Hakone Tozan's Kami-Ohiradai switchback - a new small layout idea

[Ken Ford]

A few months ago I "discovered" the Hakone Tozan. This railway fascinates me - modern EMUs climbing ridiculous grades on tight curves through gorgeous scenery. The switchbacks in particular are very appealing.

 

So, as a sideline to all my other projects (w-a-y too many projects, I might add) I've been ginning up an idea for a small, self contained N scale Hakone Tozan switchback layout:

 

Hakone Tozan Switchback 1.bmp

 

This is a representation of the Kami-Ohiradai switchback. The tracks to the right lead into simple staging (two tracks on each line); the top track represents the upgrade line, and the bottom the downgrade. The layout will be about five feet long in total with four of those being sceniced. Up to four three car trains can be accommodated; setting is more or less modern day since I want to be able to run the new Type 3000s.

 

I'm planning on using Unitrack for the majority of this, but it will be bedded down with vegetation to break things up. The scenery will be simple - you're looking up the side of a steep hill with the track on a ledge cut into the hill.

 

I picked up Kato 20-230 and 20-231 crossovers to see if they can be modified to make the spring switch configuration I need. I'm trying to disconnect the pairs of points so they can be set differently - three of the switches are spring, and the fourth (upper right) is powered. If I can pull this off only that fourth switch will need to be controlled for operations.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Ken Ford

[Densha]

I remember seeing many Hakone Tozan layouts on the interwebs. I'll post them here once I come across them again.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Densha

[Ken Ford]

I have found a few already, mostly through posts here. I'd still like to find more!

 

I'm trying to avoid the typical rabbit warren design with this one.

[katoftw]

I picked up Kato 20-230 and 20-231 crossovers to see if they can be modified to make the spring switch configuration I need. I'm trying to disconnect the pairs of points so they can be set differently - three of the switches are spring, and the fourth (upper right) is powered. If I can pull this off only that fourth switch will need to be controlled for operations.

 

You'll need to cut the long black arm that moves the springs.  About 5-6mm should do it.

 

 

Lock the one you want as a spring point into position, maybe glue it., then the other will still work as normal.

 

You'd use 20-231 for the points closet to the incline and decline.  And 20-230 closest to the ends.

 

The one closest to the ends can just be unpowered.  If they require different points movement, ie 1 straight and one turn, then do same as above and remove 5-6mm from the long black arm.

 

edit//  Oh and all the spring points will need to be set to non-power-routing.

 

edit 2//  Sorry if you already know most of this stuff.  I don't mean to already school the experienced.

Edited March 14, 2015 by katoftw

[tossedman]

Ah but not all of us are experienced so thanks for the know how.

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

[Ken Ford]

You'll need to cut the long black arm that moves the springs. About 5-6mm should do it.

 

P3150140.JPG

 

Lock the one you want as a spring point into position, maybe glue it., then the other will still work as normal.

 

You'd use 20-231 for the points closet to the incline and decline. And 20-230 closest to the ends.

 

The one closest to the ends can just be unpowered. If they require different points movement, ie 1 straight and one turn, then do same as above and remove 5-6mm from the long black arm.

 

edit// Oh and all the spring points will need to be set to non-power-routing.

 

edit 2// Sorry if you already know most of this stuff. I don't mean to already school the experienced.

That's what I was thinking after opening one of mine up - I'm glad to see you concur, I feel better about tearing into it. Edited March 15, 2015 by Ken Ford

[katoftw]

Ah but not all of us are experienced so thanks for the know how.

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

No problem.  I said what I did as someone like Ken is leagues ahead of me when it comes to modelrailroading.  Sure I know a little about Kato and Tomix electrics.  But I cannot make a tree or put grass on the side of a hill.

Edited March 15, 2015 by katoftw

[Ken Ford]

I may have been doing this for a long time, but modeling Japanese style and how things are done with this stuff is all new to me!  It's very interesting to see how the hobby has evolved differently around the world.

[katoftw]

I like the idea.  Reminds me of the Hisatsu line in Kyushu.  Okoba and Masaki stations.  Both stations are island platforms at the bottom of switchbacks.

 

 http://homepage.ntlworld.com/guiderjo/Pics/Trains/Hisatsu04.gif

[Ken Ford]

I've had a thing for switchbacks since I first got into Japanese railways a few years ago.  A dream project would be to do the switchback at Obasute on the Shinonoi Line, but that would really need space and a boatload of equipment to do it justice.

