Toni's Model Train Adventures

[ToniBabelony]

I keep hearing about this recently, apparently it's an app which tells people to go to places where they can get something which doesn't exist outside of their smartphone?

It's software (like many virtual things), but with it comes nostalgia, adventure and an excuse to go outside.

[kvp]

It's called Augmented Reality or in short AR. In this case, there are virtual objects and creatures pinned on the real world map you could interact with them. The idea is that the coordinates serve as a key to unlock virtual objects (items, locations, pets) The same real world link was already in the old gameboy pokemon series, where you could use the serial link cable to play with (against) your real life friends.

 

Toni, the idea is great! Do you plan to make another module, so the interurban line could go somewhere? (like another curve out of the ttrak line, which would make it usable at a meeting by placing the rest on an extra table)

[ToniBabelony]

Toni, the idea is great! Do you plan to make another module, so the interurban line could go somewhere? (like another curve out of the ttrak line, which would make it usable at a meeting by placing the rest on an extra table)

 

I do plan on making an extension where the tracks leave the modules again, as this would be able to fit on a standard length module.

 

Just an in-between shot, running some DMU with my son.

 

Below is the area where I'd like the station entrance to be, but the minimal amount of space, the placement of the future level crossing, and a bus stop is a bit of a headache to think about. I'll come up with a sensible and logical solution eventually, though I also would like a vending point for tickets and a kiosk in there as well. xD

 

 

I was wondering what the minimum radius was a bus could pull through and according to this video it would be a 30mm radius! That's pretty solid, but I think 40mm would be safer and smoother looking. This pretty much solves my worries for clearing the corner at the station. :)

 

 

I should get a BM-01 for testing this :3

[kvp]

I think a very japanese solution would be to put the station building between the viaduct legs. I mean the main walls could surround it. Maybe even a 2nd floor could be squeezed in too.

[cteno4]

Toni,

 

Nice mini layout!

 

With the faller bus I played with min radius turns and found that to test it correctly you needed to put the wire under a sheet of thin cardboard to simulate it being embedded. When I taped it down like that it gave me tighter results that would not reproduced being embedded and the wheels also hit the wires. It is fun though you can lay the wire out and tape it down and flip it over to make your path. Even can do loop backs and points.

 

Maybe think about just printing your roads onto cardstock (or paper on top of cardstock) and running the wire on the back of that.

 

Jeff

[JR 500系]

Oh wow... Initial D Bus drifting at its best! Pull hand brakes and turn full lock left ~  :P

 

It's a nice experiment... The current moving bus pieces are a little restrictive when it comes to curves, with only stock radii of R66, R103, R140, R177, R214...

[railsquid]

It's software (like many virtual things), but with it comes nostalgia, adventure and an excuse to go outside.

I've been managing to go outside and even have adventures for decades without the aid of an app ;) Looks like it might be fun if used carefully but I keep hearing warnings from various authorities and stories of people wandering onto railway lines etc.

 

Anyway back OT, it is worrying to hear how tight these buses can turn as it's getting me thinking whether I can squeeze in a loop (Mrs. Railsquid is very for the idea).

[railsquid]

looks at layout... DAMN YOU! I can easily run a loop around the base of the elevated station...

[ToniBabelony]

I think a very japanese solution would be to put the station building between the viaduct legs. I mean the main walls could surround it. Maybe even a 2nd floor could be squeezed in too.

 

That is what I've been planning initially. Because of this however the platform length had to be decreased by about 5cm to allow for the ramp. I had my thoughts of placing the station underneath the centre pier, but I figured placing it near the big level crossing would make more sense:

 

 

The platform easily holds an Enoden train, but struggles with a two-car 18m train:

 

 

I don't see this as a problem though, as the door on the front would be kept shut in real life as well in this situation. On the other track, this would apply as well, where the pedestrian level crossing would have to be cleared and the front door closed. It's a tight fit, but it still allows for passing trains on the other track.

 

That Gakunan 5000 Series won't however be able to make the S-curve however, due to some modding I did, so it's restricted to the straight track only. :P I should get some alternatives instead.

 

With the faller bus I played with min radius turns and found that to test it correctly you needed to put the wire under a sheet of thin cardboard to simulate it being embedded. When I taped it down like that it gave me tighter results that would not reproduced being embedded and the wheels also hit the wires. It is fun though you can lay the wire out and tape it down and flip it over to make your path. Even can do loop backs and points.

 

Yes, that's the idea behind the testing I want to do before making things permanent. I have some fear of the bus leaving the original path and plunging into the deep, so I'll dig deep into testing things first before glueing it all down. The idea is to make a closed loop, as the route can only be made in one direction, so no real need for loopback circuits, though it would be fun to have a staging yard hidden somewhere. There is about 145mm extra unfilled space to play with, so lots can be done there!

