My Tokuyama station layout

[Eurostar25]

I thought I'd share with everyone my first Japanese themed module.

 

I chose Tokuyama station as my partner is from nearby in Yamaguchi so I have visited this station many times while in Japan

 

It seems like a reasonable station to build, not too big - 4 tracks, and it also has the Sanyo(?) mainline underneath the station.

 

My idea is to build the station in 2 parts, slightly compressed in length and height, enough to hold the 4 tracks overhead and run 2 tracks underneath. I figured if I would like to run 16 car shinkansens through there then I can always expand the modules apart in the middle.

 

Each module will be 100cm x 40cm for ease of transportation.

 

Attached are the photos for inspiration from Google earth

 

Will endeavour to update progress as time and $$ allows!

Edited August 23, 2016 by Eurostar25

[katoftw]

Cool.  Any plans for a port scene included?

[Eurostar25]

Thanks Katoftw, not at this time but that's what I like about modules is that you can always leave room for expansion and the port is not far away from the station itself so anything is possible!

[Bernard]

Wow....this looks to be a really interesting project you're undertaking and I look forward to its' progress

[cteno4]

Eurostar,

 

Looks great! We did jsut about that sized modules for the jrm sectional layout and it's just the right sized to be manageable for transport and one person can handle them easily, but still get a fair amount of scene on them.

 

Will look forward to seeing this come together!

 

Jeff

[Eurostar25]

@Cteno4 - thanks, that's the idea that they're light and can fit on the back seat of a car!

 

@Bernard - I'll do my best to keep updating progress.

 

 

Finally finished applying the transfers to the Kato one sided platforms.

I went with these ones as I had them lying around even though the larger one sided platforms would have looked better.

I'll use the better looking platforms under my overhead transit station on another module as they'll be closer to the viewer and the detail can be appreciated.

Next step is to build a custom overhead station!

Edited March 31, 2015 by Eurostar25

[cteno4]

Eurostar,

 

Yep that's where the 44" limit for ours came from, the max backseat width within armrests! All our module boxes can go in a backseat of a small car if necessary!

 

I watch ntrak guys moan they can't fit the 2' x 4' modules in their cars!

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

I watch ntrak guys moan they can't fit the 2' x 4' modules in their cars!

Oh you just took the wind out of my sales. haha

 

Last night I though that maybe a solid one piece 4x8 layout is a) well solid and difficult to transport and b) not big enough to really to shinkansens well.

 

So I can up with a idea in my head to do a larger version of T-Trak and do 2'x4' modules with 2'x2' corners.  Would fit on 4 2.5'x6' tables.  So the layout could be a long 4x12 or square 8x8 with a 4x4 hole in the middle.

 

Now with your critic of the 2'x4' modules, I'm back to square one. haha

[Eurostar25]

That was partly my idea behind a module too, I tried so many ways to make Shinkansen's work on a 4x8 but the amount of track available in that space didn't look right and combined with a larger station there wasn't much room for too much else.

 

Made up the approach span for the turnouts last night, ill be using kato viaduct track else where on the module so had to make up the diverging viaduct for the approach to the station. It's got an initial paint coat applied.

[velotrain]

So I can up with a idea in my head to do a larger version of T-Trak and do 2'x4' modules with 2'x2' corners.  Would fit on 4 2.5'x6' tables.  So the layout could be a long 4x12 or square 8x8 with a 4x4 hole in the middle.

 

Now with your critic of the 2'x4' modules, I'm back to square one. haha

 

It depends on what you drive.  Some hatchbacks and all vans can handle modules this size, and they're a lot easier to deal with than in the back seat of a small car.

 

If you're planning on hauling around four (or more) modules, you should consider buying a small trailer for them, which is what a lot of groups use.

 

Also, that way you only need to unload / load the ones you want to work on between shows, vs. loading/unloading your entire car. 

You can get a trailer just larger than 2' x 4' (standard NMRA module size), and install rails on the side so they just slide in and out.

I'm sure you can find documentation on this around the web.

 

>  the layout could be a long 4x12 or square 8x8

 

If you're thinking that kind of size, you might need a larger trailer, as 4 modules and 4 corners would need a 6-level rack, although that might work if you don't have tall mountains.

