ENOSHIMA Model Train Exhibition

[Concept Model Trains]

Last weekend there was a very good Japanese layout on display at the Canberra Model Railway Expo in Australia.  It was presented by Doud Coster whose name been mentioned on the forum.  He put on a impressive show and had a great collection buildings on show.  Visit http://japanese-trains.com/2sides/ for details and photos of his layout.

[SubwayHypes]

yea this guy has a really good website, i love his buildings especially.

 

 

^this one is crazy!  I have that building but havent done anything like this.

 

 

also concept trains, i like your 211 series train in your sig!  I almost bought one recently, 5 car sets are relatively cheap right now.

[Sushi Train]

Nice, but it really needs weathering, tell me you're planning to......

[Concept Model Trains]

The series 211 train is a real beauty.  It runs quite smoothly and looks smart.  I have a picture of it on the layout at http://www.mmts.com.au/train_layouts/metro.htm

[Bernard]

Concept - I was takig a look at your website, are the photos of the 211 on Bachmann track? I don't want to go off topic (but I will) but how do you like that track?

[Concept Model Trains]

The photos of the 211 are on Unitrack.  The two track types do look very similar.  I started with Bachmann EZ track when I began to model trains in March 2008.  The layouts on my website use EZ track except for the Metro layout.  I wanted to try model trains so I bought 3 Bachmann sets which are quite affordable.  Below is a picture of the layout that convinced me to go further in N Scale.  I decided to add some more EZ track to it and built my first real layout "Cityscape".  Even though I really enjoyed the layout, the Bachmann switches were not always reliable. The 19" track is ideal if you have the space for it.

 

Shortly after building the “Cityscape” layout I got interested in Japanese model trains.  I put the “Metro” layout together after making a major investment in some Kato Unitrack and trains.  I got the 211, 217, 321 and JR 500 to complete the layout.  The Unitrack is much better Bachmann EZ track and is a better investment.  EZ track is prone to problems when used manually but can work OK when powered.  For my “Landscape” layout I used Bachmann track.  I used an EZ track switch to connect it with the “Metro” layout so I could run trains between the layouts.  It which worked reasonably well.

 

I still use my EZ track for some small “coffee table” layouts that I have been working on although I’m planning to use Unitrack for the next one.  My father has a layout built with EZ track. He is interested in building new layout using Peco or Kato.  Bachmann is a good starting point but Unitrack is much better quality if you want to get more serious. 

 

[Bernard]

Can you use the Bachmann EZ track with the Kato Unitrack or Tomix Fine track?

[Mudkip Orange]

Can you use the Bachmann EZ track with the Kato Unitrack or Tomix Fine track?

 

I have no doubt with a little sawing and hawing you could use all three as you feel. Bachmann is Code 80, same as Tomix or Kato... the only thing you'd need to do would be to cut off the plastic joiners and shim the (differing) roadbed heights.

 

Then again the question is why would you WANT to do this... if you're gonna try to save money by kitbashing Bachmann you could just go Flex for the same price and get infinite variability...

[Martijn Meerts]

I guess if you're REALLY serious, you'd stay away from most sectional track completely. I'm still a bit uncertain, I like the sturdyness of finetrack, but for something like Tokyo Station, using sectional track is difficult.

[Concept Model Trains]

Connecting EZ track to Unitrick works OK but it is a compromise.  I've included a few photos of the connection I made.  I took a short section of EZ track and broke off the plastic joiners.  Some tape was used to connect the Unitrack and EZ track.  It worked and was a way of connecting both layouts. 

 

 

[Bernard]

Concept - Nice comparison photo. It shows how different the RR ties are between the 2 tracks. Even if you could combine the 2 tracks to save some money, the results are just too different look wise.

[SubwayHypes]

concept i lke your train arsenal, i also have the 217 yokosuka which i realy like, have my eyes on the 217 tokaido too hehe.  i see you got the 233 keihin which is really similar to my e531 joban.   post more pics of your commuters!  I almost bought the 321 series myself, but im stopping the purchase of trains because i need to put more money into buildings and layout construction.

[Mudkip Orange]

but im stopping the purchase of trains because i need to put more money into buildings and layout construction.

This makes me sad. You already have a double-track! Just add some turnouts so you have a big enough yard to store everything and keep buying trains!

[Martijn Meerts]

Why do you need a layout or even a bunch of tracks in order to buy trains anyway? =)

[SubwayHypes]

^^LOL i was thinking about going to ikea and setting up a train display case!

 

but yea, mudkip id like you to know that i recently just purchased two new train sets, the Kiha 85 and 221 commuter, but i have still managed to allocate a few hundred to cover the minimum amount of buildings possible.

[Mudkip Orange]

I like what the JRM guys are doing with their layout, i.e., have removable scenery modules that you can "drop in" alongside the snap-together track.

 

Watching YouTube videos has completely erased by Americajin bias towards permanent, fixed basement layouts. I have seen the light, and it is the ever-evolving layout design.

[cteno4]

I like what the JRM guys are doing with their layout, i.e., have removable scenery modules that you can "drop in" alongside the snap-together track.

 

Watching YouTube videos has completely erased by Americajin bias towards permanent, fixed basement layouts. I have seen the light, and it is the ever-evolving layout design.

