Shizuoka Railroad Dewa 1-Type

[whoppit]

Just ordered an Aoshima Shizuoka Dewa 1-type tram, has anyone got one of these? Looks an interesting little prototype, just needs a scale pantograph and it will look ok!

[marknewton]

I don't have one of these, but I do have something similar in HO scale. What I do have though are some photos and a drawing of this car. I'll scan and post them when I get a chance.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Mudkip Orange]

So what, it's a boxcar you can ride in?

[bikkuri bahn]

Yes, it's a box motor- basically a wodden boxcar fitted with a brill type bogie and two Toyo Denki traction motors.  I wish there was an easy build flat kit in styrene of this in HO, like those Green Max kits that come in a baggie. No market, I suppose.

[kvp]

So what, it's a boxcar you can ride in?

 

Actually yes, and it can move on its own. Or you can think of them more like a cargo tram. They were used on many tram networks for moving boxcars and other supplies before trucks got popular. The more modern form of them are the baggage railcars (kumoyuni, kumoni, etc.) that were popular in Japan and the highest speed verion, the TGV La Poste. Some of them are still in use, like the Budapest muki snowsweepers/mov cars (japanese class name: moki), that are around a 100 years old. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDGTxWl837w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT8G43RXm_c

 

And the japanese prototypes:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shizuoka_Railway_Dewa1.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tozan-cMfc1.jpg

[marknewton]

Photos and drawing:

 

  

 

Interesting to note how many railway vehicles there were in Japan running on Brill 21E trucks, as opposed to tramcars. Based on my own experience of single-truck tramcars on 21Es and similar Peckham trucks, I bet the ride quality of this little boxmotor would be very lively! 

 

The other interesting feature of this car is the hook drawgear and buffers. Apparently this car runs coupled to a little steel-bodied four wheel ballast wagon that also functions as a match truck. It has hook drawgear at one end and a knuckle at the other.

 

bb, I wouldn't mind a kit like you describe either. 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited November 27, 2014 by marknewton

[Nick_Burman]

whoppit, I don't want to throw dust on your happiness, but the reports I have tell that this car is more HOn30 than N scale as far as size is concerned, motor oblige.
 
BB, wouldn't this http://homepage3.nifty.com/arumo/r0017.htm suit your needs? Not styrene, but very easy to assemble.

 

 

Cheers NB

[cteno4]

Yes it does appear to be a HOn30. The shell seemed way to large for n scale when I got it.

Jeff

[whoppit]

aww shucks, oh well theres a newbie mistake, saw it advertised as n scale 9mm and made the assumption! sure i can use the chassis for something...

[cteno4]

It got me as well!

 

Jeff

[whoppit]

It got me as well!

 

Jeff

 have you a picture of it against something n scale jeff?

[cteno4]

I'll dig mine out, not exactly sure where I put it away!

 

From memory an n scale figure was a out half the height of the doorway which made me suspect...

 

Jeff

[velotrain]

^{If you don't mind a U.S. traction version, here is a Shapeways box motor shell:}

 

^{https://www.shapeways.com/model/1221322/n-scale-45-trolley-freight-box-motor-body-parts.html?li=search-results-1&materialId=61}

 

^{It's designed to drop right onto a Bachmann Brill power chassis.}

^{You could claim it was imported after the war.}

 

^{You could shorten it to be more Japanese style, and use a different chassis.}

^{You could also easily remove the man doors, and redo the center cargo door.}

^{If you really want a single-truck car you'd be better off using the etched brass kit, or scratching it.}