My first japanese layout : Liberty Island (?)

[gibet_b]

Hello everyone, 

 

As promised in my welcome post, here a new topic on my first Japanese layout project.

 

Regarding the track, I already have the Unitrack CV1, CV2 and CV3 packs, and rails that I can recover from T-Trak modules that I no longer use. I also ordered 2 Compact switches and some straights from Plaza Japan.

 

For the structure, I will reuse a reinforced panel that I had made to play with my T-Trak modules. It measures 170 cm x 80 cm.

 

I tinkered a little with Anyrail, and I have so far obtained this first layout plan, which uses the rails that I have or that I will receive. There are two connections that fail in Anyrail, but I think that should work. I will probably do other layouts plans anyway.

 

 

It is a little "too much", perhaps, but that's the spirit that I wish for this layout.

 

Given the tight curves, I will run short trains designed for 150mm radius. I have so far ordered a DE10 and a few short wagons, most of them two-axle.

 

For the time being, no a lot of idea about the scenery... But I'm pretty confident !

[Beaver]

Some kind of industrial railway? Each siding serving a different part of the factory complex. Some track going through buildings. Move wagons around full of materials being processed. Disguise one edge of the board as a quayside.

 

That will make the sharp curves, twisty track, maze of sidings and odd crossover appear to serve a purpose.

[bill937ca]

Kato does have a similar layout suggested for the Glacier Express. Space required is 600 x 900mm.

 

https://www.katomodels.com/unitrackplan/plan_N2_108

 

The following will run on R150 track.

C12 steamer  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10315912

Eizan Electric Railway Series 900  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10489157   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10489156

KUMOHA11 400 Tsurumi Line (2-Car Set) https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10367126

KUMOHA11 200 Nambu Branch Line (2-Car Set) https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10330654

KUMOHA12 50 Tsurumi Line https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10330654

Rhatische Bahn ABe8/12 `Allegra`  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/11015739

 

Super Mini Curve Mini Curve Drivable Tomix Vehicle

https://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/smc-mc-list.html

Edited February 6 by bill937ca

[inobu]

Here is a couple of tips. Change your grid to 300mm the same size of Floor Tiles. That way

you have a good reference of the floor space you will use and you can keep the ratio 1:1 as well

 

Also back to back switched can be problematic with some trains. They need to straighten out for

a few mm before they enter a switch.

 

Also align your curves and leave the straights open. You can then custom cut the track pieces to

fit perfect or use different track length to achieve the needed length.

 

Edited February 7 by inobu

[gibet_b]

@Beaver I don't know... It will probably something like a fantasy Japan. So probably with some industrial parts, some city parts. For this layout, it's not a problem to be far from prototypical. To be honest, I don't like prototypical (even I admire such layout time to time). I do model railway to dream, not to reproduce exactly what exists. And it's even more true when I do foreigner model railway.

 

@bill937ca Thanks, I found this "old" post too, who list some stuff who run on 150mm curves :

 

@inobu I will (probably) use a wood structure I already had. Usually, my projects start with a plan (that I print in 1:1) before I order the tracks, then I build the structure, lay the track, etc. But this time, I want to break the routine and start from a bunch of tracks and a wood pannel. So I will able to test if the layout is OK before gluing anything. 

I've already done other plans for this project, which I'll test when I will have all the tracks I ordered. 

Edited February 7 by gibet_b

[UnfinishedKit]

Don’t forget shorties.  There’s the whole Bandai b-train collection (and associated Kato chassis, 11-105, 11-106, 11-107, 11-108 from memory). 
 

There’s also a whole bunch of kits that use that standard. Aru-models とても簡単　(totemo kantan, très facile) range, the Kiha Koubou paper shorty kit (highly recommend that one) and some others I’m not remembering. 
 

if there’s one country’s modelling ecosystem set up for small spaces and tight curves it’s Japan. People have small houses and apartments. 
 

 

[UnfinishedKit]

For some inspiration, stick bトレ　bトレ レイアウト　into your search engine of choice. 
 

This is a fun one. 
 

https://www.mokei-tetsudo.com/nankai

[gibet_b]

Thanks a lot @UnfinishedKit ! Yes, I know about Shorties, it seems really fun and cute. Bandai ones are no longer produce, isn't it ? 

 

I love micro-layouts! I could have a pretty big layout, but I prefer to have multiple little ones... To be honnest, 170 cm x 80 cm, in N scale, seems relatively big 🙂 In Loco-Revue, I had suggested a "project of the month" (a plan) which took place on two Ikea shelves (110 cm x 26) in L shape ! And all a french modeler dreams about was there : train station, turntable, locomotive shed, tunnel, siding, level crossing, bridge... It was a point to point, of course.