Mudkip,

 

Thanks, we wanted to try and portray the japanese on the fly modeling to the american audience. the idea of throwing a layout together or a weekend on the living room tatami mats was our approach. One of our members has a whole basement layout that is all unitrak and nothing nailed down! all perceived scenery and the layout is ever evolving! i think he now has 14 different lines running! one side is japan and the other europe. he runs trains he has ridden on!

 

i have abandoned the built in layout for my own home layout plans. now looking at sectional that i can easily move, take to shows, or replace sections with new ones if i get tired of them. also jrm is moving to doing a sectional layout as the setup time and effort is just killing us along with having thousands of pieces to keep track of! i may have some of the jrm sections i do also drop into the home layout so i can get a 2 fer on the work. also looking at making some of the buildings and scenes be movable mini modules to use between the home, jrm, and ttrak modules as i probably wont use them all at the same time!

 

flexible is fun and keep things alive. also helpful if you end up having to move, i have known too many folks move and have to tear out a layout. makes me cry to think of all that work torn out! down side is that its harder to do some more detailed scenery with the perceived modeling approach. always trade offs, cant have your cake and eat it too!.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Guest ___]

I like what the JRM guys are doing with their layout, i.e., have removable scenery modules that you can "drop in" alongside the snap-together track.

 

Watching YouTube videos has completely erased by Americajin bias towards permanent, fixed basement layouts. I have seen the light, and it is the ever-evolving layout design.

Mudkip,

 

Thanks, we wanted to try and portray the japanese on the fly modeling to the american audience. the idea of throwing a layout together or a weekend on the living room tatami mats was our approach. One of our members has a whole basement layout that is all unitrak and nothing nailed down! all perceived scenery and the layout is ever evolving! i think he now has 14 different lines running! one side is japan and the other europe. he runs trains he has ridden on!

 

i have abandoned the built in layout for my own home layout plans. now looking at sectional that i can easily move, take to shows, or replace sections with new ones if i get tired of them. also jrm is moving to doing a sectional layout as the setup time and effort is just killing us along with having thousands of pieces to keep track of! i may have some of the jrm sections i do also drop into the home layout so i can get a 2 fer on the work. also looking at making some of the buildings and scenes be movable mini modules to use between the home, jrm, and ttrak modules as i probably wont use them all at the same time!

 

flexible is fun and keep things alive. also helpful if you end up having to move, i have known too many folks move and have to tear out a layout. makes me cry to think of all that work torn out! down side is that its harder to do some more detailed scenery with the perceived modeling approach. always trade offs, cant have your cake and eat it too!.

 

I cringe at the thought of having to set up the current l layout again in Timonium. I was so close to throwing my hands up at the last show.

 

With that said, my original home layout intent was to build nothing but T-trak modules that I could work on either in my room or on the layout and that could go in to the club layout, and for reasons worthy of its own thread, I diverged from that plan and went with the 3'x6' I have now.Though I am working on a Gundam battle scene for my T-trak module that I can drop in to the clu'sb set up when Phil brings his for the Rockville show.

[SubwayHypes]

I built my layout with the knowledge that i have to move soon, so its sectioned into four different pieces, which lie on top of the train table which is itself 3 pieces which can be easily uninstalled.

[SubwayHypes]

Wow i just spent over an hour browsing JRMs website, AWESOME AWESOME.  I felt like i just went on a vacation to japan and rode the trains around the country, in the winter nontheless.

 

I wish there was a Japan Model club here on the west coast...IS THERE???

 

any other californians?

[cteno4]

Wow i just spent over an hour browsing JRMs website, AWESOME AWESOME.  I felt like i just went on a vacation to japan and rode the trains around the country, in the winter nontheless.

 

I wish there was a Japan Model club here on the west coast...IS THERE???

 

any other californians?

 

(blush) thanks very much subwayhypes! appreciate the feedback. we were hoping that there would be a lot of things to prowl around in on the new site!

 

there is a group, i think in the Sacramento area, called the Asian Train Enthusiast that has modules it displays at train shows. if you are a member of the yahoo jrforum you can see photos from a 2008 show here

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JRForum/photos/album/59452044/pic/list

 

Ill see if they are still at it at all.

 

hard to find that nucleus, but once you do it can grow! thats how jrm started when we got about 4 guys together and started talking about it and soon there were 8 guys, now pretty steady membership of 10-12.

 

I would guess there would be a good chance in the bay area to find a few others as lots of folks use to japanese culture.

 

Im actually from Oakland/Berkley and started getting interested in japanese trains just about when we moved to DC about 7 years back.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[SubwayHypes]

^cool thanks alot for the heads up, i was looking for a japan railroad club, all the local railroadders around here are into US layouts with their atherns and atlas.

 

Im living in east oakland right now, born in san francisco but the rent is too expensive! 

[marknewton]

Doug has added some new buildings to "Enoshima"

 

http://jmtn.wordpress.com/2009/05/23/new-buildings-for-enoshima/

 

I'll be seeing him, Edo and the layout on the June long weekend exhibition at Epping. Any of the other Sydney members going?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[alpineaustralia]

Hey Mark - do you have details re the exhibition on the June long weekend.

Me and my boy would like to go.

[serenityFan]

ditto ... is the long weekend over there in Sydney on the 6-8 June?