Planning Aizu

[Pashina12]

So moving up the line from Nakaarai we come to the biggest spot on the line, Aizu-Tajima, which had the largest yard on the line.

 

1. The approach, coming upwards from Takinohara, is this sweeping 90 degree turn with two road bridges. Modelling it in scale would need a rather large tract of land... but since it's just a quarter of a circle, it could fairly easily be compressed to whatever standard radius I decide on, since the (IMO) only key element of the scene is the bridge over the road. I wouldn't say this is vital, but it is fairly important. And it occurs to me that if I keep the track-end parts fairly nondescript, if space needs I could use it "backwards" and have the Tajima module(s) turned the other way round, to set up Takinohara - Tajima in a U shape instead of the S-like shape it has in reality.

 

2. Aizu-Tajima I've already examined in some detail in an earlier post, so I won't go over that again. Notable right now is that to model it in actual scale would need a massive chunk of real estate - 2' by 14': far larger than is really feasible even with a modular approach, so it's gonna need a significant amount of compression. The second picture shows the track arrangement as it used to be. Initial thoughts regarding compression would be... merging tracks Up 1 and 2 - so turnout 56 would become 85i, and eliminating track and Down Freight 3. I could possibly go a bit further and just go with the track layout as it is now in that area, though adding 53i/53ro, as visually that level crossing over the "double Z" formed by the track is quite interesting, and it'd leave open the option to go with just a single Down Freight track as there is now, or with two such tracks as there used to be. I'm not sure how much platform length could be shortened, but rearranging the positioning of the turntable and the engine house a little bit so that they're basically side by side and dispensing with the house there could help towards shortening the scene by a whole foot. Shortening the length of the Down Freight tracks, as well as shortening the length of the track at the chip loading facility, could also help a lot with compressing the scene.

 

This is something I'll have to put a lot more thought into, as this is another mandatory location, being one of the two reasons (besides Takinohara) for the existence of the line in the first place.

[Pashina12]

Follow-up to Itozawa and Nakaarai: both used to have different (bigger) station buildings. Nakaarai's looks fairly standard for the line from the street side (I don't have a trackside view of the old station), while Itozawa's looks fairly standard from the trackside - but the street side is redone in what seems to be (poorly ageing) concrete or stucco. Also, the hydro substation was not present at Itozawa. From what info I've got, I could do Nakaarai with the MicroAce/Arii No. 10 Station kit as it is, and Itozawa I could build using the roof and track side of the same kit, and replacing the street side and the sides with scratchbuilt walls. Pretty straightforward.

Edited November 19, 2017 by Pashina12
+ "and"

[Pashina12]

And continuing along the line once again.

 

After leaving Tajima, we soon come to the Mizunashigawa Bridge. This is another very long scene (9 feet), of which the railway bridge itself would be about seven feet long to scale. I'm not sure I could scale it to be less than about 2' 6" long, and still keep the visual effect of the scene intact. This isn't a vital spot, really, but if I'm going to have both Tajima and Tabehara (the following station) represented, it would really cement the location having this scene between the two stations.

 

Next is Tabehara Station, which I've already discussed.

 

After that comes Aizu-Nagano. This is like Arakai in having its only really noticeable feature being that it's really long - the platform itself would be about 3' long in 1:150. The gold line shows where I'm fairly sure there was a second track, judging from the curves in the existing track - which curves seem rather unnecessary and inexplicable, if there wasn't a second track there. The former location of the station building was much further back from the platform than the current one is, which also suggests the existence of that second track. The fact that this is also a timing point on freight TTs, as well as a spot where trains did meet, convince me that that second track did indeed exist. The oldest photos of Aizu-Nagano that I've found are from 1973/74, by which point the second track was gone. Lastly, the old photos as well as the current overhead suggest to me that there was also a third stub track for freight loading that would've ended to the left side of the current station building in the overhead photo. Again, had this been there it was gone by 1974, but I'm convinced enough that they did exist once upon a time that when/if I build a module to represent Aizu-Nagano, I'll include both of these now-gone tracks.

 

Not long after leaving Nagano we come to the Kadotanigawa Bridge... which would be another element that would be absolutely enormous if built to scale. But like the curve approaching Tajima, this could be scaled down to fit whatever radius of curve I want there - perhaps even more easily than the one at Tajima.

