Midori Yama Railroad

[rkyamberu]

Hello All,

 

So I've been lurking and gaining inspiration from all the great work here.  I think it's time to start sharing what I've been working on.  I started with Model Railroader Magazine's Red Oak layout on a door (January 2015) and have made modifications and moved it to Japan.

 

Midori Yama means Green Mountain and there is no town in Japan by that name.  Not counting Ninja competions that is and I'm not.  I just like the name.

 

I wanted something very simple because I don't have the patience to work on it for 20 years.  It's a twin line loop with a crossover, a station siding and one other siding.  Operations are not what I'm aiming for and the design reflects that.

 

 

And here is some of the preliminary work:

 

 

I'll post updates as I make progress or my money runs out, which ever comes first.

 

Thanks to all the great modelers here who have inspired me!

 

Rick

Edited May 5, 2015 by rkyamberu

[Guest keio6000]

nice one!  the bridge looks great. keep it going and please post photos as you progress!

[katoftw]

Following your progress.  Thank you for sharing.

[ToniBabelony]

Interesting! I'd be interested to see what scenery you'll come up with :)

 

Midori Yama means Green Mountain and there is no town in Japan by that name.  Not counting Ninja competions that is and I'm not.  I just like the name.

 

Close to where we live is a ward called Midoriyama Aoba: https://www.google.co.jp/maps/@35.5678513,139.4822101,16z?hl=en, which houses TBS filming studios, but that is more of a modern made-up place, rather than a traditional name. From my personal experience, Midori/Ryoku (緑) is more used with contemporary geographical/place names, rather than Ao/Sei (青), which is more used for older geographical/place names.

[rkyamberu]

Thanks Toni. I think that's where they film Sasuke, the Ninja warrior competition. There's one in Las Vegas for the American version. And there's Midoriyama middle school in the Anime Prince of Tennis. But I just like the name.

 

I appreciate your help with understanding Japanese usage.

 

Rick

[miyakoji]

Fine choice of avatar, as well as the rolling stock. What make is that 117 series?

[E231-500]

"Mount Midoriyama" is not only where Sasuke (Ninja Warrior) is filmed but is also the original home of the greatest japanese gameshow ever - Takeshi's Castle!

 

It would be interesting to see a small ode to one of the shows on your layout. A little sasuke course or even takeshis castle on the mountain. :)

[rkyamberu]

Thanks Miyakoji,

 

Not sure what exact model it is but I used to ride it between Fussa and Tachikawa in 1968 or 1969.

 

Hmmmm, a castle eh?

[rkyamberu]

Actually my avatar is a 101 series I believe. The 117 came out 8 or 9 years after I took the picture. It was on the Ome line.

[miyakoji]

Right, I was wondering about the 117 model in the pic, white with a green stripe. I used to ride those in western Japan. I didn't know anyone made a model of it.

[rkyamberu]

Silly me. It is a 117 and it's a Kato. The case says: 10-166 117 Series E.C. (Fukuchiyama Line Color)

[E6系]

"Mount Midoriyama" is not only where Sasuke (Ninja Warrior) is filmed but is also the original home of the greatest japanese gameshow ever - Takeshi's Castle!

 

It would be interesting to see a small ode to one of the shows on your layout. A little sasuke course or even takeshis castle on the mountain. :)

 

Oh, my heart pours blood.  Surely you mean "the world's greatest gameshow ever!"

[E6系]

Hello Mr rkyamberu,

 

Just a little tip: here is the kanji for your Midoriyama: 緑山

 

Also, here's the website to a Studio City called .... you guessed it .... 緑山 : http://www.midoriyama.co.jp/

 

Good luck with your layout.  I like your choice of rolling stock.

[rkyamberu]

E6系

 

Thank you for the kanji. I have a couple of steam engines as well as a N700. There is so much neat rolling stock in Japan and I'm lucky to have ridden some of it.

[katoftw]

Takeshi's Castle - many gameshows have spawned from this.  What a laugh to watch.

[rkyamberu]

Hi All,

 

The layout is coming along well. Just need more trees and people. Had the road file that I got from Mardon and edited printed on 60 thousanths styrene by a local sign shop. Worked really well. Made the roads from styrene and masked with vinyl tape and spray painted. Doesn't quite match the road file color but that's the way it goes.

 

Edited June 4, 2015 by rkyamberu

[miyakoji]

Looking good. That blue bridge and its abutments look great, in fact.

[cteno4]

Rkyamberu,

 

Looks great! Roads worked out very well!

 

Jeff

[rkyamberu]

I had a question about the characters on the bridge but I'm getting a server error when I try to reply.

 

The characters are totally random from a Kato building kit. I was only trying for a Japanese look, not actual information. I don't have a choice of any kanji that I might want. The bridge is from a kit, Walthers 933-3820.

 

Rick

[JR 500系]

Looks very nice, the construction of that Aoshima apartment is great, the weathered factory and the sloping road. Love those!

 

I think you need some Tomytec cars, trucks & buses to fill in the roads!  :)

[rkyamberu]

Thanks,

 

There are 4 Tomytec buses but I do need some trucks and more variety than the Chinese cars provide.

 

The retaining wall on the sloping road is made from the stuff you put under rugs to keep them from slipping.

 

Rick

[velotrain]

Had the road file that I got from Mardon and edited printed on 60 thousanths styrene by a local sign shop. Worked really well. Made the roads from styrene and masked with vinyl tape and spray painted.

 

The roads look great, but I'm a bit confused.  What part did the sign shop print, and what did you spray paint?

[rkyamberu]

The long strip in front of the station with the taxi stands, bus stations, grass and yellow markings is the printed part. The rest of the roads (slightly different gray) such as under the bridge and up the hill is the painted area.

[Railtunes]

Hello, Rick,

NIce work! And it's great to see the feature article on your layout in the Jan/Feb 2016 issue of N Scale Magazine. The "imported" 2-axle German electric with Japanese pantograph and train in the first photo of the article is a bit of a surprise, but I've seen photos of similar Japanese critters, so it could pass with some surgery on the buffers.

It's nice to see more Asian railway modeling in the the American magazines, something I haven't seen there since my AsiaNRail article back in the May/June 2010 issue.

 

Paul Ingraham, Coordinator, AsiaNRail N scale modular group

[rkyamberu]

Thanks Paul,

 

The engine is an import but I think I've seen some old Japanese rolling stock that had buffers. I'll have to buy the back issue disc to see your article.