 

I had the idea of a new layout plan, using mostly "compact" tracks and some of the "standard" tracks I have. And for the moment, I love the idea. It's in the spirit of the Jouef layout plan catalogs who existed when I was a child (looped, track parrallels to the side, geometric) and it's something I seek for this project. Not really the kind of layout we promote nowadays in french magazines, but something who comes with a bit of nostalgia. There is the possibility to play in a point to point mode for the freight or the passengers, or the possibility to let the trains run in one or the other loop, or in 8 shape. And I already have some ideas for the scenery...

 

 

[gibet_b]

I forgot the plan !

 

[cteno4]

Gilbert,

 

if you like small layouts, this book is fantastic! Great plans and beautiful presentations. Half the layouts are showing in Kato and half in Tomix track. Unfortunately a bit hard to find now and not cheap, but great layout dreaming and knoodling.

 

jeff

[inobu]

I was showing you how to mitigate the two issues on the initial track plan you posted. It is important that the track geometry

is sound. With N Scale we can force connections that appear to work but in fact cause hidden issues.

 

As you lay and glue you track down the deviation multiplies. The track start having cambering issue we cannot see.

 

Here is the Geometrical correct values for the layout you posted. If you examine the loop it has about 8mm of deviation

across the loop with the 124mm values. The correct length is 119.8. When you translate 8mm to prototypical size the look is off

by a meter and a half.  

 

 

 

 

[gibet_b]

@cteno4 Thanks a lot ! It's sad it don't exist in digital format... I will keep a eye on it.

 

@inobu I understood, I think. And I know back to back switch (or curves and counter-curves) are sometimes the beginning of the problems. For your information, neither of the Compact Layout Plans published by Kato (on the back of packaging or on their website) connect with Anyrail, and often less than my plan. I hope nobody will use these plans for a permanent layout so...
I have to say that I usually use flexible tracks for my layouts, so I don't have a lot of experience with track like Unitrack for a permanent layout. I used it only on T-Trak modules.

[UnfinishedKit]

10 hours ago, gibet_b said:

Thanks a lot @UnfinishedKit ! Yes, I know about Shorties, it seems really fun and cute. Bandai ones are no longer produce, isn't it ? 

 

I love micro-layouts! I could have a pretty big layout, but I prefer to have multiple little ones... To be honnest, 170 cm x 80 cm, in N scale, seems relatively big 🙂 In Loco-Revue, I had suggested a "project of the month" (a plan) which took place on two Ikea shelves (110 cm x 26) in L shape ! And all a french modeler dreams about was there : train station, turntable, locomotive shed, tunnel, siding, level crossing, bridge... It was a point to point, of course.

 

I had the idea of a new layout plan, using mostly "compact" tracks and some of the "standard" tracks I have. And for the moment, I love the idea. It's in the spirit of the Jouef layout plan catalogs who existed when I was a child (looped, track parrallels to the side, geometric) and it's something I seek for this project. Not really the kind of layout we promote nowadays in french magazines, but something who comes with a bit of nostalgia. There is the possibility to play in a point to point mode for the freight or the passengers, or the possibility to let the trains run in one or the other loop, or in 8 shape. And I already have some ideas for the scenery...

 

 

I like your philosophy, I don’t have a lot of space so micro it is for me. I’d probably get banned from RMWeb for saying this but I’m not too fussed about realistic operations, or doing lots of shunting. I like watching the trains go round and round so will do it in the space I have available. 

 

I returned to this hobby recently after a long absence and what I’ve found I like is building things and, having chosen to do something fairly obscure, designing and building my own tools to do it. This is all about indulging our own desires and making our own fun. I’m going to end up with finescale track and distinctively non-finescale stock. 
 

As for B Train stuff there is plenty available second hand. There’s a thread on it somewhere here. However yahoo auctions, mercari, bookoff, hardoff, the second hand basement in poppondetta in akihabara etc. will all have stuff. It just depends how far you want to go to get it. 
 

I’ve also seen a blog post where people motorise the mini pla-rail trains you get from gachapon machines. 
 

or you can get something from Sakatsu which can do curves down to 30mm radius

 

https://www.shopsakatsu.com/smartphone/detail.html?id=000000010854&category_code=ct141&sort=order&page=3  
 

There’s a certain amount of fun in how micro a micro layout can be. 

[gibet_b]

@UnfinishedKit I understand what you mean. I think realistic is the way to go in model railway in a lot of country for a lot of people. It can be a nice goal, but I think it's a barrier too, for a lot of people who could be interesting in model railway... It's pretty intimidating. And I'm not sure it's what a young modeler could seek in this hobby.

 

But over all, the things which make me uncomfortable, it's that people have some difficulties to respect and show some interests in practice other than the main one, and their. A good friend of mine tell me that, one day, he spoke with a other modeler who he didn't know. During one hour, the guy tell him about his passion, the work trains in France. After that, he asks about the trains interests of my friend, who said it was US trains. The guy listen to him during 5 minutes and leave...  