 

For this section from Tajima to Aizu-Ochiai (the next station, see the next post), I think the whole thing could be scaled back to just the Kadotanigawa Bridge as the absolute minimum.

 

So far from Takinohara to here I've covered Takinohara - Sannōgawa Bridge - Itozawa - Arakai - Nakaarai - Tajima Curve - Tajima - Mizunashigawa Bridge - Tabehara - Aizu-Nagano - Kadotanigawa Bridge, and Aizu-Ochiai is the next stop. Thinking in terms of minimums, at the most minimal I think this could be reduced to Takinohara - Sannōgawa Bridge - Tajima Curve - Tajima - Kadotanigawa Bridge, with some nondescript filler modules between the "named locations". A somewhat fuller representation that would be closer to the ideal for me would be Takinohara - Sannōgawa Bridge - (Itozawa - Nakaarai, or Arakai) - Tajima Curve - Tajima - Aizu-Nagano - Kadotanigawa Bridge - Ochiai; a different variation of this would be the same up to Tajima, then continuing as Mizunashigawa - Tabehara - Ochiai, with or without the Kadotanigawa Bridge.

 

[Pashina12]

So I made an observation of something I hadn't noticed before about the station signboards. The newer ones are made of metal, indicate the place's location in prefecture-gun-machi, and look to have the inscriptions printed on with a uniform typeface. The older ones, however, were made of wood, do not indicate prefecture etc., and seemingly hand-painted, as there are variations in the shape of the letters as well as some unevenness in size and stroke thickness. Further, of the old ones there were two variants: one was black lettering on white; these signs were used on the platforms; the other was white lettering on blue; these were mounted on the station building itself. To take a bit of a break from other things, I started drawing some of these out, eventually to print out for use on models (does anyone know of software that can convert a bitmap to a vector image?)

[Kiha66]

What software did you make these in?  Text is usually a vector file till it is rasterized, so it would be best to save it as a vector in the original program.  I know sometimes the metal signs are also hand painted, Ogushigo in Nagasaki still had its original metal sign on the station back when I visited in 2015.

[Pashina12]

I made them in GIMP, but I drew every character by hand, copying from an enlarged image so as to get the shape of each character/letter right. IOW it's a drawing,  not a font.

[Kiha66]

Impressive tracing!  I tried to quickly convert it to a vector with Photoshop's smart selection, but it doesn't do the best job unfortunately.  If I have spare time in the next few days I can try looking for some other options.  Shrinking the images as a bitmap for print shouldn't be a problem though, have you tried some test prints?  It's been a while since I did any graphic design, so I'm a bit rusty at this. 

[Pashina12]

Thanks! It took a bit of time but it wasn't unpleasant. I haven't tried any test prints as my printer is presently out of service. It's an inkjet anyways,  I think a laser might be better? 

 

As for the smart selection thing - might it help to first remove the background colour so it's on a transparent background,  convert,  then recolour?

[Densha]

I always use Inkscape for vector work. Might be better to use software like that for designing stuff like this.

 

But like Kiha66 already said, I'd guess the resolution of your PNG files is already plenty for usage at such a small scale as 1/150.

[Pashina12]

Let's continue up the line!

 

After leaving Aizu-Nagano, the next station we come to is Aizu-Ochiai. Today this is a single track station, but there are several clues that suggest that there was a second track there in the past. Firstly, the layout of the station and the location of the building, which is set quite far back from the track - easily far enough back to accommodate a second track. The crossing on the right side of the image also seems to show evidence of a second track there (where I've circled it). The fact that it was a timing point and a meeting spot for trains also strongly suggests to me that a second track must have existed there. The station building itself was a shorter variant of the standard design of the MicroAce/Arii No. 10 station kit; this has since been replaced by a new structure that looks completely different. To model this in scale would make it 6' in length, but through shortening the platform/station tracks, and making the curve of the road sharper, I think the overall length could be brought down to four feet. However, I don't think this station is particularly necessary to build - the next station, Narahara, is a larger one, to where train meetups that are skedded to happen at Ochiai can be moved.

 

Next we come to the first of the Ōgawa bridges, the No. 6 Ōgawa Bridge. The bridge itself is of particularly boring appearance, just a plain deck girder bridge on round pillars, and the scene, though pretty enough, isn't particularly memorable. One could even say it's "just another bridge over a river". It could be modelled to scale on a four foot length, but of the six Ōgawa bridges this is the only one I've given no thought at all to modelling.

