First Japan Rail Layout

[yakumo381]

Decided to use a thin brush and Revell acrylic paint (brown and rust) to paint the rails by hand as do not want to risk messing up the turnouts.

 

Done first pass and whilst it's drying hard, I'm adding cable ducting made from mylar strip as needs to be in place prior to ballasting. Having a guess at where the signals and signal box will be as do not have them yet.

 

Using this photograph, that I took a few years ago, of the back end of the freight terminal at Ajikawaguchi on the Sakurajima Line for reference and inspiration...

[yakumo381]

Track painted, rail tops cleaned and awaiting ballasting - trying to decide between using a medium grey ballast or a light reddish brown...

 

Scene break almost completed (needs roof of tunnel fitted inside...) and awaiting painting in a suitable concrete colour before adding weathering, grass on green slope  & foliage in edges of concrete ribs.

[yakumo381]

On 5/14/2018 at 8:39 PM, yakumo381 said:

Track crossing the land drain will be supported on girders (more mylar sections) dropped into the slots routed into either bank.

 

I forgot to add this photograph that I took a few years ago by Iida Station as this is the inspiration for the land drain crossing.

[Das Steinkopf]

2 hours ago, yakumo381 said:

 

I forgot to add this photograph that I took a few years ago by Iida Station as this is the inspiration for the land drain crossing.

 

Nice to see someone else take the pilgrimage all the way out there, I got the wife and kids to come along so I could do an hour and a halfs survey of Tenryukyo, the wife was far from impressed the other day when I said that I may do a layout based more on the Tokaido Honsen rather than the Iida-sen.

 

Edited May 24, 2018 by Das Steinkopf

[yakumo381]

Decided on a name for the new layout:  Iyo-Mishima Freight Terminal  [ 伊予三島貨物ターミナル ].

 

This is an actual paper mill freight terminal in Shikoku, just up the Yosan line from Niihama, served today by containers but in the past by WAMU, going by the old black & white photos I have found of it on the web that I will be using for inspiration....

Edited May 24, 2018 by yakumo381
spelling error

[yakumo381]

The scenic break at Iyo-Mishima is now significantly complete pending extra detailing later such as adding shunting signals.

 

Next step is ballasting all of the sidings by manually sprinkling fine stone chips along the track followed by using a brush to get it into position and shaped before then using an eyedropper with a watered down PVA glue solution with a dash of washing up liquid to break the surface tension to fix it in position.

 

I use an adjustable length old Kodak camera brush for shaping the ballast as it is an ideal size and flexibility.

 

Going to order the Kato building set 23-233 as I can then cut and shut the buildings to match what I want especially a wooden signal cabin.

 

 

[yakumo381]

On 5/24/2018 at 9:30 AM, Das Steinkopf said:

Nice to see someone else take the pilgrimage all the way out there

 

I spent two years going to Iida every quarter to develop an electronics supplier. Just as we hit production volumes with 0 ppm (unknown for the type of electro-mechanical component being made) they decided to move production to China so I spent a year going there to do it all again....

 

Did however have many return trips on the Inaji, the supplier could not understand why I preferred it as they wanted to send a car to pick me up at Toyohashi instead as it was quicker...

[yakumo381]

All track now ballasted and surrounding areas painted and covered with a fine sand of a similar tone to the coarser ballast, initially just for texture pending identifying the areas that will be dug out for buildings, etc.

 

Next job is to clean up the sleepers once all glue has dried.

 

Backscene also temporarily in place, going with a relatively neutral sky paper until I have decided what will go where.

[Pauljag900]

Looking good buddy👍👍😀

[yakumo381]

Build update: First buildings in place and starting to detail from scenic break end:

[yakumo381]

All WAMU+DE10+DD51 now fitted with compatible knuckle couplings.

 

As standard, I find Kato wagons and trucks are too light so easily come off the track or roll away. On Niihama, passing traffic vibration can be enough to set container flats rolling out of the sidings...

 

To counter this on Iyo-Mishima, I've added weight to each WAMU, except the wood chip cars, by using flyfishing weights which I have glued inside on the chassis. This has improved them somewhat but I may add some more to increase their inertia as in testing I've found that I do not always get a automatic couple especially using the DD51.

 

Need to find an alternative solution for the woodchip WAMU as internal space is restricted and I do not want the weights to be visible or to have to fill them with "chips" as a disguise.

[Densha]

The heater just below the new layout extension worries me. That is basically asking for warping. At least keep your rolling stock off this part of the layout when you turn on the heater.

[Pauljag900]

You can buy reflective panels for behind the radiator that is designed to reflect the heat outwards from the wall, you could fit some of that to the underside of the shelf to deflect the heat back down.They re cheap and normally come on a roll that you cut to size.

 

[yakumo381]

1 hour ago, Densha said:

The heater just below the new layout extension worries me. That is basically asking for warping.

 

The heater is just a radiator with its own thermostatic valve which, when the hot water central heating is on in winter, I keep set at 16 deg C which keeps the room at a suitable cooler rather than warmer ambient. The cross section of the extension is basically a "T" shape with an extra vertical down the wall side so by design should resist warping. Also the wood is reclaimed pine at least 30+ years old (as used to be part of my daughter's bed frame from when she little) so is well dried out by now...

 

I need to do something with the Gaugemaster controller which currently sits on the floor. There is an open shelved wooden cabinet to the left of the extension so I have been thinking of replacing one shelf, that is level with the extension, with a new one that sticks out further so as to take the controller. The cabinet is full of books and tools so there would be no risk of it overbalancing however I may struggle to find a piece of wood that matches the original in colour.

