My Japanese N Scale Diorama - NEW Dinning Table Layout

[railsquid]

Yup, got me that set, mainly for the pointwork bits but it's also useful for arranging miscellaneous sections, e.g. custom lengths.

[cteno4]

Maybe rich k will chime in here, there were a couple of issues with the pop on plates I think he ran into when these first came out, but I can't remember what it was--they were not huge but annoying if memory serves me right... Getting old.

 

Jeff

[JR 500系]

Hi I have a quick question for the more technically-inclined folks here. Could anyone tell me the exact voltage for making the lights of the interior light up without making the motor of the car move?

 

Sorry for the strange question... Reason is I am thinking of constructing a new TV console in the new place, that will be in-cooperated with a display case for the train sets. That huge wall space will then be transformed into a place for train display as well as a place for the TV to hang on.

 

I need the voltage to get the interior lights of the train lighted up with the flick of a switch, and yet not get the train to move otherwise it will be hitting against the end glass....

 

 

Something like this, minus the two sides, but all filled up with display glass for the trains. the TV will be right in the centre, and a drawer box below it for the DVD system

Edited December 7, 2016 by JR 500系

[railsquid]

Umm, from experience of taking photos of trains with the lights on but not moving, you are not going to find any uniform power level which would allow you to do that, and even if there was I don't think it would be good for the motors to do that for a longer period. I guess you could do that with DCC no problem though...

[velotrain]

Just use a Tomix CL pack and you don't need to know the voltage?

[railsquid]

Ah, could be an option, I have no experience with that...

[bill937ca]

Maybe rich k will chime in here, there were a couple of issues with the pop on plates I think he ran into when these first came out, but I can't remember what it was--they were not huge but annoying if memory serves me right... Getting old.

 

Jeff

 

Tomix 3076 tram track covers seemed to always have gaps between the pieces.  Cutting tram style turnouts is difficult because you need to cut horizontally and vertically at the same time. The railway style turnout covers have gaps not seen in street track.  I like Wide Tram Track better and only use it now. Generally I avoid turnouts with N scale trams as the gauge is often very close to the wheelbase, resulting in many stalls.  My Unitram is packed away.

[JR 500系]

Just use a Tomix CL pack and you don't need to know the voltage?

 

That could be an idea... but I am looking at more than 1 track, like around 70 maybe? Though I do not know how many tracks one Tomix CL pack can connect to... Besides, there would need to be a space for the Tomix CL packs to store away also..

 

 

Umm, from experience of taking photos of trains with the lights on but not moving, you are not going to find any uniform power level which would allow you to do that, and even if there was I don't think it would be good for the motors to do that for a longer period. I guess you could do that with DCC no problem though...

 

That's quite a valid point squid... The motor might be damaged under that constant voltage and not allowed to move, something like putting a dog on a leash with a bone in clear view but out of range in front of it...  

 

It's just an idea, so I might give this up if too many technical issues were involved.... Perhaps just some LED strips behind the display would make the trains stand out...

Edited December 7, 2016 by JR 500系

[JR 500系]

Tomix 3076 tram track covers seemed to always have gaps between the pieces.  Cutting tram style turnouts is difficult because you need to cut horizontally and vertically at the same time. The railway style turnout covers have gaps not seen in street track.  I like Wide Tram Track better and only use it now. Generally I avoid turnouts with N scale trams as the gauge is often very close to the wheelbase, resulting in many stalls.  My Unitram is packed away.

 

I see... thanks for the input! The Kato unitram track has factory made turnouts which is quite cool... Perhaps I would not consider having a turnout on the tram tracks... But I do require more tram stops...

[velotrain]

Another possibility would be to not display ALL of your trains in this manner (with lights on), but to select a few and perform a temporary vasectomy on the motor wires . . . . .

 

"Perhaps just some LED strips behind the display would make the trains stand out..."

 

That would happen, but probably not in the manner that you want, as the trains would be in silhouette and the lighting (to some extent) in people's faces. 

You would want the lighting to be between the viewers and the trains, aimed at the latter.

[kvp]

Hi I have a quick question for the more technically-inclined folks here. Could anyone tell me the exact voltage for making the lights of the interior light up without making the motor of the car move?

 

Sorry for the strange question... Reason is I am thinking of constructing a new TV console in the new place, that will be in-cooperated with a display case for the train sets. That huge wall space will then be transformed into a place for train display as well as a place for the TV to hang on.

 

I need the voltage to get the interior lights of the train lighted up with the flick of a switch, and yet not get the train to move otherwise it will be hitting against the end glass....