 

Narahara is a rather sizeable station, formerly having four tracks; the location of the fourth track next to the freight platform is still clearly visible. There was freight service here, it was a timing point, and train meets happened here, giving good reason for it to be modelled. It's also the downwards end of the most picturesque section of the line from here to Kuwabara, which I think also adds reason to model it, to give the representation of that section a sort of closure; if you're familiar with the line, I think that if you're looking along at a representation of the bridge-tunnel-bridge-etc section from Kuwabara, you're going to be expecting Narahara to cap it off. As such it's on my list of locations of some importance, though not amongst the top five. But I will eventually build this. The station/yard area itself could be modelled to scale in 7', I think the most that it could be shortened to would be six feet, if I'm still wanting to include the actual track layout, and still have the track at the freight platform to be of a useful length. If I drop that fourth track, though, and move the freight platform in to the third track (where the MoW equipment is in the image), I think the yard area could be shrunk to fit into five feet.

 

About 200 1:1 feet after passing over the last turnout of the yard we reach a small level crossing. Just past that there is a little bridge over a stream, followed by another street crossing; this second street leads to a small industry adjacent to the track, though not rail-served. However, it's easy enough to imagine that stuff might have been taken by truck between there and the freight station. I'm thinking that that module could be shortened to three feet, or maybe even 2' 6" (shortening the bridge and removing some of the buildings to the left of the street), and then if I dispense with the first level crossing, would have the rail line come out of the station right onto the bridge and through that level crossing, and could then represent the entire area on three sections totalling as little as 7' 6"...

[Pashina12]

This is a bigger chunk...

 

Continuing towards Wakamatsu, after leaving Narahara we turn right, go through a tunnel, and come out into another of the Aizu Line's signature scenes - I think that picture should make it pretty obvious why I think this is one of the "must model" scenes. The scene in the picture can be done to scale in a four-foot space, so I think initially this is something I'd do on say three 2' 6" sections, with the third one having the bridge over the road.. could even do that third section as say a 3' x 3' (total, with truncated corner) corner module to cover the bridge and the rest of the curve back to the straight line? And after those three are done can always expand it by building two more 2' 6" (ish) modules, which would make it a just-about scale-length representation.

 

Around the corner coming off the overpass over the road, we come to the little halt at Yagoshima. It's not a particularly exciting scene, but it's simple, and I think the old station building (since the photo completely remodelled) is kinda cute. And the station/platform itself could be modelled to scale on a 2' section. The building to the left is quite new, and from what I can gather from the one late 60s or early 70s photo I have of the area (long view looking towards the railway from Yagoshima village), I'm p sure there was nothing there back then. It's on my 'maybe' list; not essential by any means, but simple enough to be a relatively quick build to add something to the line.

 

From there we come to the next of the Ōgawa bridges - No. 5. Bridges nos. 5, 4, 3, and 2 are all built to the same design (which was also used on some spots on the Tadami Line), so the bridge itself isn't really something special once the #2 and #3 bridges are done (which two, in addition to #1, are I think the only *essential* ones). But the scene itself is kinda nice with the road bridge there (which back in the day was a long concrete arch bridge similar in design to the shorter one alongside the Kuragawa Bridge)... but absolutely massive, as it'd take the area of a whole sheet of plywood to build in scale. I can think of various ways to compress it, but I think given the amount of compression it'd take to reduce it to a manageable size would kill the effect entirely, so it's doubtful that I'll ever build this.

 

The No. 4 Bridge is just a bridge. Nowhere near essential IMO in a representation of the line, but like Yagoshima station not something that'd be too hard to build down the road.

 

Then we finally reach Yunokami. As I've mentioned before, this is a fairly key spot for various reasons I've already mentioned. If you look at the overview picture (oriented literally: top is upwards, bottom is downwards), you can see that there's three elements of the town that stand out: the road bridge over the rail line, the station itself, and the Onogawa Bridge.

 

Of these, I think the first is the least important, and though it's not big, I'm probably not going to build it - taken overall I think it only gets some importance if the No. 4 Ōgawa Bridge is also modelled. The Onogawa Bridge is a nice scene, and while I don't think it's *vital*, I do think it adds a fair bit to the overall scene. And it's not big, could fit a 3' module done in scale. So a possibility, but not a certainty.

