Meitetsu welded rail train question

[velotrain]

Does anyone know what the original class was for the cars used in this - most likely a Chiki or Koki of some sort?

Edited May 6, 2017 by velotrain

[katoftw]

Chiki 5000s from memory.

[velotrain]

Thanks, kato

[velotrain]

Unlike the 5000's , the bottom of the deck is parallel to the top.  Had the sides been modified when the new decks were added, or did they start with a different car?

 

http://70017002.blog47.fc2.com/blog-entry-295.html

[velotrain]

I'm now thinking these cars began life as Chiki 7000s, as photos of them all show the narrow side profile, as do the Tomix N-scale and Tramway HO models.

 

It looks like new steel plates were added to the deck, along with the rail support fittings and the cranes.

 

With the GreenMax El-120s coming this summer, this train might be doable - with the cranes the most difficult detail to source - or build. 

GreenMax and Aru offer ones that are somewhat close, but a bit small and rather crude compared to the proto - and in each case only as part of a kit.

 

 

[cteno4]

The 3 dollar greenmax kits gets you two cranes and a few detail bits that could be useful along with a small loco shell to sit somewhere.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10200621

 

Jeff

[velotrain]

I considered it (briefly) Jeff, but I just don't find it very convincing.

 

The Aru A1 crane is a lot closer.  The A2 has the "correct" orientation, but the A1 base is closer to the proto. 

 

https://www.modeltrainplus.net/collections/aru-nine-arumo-n-scale/products/aru-nine-a1047-flat-wagon-type-a1-a2

 

I don't really expect to hear back, but I've sent Arumo an email asking if I can buy 6 of them without the full kit. 

If you look at the A2047-2 wagon, they obviously have someone custom building / finishing cars using their components, so that gives me a small amount of hope.

 

http://arumo.a.la9.jp/rn0068.htm

 

Halfway down - second painted model.

 

While the Aru crane post isn't round, the A1 version does have the four stabilization fins of the proto on the bottom.

 

http://takaq.exblog.jp/iv/detail/?s=9819143&i=200811%2F05%2F87%2Fb0062687_21321357.jpg

 

https://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ozaki100201/14033173.html

 

Besides having a shorter boom, the A2 cranes are quite different at the bottom of the post.

 

It looks like the proto cranes are powered at the bottom of the post, to slide along the support beam, although I've never found a photo of this feature in action - while I have seen video of multiple booms (not necessarily these) rotating in synch.

 

I realize that whatever I build (or don't), it will have many variances from the proto, but I would like it to be credible, so that if someone looks at it they'd recognize what it is.

 

I also realized that these cars could have been converted from Chiki 6000's, as they also have a narrow side rail.

 

Speaking of rail, I just received two bundles of code 81 - with a very fine proto profile, cut into 50 meter lengths for both N-scale and HO.