 

It's not voltage that Tomix CL packs use, but high frequency pulse width modulation with a settable percentrage of ON time. You can get 12V pwm led strip dimmers and use one for each track (with a common wall adapter) so you could set just the right percent for each set. (with a pole reversing switch, they also make good diy throttles)

 

ps: For longer operation, i would also suggest to isolate the motors as they would still get a small amount of power, even if the CL circuits will suck up most of it. (non CL sets also work with CL power, but warm the motors at the same time)

[JR 500系]

Hi guys just a quick question... Didn't know where to place this:

 

But, i'm curious of the 883 series Sonic Yellow. The model is produced by Kato part number 10-485... Question is, while I was trying to find some videos of the actual train on youtube (even using Japanese word search) I couldn't find it... Does this mean the train doesn't actually exist in real life? I've seriously yet to see them running... I do know that the 883 series has been running as the renewal colour full blue version (which I rode back in 2015), but are there are still the other variants running now?

Edited January 31, 2017 by JR 500系

[katoftw]

Yellow was the original colour before blue for the 885s.

Yes the 883s were different also. Stainless steel side with blue and yellow fronts of various patterns.

The original 883s were 5 car. And then added 2 more cars from 885s and made them 7 cars. Think early 2000s this was done.

 

edit//  Original 883s were 5 and 7 cars.  The 5 car varients were increased to 7 cars at some stage.

Edited January 31, 2017 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Yellow was the original colour before blue for the 885s.

 

Yes the 883s were different also. Stainless steel side with blue and yellow fronts of various patterns.

 

The original 883s were 5 car. And the added 2 more cars from 885s and made them 7 cars. Think early 2000s this was done.

 

Thanks for the prompt response mate!  :)

 

Does that mean that the Yellow Sonic is the first Sonic to be running even before the stainless steel with blue type? They also increased the number of cars from the original 5 to the current 7... I wished I could find real life videos of the Sonic Yellow running but it seems futile...

[katoftw]

[katoftw]

[JR 500系]

Haha the last video was from Densha de go ~~   :)

 

Another quick question, please if anyone knows if I wanted to get a GreenMax Coreless motor unit for my 783 series Huis Ten Bosch train, which dimension one should I get, 20mm or 21mm? thanks in advance!

[JR 500系]

Further updates on a very long overdue project...

 

with the collection of the new place's keys, and having a long discussion with our interior designer and carpenter, the initial design of the dinning table needs to be comprised...

 

Height is a problem, as the thickness of the board and glass do adds up thickness.. and now we can only hope that the carpenter will still be able to fabricate it using the same dimensions by compromising on the height of the layout.. the initial 150mm cannot be completed without having either the leg space shorten or the entire table height lengthen.... Now I will need to see if 100mm height is still able to accommodate for a double track 2 layered layout...

 

Further, the display cabinet has been approved and able to be fabricate! we will have a 2.4m Length ( I wanted 3m long, but the planks were too long to be brought up to my home...) so we compromise on 2.4m length... It will be 2.4m Long and 1m high, mounted on the wall, with about 15 layers of shelves with 50mm height in between them... That way, we can display out trains on it, and install ceiling mounted spot light to provide illumination for the display... This will be very exciting and certainly a really nice wall feature for my living room!

 

I'll post more pictures when they're up! 

[toc36]

Wish I would have followed this thread sooner.............

 

About a decade ago, one of my co-workers built a new dining room table and gave me his old one!!!

 

The table's bottom and top height was derived from the local furniture stores.  You access to the layout by removing the individual plat glass panels.

 

Unfortunately, I had to get rid of it during a move.

[JR 500系]

FINALLY!

 

After many months of waiting and planning and running our brain juices dry, the carpenters and me have finally came up, and completed, the dinning table with layout!

 

it is HEAVY! AND LARGE! But it works and I am very happy with the result... The carpenters also did a great job making it look really nice! Now we can finally start building the layout again, and the model railway now has a permanent place to be in regardless where I move to in the future!  :)

 

[Yavianice]

So, you will build the layout under the glass?

[JR 500系]

And some might wonder what is that cabinet on the wall behind the table, right?

 

Heh Heh, it's another train related thing... the display cabinet!

 

Good enough for 2.4m long trains, and wide enough for even 2 trains side by side on each level (though the train on the inside will then be hidden from view)... and a total of 14 levels!  :)

 

Now that's great fun to show the trains!

 

I'll upload more pictures again when the spot lights are up~

[JR 500系]

1 minute ago, Yavianice said:

So, you will build the layout under the glass?

 

Indeed... in between the top glass and the bottom plank ~ 

[Pauljag900]

Hi Sammy,

looks absolutely fantastic buddy and I can t wait to see the layout start to take shape..What height between the glass  did you manage to achieve in the end? The cabinet is also really nice mate,you must be well pleased with the outcome😀👍👍

well done mate,

paul

[serotta1972]

Wow Sammy, a home built around a train collection - awesome concept! :) Great to see things are coming along!  Looking forward to seeing the display case full of trains and the train / dining table.