[katoftw]

Thanks Charles.  The club I infrequently frequent has a trailer setup for their T-Trak modules.  Similar to what you described.  I may go down the route in the future.  I was thinking more here and now.  I really need to get off the floor with my trains.  And I need to pick a direction and stick with it.

[cteno4]

Kato,

 

Yeah if you want to go sectional you need to figure out if it is to just be able to move it if necessary (ie don't build the boat in the basement) or if you want to routinely take it to shows and such. If it's to take it to shows then transport can have a big impact on your section sizes. We have wrestled with this a lot over the last decade with the JRM show layouts. We were luck to start the club with a member that had a nice van that could house A LOT (much more than SUVs or hatch backs). But there were time he could not do the transport and it taught us to not rely on a particular vehicle for transport in future layouts! It has helped with layout 2.0 in that the sections can fit in any vehicle (1.0 was a bundle of 2'x4' module bases and a lot of separate boxes). One thing that I did not measure or plan for was that even though we have 5 SUVs in the group, they all have limited dimensions in the cargo area that are a few inches shy of packing them with 2 modules side by side we can do in the Toyota van!

 

We have talked about trailer since day 1 (many clubs have them here as well), but issues like Where to park the dam thing all the time right away killed it! Then the issues of ownership, insurance, who had hitches, etc really killed it. If it's just you or a very big club with the legal entity to insure etc then it works, inbetween it gets dicy fast.

 

Just before we started up JRM I did a lot of fiddling with planning a set of 3 Ntrak 3'x4' modules to do a 16 car Shinkansen station and also a two lower level loops within the 3 module station area. Also planned out end turn back modules and a set of modules behind the station modules to create a stand alone layout if not in an Ntrak layout. Trying to engineer it so that it could be transported easily was tough.

 

So with thinking thru all these before slicing and dicing. It's possible to get a lot in a sectional layout, but it has some trade offs to think thru before going that way.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[Eurostar25]

Managed to whip up a viaduct station to resemble the half of the station. In 2 minds whether or not to make it double the height as per the station pictures but operationally it makes it difficult to join to other module if it's greater than one viaduct support high. The station entrance will have to be compressed accordingly. Will see how it goes.

Doctor yellow is in the process of checking platform profiles at the moment.

[katoftw]

50mm high is the way to go.  Yes it isn't prototypical.  But you'll run into issues raising the height.

 

What are you using for the walls?  And what size wood and board did you use for your module?

Edited April 2, 2015 by katoftw

[Eurostar25]

Yeah it's looking that way otherwise I'll be looking at gradients which i would rather avoid with the low riding Shinkansen's.

 

For the walls I just took a ruler a ruler to a piece of viaduct track and measured it up. I'm using 1mm styrene for the wall and 0.5mm to represent the panel on the side of the wall. Cheap and easy and I can have any length I need. I'll paint it up and give it a good weathering once I'm happy with the layout of the station

[Eurostar25]

I think it was 9mm ply on top cut to 100cm x 40cm. Can't quite remember the edge but I'll measure it and get back to you. Planning on using those kato uni track expanding sections between modules

[katoftw]

For the walls I just took a ruler a ruler to a piece of viaduct track and measured it up. I'm using 1mm styrene for the wall and 0.5mm to represent the panel on the side of the wall. Cheap and easy and I can have any length I need. I'll paint it up and give it a good weathering once I'm happy with the layout of the station

Did you use a ruler edge to make the depression in the wall?  What did you use for the viaduct base?  6mm/9mm

 ply with llegs long enough to make it all 50mm height?

 

I think you just solved my custom via station wall issue.  Thanks.

[Eurostar25]

Yup the station base was just made from the leftover ply. I then lined up a stretch of viaduct track on a 50mm support then connected it to a stretch of unitrack on the station ply and measured the gap underneath. I was suprised to see it was about 50mm too from memory so just began cutting legs out of 12mm square mdf to support the station.

 

With the walls I just cut out a 1mm styrene sheet to 248mm x 30mm then I wanted a 1 mm gap between panels so just subtracted that and ended up with 8 panels 19mm high by 30mm wide cut from 0.5mm styrene and just glued them in place with CA glue. I found that the easiest method and cheapest too. I'll be using it anywhere viaduct doesn't quite fit.

