Tsurumi line construction

[Khaul]

I have started to work on the layout for a while so I think I should start a new threat in the right place.

 

My station is taking shape. I have decided to call it "Kojimacho Station". Kojimacho is an area not far from Hama Kawasaki. It's served only by freight railways, but a branch of the Tsurumi line could have well gone there. Kojimacho is the end of the line for passenger services and the origin of a few freight branches. It has an island platform and two tracks that are often used to turn around freight locos. I've had a great time making the station to appear run down  :) 

 

A few photos below:

 

 

I think I am going to go at least partially modular so I don't need to put the whole thing together each time.

Edited October 17, 2017 by Khaul
Fixing image attachments

[Nick_Burman]

Neat. Just a historical note, the area around Kojimacho once had passenger service, however this was provided by Keikyu on its Daishi Line. In 1963 JNR built the Kojima Yard and Keikyu decided not to spend money on a new bridge, cutting the line back to Kojima-Shinden station. The line once upon a time shared tracks both with Kawasaki town trams and with JNR who had a third rail installed to permit servicing an Ajinomoto plant.

 

Cheers NB

[kvp]

Just a quick question: Third rail as dual (standard/cape) gauge and not as 3rd rail supply? Also the local trams were using standard gauge as on the Daishi line and not 1372mm?

[Socimi]

Just a quick question: Third rail as dual (standard/cape) gauge and not as 3rd rail supply? Also the local trams were using standard gauge as on the Daishi line and not 1372mm?

 

I don't think it was a third rail, because none of these companies used such electrification system, probably it was a dual gauge track since Keikyu uses 1435mm gauge while JNR/JR who uses 1067mm.

 

Also the local tram was using standard gauge tracks with inter-running on the Keikyu Daishi Line.

 

See

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B7%9D%E5%B4%8E%E5%B8%82%E9%9B%BB

Edited November 9, 2016 by DavideTreni

[Nick_Burman]

Just a quick question: Third rail as dual (standard/cape) gauge and not as 3rd rail supply? Also the local trams were using standard gauge as on the Daishi line and not 1372mm?

 

Third rail as in 1067/1435mm gauge. Originally the connection was at Hamakawasaki, just northwest of the station. From there, JNR trains used Kawasaki Municipal Tramway tracks as far as Kojima station, where they switched to Keikyu trackage as far as the plant (which I believe was next to Sangyodoro station, there is a suspicious curve in the street pattern there). Amazingly looking at the Google Earth imagery for the area the whole route is still traceable! When JNR pushed the Tokaido Freight Line through the area the connection was moved to Kojima-Shinden station.

 

Cheers NB

[Khaul]

That's all really interesting. It's a real pity it's so difficult to model different prototypical track gauges in N.

 

Can anyone tell me about the single track concrete viaduct that runs on top of the Tsurumi line for a while? It looks like a connection for the Tokaido freight line to the Tokaido main line through a missing link somewhere near Tsurumi station.

Edited December 16, 2016 by Khaul

[Nick_Burman]

That's all really interesting. It's a real pity it's so difficult to model different prototypical track gauges in N.

 

Can anyone tell me about the single track concrete that runs on top of the Tsurumi line for a while? It looks like a connection for the Tokaido freight line to the Tokaido main line through a missing link somewhere near Tsurumi station.

 

 

Still, a C11 or C12 with a long string of "Ajitamu" (Ajinomoto TaMu5000 tank cars) meeting a tramcar on prw would look very unusual and interesting.

 

 

There never was a connection at Tsurumi station, this was a passenger only station. All freight comes in or goes out via the Nambu Line from Hamakawasaki. The Hamakawasaki viaduct connected the Tsurumi line to the Tokaido Freight line and to Kojima Yard. This has been out of service for quite a while, however it has not been demolished because of the cost and also because of recurrent plans to create a second Keihin Tohoku Line using bits of the Tsurumi Line and TFL.

