Gerry's Japanese Layout

[gerryo]

My reason for connecting the tram lines to the commuter line is that in Toyama a big part of their system of trams run out to the port.  Therefor, the name PORTRAM.  I had to keep moving my PORT because of the need for other tracks.  You will notice some wierd lines in the lower right corner.  This will be my port, and I needed to get the PORTRAM trams to it.  I will not give up my port as I have already purchased some N scale boats to reside there.  One of the boats is an old style fishing boat, and would be providing fresh fish to the town.

 

This seems like a long way around but I could see no other way.  With the Unitram section and the port being so close and having a ground level track in the way, I took the easy way out.  But this would put the very slow trams on the local commuter lines.

 

Can you see any other way to get the PORTRAMs to the PORT.

Edited January 13, 2015 by gerryo

[gerryo]

OK.  I have reoriented the port 90 degrees, got rid of the long Unitram lines, and with a line out of Unitram onto the main layout, then a reg. curve toward the near edge and the reoriented port it is connected again.  This actually saves a few turnouts and track rebuilds to make the other connections.

 

Now I need a single track line from the local station to the port for some short haul freight.  AND the fish.

 

When I get these changes made to my working drawing, it seems that I will need some help with posting pictures.  Please don't go away.

 

gerryo

[katoftw]

Where will the Santrams go?  The Portrams have a place to go, But what about the Santrams?

[Densha]

Just a quick note... as far as I know the Toyama Portram is a rebuilt JR line for use by trams and trams only. The Santram (Chiho railway) is a private railway that changed from high-floor passenger trains to low-floor trams. There may have been freight services on these lines in the past, but I don't know enough about them to say anything meaningful about that.

As for freight trains through streets, I think there should have been prototypes for that in Japan in the past, particularly on suburban/rural private lines like the aforementioned Chiho line.

 

Considering you posted the word file correctly, did you have an image file on your pc that you put in that word file? If so, you can just attach the image file by itself by using exactly the same way you attached the word file. Just select the image file from your pc folder.

[gerryo]

The only other trams I know of in Toyama, at the present time, are the Centram and they cover the city CENter.

 

As for pictures, I have this layout plan in a Cadrail program, and have that set out by itself, with it's own icon, on the desktop. Can I just send this file and have it accepted as a picture?

[kvp]

No, but you can post jpeg (fotos) and png (graphics) files. The easiest way under windows is to start your program, bring it up to full screen, load your data file, do a screen capture with the 'print screen' button (on the keyboard), and paste the image into microsoft paint (you find it under accessories in the start menu). Then save the image as a png file to my documents and then upload it from there. Works fine with programs that don't support import/export of images. The usual alternative is to find the 'export as image' option (if you have one), save into an image file, convert it to png and upload that.

 

For photos, the normal jpeg files made by most digital cameras are fine.

[gerryo]

I finally Googled the Toyama trains history and found out about the previous trams which were consolidated into the Toyama city owned system.

 

I also found out that the Shinkansen line will be finished in 2015, and opened for service.  The Line is now called the Hokuriku Main Line.  A new Shinkansen will be used on the new line, which will then be called the Hokuriku - Toyama Main Line and the new Shinkansen will be called the Hukutaka.

 

It's surprising what you can find on these electronic things.

 

gerryo (now 73 years old)

 

Sorry kvp, I didn't read your reply before I posted.

I didn't even know what a png file was until this past weekend. I have a copy of my layout in a png file and will try your suggestion tomorrow.

 

Right now it's off to bed, hopefully to sleep.

 

Thanx,

gerryo

Edited January 14, 2015 by gerryo

[Densha]

I have to agree that we live in an amazing electronic age! :)

 

In Toyama city (the capital of Toyama prefecture) there are two operators for the (sub)urban railway traffic: Toyama Light Rail Co (Portram) and Toyama Chihō Railway.

 

At this website you can find a brief explanation of the Toyama Light Rail Co (Portram): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyama_Light_Rail_Toyamak%C5%8D_Line

And here one on the Toyama Chihō Railway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyama_Chih%C5%8D_Railway

[marknewton]

Just a quick note... as far as I know the Toyama Portram is a rebuilt JR line for use by trams and trams only.

Yes, it is, but before it was a JR line it was a private electric railway running loco-hauled freight trains. It was absorbed by Chitetsu during the government-mandated mergers of WW2, but soon after nationalised by JNR.

 

The Santram (Chiho railway) is a private railway that changed from high-floor passenger trains to low-floor trams.

Chitetsu runs all three - conventional passenger trains, conventional trams and low-floor trams.

 

There may have been freight services on these lines in the past, but I don't know enough about them to say anything meaningful about that.As for freight trains through streets, I think there should have been prototypes for that in Japan in the past, particularly on suburban/rural private lines like the aforementioned Chiho line.

