Advice on accurate KoKis?

[Welshbloke]

I'm looking at assembling a short container train and was hoping for some advice regarding what would run together.

 

So far I've ordered a Tomix KoKi 50000 and a pack of 19f containers in JRF red. I'm planning to buy one of the Tomix 92491 packs of an EF210 and two KoKi 107s with containers next. Is there anything glaringly inaccurate with this plan and what other KoKis/containers could I realistically add?

 

I would like some tank and open containers for variety but realise that I need the bulk to be the short red JRF 19 series type, judging by YouTube. I didn't see much if any variety in wagon colours and have read in another thread that KoKis are being repainted JRF grey as they pass through works? Did the EF210s run with a multicoloured variety of KoKis before this?

 

Tomix offer some tank containers, but I'm not sure whether these are a current design or something older? They lack the framing seen on ISO tank containers.

[katoftw]

Depends when and where you wanna model.

 

Most of Tokyo to Osaka regions are 106s and 107s currently. Back five years it was blue 104s and grey 106s.

 

Kyushu and Hokkaido currently are stil using 50000s 100s 102s 104s as their main fleet.

 

I think you can mix and match wagons without issue.

[chadbag]

I've seen mixed 50000 and 10x series train pictures for prototypes.  I don't have any links as it has been a while and I did not save them but I had the same question and ended up finding some images online.

 

I agree with katoftw.  You can probably mix and match without issue.

[pbunter]

I was curious about distribution of flatcars and containers so I did some casual daytime train-spotting while I was in Nagoya from October through December 2017. Note that these were all daytime observations so I missed a lot of traffic that runs over night.

 

The majority of the flatcars I recorded were 104s (461 unique numbers) followed by 107s (324) and 106s (170). I did see one or two trains a day with the older 100s, 101s, 102s, and 103s. Saw only a handful of 105s and 200s over the entire period. Saw only four 50000s and they were always parked on a siding unloaded.

 

The typical engines were EF210s, EF64s, DD51s, and EF510s in that order.

 

Of the approx 3100 containers I recorded, 19Ds were by far the highest percentage with around 33% of the total, 19Gs were about 14% and V19Cs made up about 12%. UR19As and V19Bs were both in low single digits and then rest was made up by the larger containers and the oddballs.

 

After all that, my advice is: do whatever you want.
 

[Das Steinkopf]

You can have a fairly general mix within a train, I have photos of a freight train that services a pulp mill on the northen end of the Takayama Honsen made up of KoKi 106's, KoKi 107's, KoKi 200's and at least one KoKi 50000.

 

 A few points regarding containers, Koki 50000's can carry 20' and 12' containers but cannot carry 30' containers, there are however some 12' and 20' containers that are marked as not for use on KoKi 50000's, with the tank containers they can be carried by the KoKi 106's, KoKi 107's, KoKi 110's and KoKi 200's, the KoKi 200's were built specifically for tank container traffic. With JRF containers anything from 19D onwards are fine to use for contemporary stock, Kato offer two packs currently 23-571 and 23-573 that have 5 containers a piece which is good and they are a nice model to use, with the private owner containers they tend to have longer lives than the JRF containers, the UC7 containers used by Seino are a classic example. 

 

 The new Tomix tank containers are the modern 22T6 type and are apparently a very good model, I haven't got any of them yet as I have the Kato ones that came with 8042-2 KoKi 200 as well as a number of the Popondetta made models which have a number of variants of the 22T6, all of these are good models have a decent amount of detail. The Tomix containers without the framing are an older design dating from the JNR days, Tomix 3132 is the Type T10 in the JNR Lime Green livery, they are still used this days by private owners and come under the UT1 designation, the version depicted by the Tomix 3114 is still in use AFAIK.

 

 With regards to livery KoKi 100 to Koki 105's are still in the Blue livery whilst all of the KoKi 106 are being repainted Grey when they are going in for refurbishment, the only difference these days for the KoKi 100 to KoKi 105's is that when they go in to be refurbished they are no longer have the JRF logo painted on them, this also applies to the KoKi 106 and KoKi 107's. 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by Das Steinkopf

[Welshbloke]

Thanks all, this does explain the pricing I'm seeing. KoKi 50000, 250000 and 350000 are cheaper than 10* and 200 series!

 

Given I want a five wagon train for now it sounds as if a 200 and a 10* will round it out well. I'm not too bothered about exact date but would like it all to be contemporary with the EF210 and be accurate within the train, hence no JNR era wagons or containers.

