Prototype for everything (scenic edition)

[bill937ca]

Ankyo Street literally is dark canal.  Tokyo has a series of former 19th century canals that were covered over prior to the 1964 Olympics and now serve as random pathways.

 

A couple of blogs.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hatsudai-bridge

 

https://hnaau.com/blog/tokyo-old-river-urbanism-2/

 

 

[ED75-775]

Want a catbus on your layout, but don't want a full Ghibli theme? Look no further:

 

 

This little guy is actually a crepe stand, complete with fiberglass legs along the side. Wasn't open when I snapped him on Sunday night, otherwise I might've been game to sample something for dessert.

Alastair

[cteno4]

Alistair,

 

thanks mucho, funn details like this are great to put away for modeling ideas. Did you get a side shot?

 

thanks,

 

jeff

[ED75-775]

Unfortunately not Jeff, it was a little difficult to get this one with the chain and posts in the way. But then again, this might serve as a really good starting point if you wanted to create an entirely unique model. Just take some inspiration from this, do your own thing and enjoy the results!

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Have lots of cranes but not enough building sites?

 

 

Clearly, more is less.

Alastair

[cteno4]

LOL, I’ve collected a lot of cranes over the years and I’ve toyed with the idea of a tight construction scene with many cranes like this. Why I love modeling Japan, prototype for everything! Also two crane lifts of rr cars and such are so common in japan.

 

thanks! Love ideas like this for scenes, much appreciated.

 

jeff

[ED75-775]

101 Ways to include a Catbus on Your Layout, #2:

 

 

Simply build a Ghibli shop and put this inside it as a fun photo op. Yes, that’s real fur on it, and yes, they also had a Totoro nearby as well also as a photo spot. They even encourage it!

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Need some anime characters on your layout, but don't want to go the full oversize statue route?

 

 

Found near Hakata Station after a trip to Ichiran Ramen, immediately thought of @Kamome442 and the things he could do with this. Tony looks a little surprised to have been caught like this!

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Need excuses to put *more* trains on your layout but don't have room for more boxes of stock or to lay extra track down?

 

 

Why not use them as barriers instead? Over to you @Kamome442 for your hoard of barrier photos!

 

Alastair

[ATShinkansen]

On 6/15/2023 at 9:28 AM, ED75-775 said:

Need some anime characters on your layout, but don't want to go the full oversize statue route?

 

 

Found near Hakata Station after a trip to Ichiran Ramen, immediately thought of @Kamome442 and the things he could do with this. Tony looks a little surprised to have been caught like this!

Alastair

I just yesterday ran across photos of the Hachune Miku (chibi-version of Hatsune Miku) version of these!

[ED75-775]

Ever wished you had more hours in the day to do stuff with your trains?

 

 

Thanks to this Shinjuku coin locker, you get an extra two hours to your day!

Alastair

[Madsing]

7 hours ago, ED75-775 said:

Ever wished you had more hours in the day to do stuff with your trains?

Just to clarify, this is not a typo, but a notation used in Japan to mention overnight opening hours. 
More examples here: http://peraperayume.blogspot.com/2016/09/overnight-hours-in-japan-2500-2600-2700.html

Marc

 

[cteno4]

A way to say closed 2am to 5am. Still does look like 26 hrs to the day!

 

jeff

[ATShinkansen]

I’m sure those extra two hours will be used to catch up on sleep!

[ED75-775]

Ever wondered how railway tracks get cleaned in real life?

 

 

With giant cotton cleaning swabs, of course! Kato Uni-clean oil sold separately.

 

OK, OK, maybe not, but it looks like the miniature trains at Omiya may be track-powered, and the staff have to keep the rail heads cleaned for the trains or at least the signals to function properly. The staff member in the photo had a bottle of what looked like oil and stopped at one point to pour more on the cleaner head. Still couldn't resist being a little silly with this one though.

 

Alastair

[railsquid]

Embarrassed by a surplus of Tomytec police cars but don't want to convert your layout into one massive crime scene? Simply fence off a bit of field and store them there:

 

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by railsquid

[railsquid]

Got some heavy construction machinery you want to cutify, but don't want to go the full pink'n'polka dot route? Simply slap some spare panda face transfers on it.

 

 

[cteno4]

It’s just to butter you up for the AI controlled excavator that will rise up against humans at some point. Maybe directed by pandas.

 

jeff

[Madsing]

If you have lost parts of your signals...

 

 

 

[ED75-775]

Ever thought that driving to work was boring and over-rated? Fed up of being stuck in traffic? Why not take your commute to the next level, literally? Just negotiate with the boss and get your own personal helipad installed! You'll be the envy of your co-workers in no time.

 

 

Found in Nagasaki earlier this year.

 

Don't think this one flies though, but still!

 

Alastair

[cteno4]

Mmm great use of excess heliborne copters!

 

jeff

[railsquid]

Per ancient custom, the Tokyo Police are performing their traditional Illuminated Baton Line Dance down at the Shibuya Scramble crossing, for which they have blocked off one of the roads with what appears to be an ordinary police bus:

 

 

But it's no ordinary bus - it displays a scrolling message in the windows.

 

 

Too blurry to read from the live camera, but I presume it says something like "CDs and merchandise available from your nearest koban".

 

Live camera here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kPH7kTphnE

 

[MeTheSwede]

I was going through photos I took during my last stay in Japan...

 

 

You think you know how to park a car?

 

In Tokyo they really know how.

 

 

 

 

It's probably a good ide to let any passengers out of the car before parking.

 

It looks like exit on the driver's side is only possible due to the property having a pull up door on the driver's side so that the car door can open up inside the house.

[MeTheSwede]

I'm continuing to go through photos from last year...

 

 

You want to have a harbour scene on your contemporary Tokyo layout, but in the availbale space you would be hard pressed to even fit just the propeller of a modern a modern container ship, let alone the ship itself?

 

Then this place I stumbled upon in Shinagawa could be an insipiration.

 

 

 

(The largest container ships served at nearby terminals has up to a 10 meter diameter propeller weighing over 100 tons.)

 

 

 

[MeTheSwede]

As concrete slab track was mentioned in another thread, I was reminded about this photo of "wooden slab track" I took at Kita-Shinagawa Station.

 

 

 

 When will Tomix release a product for this? 😄

 

I can't remember having seen this anywhere else, but maybe any of our resident experts know more examples and/or can tell us it's purpose?