Yes, there was freight service on these lines, both loco-hauled and using tramcars to haul freight cars. Chitetsu subsidiary Kaetsuno Railway - now the Manyosen - in Takaoka also hauled freight in the streets using their 5000 series light interurban cars.

 

Chitetsu is a railway that has always interested me. Had I not been seduced by models of JNR trains it would have been the railway I modelled.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited January 14, 2015 by marknewton

[gerryo]

OK.  I'm going to have a try at posting a png file.  Wish me luck !!!

 

 

[gerryo]

Sorry, turns out that this is the old file, not my updated one.

 

I promise that I will try harder. 

 

Now to figure out how to update a png file.  I'll be back.

 

gerryo

[gerryo]

Turns out I can't update a PNG file.  So I think I have made a new one

 

So here goes another try.

[gerryo]

So.  That didn't work.  Obviously I have no idea what I'm doing.

 

I'll leave it for another day.  I'll have to gat in touch with my electronic Guru.

 

gerryo

[katoftw]

wouldn't it be better to put the city and tram layout in the centre so you cummuter and shinkansen loops can be bigger?

[gerryo]

If I put it in the middle it won't be removable to take to shows for the kids.  I had done a couple of layout plans with Unitram in the middle, and it works for a home layout but not for the other.

 

If I could figure out this posting thing I could post a copy of one of those layouts.

 

gerryo

[katoftw]

middle or outside, it still attaches the same.  your home layout would just have a hole in the middle for your tram layout.

[gerryo]

I'm still stymied by this posting problem.  I'll give it another go.

[gerryo]

That didn't work either. One more try and that's it.

[railsquid]

middle or outside, it still attaches the same.  your home layout would just have a hole in the middle for your tram layout.

 

Outside: segment can be slid in and out. Inside: segment will have to be lifted above or below the layout. I wonder which is easier...

[gerryo]

The Unitram section on my layout plan would be taken off as a seperate module.  This module will be 1200mm long by 612mm wide, and will be lifted off and on simply by disconnecting the Unitram tracks.  This was developed because I am an older person and am not able to lift much in weight. 

 

Some of my older plans, ( if you can call 4 months old ), did not have any Unitrack on them except in the center.  If I was to go this route and keep the children's layout totally seperate, I would have a lot more space in the center for a small Unitram custom layout, ( I'll call that Gerry built ), as well as more space for both the local R.R. and the viaduct tracks.

 

One of my early plans had a double track, double loop Viaduct which came down to earth at the large station.  This also had Unitram in the middle but no local railroad. 

 

Anyway since I can't show you, it's hard to understand.

 

gerryo

[gerryo]

OK.  I think I got it.  I'll give it on more try, now that I have the plan in the proper place.

 

 

YES. It finally worked.  Thanx Nuno.  My problem was getting the copy of the plan into the right place.  Uploading to the forum was the easy part.  And believe me, pictures will be easier.

 

This layout has 2 very short tracks onto my dock area.  But I think that's OK, it's the boats that are important.

 

Please offer your opinions and ask questions as you please.

 

gerryo

Edited January 15, 2015 by gerryo

[NJHA]

Finally it worked :) 

Glad I could help. 

[gerryo]

It then took me all afternoon to figure out what I did last time. I was trying to post this pic. of one of my plans that has Unitram in the center.

 

The red arrow down in the lower left corner is where I initially had the Unitram connected to the dock, through its own part of the station.

The black arrow shows where the double loop crosses with the station loop having to stay at ground level until it cleared the overhead loop.

No room in here for local R.R.

 

Crazy ideas, what?

 

gerryo

[gerryo]

I have reworked the layout that had the children's layout attached to one end.  This is a selfish move as it gives me the full 3000mm for my self.  The kid's set will be kept seperate. 

 

This plan has very long stations, but hs fairly short storage tracks. 

I have included some Unitram track around the central spaces with the intention of doing a city scene and an industrial area.  There has to be somewhere for all those city folks to work.

One of the main things that I can't do is get the Unitram to the dock.

 

Your critiques, please.

gerryo

[NJHA]

Whoa... that is a very confusing and busy layout (to me at least) 

 

So you got: 

 

Shinkansen (elevated?) line in red.

Regular line ? in blue

Tram line? in teal.

 

What use are you going to give to the yard? freight trains? 

Are the curves wide enough for the trains to be used?

What about those connections to the middle of the stations? What happens if you set one of those points with a train stopped at the station? Remember kato turnouts are power routing.

The green line bit, have you checked clearances and grades? it seems to me that you can only start to descend after clearing from the blue line and that gives a very short run, so either the green storage area is elevated or you will have problems parking long trains there.

 

I don't know if that is a issue for you, but have you calculated the overall cost just for the track? It can reach high numbers very easily.

 

So far these are the points that raise some concern to me, but i am still very much a newbie :)

 

As for the general layout look, i like it.