Prototypes for compact shelf layouts.

[marknewton]

Elsewhere in the forum we've discussed Okawa station and yard on the Tsurumi line as an interesting location that would make a good basis for a shelf layout:

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/4-kato-new-releases/page-100?do=findComment&comment=151014

 

That's one possibility for JNR modellers, but what about locations for someone interested in private electric lines or tramways?

 

I reckon that Chuohirosaki on the Konan Railway would make a great compact shelf layout. It's a single track, single track terminus alongside a canalised river. It wouldn't have much operational potential, true, but it could be a showcase for high quality, highly detailed train and structure models:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chuohirosaki+Station,+1+Yoshinochō,+Hirosaki-shi,+Aomori-ken+036-8188,+Japan/@40.5999655,140.4719905,11z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x5f9b01ef2423bf99:0x2f0eb4f289364e42

 

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/pajero4900_omiya/33803910.html

 

And for tramway modellers, I think the Keirinjomae stop on the Toyohashi Tramway would be a great subject. The tram line goes from double track to single, there's a substantial tram stop in the street, and there's a tiny two-track yard from stabling cars next to the traffic office:

 

https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Keirinjo-Mae+Station,+Michiai+Iwatachō,+Toyohashi-shi,+Aichi-ken+440-0832,+Japan/@34.765087,137.416835,10z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x6004d28cda2669cb:0x2993dd82b27a98f9?hl=en-au

 

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daina7244/GALLERY/show_image_v2.html?id=http%3A%2F%2Fblog-001.west.edge.storage-yahoo.jp%2Fres%2Fblog-bf-88%2Fdaina7244%2Ffolder%2F978737%2F49%2F33824649%2Fimg_1%3F1390017363&i=1

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[kvp]

For a two track pass-through station, i would say Tonosawa on the Hakone-Tozan line is a good location. The station is between two double track tunnel portals, but just inside the mountain, the two tracks are joined into a single track line. In practice, this means, that ít's possible to make a shelf layout that has two storage sidings in the mountains and allows up to two trains to shuttle back and forth. The Hakone-Tozan cars allow the use of R140 Tomix turnouts partially hidden (like the prototype) in the tunnels, while the mountainside creates a natural backdrop from 3 directions.

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A1%94%E3%83%8E%E6%B2%A2%E9%A7%85

[Nick_Burman]

Both Takasaki and Shimonita on the Joshin Dentetsu would also make good layout subjects. With the added possibility of some freight.

 

Speaking of Hirosaki, has anyone noticed that goods-yard sized container terminal at JR Hirosaki? The perfect excuse for a small container terminal!

 

Cheers NB

Edited February 13, 2017 by Nick_Burman

[velotrain]

If you want a minimal space container yard, how about this one on the Keiyo Linhai / Keiyo Rinkai

 

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://chibatrain.blog.fc2.com/blog-category-126.html&prev=search

[Khaul]

And how about a switch back station as an inspiration? http://www.jreast.co.jp/NAGANO/furusato/english/obasute.html

[marknewton]

Thanks folks, they're all interesting suggestions, but I should have made it clearer that I was thinking specifically about compact shelf layouts in HO scale. There's an increasing number of very nice HO scale models of JNR, private railway and tramway subjects coming onto the market, which is what made me start looking at prototype locations that could form the basis for shelf layouts. I'm thinking of scenes with simple track formations that would be more moving dioramas than anything else, so they could be built quickly and not take up too much space

 

But as I said, all of these suggestions are interesting, so please keep them coming.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Ken Ford]

Mark, watching with interest - there must be a nearly uncountable number of small terminals that would qualify. I think the biggest problem is the limited selection of HO equipment that is available.

 

If someone were to start making modern Randen trams in HO, my wallet would take a near fatal hit - Kitano-Hakubaichō would make an ideal prototype terminal to model.

[kvp]

For one thing, the Hakone Tozan is great for H0 (and rolling stock is available) and if you limit the stations (like the example above) to 2 cars, then you can get away with a nice smaller shelf layout.

 

If you are looking for something smaller, then imho there was a nice tram terminus somewhere in Japan, that was built above a small stream. A single track single car tram stop ending in a buffer is one of the smallest dioramas that are possible to built without compressing anything. Btw. does anyone remember the name of the stop i'm talking about?

[bikkuri bahn]

Mark, here is a real gem, the Kita-ena Railway terminus at Nakatsu-machi.  A very nice wood two story station headhouse (the second floor housed the railway HQ office) with a single platform, an adjacent (large) loading dock for a paper mill, a rolling stock shed, and a connection with the JNR Chuo Line, which allows interchange freight traffic, in addition to the coming and goings of local passenger services. Plenty of operational interest, chances to build structures, and undeniable "railroadiness" coupled with rural/semi-rural traction atmosphere. 

http://www.filmscan-print-s.com/0523-KITAENA-01.html

 

http://tsushima-keibendo.a.la9.jp/kitaena-tounou/kitaena2.html

 

*actually building this with a slight curve (even if not as sharp as the prototype) would make the layout more appealing, and give an illlusion of it being longer

 

*here is the modern view of the station site.  Where the track was is now a road, and the station building is now a parking lot...

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.5023911,137.5030549,3a,75y,346.19h,76.1t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4MCDz70xuzl8dOQngG4boQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Edited February 16, 2017 by bikkuri bahn

[velotrain]

I'm surprised by how littered the yard appears.

[kvp]

Some of that litter seems to be clean sheets of paper flying in the wind with a boxcar being loaded with what appears to be paper, so my guess is a loading accident. On the rest of the images, the tracks look to be very clean.

 

ps: Does anyone have a trackplan or could draw one from the pictures?

Edited February 16, 2017 by kvp

[velotrain]

I see it in multiple images on each link - unless they were all taken the same day?

Edited February 16, 2017 by velotrain

[Jace]

 

Mark, here is a real gem, the Kita-ena Railway terminus at Nakatsu-machi. 

 

 

Some more shots at the same location:

 

http://satoyama.in/auto/sharyo/auto379.html

 

http://satoyama.in/auto/sharyo/auto380.html

 

http://satoyama.in/auto/sharyo/auto381.html

[Ken Ford]

 

Mark, here is a real gem, the Kita-ena Railway terminus at Nakatsu-machi.  A very nice wood two story station headhouse (the second floor housed the railway HQ office) with a single platform, an adjacent (large) loading dock for a paper mill, a rolling stock shed, and a connection with the JNR Chuo Line, which allows interchange freight traffic, in addition to the coming and goings of local passenger services. Plenty of operational interest, chances to build structures, and undeniable "railroadiness" coupled with rural/semi-rural traction atmosphere. 

http://www.filmscan-print-s.com/0523-KITAENA-01.html

 

http://tsushima-keibendo.a.la9.jp/kitaena-tounou/kitaena2.html

 

*actually building this with a slight curve (even if not as sharp as the prototype) would make the layout more appealing, and give an illlusion of it being longer

 

*here is the modern view of the station site.  Where the track was is now a road, and the station building is now a parking lot...

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.5023911,137.5030549,3a,75y,346.19h,76.1t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4MCDz70xuzl8dOQngG4boQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

What a find - thank you!

 

Are the EMUs anything like available HO models?

[Nick_Burman]

What a find - thank you!

 

Are the EMUs anything like available HO models?

 

AFAIK most were ex-Meitetsu. If you could find a kit for a 600 you'll be heading the right way...

 

Cheers NB