KOKI (container bogie cars)

[CaptOblivious]

So, I'm really interested in JR Freight operations. I think an operations-based layout with a JRF theme would be awesome. But, as many of you know, there isn't a whole lot out there in English on JRF topics! Let's fix that! I know a little about KOKI from reading things on the web, but I bet y'all know a lot of stuff I don't. Let's put it all together!

 

I'm here concerned with JR era KOKI; I don't know much about JNR era stuff, but I'm not trying to limit the discussion in any way!

 

There are, as near as I can tell, five broad classes of container cars in use (used) by JRF

• KOKI 5500 Brown. Can carry up to four 12' containers. Max speed 85 km/h. Old JNR stock. No longer used.
   
  
• KOKI 10000 Blue. Can carry up to four 12' containers. Max speed 100 km/h. Old JNR stock. No longer used.
   
  
• 50000 series
  These cars can all carry five 12' containers, or three 20' containers, or two 30' containers.
  
  • KOKI 50000 Brown. Old JNR stock. No longer used? Max speed 95 km/h.
    
  • KOKI 250000 Green. Modified KOKI 50000 for high-speed freight. Max speed 100 km/h.
    
  • KOKI 350000 Yellow. Modified KOKI 50000 for high-speed freight. Max speed 110  km/h.
    

   

  [*]100 series

  These are based on the design of the 50000 series, but are new cars. All will carry the same sorts of loads as the 50000 series. Since the 100 series are lower to the ground, they can carry taller loads than the 50000 series. They are specifically designed for high-speed freight, and for carrying ISO compliant maritime containers. Slightly shorter than previous series, to save space. Max speed 110 km/h.

  • KOKI 100/101, 102/103 Blue. Basically an improved 50000 series.
    
  • KOKI 104 Blue. Can carry one 40' maritime container.
    
  • KOKI 106 Grey. Improved structure over 104 series. Can carry one 40' maritime container.
    
  • KOKI 110 Yellow. Designed to carry four 15' containers.
    

   

  [*]KOKI 200 Red. These are designed specifically for two 20', 30' and 40' maritime containers. By significantly shortening the length of the car, more 40' containers can be carried in less length than with KOKI 104/106s. Max speed 110 km/h.

   

 

More on how JRF loads their KOKI can be found on this awesome sites pictorial guide: http://trainbleu.boo.jp/page048.html

[Guest bill937ca]

The JRF web site has information on various types of cars, locomotives and a diagram of the simple track layout used by JRF which has no dead end sidings.

 

http://www.jrfreight.co.jp/english/index.html

 

JRF has 571 electric locomotives, 235, diesel locomotives, 8,253 container cars and 814 other freight cars. There also are 4,856 private freight cars.  There are 69,196 JR containers and 19,223 private containers.  All figures are as of April 1, 2007

[Guest bill937ca]

Lots of JR train photos here including container trains.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pict_u_re/sets/72157594411725216/

 

Also some good landscape photos of Shinkansen on elevated track on page 2.

[CaptOblivious]

That's some good stuff, Bill. I was just beginning to wonder what model Japanese freight operations would look like, and this site is at least a little helpful in thinking through the issues of container operations!

[Guest bill937ca]

Have you noticed that some of the photos have a link to a map site which gives a detailed map and a vicinity map in a split screen?

 

An example:

 

[Welshbloke]

Just a quick question about the Kato KOKIFU 10000 - can the brake cabin part be unclipped and replaced with a container? I ask as I can get the Kokifu but not the Koki, so considering buying three and swapping parts around if that can be done?

[Guest ___]

I had been wondering about that too. I had only seen this train configuration once and couldn't really make heads or tails out of it.

[Welshbloke]

I know British Rail tried a similar setup with the first Freightliner container services, but the guards complained about the appalling ride perched on the end of the container wagon! Presumably as the Japanese trains were moving more slowly this was not a problem. The National Railway Museum has a restored example on display - it may even be fitted to a container wagon.

 

The two wagons look identical, I just don't know if the containers and the guard's compartment are glued on or just clipped/pressed on. The lettering may be different but I'm not too worried about that as it's tiny.

[CaptOblivious]

God question! I don't own any KOKIFU to know, unfortunately. I would imagine it would be cheaper for them to produce them such that the compartment comes off (that way, they don't need two separate body molds), but that's not actually evidence that that's what they did do :D

[Masioka]

More here ...

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/JR%E8%B2%A8%E7%89%A9%E3%82%B3%E3%82%AD100%E7%B3%BB%E8%B2%A8%E8%BB%8A

 

Damn ... no Japanese font support. ;)

[CaptOblivious]

More here ...

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/JR%E8%B2%A8%E7%89%A9%E3%82%B3%E3%82%AD100%E7%B3%BB%E8%B2%A8%E8%BB%8A

 

Damn ... no Japanese font support. ;)

 

Not on this board, anyway. I'm supposedly working on that problem.

Anyway, good find! I'll incorporate that information here, if I can.

[Guest ___]

It's great to have the Japanese font support enabled, but moot if you can't read it though, LOL.

[bill937ca]

More information on JR freight cars.

 

http://www25.big.or.jp/~t_fukuda/index.htm

 

Scroll down to where it says CAD and you'll find some car plans.