Now thats a layout!

[alpineaustralia]

What I would do for a layout like this!!!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/500hats/sets/72157603668311689/

[Bernard]

That's about 20 layouts put together.  :o

They must have so many hidden hatches in that layout, and even so it still has to be difficult to retrieve a train if it derails.

[Martijn Meerts]

While not Japanese, and not even N-scale, feast your eyes on the following:

 

http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/

A *HUGE* layout in Hamburg, Germany. Several kilometers of track, hundreds of trains, full digital, simulation of day/night cycles, custom car system, etc. etc. etc. It's not Japanese, or even N-scale, but they have a weekly reports section which goes all the way back to when they just got started, and they show how they've built the whole thing. Weekly reports at http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/exhibit/weekly-reports/current/

 

 

 

http://www.railzminiworld.com/ENGindex.htm

A large layout in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Not as big as the one in Hamburg, but overall it has a better feel and better details. Again, its not Japanese, nor N-scale, but they have mentioned they want to build a separate large-ish Japanese N-scale layout at some point. They also have weekly reports, although they're in Dutch only (at least, I can't find an English version), and the pictures aren't as nice as those from Hamburg. http://www.railzminiworld.com/NLbouwverslagen.htm

[bill937ca]

That's about 20 layouts put together.  :o

They must have so many hidden hatches in that layout, and even so it still has to be difficult to retrieve a train if it derails.

 

Here's more on the JR East railway museum at Omiya.

 

http://www.f-banchan.net/tokyo/tetudouhaku/teppaku_AD.htm

 

The layout is HO and runs only during shows for about 15 minutes.  That's why there are so many people watching.

 

Official Japanese language site:  

 

http://www.railway-museum.jp/top.html

 

JR West also has a museum at Osaka, the Modern Transporation Museum, and has an English language web site.  That museum also has a HO train display .

 

http://www.mtm.or.jp/eng/

 

http://www.mtm.or.jp/eng/floor/panorama.html

 

JR West also has the Umekoji Roundhouse in Kyoto.

 

http://www.mtm.or.jp/eng/umekoji/guide.html

[SubwayHypes]

The railway shows at the many Japanese Railway Museams are definately, without a doubt, the catalyst for my interest in Japanese trains.

 

 

I remember going to the musems every year as a kid, and watching the train show.  It is awesome, they have light dimmers to simulate day and night, huge yards.  the conducter brings out different trains every few minutes.  It is an awesome experiance.

 

 

Another good thing to look forward to is the Model Train Expo in Tokyo. It is usually held in GINZA at the top of a department store.  They set up about a dozen N scale layouts, and you can buy tickets and spend about 5 minutes per layout toying with the trains.  I remember begging my parents for N scale trains as a kid and them telling me it was too expensive and too sophisticated for me.  Not anymore!

[Guest ___]

The railway shows at the many Japanese Railway Museams are definately, without a doubt, the catalyst for my interest in Japanese trains.

 

 

I remember going to the musems every year as a kid, and watching the train show.  It is awesome, they have light dimmers to simulate day and night, huge yards.  the conducter brings out different trains every few minutes.  It is an awesome experiance.

 

 

Another good thing to look forward to is the Model Train Expo in Tokyo. It is usually held in GINZA at the top of a department store.  They set up about a dozen N scale layouts, and you can buy tickets and spend about 5 minutes per layout toying with the trains.  I remember begging my parents for N scale trains as a kid and them telling me it was too expensive and too sophisticated for me.  Not anymore!

 

I saw that layout or tried to this last trip there, but I importunity found the mueseam by mistake on a Saturday so I couldn't enjoy it as much thanks to being packed with kids.

[stevenh]

What I would do for a layout like this!!!

When I was there (with my faulty camera) the queue to see the layout (diorama as they called it) was huuuuuge. It was a regular school day and it was so busy.

Shite I loved that museum... I have a pic of the main hall down the bottom of my Japanese Gallery, but I needed a tripod to get proper shots... it was quite dark...

I saw the layout from a window/open door nearby and was nearly convinced to line up to watch the next 'viewing'... it was around ever hour for 20mins I think... they go through and run all the different trains (and have a talk on them).

This was the same as in the Railway Museum in Bentencho, Osaka... It was amazing to watch one controller hitting all the switches and running each train around... it was specifically Kansai (thunderbird, twilight express, etc...) but awesome.

 

Anyway, enough ranting... I want to move back there.

[alpineaustralia]

The  Umekoji Roundhouse in Kyoto is the one featured in my prototypes pictures of the steam engine. Great museu, for steam!!.

[Guest ___]

The  Umekoji Roundhouse in Kyoto is the one featured in my prototypes pictures of the steam engine. Great museu, for steam!!.

 

That was a pretty good one. Been ages since I last saw and nearly forgot about it till you brought it up.