for standardization. Keep in mind that 5 would be "average," any segment rated higher than that is above average. I've seen other bullet trains with cool paint schemes that breaks up the "sameness" from one car to the next, and in general those are more interesting that what I have here. Yes this would be much better suited for a long layout that can zip across large straights, but I don't have that, so rating it against what I have.

[@jayvaghela7747]

​@@ModelTrainsWow disagreed with your average rating, the nozomi worth 100.

[@willduran6083]

These usually don’t run more than ten cars including the engines. The car with the motor should be the second car. Kato are the best! The decals are old school, you spoke the whole sheet in water and then remove.

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Good to know!

[@asma8154]

The 500 bullet train this is my dream bullet train. I wish I had one of these but they are too expensive. They are like $1000 for an 8 year old 500 bullet train

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Yeah they can be expensive! Keep an eye out for a deal though, they are out there 😉

[@Anto-hl9gu]

I just got back from Japan and I went on one of those it is the longest train to walk. I also got a model as well. Love the chanel keep it up

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Awesome! And thanks for the endorsement, I hope to have a lot more vids up soon....

[@PCrailfan3790]

ITS SO PRETTY AND LONG!

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Long is key. It's like a big snake lol

[@sjbolton72]

The "stickers" are decals just like you find in a model plane kit. You cut them out and soak them in water until the decal can be slid around on the piece of backing then you slide them directly onto the train in position. The instructions show where they go. Some show station name and all the smallest show seating numbers above the windows on the carriages. I've got this exact train myself and love it. The coupling is a bit weird but it means the cars have the safe flexible "tube" style walkthrus for passengers to walk through car to car safely , sort of like what bendy buses have. Review is mostly spot on, mine crawls much slower so maybe some variation in what you get? As for speed about 55% power I worked out my initial 4 car set was hitting its maximum scale speed so I think your derailment is just running it at an unrealistic speed, but at a scale speed about 50kph faster than the real runs mine sticks to the track without derailing. I dont have loundness problems, it does get louder at full speed and beyond that so again maybe related to the abnormal speed you were running at? some good lube could help that out. I got the lighting kit, very fiddly i havent installed yet, so very small. Last point for others, its not a DCC or DCC ready train. And for Anime fans this Shinkansen had a special Evangelion edition running which I think is also available in N scale, a sexy purple and green train. No buyer regrets here :)

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Steve Bolton Great tips!

[@Andrecio64]

Bullet trains doesn't supposed to do corners so it's a obvious thing that it struggles doing that

[@PCrailfan3790]

6:11 pretty sure those are waterslide decals, you cut out the decals and put them in water, then slide them onto the model

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Lol, but it seems so hard to donas they are so tiny 😅

[@PCrailfan3790]

@@ModelTrainsWow yep they tend to be tiny, but the advantage is that as long as they are wet you can shift them around until they dry, if they are old there is a chance they will rip

[@iainmillar1532]

Wow cool, I just bought the 10-382 7 car set. Don’t even have track or a controller yet 😂

[@ModelTrainsWow]

LoL, nice.

[@iainmillar1532]

I can't post a pic, but years ago I got a 500 series shinkansen chopstick set! The whole chopstick is in the shape of the train. I bought them on a visit to the shinkansen museum in Nagoya.

[@subwaydepot8326]

Great review. Thanks for posting.

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Hey glad you enjoyed!

[@lambokr3497]

it gotta be smoother than Sean Connery

[@raymondleggs5508]

Now all you need are N scale wolverine and thug figures to fight on top of the bullet train :-D

[@philm3151]

Hi there. Great train and video. Sorry for dumb question but do you know how to remove the case? I need to repair one of the couplers. Thanks. Phil

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Can't say that I have tried... but you should be able to pop off the top and squeeze out the bottom.

[@SpringBloxx]

These are N-Gauge, right?

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Yep, all my trains are N-scale

[@tracksidefilms5416]

Just realized I’m your 300th subscriber! I think

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Trackside Films Woo! Thanks for the sub! Check's in the mail ;-)

[@tracksidefilms5416]

Anytime! These shots are awesome it must be hard though to get close ups with such small trains!

[@philipsimonds8088]

I think a few passengers may have died going around that switch back lol

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Perhaps, lol. They paid for the extra intense excursion 😂

[@elitedave3601]

Hey man when you gonna run this train again with all 16 cars?

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Lol, I do it all the time when I'm cleaning. Since it's pretty loud I find that's the best time vs when watching a movie or something.

[@elitedave3601]

Where can I get this bullet trainset with all 16 cars at?

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Comes in 3 sets, a starter, a 4 car addon and a 8 car addon. Got mine from Ebay and a dealer in Japan.

[@sjbolton72]

I don't think a single set exists, you have to buy three sets to put together the full size train. Kato 10-510, 10-511 & 10-512 they should be. Proper Kato Japan that is, don't know if Kato USA has the same numbering or you can get the japan trains through your local stores. I'm in Australia and just buy from Japan myself.

[@neooooo6127]

the website i use to get all of my shinkansen/japanese trains is a website caller NewhallStation. I bought my e7 recently and it came in the mail from japan to the US in 5 days.

[@driline]

Nice thorough review. I think I'm going to stick with the CB&Q Zephyr though after watching your bullet train review. Like you said it's too loud and when trying to go fast it derails. I need something a bit slower :)

[@ModelTrainsWow]

driline haha, yes the biggest drawback for me is the noise at speed. the derailment might ve my own doing as half of the turns are 11 inch radius and it might be just a bit too tight at speed. Doesn't always come off, but every so often in the same couple spots it does at a fast speed.

[@potatocat5764]

driline Well, I think it's loud because it has to push 2 or 3 of the cars, while also pulling around 12 cars behind it. So, for me, it's understandable why it's loud.

[@mybobize]

@@potatocat5764The Tomix one is better because it has all wheel pickup and two motor cars.

[@chandrashekharpatil4669]

what is total length of this train with 16 cars

[@ModelTrainsWow]

It's pretty long, like 8 feet!

[@keyplayermark]

Info was good, but turn off the autofocus and slow down the camera movement so we don't get a headache.

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Always knew that was a problem in the older videos... the latest stuff fixes most of that. I now record with a stabilizer.

[@jorgejaimes1283]

M ok the train is very common in Japan and others country about systems European and Asians.

[@whitedragons1414]

I got the NEX train. Its great and I rode on it when I was in japan, btw love your little channel. Have you upgraded any to DCC?? I put DCC in my train.

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Hey thanks! Trying to share the love, lol. I actually have just been eyeing up the Kato NEX starter set... so perhaps one day soon. I should upgrade to DCC... but that would require more expensive equipment and many of my trains don't take it. But it would certainly help with the lights at low speed.

[@stormbringerthehunter2738]

If you can, Could you find the N700 or N700A Shinkansen and review it? If not then i'd like to see you review the E5 Hayabusa.

[@ModelTrainsWow]

I'll keep my eye out for a deal, I like both of those options :)

[@TechBuild]

What about doing a review of the Kato EMD E5A and the California Zephyr?

[@creeperaviation4494]

WOO!

[@justtradermike]

I wonder if it will derail less with less cars?

[@ModelTrainsWow]

Quite possible, but then less cool lol

[@asma8154]

I wish someone could give me this bullet train or get me it or buy me it or I just buy it if I buy it it’s in Riyadh and the other 500 bullet train cheaper are in Japan

[@IIIIIIlllllllIIILLL]

That tumbnail tho. Looks like a bad Shinkansen

[@Tokax]

Ur pronunciation is hilarious cuz u didn’t even try lol