First Japan Rail Layout

[yakumo381]

Having brought back some kits from Japan, been adding more detail to Niihama including a few relocations of existing buildings to make a better arrangement with new ones. See if you can spot the differences...

 

Need to track down some suitable material to make some new rows of tea bushes as the plantation at rear of layout has lightened from bright sunlight (at a certain time of day the sun just catches them around the side of the window blind).

 

Given Niihama is now in its 6th year (although still not a day has passed in the life of the people "living" in Niihama as always May 5th) I am pleased that the majority of the scenic material has not faded although I have swapped out some sakura as the early foam and glue ones I made were not sufficently resilient to vaccuming.

[miyakoji]

Looks great. I especially like the rural housing scenes. With your username and the name of your layout, you seem to be West Japan-centric. As it happens I lived in Okayama and have been to Ehime many times, not far from the real Niihama :)

[yakumo381]

The village of Niihama has started to move with the times as two old Meiji period houses have now been redeveloped and where they once stood is now an example of that icon of modern suburban Japan, a Lawson Station.

[cteno4]

Yakumo,

 

Looks great! More Picts please!

 

Jeff

[yakumo381]

The market gardener's business in Niihama must be doing well as he has expanded into the next field and built himself a shed. Also looks like Niihama itself may be growing as the local road engineers have put in a new junction and road off the expressway. :)

There does not appear to be a direct translation of "market garden" into Japanese or at least I cannot find one. :icon_scratch:

A search using "菜園" brings up views of what to me would be market gardens but simply translates as "vegetable garden".

Anyone know what the real Japanese equivalent is as I want to make up a new sign for the above entrepreneur?

 

Edited October 26, 2015 by yakumo381

[kvp]

I would like to ask what kind of kit did you use to make those great polyhouses? (or if it's self made, how to make them?)

[yakumo381]

I would like to say I did make them however I took the parts out of a Tomytec kit although I did have to straighten them as being made in China, the Tomytec factory or probably sub-supplier out there does seem to specialise in warping their mouldings.

[yakumo381]

The residents of Niihama are glad that JR have finally got around to installing the footbridge between the two halves of the station, and that they will no longer have to use the long, damp, dark subway that apparently lurks underneath...

 

 

[cteno4]

Nicely done, it fit neatly!

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

Nice.  To bridge kit joined together?  Did you add paint?

[ToniBabelony]

A search using "菜園" brings up views of what to me would be market gardens but simply translates as "vegetable garden".

 

Anyone know what the real Japanese equivalent is as I want to make up a new sign for the above entrepreneur?

 

菜園 (Sai'en, litt. 'vegetable garden') is more an equivalent to a kitchen garden or allotment garden (community garden, or German kleingarten). In Japanese this can also translate to 貸し農園 (Kaishi Nōen, litt. 'loan farm'), which is closer to an allotment garden.

 

For a sign, it'd be best to say something like: 野菜販売所 (Yasai Hanbaisho, 'vegetables on sale here') and 自家製 (Jikasei, 'Homemade'), or 野菜直売所 (Chokubaisho, 'direct sales'), or 農産直売所 (Nōsan Chokubaisho, 'farmers market') for something bigger. More tourist oriented sales places are called 道の駅 (Michi no Eki, 'Road Station') where not only local produce are on sale, but a leisure area and a restaurant is also provided.

 

I hope this helps a little! I like your attention to detail here! :)

[yakumo381]

Nice.  To bridge kit joined together?  Did you add paint?

Kitbashed from two Greenmax footbridge kits + Evergreen Styrene strip + glazing from the spares box along with Revell acrylic paint mixed to match the colours of the Kato platform canopies and uprights. :)

[yakumo381]

 A work-in-progress on Niihama depot shed. Adjusted the roof so now it just lifts off to give easy access to the inside to which I have now added floor detail.

 

Moved the lift jacks inside as more prototypical and now looking to make small bits and pieces to start filling the shed up.

 

Attached pictures of Niihama shed as WIP plus some pictures of the main shed at Okayama which I am using for reference.

[cteno4]

Wow, the detail you did in those Interior shots is spectacular! How did you get your camera inside the model! ;-p

 

Really nice work, love the shed! The jacks are great, remind me where you got them? Rail Crain is also great, really becoming a nice little scene! Going to light it up?

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

[yakumo381]

Market Garden business now with more meaningfull signage (thanks Toni for the translation).

[yakumo381]

Wow, the detail you did in those Interior shots is spectacular! How did you get your camera inside the model! ;-p

 

Really nice work, love the shed! The jacks are great, remind me where you got them? Rail Crain is also great, really becoming a nice little scene! Going to light it up?

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

Jacks are by Graham Farish (aka Bachmann) repainted after adding a styrene strip support between them to stop them moving apart. I have not put any lighting on Niihama as found it too much of a reliability problem when I used grain of wheat bulbs on my old Peru Rail layout and anyway its too late to add now using LEDs as I have only limited access to underneath the baseboard.

[yakumo381]

Complaints from the Niihama populace about having the low spring sun in their eyes have resulted in the Series 25 Blue train cars being fitted with blinds.

 

(Actually a quite simple but effective modification with the "blinds" being print outs of suitable coloured shapes drawn as a group to match the window layouts for each car side using powerpoint, cut out as a fret with a scalpel and attached with pritt stick glue above the windows. Now need to do my other car sets as time permits).

[cteno4]

Yakumo,

 

Kudos, amazing how a small detail like that really stands out so well!

 

Jeff

[ToniBabelony]

Nice! I always forget about this option. It's a big aid as well when you want to hide an ugly motor unit (e.g. Tomytec and old Greenmax) in the interior.

[cteno4]

Even if you can't hide it it draws the eye away from what you can see. Love tricks like that!

 

Jeff

[yakumo381]

After years of petitioning JRH for a new station to give tourists better access to Niihama-jō, the people of Niihama have been amazed to see construction actually beginning. They now just need to think of a suitable name for it before it is finished and ready to open...hopefully before the next Children's Day holiday.

 

[inspired by the pictures in the "Rural station at Senmo Main Line" thread, the in-progress new concrete platform is being built of plasticard, evergreen styrene strips and a recycled card picture mount - nothing like seeing some great images to get the creative urge going again :) ]

Edited May 9, 2016 by yakumo381

[Eurostar25]

You have made an excellent layout, I really like all the small details, they really bring it to life. I'm looking at a freight yard for my next scene so took particular attention to your one and the details you have included. Must start buying some containers in bulk!

[ToniBabelony]

Very cute platform! It reminds me of the Kairakuen station on the JR East Jyōban Line I passed a few days ago. This station also only has a platform on one side of the tracks, in the direction of Mito sta. (northbound), and is used only on special occasions.

[JR 500系]

I like the fence, it looks really realistic!

[kvp]

That fence looks more like a snowdrift barrier. The scratchbuilt platform looks great!