 

The station itself is trickier, but pretty high up on the importance level. No longer there now, but there was also another stub track coming off the Up Main, alongside the road. At a guess I think the overall length could be brought down to seven or maybe six feet, but it'll still need to be fairly wide, because the curve of the station tracks is an important element of the scene. That should also add to the "fun" of figuring out how to model it, considering module edges/joining of tracks... I've got this rated as "very important but really not keen on tackling..." :D

[marknewton]

7 hours ago, Pashina12 said:

Continuing towards Wakamatsu, after leaving Narahara we turn right, go through a tunnel, and come out into another of the Aizu Line's signature scenes - I think that picture should make it pretty obvious why I think this is one of the "must model" scenes...

 

Wow! That's spectacular! 

 

Mark.

[Pashina12]

Isn't it? It's a huge part of why I'm so keen on modelling this line.

[Pashina12]

Finally we reach the section that's been gone since the construction of the Ōgawa Dam. The first picture is the No. 3 Ōgawa Bridge, which is still in place and in use before it enters the tunnel mouth. Interesting (though I suppose obvious) that they used the same tunnel mouth to end the new tunnel that bypassed the flooded section. As I mentioned previously, bridges nos. 2, 3, and 4 are the same design, just differing in length. The second picture I drew in the location of the old line, somewhat inaccurately as it should be further "up" in the image, but it does give a rough idea.

 

The third photo is an aerial photo taken in 1976 of the area between the No. 3 Bridge and just before the upper entrance to the Funako Tunnel (between Funako and Kuwabara). I've indicated the location of the railway line in green, and highlighted the other items of interest. And, in blue, I outlined the approximate water line as it is today. The current Ashinomaki Onsen Station is basically just up the hill (to the right) of where Kuwabara Station was. Unfortunately I don't know the scale of this image, so I haven't tried to do a module-frame thing with this picture. What I'm going to do instead is either find a free track planning software that'll co-operate with my computer (my OS is based on Debian old old old stable - too old to update anymore), or just get some turnouts and flex track and try to lay out the scene(s) physically, to determine module sizes etc. The various structures I ordered the other day (aside from the No. 10 Station kit) were ordered specifically for this purpose, as they're fairly similar to what was at Kuwabara. Basically what I need to represent here is Kuwabara Station and the two bridges, flanked by the very short tunnel immediately after the bridge, and the tunnel mouth up the line from the station. That part up from the station can easily be compressed, and I think the bridges can be shortened somewhat to a more manageable size, too. But this bit, Kuwabara and the No. 1 Bridge, is absolutely essential - if this isn't going to be represented, I may as well be modelling any other line.

 

Running over the line like this makes it really jump out that the line divides itself into two entities, kinda... the Takinohara ~ Yunokami section is where everything is that gives operational interest, but it's the Yunokami ~ Kuwabara ~ Kamimiyori section that gives the real visually important elements - the scenes that make me want to model this line in specific, the extension of what I just said - without representing this section to some degree, I could just as well pick any other location to model... indeed I already have found a number of other spots that are more interesting from an operational point of view, but I'm far too enamoured with a number of the scenes on this line to give up on it.

 

I'll post on the Kuwabara - Nishi-Wakamatsu section later...

[Pashina12]

Let's get the rest of the way through the line...

 

First pic here is the Kuragawa Bridge, which I've already discussed in some depth. Maybe not first, but this *will* be built.

 

The next two show the stretch of line between the Kuragawa Bridge and Kamimiyori Station. I crossed the highway overpass out because that wasn't there back in the day. The smaller of the two is my first concept of how to compress the area.

 

Kamimiyori Station is another I've already discussed in this thread... the 10' space it'd take to model what's on the image in scale, I think can be reduced to 6'.

 

To model the entire section from downwards end of the Kuragawa Bridge to the upwards end of Kamimiyori Station would take about 28'. I think this can be reduced to 14' whilst still retaining the various elements of the scene as discrete chunks. If I'm willing to change where/how the road comes into the picture, I think it could be taken down to 10'.