 

Cheers NB

Edited November 10, 2016 by Nick_Burman

[Khaul]

Thanks Nick, that's again very informative. I suppose what is left of freight in the Tsurumi goes through the little yard in Hamakawasaki, right?

[TheNicofabi]

This... IS AMAZING! I've actually not thought of the way you did it with the station in the middle and crossing there at all... looking forward for more updates!

[Khaul]

The transition piece between the level crossing and the stairs access to the platform is made of 2mmx1.5mm balsa sticks glued together, covered with Tamiya putty and painted grey to sort of match the Kato standard grey. The steps are 1.5mm high. That's a bit tall for the scale but not too bad. The station entry is over two 1.5mm balsa sheets glued together. I also used the Tamiya putty, sanded and painted. I have realised balsa is not rigid enough so I'll have to glue everything to a modular wooden base. Now it is all about negotiating with the missus to find cabinet space...

[Nick_Burman]

Thanks Nick, that's again very informative. I suppose what is left of freight in the Tsurumi goes through the little yard in Hamakawasaki, right?

 

These days possibly just to allow locos to run around their trains.

 

Cheers NB

[Khaul]

Today I've adding some detail to the station and experimenting with track painting. I put a couple of coats of a brown acrylic on the rail sides and then added a touch of my new rust colour. Some of it also went on the station roof. The rust colour was not dry when I took the picture. I hope it will get to look a bit better when dry. In any case, the getaden looks really cool in this little scene, see below. I am looking at getting some wood board to built the stations modules next week.

 

Edited October 17, 2017 by Khaul
Fixing image attachment

[Khaul]

Alright, the first station module is almost ready, It is actually Module 2 in the diagram:

The idea is to start by building modules for the station and the freight sidings. Those could be used according to the table top track plan or in a more free temporary floor layout. In any case the modules need to allow an easy connection with sectional track. That rules our T-Track modules as they are far too high (70-100mm). My modules are just 17.5mm high. There is a frame made of 12.5mm balsa wood square sticks covered by 2.5mm boxboard. Glue is PVA. The construction is very simple are only requires a cutting board, a steel ruler and a modeller's knife. 

 

Initially everything looked good. I was about to start the construction of the other station module when I noticed a bit of a warp. Oh no!

 

So I have decided to add a sheet of boxboard on the other side to add rigidity. I expect this sandwich structure to be strong enough. There are no cables below module 2 so this is an easy sandwich. I will leave an opening on the bottom of the modules with connectors. Should be fine. This is how module 2 looks now:

 

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2017 by Khaul
Fixing image links

[Jace]

Neat. Just a historical note, the area around Kojimacho once had passenger service, however this was provided by Keikyu on its Daishi Line. In 1963 JNR built the Kojima Yard and Keikyu decided not to spend money on a new bridge, cutting the line back to Kojima-Shinden station. The line once upon a time shared tracks both with Kawasaki town trams and with JNR who had a third rail installed to permit servicing an Ajinomoto plant.

 

Cheers NB

 

Just found a photo of the JR connection to the west of the Kojima-Shinden station on the then single track Keikyu Daishi line:

 

http://g-gauge.world.coocan.jp/PROTOTYPE/KANAGAWA/kanagawa501.jpg

 

Great area. I was out there for the first time in October, but now I'll have even more reason to go back and explore some more! Among the many highlights then was having a low-noise DE11-2000 sneak up on me in Hama-Kawasaki.

[kvp]

on the then single track Keikyu Daishi line

Isn't it still single track from Sangyodoro until a bit before the terminus? Btw. the second platform track at Kojima-Shinden seems to be where the smaller gauge tracks went in the past. It's a very interesting area indeed! Mixed use industrial residential with lots of trains and easy ways to see them.

[Khaul]

I have been testing how the tracks go in module. There is a lot of work to do, i.e. in the level crossing, but things are starting to look nice. Once the tracks are glued I will paint the rails, add vegetation, the road, fix the details etc. A few pictures below.

 

 

Edited October 17, 2017 by Khaul
Foxing image links

[NXCALE]

It's a real pity it's so difficult to model different prototypical track gauges in N.

