Ideas for small urban station

[gavino200]

Below are some pictures of my station. I haven't done any modeling yet. But I want the layout to be all urban. I'm currently planning to add LEDs to the station. If there are going to be lights around the station, it seems like a good idea to wire them now. So this forces my hand to think about the street plan around the station. I wasn't going to do that until later.

 

There isn't much space to work with. I could either try to run roads parallel to the station. Or I could have the end of streets coming obliquely and being cut off by the tracks. Or I could build embankments and have the station an track in sort of a valley. I'm really not sure.

 

I've done some random internet searches. And I'm planning on roaming around Japan on Google Earth looking for inspiration. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a similar shaped station, that I could look up?

 

I'd also love to hear any ideas, or general principles of road/street layout. I'm an absolute beginner at this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2017 by gavino200

[velotrain]

As an initial reaction, I think it would be odd to have this in a valley with the viaduct line so nearby.

 

As you say, there isn't much space to work with.

[Eurostar25]

Looking good, if it were my layout I'd probably go for the usual utilities between the yard and the station - signal boxes, workmen huts, line side markers, maybe a gravel track leading to a signal box, utility poles etc as you've said there isn't a lot of space between the yard and the urban station.

I'd aim for the illusion of a road or at least footpath along the front of the layout with a fence line between the stairs of the overhead transit station and the first rail line from the front edge.

Then perhaps light posts all along the front edge with a paved walkway

[Kiha66]

It seems that lots of small buildings might be the way to go, Higashi-Jūjō Station seems kinda similar.  The elevated roads passing over the houses and tracks but under the shinkansen line might be fun to model, in addition to adding interest to the scene as the trains are momentarily hidden under the overpass.  Two of the yard tracks could be partially covered by a shed, and like Eurostar said lots of various yard items could be placed in between the tracks.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Higashi-Jūjō+Station/

[bill937ca]

Its closer to a private railway station than a JR station. But I think that style of station as typically Japanese.  In Tokyo JR lines often have 4 or more tracks and the stations may have more tracks than that. But that would be very hard to model given its size. Outside Tokyo JR was often cheap and built stations with only three tracks.  Private railways more often went for a full four tracks.

 

There is a Japanese Wikipedia article that translates perhaps poorly to Escape Station.   It is the source of the comment on JR stations..

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BE%85%E9%81%BF%E9%A7%85

 

"Railroad commentator Kawashima Isao isa self-publication, and calls the evacuation station, which is a two-sided three-line and the midline is usable in both directions , as "JNR type wiring" (and "JR type wiring"). It was often used at the escape station of JNR. There is a merit that it can suppress the construction costt. It is an evacuation station that is rarely seen in private railways. After the establishment of JR, there are stations where improvements have been made from 2-sided 3-wire to 2-sided 4-wire."

 

Here's a wiring diagram for several major private railways.

 

Tobu Tojo line.   http://to-jo.info/about/line-map.htm

 

Odakyu Odawara line        https://www.haisenryakuzu.net/documents/pr/odakyu/odawara/

 

Keio Line    http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/mine/keio_s.html

 

Seibu Shinjuku Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/mine/seibus_s.html

 

Keihin Electric Express Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/mine/keikyu_s.html

 

As for JR here is the:

 

Keihin-Tohoku Negishi line :  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/keihin_s.html

 

Chou-Sobu line  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/keihin_s.html

 

Tokaido Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/toukai_s.html

 

Chou Rapid Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/chuou_s.html

 

Musashino Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/musashino_s.html

 

Utsunomiya Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/utunomiya_s.html

Edited April 9, 2017 by bill937ca

[gavino200]

Its closer to a private railway station than a JR station. But I think that style of station as typically Japanese.  In Tokyo JR lines often have 4 or more tracks and the stations may have more tracks than that. But that would be very hard to model given its size. Outside Tokyo JR was often cheap and built stations with only three tracks.  Private railways more often went for a full four tracks.

 

There is a Japanese Wikipedia article that translates perhaps poorly to Escape Station.   It is the source of the comment on JR stations..

