Kato HO Tora 45000 - Meaning of marking?

[Gora]

Hi All,

 

Can anyone advise the meaning of the single large character and wording below on the left side of the wagon in the picture attached? Is it for some special purpose eg. Way & Works?

 

 

With thanks.

 

Cheers, Andrew

[miyakoji]

The large character is the first character in Tokyo, which I suppose means that its attached to some administrative division for the area, the smaller writing below that says it's assigned (or a more exact translation, "the equipment" of) Shin-Koiwa freight station. Very nice wagon, what are you pulling it with?

[Gora]

Thank you Miyakoji, much appreciated. Hmmmm, I may have to paint it out. :unsure:

 

They are in the post, so not yet received yet. ONce received I will weather them etc. then I only have one item of motive power, Tenshodo's ED29:

http://japanese-model-railway-ho-180-16.blogspot.com/

 

Cheers, Andrew

[miyakoji]

I'm guessing at the Shin-Koiwa, the 'ko' which is the second one in the row, and the only one I can really see, and that's the only station I can think of that would match that pattern in the greater Tokyo area. I guessed the rest of it based on the prototype photo linked below, which says it's assigned to Kawasaki freight station.

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:JRF-Tora149940.JPG

 

Thinking about it a little more, it makes sense that the large marking, which would have been JNR-era, does not correspond exactly to JR-era divisions. Here's a map of the 9 JNR branch offices that existed, at some point anyway:

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Jnr_9_branch_offices.png

 

Of course the red dot in the lower right is Tokyo. I guess this isn't redundant with the main office, it looks like these were actual operational HQs, not just business offices. Maybe someone else can elaborate.

Edited November 5, 2013 by miyakoji

[miyakoji]

Thank you Miyakoji, much appreciated. Hmmmm, I may have to paint it out. :unsure:

 

What region are you planning to model?

[Gora]

Thanks for the further information Miyakoji, much appreciated.

 

I am still weighing up whether I can fit this in with my other modelling commitments, so planning is in progress. More than likely the layout would be somewhere near Tokyo as that is where I have spent most time, but I didn't want to tie the rolling stock down to any region, hence the potential painting out. 

 

Out of interest though, how far would these have travelled? Would a Tokyo based wagon have reached say Hakone?

 

Cheers, Andrew

[bikkuri bahn]

Out of interest though, how far would these have travelled? Would a Tokyo based wagon have reached say Hakone?

In the age of carload freight, they could travel as far as the railhead where the consignee is able to receive the shipment (i.e. nationwide).  So it is entirely possible that the wagon would go to places like Odawara, Atami, Ito, or Gotemba (all areas near Hakone), or any station with a siding (which almost all outside of the bigger urban areas had).

Edited November 5, 2013 by bikkuri bahn

[Nick_Burman]

Thanks for the further information Miyakoji, much appreciated.

 

I am still weighing up whether I can fit this in with my other modelling commitments, so planning is in progress. More than likely the layout would be somewhere near Tokyo as that is where I have spent most time, but I didn't want to tie the rolling stock down to any region, hence the potential painting out. 

 

Out of interest though, how far would these have travelled? Would a Tokyo based wagon have reached say Hakone?

 

Cheers, Andrew

 

Gora,

 

The sign is essentially a JP version of the US "When Empty Return to xxxxxx" sign. The wagon could have roamed the entire Japanese rail system, but once empty it should be despatched back to it's "home station" for reloading.

 

Cheers NB

[Gora]

Bikkuri Bahn & Nick, thank you also for the help, that's good news.

 

Cheers, Andrew

[nartak]

I'm guessing at the Shin-Koiwa, the 'ko' which is the second one in the row, and the only one I can really see, and that's the only station I can think of that would match that pattern in the greater Tokyo area. I guessed the rest of it based on the prototype photo linked below, which says it's assigned to Kawasaki freight station.

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:JRF-Tora149940.JPG

 

Thinking about it a little more, it makes sense that the large marking, which would have been JNR-era, does not correspond exactly to JR-era divisions. Here's a map of the 9 JNR branch offices that existed, at some point anyway:

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Jnr_9_branch_offices.png

 

Of course the red dot in the lower right is Tokyo. I guess this isn't redundant with the main office, it looks like these were actual operational HQs, not just business offices. Maybe someone else can elaborate.

 

Sorry to hop-in from nowhere...

 

Miyakoji-san is right.  I've just found an image with larger resolution.

 

Now it is clear that it shows as "新小岩操駅常備"

Direct translation may become like "To be stationed at Shin-Koiwa switching yard".

[miyakoji]

I've been trying to get more accurate details on the 東 mark. The administrative divisions around Tokyo did not use this mark. There was North, South, and West, but no East. Look at section 6.4 on this page: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%89%84%E9%81%93%E7%AE%A1%E7%90%86%E5%B1%80#.E9.96.A2.E6.9D.B1.E3.83.BB.E6.96.B0.E6.BD.9F.E5.9C.B0.E6.96.B9 Nartak, what do you think? Does the 東　stand for Tokyo, Kanto, or maybe something else?

 

Or is this a JR-era marking? Does it just mean JR East?

Edited November 6, 2013 by miyakoji

[nartak]

Miyakoji-san,

 

As I read the article on the wikipedia page, "東" mark was used for Tokyo Railway Administrative Division BEFORE it was split and reorganized into 3... as you mentioned north, south and west as of Mar. 1, 1969.  Tokyo Railway Administrative Division was in place from Aug. 1, 1950 to Feb. 28, 1969.

[Gora]

Miyakoji and nartak, again thank you for the further clarification.

 

Ok, the marking is coming off again, this time due to era! :) This has been a really useful insight and makes me a bit happy that if I do proceed to layout it won't be finescale-authentic as I think there would be far to many misses......unless I take a crash course in Japanese reading/writing. Will leave the fine etc. bit for my other modelling.

 

Cheers, Andrew