 

Oh wow... Initial D Bus drifting at its best! Pull hand brakes and turn full lock left ~   :P

 

It's more locking the front wheels and powering the back through. For this purpose, a microscopic limited slip differential would do wonders for tight corners!

 

I've been managing to go outside and even have adventures for decades without the aid of an app ;) Looks like it might be fun if used carefully but I keep hearing warnings from various authorities and stories of people wandering onto railway lines etc.

 

It's the next natural human filter ;) 

 

Anyway back OT, it is worrying to hear how tight these buses can turn as it's getting me thinking whether I can squeeze in a loop (Mrs. Railsquid is very for the idea).

 

Oh yes! I'm doing this mainly to entertain my son and to get an excuse to show off my Kanachū collection. He's been asking about it already if the buses can move, but I have to disappoint him every time saying they don't have a motor in them. That hurts a little bit xD

[cteno4]

Toni,

 

curbs, guard rails, and other elements can be strategically placed to prevent those drop offs! perhaps even herd the wayward bus into something akin to a runaway truck ramp! Even a little low strip (like 5mm) of clear plastic near the edge of the modules to stop a bus from going over w.o being too visually odd.

 

btw i found using a piece of clear tape between modules worked super well to get them across and smooth out bumps compared to trying to use little filler pieces. a good coat of clear coat on both sides where the tape goes down can help it to just get ripped off after a show w/o damage. I just made a test loop on two ttrak modules to have junctions to see how well they would cross. tape worked swimingly and was the simplest!

 

jeff

[ToniBabelony]

A little deviation from the original plan, as I'd like to have the yard on the back of the modules (yes, the front is dominated by the mainline). This has caused me to prompt the construction of a third module, making it effectively a quadruple T-Trak module setup. The yet to be constructed module can however be used as a singular module, due to the 90˚ oriented track crossing it, so it's possible to bring this module layout to smaller/shorter events, as well as space restricted events.

 

 

The tracks that aren't on the modules will get some form of support beams (all at about 41mm height) and the yard will be expanded with some extra tracks to house a few more rolling stock for variety. The setup isn't the most compact, but it helps with adding some scenery to excuse for the sharp turns. The far left of the layout (as seen in the picture), will have the local line disappear in a tunnel. The rightmost module will feature a river the local line follows and the main line crosses.

 

The setup is planned like this, so it's easy to set up and take down. Just put down the modules, connect them, put down the connecting pieces of track on the support pillars (to be made, the blocks are now just placeholders, kindly provided by my two-year old son), connect the wires to the controllers, put down the trains and run the show.

 

Train lengths will be one or two cars with a maximum 18m carbody length, ideal would be 16m, as this doesn't make the sharp curves so obvious.

 

P.s. the planning is done for now, but in the future, this setup can be expanded. Expanded forever. :3

Edited July 27, 2016 by Kabutoni

[ToniBabelony]

After a little rethinking, I've slightly altered the main module by a few millimeters to allow for side-platforms, as opposed to a centre platform. Well, the central platform is still there, but as a remnant of earlier times when this station was a terminal station (fictional history brewing time), before being extended to join up with the newly erected mainline station a few hundred metres beyond the railway crossing. This also explains the platform with the extended (and virtually unused by passengers) part, curving off in the opposite direction of the tracks, as this is a remnant of an earlier station layout.

 

 

 

The old central platform visible and fenced off for trespassers. Access to the isolated outer platform is via an under passage, which isn't always appreciated by the elderly of the community, so direct and personal assistance via the platform stairs is offered during certain hours. The planning of the station building will be moved from under the pillar to in between the pillars, leaving the space under the pillars open for parking and/or small business.

 

Passenger numbers have significantly dropped since the opening of the new station. The mainstay of the passengers are now only locals and not the bulk that were transferring and/or visiting the town. Now the station functions more as a passing station for trains leaving and entering the main station ahead, though the nearby shopping street and temple still attract a certain amount of irregular passengers.

 

 

The downgrading also put the third track in disuse, but is still in use from time to time to house single-car EMU. A single car train that is used to transport workers to the docks in the morning and evening, as well as a few lunch-runs in the afternoon.

[Densha]

Nice station layout! I still find the Tomix mini platforms to be excessively high for their narrow width though.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Densha

[ToniBabelony]

You're certainly not the only one who thinks that: http://trainman.seesaa.net/s/article/400561870.html I might also want to cut the hight down a bit for aesthetic reasons.

[Densha]

The second to last photo is also close to prototype: http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~v-duke/station/034023_jre_nisikunitati.html (just one of the many examples of Japanese platforms with multiple height roofs)

[ToniBabelony]

The second to last photo is also close to prototype: http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~v-duke/station/034023_jre_nisikunitati.html (just one of the many examples of Japanese platforms with multiple height roofs)

 

That's true. It seems like more recent constructions favour higher platform roofs, rather than low platform roofs. Low platform roofs can be found a lot around the local Tōkyū lines, but these are all wooden constructions (like in your example of Nishi-kunitachi). Shizutetsu also has a variety of platform roof heights, with the steel ones being usually higher than the wooden ones as well. Maybe in the end it doesn't really matter so much and is just an aesthetic thing.