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BE%85%E9%81%BF%E9%A7%85

 

"Railroad commentator Kawashima Isao isa self-publication, and calls the evacuation station, which is a two-sided three-line and the midline is usable in both directions , as "JNR type wiring" (and "JR type wiring"). It was often used at the escape station of JNR. There is a merit that it can suppress the construction costt. It is an evacuation station that is rarely seen in private railways. After the establishment of JR, there are stations where improvements have been made from 2-sided 3-wire to 2-sided 4-wire."

 

Here's a wiring diagram for several major private railways.

 

Tobu Tojo line.   http://to-jo.info/about/line-map.htm

 

Odakyu Odawara line        https://www.haisenryakuzu.net/documents/pr/odakyu/odawara/

 

Keio Line    http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/mine/keio_s.html

 

Seibu Shinjuku Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/mine/seibus_s.html

 

Keihin Electric Express Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/mine/keikyu_s.html

 

As for JR here is the:

 

Keihin-Tohoku Negishi line :  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/keihin_s.html

 

Chou-Sobu line  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/keihin_s.html

 

Tokaido Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/toukai_s.html

 

Chou Rapid Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/chuou_s.html

 

Musashino Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/musashino_s.html

 

Utsunomiya Line:  http://okiraku-goraku.com/work/jre/utunomiya_s.html

 

Thanks Bill. That's a super interesting post.

[gavino200]

It seems that lots of small buildings might be the way to go, Higashi-Jūjō Station seems kinda similar.  The elevated roads passing over the houses and tracks but under the shinkansen line might be fun to model, in addition to adding interest to the scene as the trains are momentarily hidden under the overpass.  Two of the yard tracks could be partially covered by a shed, and like Eurostar said lots of various yard items could be placed in between the tracks.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Higashi-Jūjō+Station/

 

Thanks Kiha. Higashi-Jujo is exactly the kind of example I was looking for. There are enough ideas there for me to be able to improvise.

[gavino200]

Looking good, if it were my layout I'd probably go for the usual utilities between the yard and the station - signal boxes, workmen huts, line side markers, maybe a gravel track leading to a signal box, utility poles etc as you've said there isn't a lot of space between the yard and the urban station.

I'd aim for the illusion of a road or at least footpath along the front of the layout with a fence line between the stairs of the overhead transit station and the first rail line from the front edge.

Then perhaps light posts all along the front edge with a paved walkway

 

Thanks, I like the road illusion idea. Also, the small service buildings. 

[gavino200]

It seems that lots of small buildings might be the way to go, Higashi-Jūjō Station seems kinda similar.  The elevated roads passing over the houses and tracks but under the shinkansen line might be fun to model, in addition to adding interest to the scene as the trains are momentarily hidden under the overpass.  Two of the yard tracks could be partially covered by a shed, and like Eurostar said lots of various yard items could be placed in between the tracks.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Higashi-Jūjō+Station/

 

I agree about the road going over the station and under the Shinkansen line. Unfortunately my Shink line is just beginning it's incline and isn't tall enough. But I'm interested in having a road bridge come across the layout at an angle, over all the tracks. I think I'll add that as a future project.

[gavino200]

I'm noticing a lot of small stations have a tiny street running beside them. Regular city sprawl starts right there on the other side of the street. Below is a random google earth shot.

 

Anyone point me in the right direction for authentic Japanese looking fences that don't have the giant base that the Tomytec ones have?

 

[railsquid]

Casco is one option: http://casco.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2010-03-14

[JR 500系]

Casco is one option: http://casco.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2010-03-14

 

I didn't know Casco had a website! That's a good one, thanks for sharing!

 

I think this is the fence that you're looking for?

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10325919

 

There are a number of others too listed on HS, including some from Sankei paper kits. Type 'fence' to search in HS for more results.

 

Funny I am looking for fences too at the moment ~ But mine is for residential houses instead, like this: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10129215

[gavino200]

Awesome! Thanks guys :)

[gavino200]

On 4/8/2017 at 10:53 PM, Kiha66 said:

It seems that lots of small buildings might be the way to go, Higashi-Jūjō Station seems kinda similar.  The elevated roads passing over the houses and tracks but under the shinkansen line might be fun to model, in addition to adding interest to the scene as the trains are momentarily hidden under the overpass.  Two of the yard tracks could be partially covered by a shed, and like Eurostar said lots of various yard items could be placed in between the tracks.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Higashi-Jūjō+Station/

 

Yes, this gives a great view of how the station is separated from the surrounding conurbation. The railings and little pathways seem very standard. 

