Kato Overhead Station -Questions on sets required

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hi, I am wanting to put a Kato Overhead station on my layout like the one on the link:

 

http://www.katomodels.com/product/nmi/kinko_homu_e.shtml

 

 

I'm looking to have something along the lines of the 4th picture. I am wanting to park trains of that are 6 to 10 car lengths. With that being said can I add platforms (Island Flag Stop Platform Set) to the back side of the stations?

 

My layout will be using Atlas Code 80flex trak. Can you use Atlas Flex track code 80 with this setup or would it be better with the unitrak? Are v15 kits available any where?

 

Spiff

[rankodd]

You know what? It never occurred to me to doubt that you could add platforms to the back of the station, but it seems you can't. Well, you could, but there's an unsightly gap in the roof. The official thing to stick on the back of the station is a 60-some MM roofless, square end platform with steps, 2 of which come with the 23-120 platform. You can see them at the end of the platform in the 4th picture, and in the parts set.

 

And yes, that is a Kato 23-120 Island Flag Stop platform, which is officially intended for use with this station. Don't ask me why the roof colour and shape doesn't match the set on the station itself. I'm rather annoyed by that.  :BangHead:

 

As for Atlas code 80 - it is very compatible with Kato Unitrack, provided you get the height of the roadbed correct. I don't see a reason why you couldn't use it with the station.

 

(Edit)

Taking a good look at the official photos, the colour and shape of the roof on theirs is as bad as mine. Way to go, Kato... :confused5:

[Barobutt]

It's all going to be painted so the colouring doesn't matter tooo much.  I noticed some shade differences in my DPM buildings sometimes, but they all look just as good after a coat of what ever colour you're painting it.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thanks so much rankodd for the pictures and the reply.

 

My plan was to have the station at the end of the line and have platforms on both sides of the station so that the train will be parked in the middle of the station. I figure this would be a way of doing it so that it wouldn't look funny ie: why go over a train at a station when you can just walk around it on ground level at the end of the line.

 

Does any one have any suggestions for a station at the end of the line?

 

 

Spiff

[Barobutt]

I've seen terminus stations that still had tunnels or bridges.  You could always just have one of the tracks extend past the station a little and end in a tiny service area or engine house or something like that too.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thanks Barobutt, I was thinking of the same thing, having loco shop buildings or something similar at the end.

 

Spiff

[Samurai_Chris]

Spiff, the great thing is, that you can do anything that your imagination wants to do. Its just a matter of sitting down and working it out.. As someone that has lived here so long. It is not unusual to see new station structures being built, and surrounded by old structures. The Japanese also build for public use, not looks, so sometimes things don't match up sometimes color-wise or aesthetically in design.

 

You also don't have to just stick with Kato. You can also use Tomix and work it in.. Here are a few pictures of me playing around with a few structures in order to get what I want.. I will note, in these pics, that I was simply going for a country station near my house. So it took me a few goes for me to get it where I liked it, ad it looked authentic..

Just playing around with some structures.

 

 

And the end result! I am sure you could do something similar to the side of a modern building, and not have it look decent... I see old and new all the time here. Just take away the station house add some platforms, an overhead, rocks, grass ect, and there you have a custom set up to house what you need!

 

 

[Samurai_Chris]

PS:. some may worry about Tomix and Kato not measuring up. But as you can see with lines all over the base. I cut and paste this set using my model building skills to look how I wanted it. Not just by how restricted I was with the measurements of a certain brand.. If you use Kato platforms, then you just simply need to glue the Tomix overhead to where you want it ect, and space the tracks to make everything work and fit..

 

Cheers..

[Samurai_Chris]

You know what? It never occurred to me to doubt that you could add platforms to the back of the station, but it seems you can't. Well, you could, but there's an unsightly gap in the roof. The official thing to stick on the back of the station is a 60-some MM roofless, square end platform with steps, 2 of which come with the 23-120 platform. You can see them at the end of the platform in the 4th picture, and in the parts set.

 

And yes, that is a Kato 23-120 Island Flag Stop platform, which is officially intended for use with this station. Don't ask me why the roof colour and shape doesn't match the set on the station itself. I'm rather annoyed by that.  :BangHead:

 

As for Atlas code 80 - it is very compatible with Kato Unitrack, provided you get the height of the roadbed correct. I don't see a reason why you couldn't use it with the station.

 

(Edit)

Taking a good look at the official photos, the colour and shape of the roof on theirs is as bad as mine. Way to go, Kato... :confused5:

 

Actually that's how most extended platforms all over Japan look. They are made of a completely different material than the roof of the actual station. Infact. if it was the same shape and color, it would look quite odd to me, and not "canon"... If anything, the one in your pic looks way too clean.. The dirtier, grimier the better for Japan!