 

Hi,

Just in case, her below an example of dual gauge points.

 

You have an interesting project, keep it up.

 

Cheers,

Edited December 18, 2016 by nxcale

[Khaul]

Hi,

Just in case, her below an example of dual gauge points.

 

You have an interesting project, keep it up.

 

Cheers,

 

 

That looks nice but I think I'll try to keep things simple for the time being... Many thanks for the encouragement. Construction is stopped due to vacations. Looking forward to come back to work in the new year.

[Khaul]

I've got some more work done after the summer vacations. First of all I have done a few changes to the design:

 

going from here

 

to here

 

The new design makes shunting easier. A freight train enters the loop at the bottom of the diagram. The electric loco is detached and goes into the siding at the top left. Then a DD13 will marshal the empties in to the sidings and take the loaded wagons out for the electric to get them out. 

 

I am almost done building the second of the table top modules corresponding to the station area. This one will cable holes for the #6 points. The cables will then come out through a small cutout in the lower cardboard. I am quite happy with how the things are taking shape. The only problem is both modules are a bit too long, about 1mm, so I am up for a bit of sanding.

 

 

I am looking forward to start laying the track and adding detail.

Edited October 17, 2017 by Khaul
Fixing image links

[Khaul]

Things are moving slowly, but I am still getting some done. First of all the track is now glued on module #1:

 

 

I also keep tinkering with my particular obsession, the level crossing access to the island platform.

 

My initial solution makes passengers go down the stairs and then back up again.

 

I think I can do better than that. I started building a new piece, see below. I'll install the boom barrier properly, paint and kitbash some fences to make it look better. I am now considering using some parts of the Tomytec crossing C to replace the Kato. Is there a prototype for the Kato crossing? An alternative would be to paint it to make it look better.

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2017 by Khaul
Fixing image links

[kvp]

I think you might want to check the height clearance at the bottom end of the sloping roof. From the picture it looks like it's too low for N scale passengers as it is now..

[Khaul]

Yes, I need to check that. Good catch.

[Khaul]

Man, it's been a long day of work!

[Khaul]

First of all, I have finally glued the track to the second module. The joint of the two modules works perfectly fine, both mechanically and electrically. Unijoiners make both things straightforward. The table top modular approach is a success so far, but I have learnt a few things probably worth considering:

 

-trains are a tad noisier when running on the modules.

 

-balsa wood is not the best choice for the frame. I had to glue a layer of cardboard below the modules to keep them straight. Not a huge inconvenience overall, but I would have chosen a stronger wood if I was to start from scratch.

 

- I installed bases to the catenary poles at the 248mm intervals plus some extra near the points. Additionally I also put some next to the module joints so the tracks meet at the same level and there is more glued surface near the joint. PVA works very well keeping the track in place so it would have been fine to just put glue on the edges of the track without the catenary bases going across. 

 

An illustration of some of the points above

 

I have also been thinking about future expansions to the design, see the track plan below. The idea is that the connection to the network is through the viaduct. Now there are two connections to industries inside the loop. The loop can be now left visible, inspired in the Toshiba Shibaura loop. The viaduct is inspired in the now unused elevated single track connection between the Tsurumi line and the Kawasaki freight yard.The main line is electrified until the end of the station, the rest of the loop, the industrial branches are not so a diesel loco takes is needed for shunting. The upper straight part of the viaduct can be hidden by scenery separation so EMUs can travel point to point to the station, or could otherwise connect to a fiddle yard... (I see that last part a bit far fetched given the current space limits). Note that everything can still work with just one controller in DC. With two controllers and a bit of insulated areas, cables, switches and a sensible 8 year old I could two trains at a time.

 

"Crazy track plan"

Edited October 18, 2017 by Khaul
Fixing image links

[velotrain]

I would suggest reversing the crossing just before the viaduct starts so you have a passing track.

 

You already have a crossing going in that direction on the other side of the layout, so I don't see what this one adds, and it could help operations if reversed.