Hoki 800

[velotrain]

I was wondering if anyone is familiar with the physical operation of these cars?

 

I know the hand wheel controls the opening of the gates, but don't know the function of the two levers (they look just like the ones in an old-time signal tower) at the edge of each side on the operating platform.  I can see where the linkage goes, but don't know what the cross-rod is controlling - is it perhaps a lock for the wheel control?

 

 

 

 

However, there also looks to be some hydraulic equipment on the brake platform.

 

 

 

 

I noticed that a few lines have added splash guards to try to keep the ballast close to the rail.  Some of these appear to be welded in place, while others are apparently hinged.  Based on the roadbed profile, I've seen some gravel just roll down an embankment in videos, so understand some railways wanting to add these.

 

 

 

 

Related to this, I found an image of an unusual wagon that is fitted with two levels of chutes.  I don't know how this is controlled, but it allows selection of how close to the rail they want the ballast.  It looks like this railway doesn't want any of their employees climbing on the ladders.

 

 

 

 

At least one railway has added (canvas?) panels to the railings on the operating platform for crew safety.

 

 

 

 

Some railways have ordered cars with integral lights built into short diagonal stays at the outer, upper corners of the bins.

 

 

 

 

However, if your cars don't have this, you need to rig temporary lighting for nighttime operations.

 

 

 

 

The Gachakon railway has what look to be Hoki 800's, but with additional cross bracing on the sides, and varying details on the brake platform.  I saw a photo of these cars with the line's traditional pale blue steeplecab, but the quality was really poor.  I found web images of people scratch building these cars - in brass or styrene with brass railings, and certainly not in N scale.

 

 

 

 

Lastly, I found a B&W photo of what looks like it could be a predecessor of the Hoki 800.  The general design of the bins and chutes appears to be the same, but there are only two of them on each wagon.  If anyone knows the designation of these cars, I'd like to try to find more photos of them - especially the one with the control cab (or is there just a radio connection to the engine?)

 

 

 

 

Just when I thought I'd seen all variations, I found an image of a solo early 2-bin wagon.  The unknown structure on the top right of the bin looks to be the same as that shown in the B&W image above.

 

 

[cteno4]

There was a thread that had a bunch of videos of crews operating koki ballast cars, but unfortunately I could not find it.

 

Whoops found one, but not the one I was thinking of

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/3615-bull-nose-on-the-ballast/

 

Jeff

Edited January 23, 2016 by cteno4

[velotrain]

Thanks, Jeff - I was interested to see that you wrote:  "couple of hoki 10000 are pretty close to these ballast hoppers with some mods"

[kvp]

Just a few remarks:

-the rods and wheels control the amount and location of the stones as some of these cars can also place them between the rails

-those are probably not hydraulic but pneumatic cylinders and part of the brake rigging and they have to be placed there since you can't put them under the floor, between the bogies as the chutes are there

-the covered and locked ladders are probably just anti climbing equipment to keep kids out of the cars when they are parked unattended

[nah00]

The rods and levers control a number of chutes along the side of the car to control where the ballast is going (inside the rails, outside the rails, far out).

 

Found a use for those extra EOT reflectors you get with Tomix Kokis now....

[katoftw]

The first video posted in this thread is a 2 parter.  The second part has the hopper in operation.

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/9021-hoki-800-ballast-wagon/

[cteno4]

There was another thread with several videos of operation. Had management types there watching cross armed and not moving!

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

At least one railway has added (canvas?) panels to the railings on the operating platform for crew safety.

 

 

 

Chitetsu Railway.

 

Plywood, not canvas.

 

The lower covers are thick heavy rubber.

[velotrain]

Just wanted to say that I've already watched plenty of videos of it in operation, but was wondering specifically what the four levers did.

 

I haven't seen the levers moved in any of the videos, so if they change the dump location from the sides to under the car, that's consistent with the videos as they've all shown dumping to the side.

[nah00]

This is a bad picture but I apologize, it was taken on my layout. The top left picture shows the rear end of the Hoki and the others show how the levers move the the panels to change how the ballast is distributed. My guess is you wouldn't move these once the train is moving, you'd set them, the train pulls off, and then you pull a lever that let's the ballast out. Of all places I found this in the Autumn 2015 edition of Shinkansen Explorer, has a feature about Dr Yellow and Shinkansen MoW equipment (some of which would be awesome to seen made). Note also this is a remanufactured Hoki as well.

 

[velotrain]

^{Thanks for the images, but I don't understand the middle one.} 

 

^{If the outer section of the slide is in that position, just what's supporting it?}

 

[katoftw]

It is a cutaway diagram.  It only shows the blade/panel locations.

 

If you are referring to the diagram for the 500mm from centreline diagram.  The bottom panels rotate on a axle.  The axle end can be seen in the first picture you provided in the first post of this thread.

 

Example or rotated lower panels:-

 

 

Note outside level in different position.

Edited January 24, 2016 by katoftw

[velotrain]

Thanks for the image.

 

- but this doesn't seem to jibe with the third photo in the OP, which appears to show the 1 meter setting, but the ballast falling just outside the rail.

[katoftw]

The third photo in the original post as some kind of modification done to it.  ie green frames with wood boarding.  The boards to stop the ballast flying out 1 meter.  So cannot comment on that.  Can only comment on unmodified Hoki 800s.

 

Much like this photo:-

 

Edited January 24, 2016 by katoftw

[marknewton]

However, there also looks to be some hydraulic equipment on the brake platform.

 

What you're looking at there is the auxiliary reservoir, triple valve, moisture trap and isolating cock for the air brake equipment on the car. In the background is the brake cylinder.

 

It would be almost unheard of to find anything hydraulic on a run-of-the mill freight car. In general railways avoid the use of hydraulic systems as they are difficult to make fail-safe in operation.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited January 24, 2016 by marknewton

[nah00]

Thanks for the image.

 

- but this doesn't seem to jibe with the third photo in the OP, which appears to show the 1 meter setting, but the ballast falling just outside the rail.

These seem to be modified or remanifactured Hokis. The diagram is a bit confusing to figure out and the fact I'm just going off the pictures doesn't help.

 

It looks to me like the modification is simply put those boards along the bottom on a pivot so as to allow the the ballast to spread further out. Really wouldn't be a tough modification for a car shop to do.

[velotrain]

Yet another variant - a brakeman's cabin.

 

Based on it being a B&W photo, this must be a very early build.

 

There's no English-language Wiki article, so I don't know what year these were first introduced.