[bill937ca]

There are a couple of older threads that could help you.  Checkout the links in each post.  

 

Small Station Plan

 

Japan Station Help/Ideas

 

Station Layout Diagrams

 

In particular this is a station blueprint and site plan with two through platforms and a back platform.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thanks for the info guys. Great pics and links.  

 

Samurai_Chris, what passenger cars/sets are those?

 

I think I will go the overhead station route and then add some loco shops at the end of the line. It doesn't seem like the V15 kit is available anywhere. Looks like I will use Atlas flex track thru out. Any idea how long each platform is?

 

 

Spiff

[rankodd]

A good place to grab detailed specifications is actually Plaza-Japan's store. Usually anything they list includes measurements:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Modern-Island-Platform-City-type-Kato-23-120-/120700109285?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c1a4981e5

 

 

Specs:

 

# 2 x 23-107 248mm Island Platform Type A, Without Stairs.

# 23-1xx 71mm Platform End (Not Sold Separately).

# 23-1xx 71mm Platform End (Not Sold Separately).

# Includes Asst Platform Furniture & Self Adhesive Transfers.

 

Diagram attached below.

[rankodd]

It's all going to be painted so the colouring doesn't matter tooo much.  I noticed some shade differences in my DPM buildings sometimes, but they all look just as good after a coat of what ever colour you're painting it.

 

It wouldn't bother me so much if the colour was the only issue. The angle of the roof and shape of the corrugations are slightly different as well.

[Spaceman Spiff]

rankodd, thanks for the info.

 

Looking at the ebay ad, it looks like the package has two platforms for a length of 638 mm? Is that correct?

 

If I was to get three Kato 23-120 sets -6 platform pieces in total, could I connect 3 of the platforms together to create 2 platform sections of 3 pieces each?

 

Spiff

[rankodd]

rankodd, thanks for the info.

 

Looking at the ebay ad, it looks like the package has two platforms for a length of 638 mm? Is that correct?

 

If I was to get three Kato 23-120 sets -6 platform pieces in total, could I connect 3 of the platforms together to create 2 platform sections of 3 pieces each?

 

Spiff

 

That would be perfectly acceptable. Keep in mind that if you're going to be using the Kato Overhead station, you need to sacrifice 1 station platform to go under the station itself, 2 if you're using the station expansion kit for 3-4 tracks. You take the roof off and attach it directly to the bottom of the station itself. So, for example, with just the basic station and a single double sided platform - a 23-120 with the 2 248mm platforms and 2 71mm end pieces - you would attach one of the platforms to the station, have the 71mm end piece behind the station, and a single 248mm roofed platform and 71mm end piece in front of the station.

 

There are also other options.

 

Kato 23-107 - the individually packed platforms from 23-120

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Modern-Island-Platform-City-type-Kato-23-107-/360224022295?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item53df065f17

 

Kato 23-108 - Same as 23-107, but has stairs leading "down", presumably to access an under-track walkway instead of an overhead bridge.

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10066261

 

Kato 23-109 - a 200mm square ended platform with no roof, similar to the 71mm ends included with the 23-120

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Modern-Island-Platform-End-B-City-type-Kato-23-109-/200402308245?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2ea8e88c95

 

I'd personally put the 23-109s on my station if I had the space - I like the look of them.

[Samurai_Chris]

Thanks for the info guys. Great pics and links.  

 

Samurai_Chris, what passenger cars/sets are those?

 

I think I will go the overhead station route and then add some loco shops at the end of the line. It doesn't seem like the V15 kit is available anywhere. Looks like I will use Atlas flex track thru out. Any idea how long each platform is?

 

 

Spiff

 

Spiff, they are my local JR Kyushu Micro Ace 813 100-500.. In fact, I will be catching one into the newly finished Hakata Station tonight for a work Nomikai "Drink Party"... I have two sets, but they are sold out all over Japan. Had to get my second set from Yahoo Japan auctions..

 

As for your over heads, Just cut one set of stairs off and join it to the next one and so on.. You can make it as long as you want.. In fact Nogata Station up the road is a hub for the country area here, and it has eight platforms all simply accessed by a really old wooden and very long over head walkway like mine, looks exactly the same, but 8 tracks across (so 4 platforms, and 4 sets of stairs..)..

[KenS]

Kato platform segments are 248mm, to match their track. The exception are the end pieces, which vary but are usually around 200mm of usable platform. The minimum length would thus be about 648mm (unless you just used two ends, which would look a bit odd).

