What distinguishes a Japanese layout?

[ozman2009]

Obviously the buildings, and to a lesser extent the landscape. What I'm trying to work out is what are the distinguishing points or aspects as far as the actual railway scene is concerned. For example, it's not hard to work out if a layout has a US or GWR or Bavarian theme without there even being any buildings or scenery.

 

Would I be right in thinking that the Japanese railways are more oriented to passenger than freight service?

 

[stevenh]

Foliage. Everyone models Japan in Spring. Lush green mountains make for beautiful scenery.

The track gauge also does wonders.

[westfalen]

There is more freight than passenger generally speaking but on busy freight routes like the Tokaido/Sanyo or Tohoku Lines you will see more freight trains than you will see during a similar period beside any main line in Australia.  I think the freight/passenger ratio is on par with modern day U.K., also about the same number of regular loco hauled passenger trains, ie;practically none.

 

The Japanese railways followed a lot of British practice so when I get around to modelling my late steam era branch line I am going to do the same as far as track layout is concerned.

[katoftw]

What a weird question.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

What a weird question.

Not sure why you would think this, it seems a perfectly sensible question if you are trying to capture that essence of Japan. As well as the foliage, I think the carefree mixture of old and new, concrete and natural landscape is very Japan.

[katoftw]

For me, Japan is a unique country and culture.  How they do things is completely different from the rest of the world.  And visually almost anybody should see that.

 

You dont find Toriis, rice fields etc in any other model train layout.  But you find stations, frieght yards, concrete viaducts etc in others.

 

As per the first post, US or GWR or Bavarian themes have the distinguishing points or aspects that standout for those themes.  A Japanese themed railways has it's own set of distinguishing points or aspects.  One look at any Japanese railway picture, and you find something from nowhere else in the world.

[disturbman]

Well, for starters, you could be a bit less rude and a bit more comprehensive in the way you developed your train of thoughts.

I think the question is interesting and pertinent: what makes a Japanese layout, Japanese if you over-look the distinctive landscape (building and landscape). I am sure there is some peculiarities regarding track dress up.

Of course, the rolling-stock is a very big give away.  :)

Edited September 16, 2014 by disturbman

[Guest keio6000]

many "layouts", especially temporary ones made from unitrack, dont have any foliage to speak of.  and yet, they are instantly recognizable as japanese because of the station topography, the use of viaducts, etc.   in fact, many "european" layouts that use unitrack standard pieces, including platforms, seem out of place as things looks japanese.

 

that said, for a permanent japanese layout, i think the existence of level crossings with the distinctive japanese crossings make things 'japanese'.   level crossings are a necesary and specific feature of japanese life since everybody enounters them either as a passenger, vehicle occupant, or pedestrian.  ones right near a station are also particularly japanese in contrast with the USA or Europe. speaking more broadly, "places whose urban geography is based on the railway" is unique.   while in europe, towns may have been formed around railway sations to some extent, for the most part the railway stations have become a 'secondary' hub of activity behind a center city area or 'main street.'  this may sound very broad, but i think generally speaking its true: in japan the railway station IS the locus of socioeconomic activity and the surrounding geography.   in western europe, it's perhaps *near* it (or perhaps 'at the end of it), while in the USA if you're lucky there might be a relevant station in the area somewhere perhaps.

 

there are a few exceptions.   to choose a few popular stations for example, in shinjuku and tokyo, the station is the defining locus ofactivity; in akihabara, nara, and shibuya it is not, but those really are specific exceptions.  the typical station in 'train territory' in japan is the focal center of any demographic area (pick any station on the chuo line, for example, and look at it in google earth view to see what i mean).

[railsquid]

What keio6000 said. Though arguably with some places like Nara, the JR station may not be the "hub" but there's often a station on a private line playing that role. Which is another feature fairly unique to Japan: multiple competing companies with their own track and infrastructure. And inter-running (直通) between lines of different companies. And the sheer crowdedness of urban areas - only enough space on the layout to squeeze in some residential housing between two lines with the balconies almost overhanging the tracks? Very realistic, no problem ;)

[Sean]

I agree with keio6000 too.  Train stations really are the centre of people's daily lives in Japan, even in smaller towns.  You don't see that to anywhere near the same extent in most other countries.

 

Another related element, which I think can give a Japanese layout a unique look, is the use of space.  Japanese cities, even smaller ones, make exceptionally efficient use of every inch of space and an accurate layout should reflect it.  In some ways it actually makes Japanese cities very ugly places - very little greenery and tons of concrete and asphalt.  But they also have their charm - the colorful billboards and lit up signs everywhere make them look quite fascinating at night.

[marknewton]

I am sure there is some peculiarities regarding track dress up.

 

I agree 100%. The use of scissors crossovers and equilateral or "Y" turnouts are both distinctive features of Japanese track design. There are many good examples to be found here:

 

http://senrohaisenzu.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited September 16, 2014 by marknewton

[bikkuri bahn]

re. track design

Less "spaghetti" at big stations than in Europe- i.e. you see much less use of single and double slip switches.  Reasons include lower maintenance costs and higher station approach speeds.  Also, there are seemingly fewer flat junctions than in Europe or the UK, though they were more prevalent in the past- the long term trend has been to build flying junctions and elevated stations with two levels to eliminate traffic bottlenecks.

[katoftw]

you could be a bit more comprehensive in the way you developed your train of thoughts.

yes my apologies.  i will attempt to be more comprehensive next time.

[kvp]

Generally when you look at the various parts mentioned above you can find examples for each in Europe, but having everything together is what makes it look Japanese.