 

Are the Popondetta containers a good fit on the Tomix wagons? I recall reading that some can be a bit tight.

Edited August 11, 2018 by Welshbloke
Typo

[kvp]

So just to round it out, what should be used in early and late JNR container trains? I know a bit about the various JNR era containers, but not much about the various car types that carried them and which locomotives were used for container service in each region (apart the de10 that was everywhere i looked)?

[katoftw]

kvp - koki 10000s and 5500s

[Das Steinkopf]

Just an additional note regarding the KoKi 106’s,  out of the 1162 produced the first 404 were painted in the Blue livery, from KoKi 106-405 onwards they were painted Grey, as stated before as the earlier wagons go in for overhaul they are repainted in the Grey livery.

[Das Steinkopf]

Just thought I would mention to you that the EF210-100 in the Tomix 92491set is a basic model and does not have any handrails or any of the other add on parts that you would normally find with a locomotive, I got rid of the one that I had and ended up purchasing a Tomix 9142 EF210-100 as a replacement for the locomotive, I wasn't too worried about the 2 KoKi 107's as I have more than enough of the Tomix and Kato versions.

Edited August 11, 2018 by Das Steinkopf

[kvp]

15 hours ago, katoftw said:

kvp - koki 10000s and 5500s

Thanks! So that's all? What about the locomotives? (besides the ed10)

[Kiha66]

34 minutes ago, kvp said:

Thanks! So that's all? What about the locomotives? (besides the ed10)

 

For locomotives pulling container flats, I've seen pictures of quite a variety!  DD51, DD54, DD13, EF10, EF30, EF15, EF65, EF66, D51, C57, and even one picture of a C62 with a line of containers behind it.  Seems DD51, EF65 and EF66 were the most common (at least in terms of photographed trains), but that may be due to the number of units and locations rather than actually operations.  There also was a train a few years ago run for a special event where a C56 pulled a short container train.  Seems you dont have to be too picky when choosing motive power for your JNR trains.

[Welshbloke]

9 hours ago, Das Steinkopf said:

Just thought I would mention to you that the EF210-100 in the Tomix 92491set is a basic model and does not have any handrails or any of the other add on parts that you would normally find with a locomotive, I got rid of the one that I had and ended up purchasing a Tomix 9142 EF210-100 as a replacement for the locomotive, I wasn't too worried about the 2 KoKi 107's as I have more than enough of the Tomix and Kato versions.

 

It looks to have the separate numbers and at least some details? TBH if it runs as well as any other Tomix loco I can live with fewer handrails. I've already ordered one anyway.

 

Back to containers to match an EF210, I'm liking the look of the UM12A and the Tomix 3114 UT1 tanks. Are either of these suitable in terms of era and were either banned from certain KoKis? I'm sure I saw some similar tank containers in beige in a video shot within the last ten years or so.

[Das Steinkopf]

27 minutes ago, Welshbloke said:

 

It looks to have the separate numbers and at least some details? TBH if it runs as well as any other Tomix loco I can live with fewer handrails. I've already ordered one anyway.

 

From memory it has 3 different sets of number plates, I will add that the locomotive is a very good runner and it does have a fairly decent level of detail when it comes to the main features, my only gripe was that it lacked some of the finer details such as the grab rails for the shunters other than that it is a good model for the price you pay for it.

 

35 minutes ago, Welshbloke said:

Back to containers to match an EF210, I'm liking the look of the UM12A and the Tomix 3114 UT1 tanks. Are either of these suitable in terms of era and were either banned from certain KoKis? I'm sure I saw some similar tank containers in beige in a video shot within the last ten years or so.

 

 The UM12A's and the UT1's are a good choice for what you want to model and could be used on any of the 100 Series KoKi's and the KoKi 50000, the UT1's are based on the JNR Type T10 and were used on the KoKi 5500 and KoKi 50000's back in the days of JNR, with the KoKi 200 I would reserve that for transporting the 20' Tank Containers such as 22T6's.  

[Welshbloke]

Yep, that was my reason for buying the pack. Two loaded KoKis and an EF210 for £63 delivered is a good deal IMO! I'll probably end up spending not far off that on KoKis and containers to extend it.

 

I'll order some of the tanks and low side containers (I think they're used for aggregates?) When I next go container hunting. Might look for a KoKi 10* and another 50000 to complete a five car train, at least one of which will have tail lights.