 

The V15 set was due out in March, but I'd preordered it and recently received an rather unclear note from HS that it would "ship when it comes in", which suggests that it may have been delayed by Kato for an unknown duration.

 

Edit: my V15 arrived at HS the day after I wrote this. They were in-stock as of this morning (3/29).

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thanks for the replies. I am out of town at the moment and will look at the info more closely when I get home.

 

Spiff

[Mudkip Orange]

VERY nice. And yeah, as others have said, if anything your platform is too uniform. You need to add like different heights and materials and places where one course of rock is laid over an older course of a different type of rock to get the fully "authentic" look :P

[Spaceman Spiff]

I thought I would attach a picture so everyone can see what I am trying to do and maybe get some better ideas.

 

 

The area in blue is a level that will be around 4 inches higher than the level shown in black. Basically the main line in green starts in the blue area and then descends down to enter a level (tunnel) in black. The station area is in red and will be at the same level as the main line in blue. It will split off the main line (2 lines) and then split into 4. Once split off there is roughly 4-5 feet by 2 feet wide.

 

 

I`m not sure yet what to in regards to the actual station area in regards to parking lot, vehicles etc to make it look realistic. I guess I will have a bridge coming in from the side from an imaginary town.

 

Spiff

 

P.S.  Apologies for the poor photo editing

[Spaceman Spiff]

I was just looking at this picture ( http://www.katomodels.com/cgi-bin/nmi_zoomview.cgi?id=kinko_homu_e&num=1&cue=rewrite  ) and it looks like that the Kato 23-120 platform connects to both sides of the station. Do you guys agree or disagree?

 

What platform should I use for under the station?

 

Spiff

[rankodd]

That's not the 23-120 attached to the station - check the train in the foreground. That platform you're looking at is a single sided platform one track over, which is attached to the station Expansion, not the station itself.

 

Don't ask me why the expansion can have platforms forward and back, and the station itself can't. Sorry - can't take pics at the moment.

 

Which platform you buy for under the station depends on what combo of pieces you want. The 23-120/23-121 are more expensive than the individual platforms, but are the only way to get the 71mm ends.

 

Strictly speaking, the station picture you referenced in the first post (img 4) consists of:

 

Overhead Transit Station 23-122

Overhead Transit Station Expansion Set 23-123

Island Flag Stop Platform Set 23-120

One-sided Flag Stop Platform Set 23-121

 

Giving you three platform tracks and one passing track. I suspect you want all four tracks available, so replace the One-sided Flag Stop Platform Set with another Island Flag Stop Platform Set.

 

If you want different ends - the 200mm Island Flag Stop Platform End 23-109 instead of the 71mm ends, for example - then buy individual platforms. It'd be slightly cheaper that way. In that case you would buy a Island Flag Stop Platform A 23-107 for under the station/and or the expansion.

[David]

Any idea on how long, in terms of actual platform space, the 200mm and 71mm platform ends really are? I mean if you subtract that thin flat area at the end that the stairs sit on.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hi, I found some good pictures of the station front and back from I think Kens' website:

 

http://www.sumidacrossing.org/SumidaCrossing/OverheadTransitStation.html

 

 

This is what I am thinking for now:

 

A) Overhead station (Kato 23-122) and expansion set (Kato 23-123).    

B) 2 sets of Kato 23-107 for two platforms to go under the station (roof removed).

C) 1 set of Kato 23-120 platforms (package comes with two platforms) for the front side of station.

D) 1 set of Kato 23-109 platforms  (package comes with two platforms) for the rear side of station.

 

 

Does this work?

 

Spiff

[rankodd]

Hi, I found this website that has some good pictures of the station front and back:

 

http://www.sumidacrossing.org/SumidaCrossing/OverheadTransitStation.html

 

 

This is what I am thinking for now:

 

A) Overhead station (Kato 23-122) and expansion set (Kato 23-123).    

B) 2 sets of Kato 23-107 for two platforms to go under the station (roof removed).

C) 1 set of Kato 23-120 platforms (package comes with two platforms) for the front side of station.

D) 1 set of Kato 23-109 platforms  (package comes with two platforms) for the rear side of station.

 

 

Does this work?

 

Spiff

 

That will physically work, but there's another consideration. The 71mm ends are designed to correct the difference in size between the 23-120 set and a 4 car train. The 200mm ends and 2 platforms give you enough space to park a 6 car train. A 71mm + 2 platforms + 200mm gives you enough for about 5 cars, give or take a few mm of overhang either way.