 

Lastly is Monden. Rather boring, but important in reality as a timing point, and rice was shipped from here. Actually once you get past the Kuragawa Bridge the line is basically boring, just straight through flat agricultural land all the way to Nishi-Wakamatsu. It's even occurred to me to have Kuwabara as the upwards end of what I'll model, and have the entrance into the Funako Tunnel there be the scene cut-off, and have the entire Nishi-Wakamatsu ~ Kamimiyori section be just "off-screen" staging, even though that'd deprive me of my favourite bridge on the line, and Kamimiyori Station, which is interesting to me for several reasons...

 

But okay, so that's a brief tour of the line and its highlights. So... how do I determine what to model and what to leave out? And then decide the priorities?

 

Well, my first thought is to look at the line several times with different perspectives. What are the visual elements/scenes on the line that are going to make the layout interesting and fun to look at? What are the elements that are going to make the layout fun to operate, keeping in mind my enjoyment of timetable operations, doing wayfreight work, and shunting? So I'm going to spend a while doing just that, and trying to rank each location in such terms, and then go from there to try to work out a construction plan.

 

Later. Right now I'm going to make a cuppa tea and a sandwich and watch Ponyo.

[velotrain]

> So... how do I determine what to model and what to leave out? And then decide the priorities?

 

> What are the elements that are going to make the layout fun to operate, keeping in mind my enjoyment of timetable operations, doing wayfreight work, and shunting?

 

No doubt you realize the enormity of what you've laid out, and hopefully understand that it's a lifelong project - space and resources are another matter entirely.  Given that, it would make sense to approach it with the very real possibility that you might not complete everything you're imagining.  From there, you could consider the minimum number of elements/modules that would give you some satisfaction if you don't in fact build everything.  I've likely suggested this earlier, but I'd start with a yard module as it will provide some storage and shunting while building other modules - not to mention the opportunity to develop all of the varied skills that even a single module requires to bring it to completion.  Temporary staging modules on either side could progressively be moved as you start additional permanent modules - so long as you calculate in viable alignment as you go, which may well require compromises with the prototype OR temporary connecting track.  After the yard (or simultaneous with it) you could work on a bridge / scenic module to give you some variety, and I realize that these may not be adjacent IRL, but would plan in the ability to do this for the time being.  However, I would suggest completing both of these to a large degree before starting any additional components.  Once you have these and the two staging modules, you could start bringing them to shows and the hopefully positive feedback would help empower you to accomplish more.  Essentially, I'm suggesting that you make sure you don't ever get ahead of yourself, and try to always have something that you'll value (and derive some pleasure from) if for whatever reason you stop short of the entire larger project.  I think one thing you have going for yourself is the level to which you're approaching it as a research project, so that can be a separate activity / satisfaction aside from any physical progress.  Good luck.

 

[Pashina12]

53 minutes ago, velotrain said:

 

No doubt you realize the enormity of what you've laid out, and hopefully understand that it's a lifelong project - space and resources are another matter entirely.

 

 

 

You're not wrong - I really do. To the extent, I'll admit, that I've on several occasions considered switching my attention to the nearby Nitchuu Line, which at 11.5 km is a much more manageable size (and a laser kit of Atsushio Station exists...), because that's also an interesting line and much more manageable in size. But every time I do, I remember the reasons that this line grabbed my attention so much, and that there's no fixed schedule or timeframe within which I need to be done - I can take as long as I want/need with it.

 

55 minutes ago, velotrain said:

 

Given that, it would make sense to approach it with the very real possibility that you might not complete everything you're imagining.  From there, you could consider the minimum number of elements/modules that would give you some satisfaction if you don't in fact build everything.  I've likely suggested this earlier, but I'd start with a yard module as it will provide some storage and shunting while building other modules - not to mention the opportunity to develop all of the varied skills that even a single module requires to bring it to completion. 

 

 

I'm pretty sure that I'm not likely to ever complete even the reduced "full" vision I have in my head (nevermind the whole line), and yeah - what you said about considering the minimum number of elements is exactly what I was getting at in my previous post of going over the locations and giving each a ranking as regards operational potential, visual impact, etc., and then using those to work out how important each element is to me.

 

I don't need to do much thinking though, to pick out the top three elements that I want to build, regardless of any other considerations: Aizu-Takinohara with the Sannōgawa Bridge, the cliff-face bridges by Yagoshima, and the now-gone Kuwabara Station with the No. 1 Ōgawa Bridge, though not necessarily in that order - I *have* given a bit of thought to the idea of focussing just on the Kamimiyori - Yunokami section (with the addition of having the cliff-face bridge scene between Yunokami and the Down-end staging module. Although this would remove Takinohara and the Sannōgawa Bridge from the equation (and it was Takinohara itself that first caught my attention on this line), it would include the bulk of the most important scenic elements, whilst being capped with a yard module at each end that do offer some shunting possibilities/"wayfreight action".