[katoftw]

The higher (and more recent) roofs have something to do with catenaries lines don't they?

[ToniBabelony]

The higher (and more recent) roofs have something to do with catenaries lines don't they?

Somehow, I think it has more to do with increasing the loading gauge (if this is the case with electrification, then it is), or the image of the company. Not having cramped spaces, give a sense of freedom, even if it's not used space. A good example are houses and ceilings, where high ceilings give more light (it allows bigger windows) and a psychological feeling of comfort. Having lived in several locations and countries with different heights of ceilings, I can tell this is definitely a thing!

 

On another note, I've adjusted one of the other modules to match this new, more compact approach:

 

 

The newly modified module will lead the tracks underground, implying the extended line towards the newly built terminal. The terminal could be single or double track (undecided). This module will have a more modern styling with a Shinjuku Southern Terrace or Tōyoko Flower Green way type of approach that imply the railway line going straight, rather than bend off to a yard.

 

The plans for the yard are also adjusted in the favour of adding more tracks. There is plenty of room for more storage tracks and thus a possibility for some semi-realistic operations. However, this is more intended for the ease of running around trains with the two-year-old. :)

 

P.s. on second thought, might add a point for a future extension, straight ahead, rather than just rely on this curved track for a circular layout. After all, point to point is more interesting operationally-wise.

Edited August 3, 2016 by Kabutoni

[ToniBabelony]

 

 

Durrr

[katoftw]

Can I have your autograph?

[railsquid]

Oddly enough I bought that issue as it had a couple of articles of interest... Didn't read it all the way through though.

[cteno4]

A star is born! He will now only be seen in dark glasses...

 

Kudos Toni!

 

Jeff

Edited August 11, 2016 by cteno4

[JR 500系]

Great job Toni san!  :)

[ToniBabelony]

Heavily influenced by the Keikyū Oshiire line (http://takusama2100.blog.fc2.com/blog-category-0.html), I decided to make a super compact layout that allows for four car 20m trains to sit in a station comfortably, as well as have complete sectional track as a setup. The original is made of flex track, which doesn't allow for a temporary setup, plus I'm a big fan of Tomix's geometry, which allows this:

 

 

Dimensions are 1100 x 700 mm, which makes it very compact and easy to store almost anywhere. The minimum radius is R177, which should be hidden in tunnels, but allow for most 20m rolling stock to pass. I've also tried to make the entries of most curves as smooth as possible with R541-15 curves, not to create a sudden jolt when entering these sharp curves. This should give a little extra realism at eye level.

 

A big difference with the Keikyū Oshiire line are the two points on the opposite side of the main station. Not only can it represent a double track illusion, but it can also be used to connect to other modules for future expansion OR even connect to a ramp (up or down), to a second station (elevated or underground), to add extra operational possibilities.

 

When adding an extra station, the layout base needs to be extended with a few centimetres. This to allow the track on the ramp to reach a decent height to be able to cross the main loop:

 

 

Dimensions have increased to 1150 x 700 mm.

 

In 3D it would something like this:

 

 

The ramp incline is 4.6%, which is relatively steep, but shouldn't be a problem for 4-car trains at all. To put it in perspective, the Hakone Tozan Railway has 8% inclines :P I'm not sure yet I'm going to build this layout, since projects always stall quickly with me. However, since it's super compact and allows for almost any reduced formation to run on this layout, this is a really attractive idea to pursue!

[ToniBabelony]

You know when you have just one of those days where no inspiration gets into your head, you can't produce anything substantial for yourself and/or others? It's one of those days, so I decided to continue finally making my first foam foliage from a pack of kitchen sponges, a dash of PVA and some cheap water based paint. On second thought, It'd have been better to use acrylic paint, but meh. Let's see how it works out when it all dries up.

 

 

Don't tell the wife I used the new blender for shredding wet kitchen sponges for hobby purposes... At least I used a bag for the painting process, as opposed to many YouTubers who ruin plastic containers for the sake of painting. Shaking and squeezing a disposable bag works just as well (if not more efficient, as you can really use all the paint and PVA inside and have almost no leftovers). Now it's all drying in the hyper advanced Japanese bathroom with a heated air circulator.

 

P.s. I'm really getting into the whole 4-car compact layout plan from the post above this one. It's small, offers tons of operational possibilities, creative solutions for scenery and it can fit easily under the beds if I don't make it higher than about 19 cm in total. Fits on the dining table for a quick run with little man as well... I really need to consider this layout....

Edited October 17, 2016 by Kabutoni