New Kato Tora 90000 set (Long)

[velotrain]

As no doubt others have, I ordered this when it was announced.  I'm not a Seahawks fan, but these are a must have item for anyone who is ;-)

 

 

http://slist.amiami.com/top/search/list?s_keywords=tora+90000&submit=Search&pagemax=40

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=101&cat=&state=&sold=0&sortid=0&searchkey=tora+90000

 

 

I've been doing some research on the proto versions of these cars.  I don't know if the Kato model will include the canvas (?) tarps used to cover them when loaded, or if these - and removable loads, will be available separately.

 

MicroAce released a 12-car set in 2013 that did include a crude cast cover.  As is always the case in these situations, only one mold is used for the cover, so while the cars have unique numbers, they look like they're all carrying identically shaped loads.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10206559/20/4

 

 

Kawai previously issued sets with scale chips included.

 

http://atc-hayashi.art.coocan.jp/kawai-kp-251_1.jpg

 

I wonder if anyone offers appropriate chips now?  A search for "wood chip" on HS had no hits, but it's often hard to guess how they label stuff.  I did later see some by Kawai Shokai from 13 years ago.  A pre-formed lift-out load would seem to make more sense than loose chips - there could be some for the US market that would work, although certainly longer for SP and other chip service cars, and not molded deep enough, so the foam base would show through the neon mesh.

 

 

I did find an image of a model having tie-down ropes on what looks like a fabric tarp, but I'm guessing it's O-scale - or at least HO.  The site resisted Google translate - others might have luck.

 

https://www.kasyalabo.com/tora90000

 

 

At first I thought the wood chips were a by-product from lumber sawmills and/or furniture manufacturers, but it looks like at least some/most/all may be intentionally produced for the paper industry.

 

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/komume1973/e/b2ea5bed34972049952497faa1e57f0f

 

 

I have found some smaller chip loading operations that are appropriate for a layout.

 

 

http://www.geocities.jp/silkroad_7152/tabi/198208-hokkaido/8-17/FH020004-tora.jpg

 

There are a couple of fully loaded trailers parked, and I'm guessing they might be unloaded by putting them on a tilting platform and opening the rear doors - other ideas welcome.

 

 

http://ottyanntrainalbum.cocolog-nifty.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/25/58122.jpg

 

To me it looks like these chips could be a by-product of some other process, mostly because this scene looks reminiscent of large-scale woodworking shops - but then it could just be a small-scale commercial chip factory.

 

 

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kotehasitetudou/e/481644f2774dc69553dc2367e5554bed

 

This one is a real puzzle.  I can only imagine that a truck, with chips loaded in lift up bins, drives up on the dirt road and the ancient pillar crane hoists them up and tips them into the car, probably with some human guidance.

 

 

http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/tetsumo/diary/200703150000/

 

This scene could take the least space to model, as it lends itself well as a backscene (apparently a UK term), just in front of the skyboard (or is a"decorated" skyboard itself the backscene?), with as much depth as you can spare.  What I'm really curious about is just how they got that huge pile of chips into the building?  You could have some fun at exhibitions by extending that screen in front of the loading area.  Either drop a load and cover by hand, or exchange a loaded car for an empty.

 

 

I've had no luck finding photos of Tora 90000's at paper plants, but that could be just as well as they seem to be immense, sprawling facilities - with parts of them not looking all that unlike chemical plants.  There may be images somewhere of smaller Showa era mills, and it might be possible to just model the chip unloading area - whatever those might look like.

 

 

The WaMu 480000 series seems to be the replacement for the 90000's.  It looks like a low boxcar with a central hole in the roof - with a permanently mounted roll-out cover, and discharge doors on the lower part of each side.  I'm sure they're much more efficient, but not nearly as colorful.

 

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/yo1414na/GALLERY/show_image_v2.html?id=http%3A%2F%2Fblog-001.west.edge.storage-yahoo.jp%2Fres%2Fblog-10-1f%2Fyo1414na%2Ffolder%2F506669%2F42%2F60953942%2Fimg_4%3F1347072199&i=1

 

Apparently the two types were used together - at least through 1999, when this was shot.

 

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/exptokiwa2/GALLERY/show_image_v2.html?id=http%3A%2F%2Fblog-001.west.edge.storage-yahoo.jp%2Fres%2Fblog-16-13%2Fexptokiwa2%2Ffolder%2F298320%2F57%2F5046957%2Fimg_0%3F1287741721&i=1

 

According to the Sumida Crossing site

http://www.sumidacrossing.org/Prototype/JRFreight/FreightCars/

 

- speaking of the 380000 cars, "Some were converted to the 480000 series in 1998 to carry woodchips, but use of these ended in 2008."

[cteno4]

Charles,

 

The Kawai chips are basically some rough saw dust that's been sifted. Try the saw at the local big box for a handful of sawdust and sift out the dust for the rougher bits.

 

From memory the kawai stuff is probably overscale, I think it's like 1mm+ so 6"+ scale so probably a bit large. I'll pull mine out and look at it again. I think the tarp materials was just a thin beige plastic, about like a beige store plastic bag.

 

Jeff

[velotrain]

Jeff - My thought was to cut blocks of foam, with a profile (both end and side) somewhat like this.

 

 

Paint some white glue on the upper surfaces (above the solid steel portion of the car) and then dip in sawdust.  Press down on the side planes to flatten it as much as possible.  It looks like some shippers level off the load, while others leave it rounded.

 

One issue is getting it to look like the mesh is retaining the chips, without the load getting caught on the mesh when adding or removing it.  That could be enough of an issue so it would make more sense to simply have half of the cars empty and the other half loaded.  Sometimes a few of these would be in a mixed freight consist, while other times designated trains with some 30 cars - their light weight made them a good candidate for long trains with a relatively small engine.

 

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/osk_railjapan/GALLERY/show_image_v2.html?id=http%3A%2F%2Fblog-001.west.edge.storage-yahoo.jp%2Fres%2Fblog-bf-d7%2Fosk_railjapan%2Ffolder%2F539161%2F55%2F8027455%2Fimg_10%3F1415603590&i=1

 

 

 

[cteno4]

That should work. Just a block of foam coated with the sawdust and then tarp on top.

 

They are nice looking cars, I had picked up a couple of pairs as well as the larger kawai set as I thought they would look nice in a longer rake.

 

Jeff