 

This is about a mile up the road. Three platforms make it more like mine. But it seems to have become elevated. 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/赤羽駅東口前広場/@35.7786986,139.7198494,227m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x601892f4ba7ce701:0x8c75cbca220d7b9f!2sHigashi-Jūjō+Station!8m2!3d35.763949!4d139.7268722!3m4!1s0x6018931d4feb3077:0xa4e46a20a93b166e!8m2!3d35.7787174!4d139.7212042

[gavino200]

On 4/12/2017 at 9:20 PM, railsquid said:

Casco is one option: http://casco.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2010-03-14

 

Thanks again. Finally getting around to this!

[gavino200]

On 4/12/2017 at 9:36 PM, JR 500系 said:

 

I didn't know Casco had a website! That's a good one, thanks for sharing!

 

I think this is the fence that you're looking for?

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10325919

 

There are a number of others too listed on HS, including some from Sankei paper kits. Type 'fence' to search in HS for more results.

 

Funny I am looking for fences too at the moment ~ But mine is for residential houses instead, like this: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10129215

 

Awesome. That's really nice!

[gavino200]

Tabata station has a really nice element, which is that the overhead section of the station is continuous with a main building that has it's main entrance at a level one story higher than the platform. I like the idea of having a main building kitbashed onto the station building. 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/田端駅南口/@35.7378558,139.7607802,191m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x60188d25a85746e7:0x7be86b47bbf1a4b5!8m2!3d35.7369534!4d139.761788

 

http://www.jred.co.jp/en/works/shogyo/tabata/index.html

 

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by gavino200

[gavino200]

Unfortunately almost all the kits from Kobaru are sold out at Hobby search. At best a few are on back-order.

 

Same for Casco  😱

Edited February 7, 2021 by gavino200

[cteno4]

Kobaru stopped production of model bits a year or so ago, so I doubt there is much left anywhere except a few bits and pieces still on a shelf somewhere. HS just had a couple on their clearance sale I think to get rid of the last few bits.

 

jeff

[gavino200]

Thanks Jeff. That's a real shame. They had some great details. I just picked up one pace of mesh fencing on ebay. There are a few casco sets there too. I'll need to find a good source to buy Japanese type fencing. I think I'll be using a lot of it over the years.

 

 

[cteno4]

Yeah it’s a shame as kobaru like prohobby before them did some wonderful figures and details. I often wondered if kobaru wandered out into the detail/figure market (they were a custom model making company) when prohobby sort of left the stage there. Guess they decided it was hard to keep inventory of a bunch of small bits and clear a profit. Sad as both did great stuff and few fill the gap these days and tomytec has slowed up a lot.

 

im glad I ended up getting a lot from each of them over the years. Hobbyworld use to put prohobby stuff on sale a lot pretty cheap so I would grab a bunch of figures and etched brass stuff when ever I did an order.

 

Resin 3D printing now is getting to the point of replacing casting of little bits and laser cutting can replace brass etching a lot, but the one thing that is just pure labor is painting those little things! It just takes time and young (usually) steady hands to paint them I made a bunch of money like 10-12 yrs old painting 30mm metal solders for a local guy who could carve and cast them but couldn’t paint them. He had about a dozen of us kids that got a dollar each for painting them. I could do about 6 an hour in batches, so not a bad wage for watching tv and playing! I’m guessing this is one of the limiting factors in small companies getting into the little detail bits market.

 

jeff

[TokyoImperialPalace]

I might try to build a pedestrian tunnel to the shinkansen viaduct and build shops under there. Alternatively the area is usually used in Japan for cycles and car parking in rural areas.

 

If you really had a desire to do something more adventurous, you could try to build a small city tram station to the bottom right edge of the station where trains do not terminate but reverse out.

 

At the bottom a fence should be built along with a small single lane residential road. The other side would usually be shops and eateries.

[Rod.H]

Wasn't it mentioned elsewhere that SAKATSU took over the responsibility for Kobaru items and are doing new runs under their name see https://sakatsuglobal.com/products/500000003841?_pos=44&_sid=faba8efd8&_ss=r

[railsquid]

Yes, that seems to have happened; full catalogue page is: https://sakatsuglobal.com/collections/kobaru-from-sakatsu

[cteno4]