the c55 class was a mid 1930s design targeted for service on the sub trunk passenger routes..........62 locomotives were built between 1935 and 1937 by kisha seizo, hitachi, kawasaki and mitsubishi before the ministry of railways mandated extensive engineering changes.......the modifications were so extensive that the ministry authorized a new class creation - c57- as the 63rd locomotive was constructed...the last c55 left JNR service in 1975.....

Micro Ace is one of the dominant triumvirate of n scale manufactures in Japan - Kato and Tomix both being better known outside of Japan....Micro Ace clearly markets the broadest line of locomotives among the 3 and arguably features the finest detail work on their products.....

i acquired this c55 from a small reseller in japan who specializes in unused model railroad items - collection pieces and who averred that this a7108 was indeed a collector's consignment item........as i had not transacted with this seller previously, i decided on a test run which revealed n scale factored running speed achieved at 30% on the rheostat; operation in both directions is smooth and consistent......the head lamp is comparatively vibrant although the orange characteristic of pre chip led design.......the wheel sets are clean..........the evaluation confirmed the small reseller as an honest broker......

the only accessory for the model is a rapido coupler for the front end whose installation protocol will have to intuited as microace provides only a rudimentary sketch...........