who recognizes this switcher?

[EF57]

My son was just in Japan and (though he's not really interested in trains) sketched this real-life shorty switcher which happened to be standing next to the Hayabusa.  It's really this short, he didn't compress it.  I have never seen a model of this thing.  What is it? 

 

Edited April 30, 2018 by EF57

[Gryphr]

It's an R400 series Track inspection vehicle. From what I found these are used to inspect/check the track in the early morning/after maintenance work, before the first Shinkansen of the day passes through.

 

http://userdisk.webry.biglobe.ne.jp/003/138/65/N000/000/008/144690022879897766180_DSCF6236.jpg

Source: http://kiha52.at.webry.info/201511/article_6.html

 

Here's a short video of it in action:

 

Edited April 30, 2018 by cteno4

[cteno4]

Very cool, looks very much like the old Amtrak Plasser car.

 

love the little catenary inspection version as well

 

http://userdisk.webry.biglobe.ne.jp/003/138/65/N000/000/008/144689926640905481178_DSCF6231.jpg

 

Also the little side rails to move them on and off the tracks. Wish someone would make these. They do look like the kato 2 axle mech would be close for a 3d print...

 

thanks

 

jeff

[EF57]

Thank you guys!  This forum is unbelievable!  — A successful model of this could perhaps inspire a “new wave” of MOW equipment models.  Don’t such vehicles interest Japanese modelers?  Even RR cranes are rare. Only gravel hoppers and snowplows are well covered in terms of models.

Edited May 1, 2018 by EF57

[EF57]

Or B-Train could do it as a historic first, namely the first time they DIDN’T shorten a vehicle.

[kvp]

1 hour ago, EF57 said:

Or B-Train could do it as a historic first, namely the first time they DIDN’T shorten a vehicle.

That has already been done with the Joshin deki 1-s (i have both). I think these could be called b-train normies.

[cteno4]

Perhaps ARU-nine will tackle it as a brass folding kit to slip over a kato or btrain mech. I quite like the ones I’ve got and they are easy to build but require painting (haven’t gotten to that yet). Also very reasonably priced.

 

https://www.modeltrainplus.net/collections/aru-nine-arumo-n-scale

 

i keep hoping to see more mow equipment come up thru 3d printing. But many have a lot of very fiddly bits to make.

 

then there is the deki3 that looks like a btrain shortie of a deki1! It always reminds me of those fake videos on the extremely shortened rail cars.

 

jeff