[yakumo381]

I have been scratch building a low-relief loading dock for Iyo-Mishima based on the actual structure currently in situ in Shikoku and on similar structures found from perusing period black and white photographs of JNR times.

 

Thought it might be of interest to others if I put up photos of the dock with an explanation as I model it, so here goes:

 

First I sketched out a few ideas on paper before settling on a design based on a corrugated iron clad, girder built structure mounted on a brick faced platform.

 

Then I created a card template for the end section so that I could get the proportions right and to check initial clearances and fit as the dock will be at the back of the layout up against the back scene with a depth of approx 20 mm at ground level. Using this template I then built a basic carcass out of 2 mm thick card (the type used in framing pictures) glued together with PVA. The length I set at being able to unload to WAMU at a time.

 

You need to keep a sharp blade in your craft knife for clean cuts as it is amazing how quickly cutting card will blunt a blade and start to leave ragged edges.

 

Next I started to clad the carcass using various types of N scale Plasticard (made by Slater's in the UK) textured to represent brick, corrugated metal sheeting, and rock built walling and also using various mylar sections to represent girders and angle iron bracing. This needs to be done in a logical sequence to ensure the build up of surfaces mimics an actual building.

 

When this was reasonably well advanced, especially for the platform, I then positioned it on the layout and cut away the cork surface to allow the dock to be sunk into the "ground".

 

 

[yakumo381]

Next are some more height and clearance checks with WAMU shunted into the dock and driving the DD51 down the adjacent end shunt.

 

Then fitting a roof but without final gluing as I need to have access to the inside for painting.

 

The plasticard on the roof, representing corrugated sheet, is recycled from a previous railway model hence the paint. This is an advantage of using plasticard cladding with PVA glue as mistakes can be easily peeled off or old models broken up for sections to be reused.

[JR 500系]

Wow this looks really nice! Thanks for sharing!

[yakumo381]

Basic painting of loading dock completed and it is now placed in position on Iyo-Mishima. I will add weathering and some more scenic detailing (signs, guttering, etc) later after I have completed the next low relief building which will extend from the loading dock to the right. Currently looking at old B+W photos on the internet for inspiration...

 

This article in this now closed blog is interesting in showing how loading was done at the end of the woodchip transportation in Hokkaido:

 

https://blog.goo.ne.jp/komume1973/e/b2ea5bed34972049952497faa1e57f0f

 

Any ideas on how to model the green covers that were put over the woodchips in the purple WAMUs?

Edited June 8, 2018 by yakumo381

[gavino200]

5 hours ago, yakumo381 said:

Basic painting of loading dock completed and it is now placed in position on Iyo-Mishima. I will add weathering and some more scenic detailing (signs, guttering, etc) later after I have completed the next low relief building which will extend from the loading dock to the right. Currently looking at old B+W photos on the internet for inspiration...

 

This article in this now closed blog is interesting in showing how loading was done at the end of the woodchip transportation in Hokkaido:

 

https://blog.goo.ne.jp/komume1973/e/b2ea5bed34972049952497faa1e57f0f

 

Any ideas on how to model the green covers that were put over the woodchips in the purple WAMUs?

 

 

 

Amazing work yakumo! Thank you for posting about your process and technique. I'd like to try scratchbuilding a structure some day, but I've had no clue where to start. I learned a lot from this write-up. I'm looking forward to following your progress. 

[yakumo381]

Progress update with Iyo-Mishima:

 

Buildings at yard approach now in place and scenic detail added such as lights, track crossing, etc.

[yakumo381]

It appears that the freight handlers have now moved into the first dock at Iyo-Mishima...

 

Started work on the freight dock for the opposite side to be based on a picture from the 1970s I have of Kubokawa.

 

Trying something different for this as it will also be low relief but with the missing "half" being on the viewing side so that looking across the dock at eye level will be as if you were within the dock looking out across the sidings. Not sure if it will work but I am going to give it a try...

 

First step was to build the platform using Evergreen polystyrene sections and making sure the clearance is correct. The clearance between WAMU and the platform edge needs to be tight as will be in direct line of sight so needs to be a very small, realistic gap at loading height.

 

I deliberately did not place the sidings parallel to the edge of the layout board, to avoid the "train set" look, so I have given myself an adding complication with a trapezoid plan outline for the dock as well as not having space for all of the supporting H columns one side. I have overcome this by adding the two tubular supports which will be painted matt black so as to hopefully disappear from sight in the shadow under the dock.

 

 

[miyakoji]

yakumo381, great choice of locale.  I'm a big Chugoku/Shikoku fan 🙂

[yakumo381]

Low relief freight dock at front of layout now added at Iyo-Mishima.

 

Kubokawa original dock had a V roof:

 

http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/nainen60/imgs/4/e/4e5009b1.jpg

 

From

http://blog.livedoor.jp/nainen60/archives/73643888.html

 

However as a low relief I have only modeled half of the dock and V so not sure if looks OK or not... Will leave it for now as see if it grows on me or not when I add some more scenic detail.

[yakumo381]

Also made up some 3 light shunting signals by cut and shutting Kato traffic signals.

 

I have painted the lenses as all being white - as current practice - but wonder if originally (in the 1970s) they may have been red/amber/green...?

[Pashina12]

Looking great, and super inspiring as I start inching closer towards construction of my own! From what I can tell from the photos, I think I quite like the idea of the half-relief loading dock on the viewing side. Could you maybe share a pic or two looking through it at the eye level of a 1:150 person standing on the dock?