[katoftw]

http://www.kobaru.com/products/mc-01.html

 

some hakone payout videos in early build stage down the bottom.

[Ken Ford]

Nice find!

[Densha]

These are the videos I have been looking for the whole time:

 

 

 

There are a few more videos on that youtube channel, but mainly without scenery except for these two.

 

Also, this is the website of that layout: http://www.rk-works.com/~mezakan/hakonetozantetsudou.htm

[katoftw]

I'm pretty sure that is the layout (in unfinished form) I link to earlier in the thread from the Kobaru website.

 

A lot of the scenery items used are Greenmax.  Catenaries, houses and stone walls I recognized.

Edited April 4, 2015 by katoftw

[Ken Ford]

I'm pretty sure that is the layout (in unfinished form) I link to earlier in the thread from the Kobaru website.

 

A lot of the scenery items used are Greenmax.  Catenaries, houses and stone walls I recognized.

That's good info, this is the kind if thing I'm trying to learn. Thanks!

[velotrain]

That's a very cleverly designed small layout - a loop at the bottom as well as the mountain line.

 

It might benefit from a little variety in the foliage.

[katoftw]

catenaries:-

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10193669

 

stone walls:-

 

under bridge

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10207406a/20/1

 

behind houses

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10207407

[Densha]

I really need to get tons of Greenmax structures and paint. They have so many typical Japanese structures available Tomytec etc. don't, but I have zero experience in painting plastic kits so it puts me off. It's interesting to see that Greenmax' now has some pre-painted kits, but there are only a very few available like that.

[JR 500系]

That layout looks really nice! Especially loving that white L-shaped featured, it's so serene and  wished I stayed there... 

[katoftw]

I really need to get tons of Greenmax structures and paint. They have so many typical Japanese structures available Tomytec etc. don't, but I have zero experience in painting plastic kits so it puts me off. It's interesting to see that Greenmax' now has some pre-painted kits, but there are only a very few available like that.

I'm in the same boat.  But I think I'm will to try painting.  What is the worse that can happen?  Spend 1280 yen on 6 houses and a few more dollars on paints, and make then look poor.  Bin and then buy Tomytec. haha

[cteno4]

Green max kits are pretty straightforward to paint. Usually use cheap matte spray paint for the base coat for the main wall color.,then come back over with a cheap air brush and craft acrylic paints for details.

 

The biggest issue is the cast the window frames into the walls so if you want them a different color from the wall it takes some masking to paint them or a very steady hand on the brush to paint them. I have also used darker markers on them and it's passable.

 

This is one thing I look forward to using the silhouette cutter to easily cut square vinyl masks to quickly mask off windows and walls to paint these.

 

Jeff

[HantuBlauLOL]

You can use a very fine permanent marker for window frames.

[cteno4]

Yeah I have tried it a few ways now. Markers don't cover as well and tend to look a bit different than the rest of the paint. Paint makers gum up to much and don't like the corners. Hand painting is really tedious in all the corners. Spraying works great but requires a mask. Putting tamyia mask over and cutting out the opening worked pretty well but a few corners were a little ragged. I'll try to find the photos I took of doing the windows a few different ways and the varying results a few years back.

 

This is why I hope the silhouette can easily cut the nice masks out of sticking vinyl for a clean application and good corners to make it less tedious and cleaner for a fast airbrush.

 

Would be nice if they did separate pop in window frames like dpm kits, but that's more part moulding for them...

 

Jeff

[kvp]

One simple way is to paint with either a toothpick (i've seen this on a film about the old Maerklin factory) or use special empty markers that can be filled with any paint you want. (or get the paint filled artistic markers) I mostly use the marker trick for painting the raised frames on transparent window inserts for various rolling stock in one case a station building. Water based acrylic paints are easy to use, won't attack the plastics and if i really mess up, they can be completly washed off under running water before they dry.

[cteno4]

Not so simple on the greenmax window frames, I've tried a few different ways. Been looking for my test walls for the two story buildings I was experimenting on. I am hoping cutting vinyl masks with the silhouette cutter will be simple and fast solution. Just make some rectangle masks and hit with the airbrush.

 

It was funny today I was talking our club president and he was expressing frustration with these!

 

Cheers

 

Jef