 

You're perfectly right to focus on what you like in model railway ! It has to remain a pleasure 😉 There is always a way to avoid what you don't like. I love building too ! Last years, I used too many kits for my own taste, but work for model railway magazines is a great job, but I had to produce a lot of layouts, articles and videos... So kits lets me gain some times. I love FDM 3D printing too !

 

And talking about 3D printing, I plan to make my own train models, noticely for Kato chassis.

 

Apart from that, I ran into Hakone railways, and I must admit I find them adorable. I think I will preorder the Tomix Type 2000 and Type 3000. They're perfects for small radius, in addition to that.

[inobu]

7 hours ago, gibet_b said:

@cteno4 Thanks a lot ! It's sad it don't exist in digital format... I will keep a eye on it.

 

@inobu I understood, I think. And I know back to back switch (or curves and counter-curves) are sometimes the beginning of the problems. For your information, neither of the Compact Layout Plans published by Kato (on the back of packaging or on their website) connect with Anyrail, and often less than my plan. I hope nobody will use these plans for a permanent layout so...
I have to say that I usually use flexible tracks for my layouts, so I don't have a lot of experience with track like Unitrack for a permanent layout. I used it only on T-Trak modules.

Actually, its a good plan worth looking into hence I took time to post the amendments. Creating plans that work takes a certain skill that is why you don't see them in

numbers. You have 3 different sections of operation. Having the layout as DCC would allow for a lot of interaction. The center loop straight piece could be a bridge. Trees dividing the siding from the yard. Its a good build plan. If you use the build back method I posted you'll be able to come up with some good stuff that works.

 

Inobu

 

 

[inobu]

Here's an example of the same build formula. Three operating area on a compact plan.

I saw this years ago and took to layout all the parts. So keep going with that plan.

 

 

Inobu

[UnfinishedKit]

Are you me?  I have also been looking at the Hakone Tozan railway as a subject. I joke, it’s a famous railway, and there’s lots interesting about it and good models available. I’ve been showing my son cab ride videos and the two he likes the best so far have been Hakone Tozan and the Enoden, so I feel like I should do something to please the both of us. The bit I want to model is down in the valley, hakone itabashi, I really like where railway systems come together and I’m also a sucker for dual gauge track and this station has it all. 

What this photo doesn’t show is that the Tokkaido Shinkansen runs over a bridge directly above where the photographer is standing and the JR Tokkaido main line is about 1km further back. 

 

For the Tozan train Greenmax also do kits  and ready to run this guy up in Aomori does kits, some of which are mods on greenmax kits. The  I have risked an order yet but he also had some nice bridges so might take the plunge.  He seems like one of those guys that likes to make things but sees selling as a bit of an imposition. This aru kit is a good proxy for the Tozan maintenance car 

 

I’ve been doing a lot of research and found these among many Hakone Tozan layouts. I like them both because they get the essence of the railway, the interchange from the odakyu, complete with Romance Car, the climbing, the switchbacks, the bridges and the scenery. 
 

the first looks like it is using the sakatsu stock and really tiny curves, hand laid. I must dig in a bit more on how they did it. 
 

The second is all tomix track and standard stock. I especially like they starts the video with showing the space they have to store the layout. It’s great to get so much interest into 600x900. 

 

 

I probably could bang on more about so much but I’ll leave it there. I have assembled a lot of links to Hakone Tozan videos and pics if you want me to share them, please ask. 

[gibet_b]

@UnfinishedKit I understood that was a famous railway and that I didn't found it completely by chance 😉 Anyway, it's lovely and absolutely my taste.

 

I'm absolutely interested by your links ! Please, share with me 🙂 Even I will not reproduce reality on this layout (I plan to place a Pokemon arena and other manga references 😉 to try to seduce "young" persons to be interested by the model railway, I think we miss to let the pop culture entered our hobby) , I would like to be inspired by the Hakone railway.

 

About the first video, I love the liberty to use a Shorty (and some non prototypical automobiles) in a pretty high level scenery. Something I don't see in France in the exhibitions. It's refreshing.

 

And the second, you're right, it's the perfect example of a rich layout in a small place... 

 

Do you know that a video game about Hakone Railway exists ? The game uses real footages. It's a bit expensive, but I will seek or wait for a discount. Here a video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVe7UYqnkK8

Edited February 9 by gibet_b

[gibet_b]

Oh, I found two switcher locomotives I will try to reproduce in 3D to fit on Kato chassis (STL will be freely available).

 

The relatively new DB 500 :

 

 

And the old Meitetsu Deki 300 :

 

 

Be patient, I have so much work before that.

[UnfinishedKit]

Not quite a DeKi 300 but this site has a cad file for a DeKi 400

 

http://tecs.g2.xrea.com/cad/tu/tel3.html

 

 

and starting on the Hakone Tozan stuff. 
 

this guy has some great photos from 1986 and earlier  and from 1987

 

That video game you posted is crazy realistic, just comparing that to the cab view that got my son excited…