 

55 minutes ago, velotrain said:

 Temporary staging modules on either side could progressively be moved as you start additional permanent modules - so long as you calculate in viable alignment as you go, which may well require compromises with the prototype OR temporary connecting track.  After the yard (or simultaneous with it) you could work on a bridge / scenic module to give you some variety, and I realize that these may not be adjacent IRL, but would plan in the ability to do this for the time being.  However, I would suggest completing both of these to a large degree before starting any additional components.  Once you have these and the two staging modules, you could start bringing them to shows and the hopefully positive feedback would help empower you to accomplish more.

 

 

I suppose the big debate I've been having with myself is which yard to start with - Takinohara, Tajima, Narahara, or Yunokami - or Kuwabara. Looking at it from the approach of working on one yard module and one bridge/scenic module at once, these give options like:

 

Takinohara and the Sannōgawa Bridge - pros: Takinohara is what first caught my eye, and offers shunting possibilities, has coaling/watering/turning; it's the end of the line, so it removes the question of whether to expand up the line or down it; it's not going to be *too* difficult to work out a satisfactory compression; the Sannōgawa Bridge is one of the scenic highlights of the line. Cons: operations really would be limited to bringing the train into the scene, then shunting (for passenger trains it would be just bringing it in, stopping it, letting it sit there a while, then taking it away again). The only other real con that I can think of is that it's very far away from the main chunk of interesting scenery.

 

Tajima - pros: largest yard on the line, has engine house and coaling/watering/turning facilities; plenty of shunting possibilities, along with a representation of through operations to/from Takinohara. Cons: largest yard on the line. And it's also a fair ways away from the really pretty part of the line. But it does give two options for a (near) adjacent bridge element - either the Sannōgawa Bridge (via those three little halts/stations that don't need to be done), or the Mizunashigawa Bridge. Overall though I think of the options I'm laying out here, this one attracts me least.

 

Narahara and the Yagoshima cliff-bridges - pros: the yard/station isn't huge, but does have a little bit of shunting to do for wayfreights on the way through, along with a representation of through trains; it's immediately adjacent to one of the most spectacular scenes on the line; working out compression of the station and yard is probably the easiest of this bunch. Cons: the shunting that's present is actually rather limited: setting out/picking up cars to/from the freight platform - not particularly exciting or challenging. Still, kinda tempting, in that there's one relatively easy-to-build element (Narahara) alongside the harder-to-build but stunning scene at the cliff face... which also suggests to me that since that particular scene is likely going to be the jewel in the crown so to speak, it might be best to leave that one for later until I've developed my scenicking skills to higher level.

 

Yunokami - pros: beautiful scene at the station, has a bit of shunting to do for the wayfreights; immediately adjacent to the No. 3 and No. 2 Ōgawa bridges in the one direction, and nearly adjacent to the Yagoshima cliff scene, making it kinda a central point from which to expand, with attractive options to do in either direction. Cons: gonna be a bit more challenging to work out how to compress/adjust the scene to a modellable scope, given the curve in the station; like Narahara - limited shunting options. On the one hand, there's a number of things about this option that make it seem a good idea; on the other... this station scene is the one that I find the most daunting of all.

 

Kuwabara and the No. 1 Ōgawa Bridge - if the idea of modelling a line as a way to represent a place in time is important - which to me it is - then this is perhaps the primary reason to opt for this line: not only is it a long-gone time, but a long-gone place as well. And one of the line's signature locations, too. The biggest point against it is that there's no operational interest here, aside from stopping freight trains to water up the locomotive... and yet I find it very tempting even so.

 

It's hard to decide where to start, but I think I've fairly well ruled Tajima out as a starting point. If I add to this the fact that I like the idea suggested to me by someone else to make the very first module I do be something really easy, that I can build to get my fingers working and have it done in a relatively short time, so that I have *something* finished to motivate me to press on, I think that helps narrow things down a bit. Although my first and current idea for that first module was to do Tabehara because it's an attractive spot, I'm starting to entertain the possibility of something else - either one of the three little stations between the Sannōgawa Bridge and Tajima, or Yagoshima station itself.