 

ps: I was thinking about that if Hungary didn't have a nationalised rail network from the start of the 20th century, then we would have the same features Japan has today. Especially with the Southern Railway (later DSA), where many features can still be seen that are mentioned as Japanese. Good examples were the two double tracked lines running next to each other on the outskirts of Budapest, where the DSA and MAV networks ran next to each other with separate stations. There was a section modernised just 2 years ago into a 4 track high speed mainline where a third company, BKV still has suburban tracks, so you could see 6 tracks next to each other that belonged to 3 companies.

 

Also, in the late 19th century the DSA has built many planned holiday towns (new towns) around its tracks on the shores of lake Balaton. These can be characterised as having the station (and the tracks) in the center of the town with level crossings on both ends of the station. In the case of Siofok (the largest city on the south shore), the main street actually runs between the two ends of the station, with rows of tiny shops on one side and a bus terminal on the other with a small park between them in front of the main enterance. An old foot bridge over the tracks makes it look very japanese like in design but very Hungarian in its construction. Sadly this station is being rebuilt right now, but instead of elevating the tracks, the crossings will be buried as underpasses. This means that at least the old station building survives the reconstruction. Currently you can still see on google many 'japanse' features, such as the platform roofs, catenary, scissor crossovers and the modern shopping mall next to the station. What makes it different is the old castle like design of the station building and the general east european market town feeling of most buildings around the city.

[JR 500系]

I'll seriously go with the Torri gates, Shinto shrines, five-storied pagodas, grade-crossings and the nice mixture of modern high-rise buildings with olden roof type ones like the Onsen buildings Tomytec make, to give a distinct look and feel of a Japanese layout~~ 

[westfalen]

I'll go along with what the others have said about track layouts being simpler though the private ralways sometimes do things a bit more complex, possibly they have a bit more money to throw around on things like double slips.  On U.S. forums they complain that Kato should make a wider range of turnouts but if you look at a typical Japanese station all you need are left and right hand turnouts and scissor crossovers.  I'm surprised it took them so long to make a wye to model the standard country crossing loop.

 

On the subject of station crossings a typical Japanese feature is steps in the middle of the platforms with a pedestrian crossing for passengers to reach the other platform.  Common at passing sidings on single track lines is an island platform with a separate station building beside the track reached by a pedestrian crossing.

[E6系]

Hello,

 

Please consider these features:

- concrete instead of brickwork

- heavily vegetated mountains

- dense hamlets with typical Japanese roofs ... the blue tile seems common

- vertically exaggerated landscape

- cherry blossom

- most diversity in rolling stock

- shinkansen

- level crossings

- tunnels

- train sharing road with car

[Devonbelle]

Interesting thread. In my sights for my planned o gauge JR layout I'm thinking the following defining features -

 

Level crossing - barriers etc in yellow/black - quite unlike level crossings in Europe.

Some wooden buildings (I.e. Traditional) next to a few prefabricated buildings

Coloured roof tiles, glazed

Cherry blossom trees

Mountainous back scene (over 80% of Japan is mountainous)

Power cables mounted on poles through the streets - we get that feature in UK but not to the extent I witnessed in Tokyo and Kyoto.

 

Regards

[Densha]

re. track design

Less "spaghetti" at big stations than in Europe- i.e. you see much less use of single and double slip switches.  Reasons include lower maintenance costs and higher station approach speeds.  Also, there are seemingly fewer flat junctions than in Europe or the UK, though they were more prevalent in the past- the long term trend has been to build flying junctions and elevated stations with two levels to eliminate traffic bottlenecks.

Funny that in the Netherlands they're copying this literally now, only forgetting that they can't run freight trains in certain directions and that it's become practically impossible to reverse a train anywhere (because they got/are getting rid of almost all switches) or reroute trains during maintenance works or other emergency situations after they've rebuilt several stations to the Japanese way. They're thinking you can remove any switch, so they got rid of almost all of them resulting in this inability to even just reverse a train at stations.

[Gora]

Perhaps to illustrate the point being well made here that the environment is absolutely fundamental to building the impression, here's a picture of a Japanese consist on my layout (that is Australian):

 

 

I have deliberately chosen a picture with relatively little scenery and yet, this doesn't look like Japan at all. Every detail counts.

 

Cheers, Andrew

[Mudkip Orange]

Japanese residential architecture is really unmistakable. The rooflines are different, the materials are different, the colors are different, and everything is squashed together with no real "back yard" or "garden" to speak of.

 

For instance, here's my temporary living room setup:

 

 

No foliage, no backdrop, no context clues at all other than the rooflines and gables. But that's all you need.

 

Of course, add some cherry blossoms and a Torii gate and you're even more set.

[miyakoji]

Very nice buildings in there, Mudkip. Are those factories/workshops, front center and back slightly to the left? Also a large shrine hall, maybe a school, and a storehouse? What brand are they?

[Mudkip Orange]

Almost everything in this picture is Tomytec. The orange-roofed platforms, the track, and the Kintetsu 10100 are Kato...

Edited September 18, 2014 by Mudkip Orange

[railsquid]

Should I be worried that I could identify the buildings without even thinking about it? ;)

[railsquid]

 

Another related element, which I think can give a Japanese layout a unique look, is the use of space.  Japanese cities, even smaller ones, make exceptionally efficient use of every inch of space and an accurate layout should reflect it.

 

Oooh, I don't think the way space is used in Japanese cities could be described as "efficient". The sheer number of small plots combined with the requirement to maintain a minimum (albeit minimal) distance to neighbouring buildings leads to very inefficient use of land and wasted internal space - you end up with a lot of tall, narrow buildings with a greater-than-ideal proportion of the internal space taken up by stairwells, elevators etc. What you certainly don't see compared to cities in most other countries is comparatively large swathes of land lying around unused - OTOH abandoned buildings, especially houses are surprisingly common and an increasing problem. 

 

But yes, cramming stuff in is prototypical and I am looking forward to doing that :)