[velotrain]

Jeff, and all -

 

> packing them with 2 modules side by side

 

You may not be able to fit them side by side, but could you move them sitting on a long edge?  That's what I did with my two 30" x 4' HO modules.  I had the scenery toward the middle, and tilted the frames to the outside, so they were quite stable so long as I remembered they were there when I took tight turns ;-)

 

Another approach that's commonly used is to stack them vertically for transport and use lumber bracing to keep them apart. 

 

I just found some images with a quick search, but not the arrangement I was looking for.

 

This one appears to use trays, which to my mind adds unnecessary weight, and the modules look rather small in size.

 

 

This one seems more efficient, but it needs a full size van, and it (the rack) looks like a beast to get in and out.

 

 

 

What I had in mind was a system where you simply bolt/machine screw two pieces of say 1" X 4" lumber to each end of 2 - 4 modules, so you can lift / transport them as a group.  The modules only need to be separated by as much space as the scenery dictates.

 

You may need to set them on their sides to attach / detach, but depending on module size and weight, one person could possibly handle a couple of modules this way.  I've also seen systems like this put on two-wheelers to move into an exhibit hall.

 

Since my first attempt to post this failed, I finally found what I was looking for.

 

 

It looks to me like he's just using two sheets of a dark, thin plywood  to join these modules for transport, so that means minimal added weight.  The modules are relatively small - I'm guessing those are 9" floor tiles, which would make them 3' long, and they appear to have a foam surface, so they're also light weight, making it no big deal for one person to lift or transport them.  Again, higher (any ;-) scenery would mean the need for greater space between them.  I've often seen the scenery side of both modules placed in the middle to protect them.

 

 

 

[katoftw]

I met a guy about 6 months ago that did the same for this 930mm T-Trak modules.  The modules just had 2 bolt holes on the end, and he stacked the modules 3 high.

[cteno4]

Charles it's the issue that our 20x42 and 20x47 modules can't go sideways or two side by side in SUVs. No problem in the regular family Toyota van, and even in a Subaru wagon, opits SUVs that have horridly clumsy cargo space given their size! I can cram almost as much in the Prius as some of the mid sized SUVs!

 

I experimented with all sorts of designs for the modules. The nicest but one that would take the most work was a box with adjustable L stock stips that go on the inside od the box so that multiple modules can get slid in from the end. It was the most compact, but in the end a bit hard to construct and expensive. I have one of these boxes cut out to house about 10 ttrak modules in a suitcase style.

 

Bolt on spacer racks are fiddly and require 2 people to pull apart. Als leaves modules open to getting slammed in transport and has to be sealed well when in storage. Open fram rack has the same problem of protection and covering in storage.

 

We ended up just making 3/16" Luan ply boxes for each section (1m x 0.5m sections). We call these caskets. They are open top and have runners on the bottom that nestle into the open top of another casket so they can be stacked on top of each other and then with 3 or 4 stacked up just put a lid piece on the top. Then secure with a couple of cargo straps. We can jsut saw the box down to the height we need for modules if needed to save some space. But we have just settled at 2 standard heights for now.

 

These caskets are really sturdy and protected the modules really well in transport and storage for 5 years now. Too two of us an afternoon to cut them out and assemble and cost like $7 each in materials

 

Jeff

[velotrain]

> Bolt on spacer racks are fiddly and require 2 people to pull apart.

 

Not if you can lay the modules on their sides.

[cteno4]

Yes if you are careful. the boxes are total one person at this size. I

 

talked to some ntrak guys a few years back that do the bolt two modules together via the sky boards. You can do those on end with one person that way but they said they no longer do that with one person as a couple of times modules tipped over and now they always do it with two.

 

Best thing is just have a bloody van! Amazing how much can get packed into them!

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

I have been inspired to give the wall a go.  I brought 3x A4 1mm styrene sheets off ebay and I had a $10 paypal voucher, so it cost me $3.50.

Edited April 3, 2015 by katoftw

[Eurostar25]

Nice buy. I find the evergreen sheets of A4 are about NZD $10 for two sheets. There's is still plenty of material leftover too, enough to begin scratch building the station frontage.

The tinted Perspex for the frontage is the next material to find on my list.