 

Actually as I'm writing this I'm finding a number of reasons Yagoshima might be the way to go. It puts me in the middle part of the line. It's right between Yunokami (skipping over the No. 4 and No. 5 Ōgawa bridges) to the one side and the cliff-face scene and Narahara to the other, giving me two possibilities for which yard to build, which are both on the above shortlist. It's a cute little station building. So, if I want to be able to expand the layout with a somewhat prototypical linearity, it's a good spot for that... and having the options open for which way to go next, it lets me commit to remaining non-committal for the time being. And the only scenes that would be as easy to build are Nakaarai or Itozawa between Tajima and Takinohara.... hmmm.

 

55 minutes ago, velotrain said:

 Essentially, I'm suggesting that you make sure you don't ever get ahead of yourself, and try to always have something that you'll value (and derive some pleasure from) if for whatever reason you stop short of the entire larger project.  I think one thing you have going for yourself is the level to which you're approaching it as a research project, so that can be a separate activity / satisfaction aside from any physical progress.  Good luck.

 

 

Hahahaha, yeah, it really has been a research project - which I enjoy immensely in itself (not to mention it's helped me with expanding my Japanese vocabulary!), I have at times come close to forgetting that I'm doing the research because I want to model the line!

 

But really, I'm very much aware of how massive this project is, and that it'll in all likelihood be a lifelong project, and I'm doing my best to keep from getting ahead of myself... if I've been seeming to jump around in what I'm looking at, it's mostly because I'm having quite a hard time with deciding on which specific spot to focus on. But thank you for your post - it's forced me to give some deeper thought to the question, and may well have brought me a good ways closer to the decision.

 

[Pashina12]

Here's a drawing of the station building at Yagoshima. Like I did for Tabehara previously, I took the rough length x width dimensions from the aerial view, and then worked out the remaining dimensions from a number of other photos of the (old) station building. In this case, happily, I had a shot of the street side that was almost square on, but from the track side I had only a couple of sharp-angle views, so the dimensions of the waiting room opening and the opening to the door of the toilet room are just guesses, as are the dimensions of the toilet window.

 

The building has/had a stucco sort of finish. I'm not sure how to reproduce that, but an idea I have is to take a paintbrush, cut the bristles off so they're just really short and stiff, and use that to stipple very thick paint on to the walls. This would be pretty time-consuming, but I think it could maybe work?

[kvp]

On 2017. 11. 22. at 10:38 AM, Pashina12 said:

But thank you for your post - it's forced me to give some deeper thought to the question, and may well have brought me a good ways closer to the decision.

Dumb question: How much space do you have for setting it up? (Preferably for a longer time, but not necessarily.)

[Pashina12]

Well, that's a multi-faceted question. At home, for the moment, not much - about 8' x 2' space that I can use as a "set up and leave it there" space. However, my studio space is about 15' long by 8' wide, and with some rearrangement of my gear (and getting friends to actually take their stuff away that they seem to have "forgotten" there) I could devote one entire long wall to it... though I'd have to wonder A, how would that affect the acoustics of the room (though can't be worse than it is now with people using it as a storage space...), and B, how would occasional long hours of loud noise and the consequent vibrations of heavy bass affect the layout and models...

 

For shorter periods, at home I could set up up to around a 25' length.

[medusa]

Being a silent watcher for some time, I'm really impressed how detailed your research of the prototype landscape is!

[Pashina12]

Thanks! Maybe it shows, but that's actually a big part of the fun for me! I've done similar research into a number of railway lines that I've never really had any thought of modelling, too, but for whatever reason had caught my interest. I really enjoy learning all the things I learn about an area from research like this.

[medusa]

Yeah, I understand well. Sometimes I also like to learn all detail about places on earth I will never visit (abandoned Woomera space launch complex in Australia, for example) but that's OT here...

[Pashina12]

Woomera's a nifty spot, yeah. Vaguely on topic, one of the spots I researched was the Marschbahn and the Hindenburgdamm... building the Hindenburgdamm as a model would be... well you'd get good practice modelling water!

[medusa]

Just now, Pashina12 said:

.. building the Hindenburgdamm as a model would be... well you'd get good practice modelling water!

 

Especially on low tide, I'd say.