Japan Train and Rail Blog

Concentrating on the rear of the train depot area at the moment, where it borders on a section of road and the lower-level loop.

The depot area is 5mm higher than the base scenery level, which is not a huge amount but enough to convey a subtle change in elevation and avoid the "flat baseboard" effect. It also helps give the impression that the lower-level loop beyond the crossing is in a shallow cutting.

Next steps are to fill in the gaps in the train depot ballast, finish off the transformer mast (the brown structure behind the truck with the square grey body) and add some detailing to that area.

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Currently mainly working on the depot area, which consists of five storage sidings and a short headshunt-style spur which will serve as a diesel fuelling point.

The sheds consist of a pair of Tomix train sheds intended for longer units, and a Tomytec single unit wooden shed, which doesn't look too incongruous next to the modern Tomix ones.

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It's amazing sometimes what random overseas stuff pops up on Yahoo Auctions...

Somewhere I have an identical or similar Farish coach, also acquired via Yahoo Auctions (as part of a job lot, if memory serves correctly).

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The Tomix modern-style two-road train shed (複線機関庫, catalogue number 4212) is one of Tomix's classic N scale structures which has been in production for decades (note it was originally available under catalogue number 4012). Although it's a little on the chunky side, it is a plausible generic representation of the kind of multiple-road sheds commonly seen in Japanese train depots, and is a good basis for kitbashing.

A couple of links with ideas:

• 【鉄道模型】レイアウト・TOMIX 複線機関庫のグレードアップ
• [レイアウト]TOMIX 複線機関庫をディテールＵＰ

Videos:

• Nゲージ　ジオラマ制作　機関区作成中の記録（音無し）
• 【Ｎゲージ】車両基地レール延長部を組み込んでみた。

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In anticlockwise order:

• a pair of intermediate 103 series cars to expand a Tomix 4-car Yamanote line basic set
• an intermediate E353 car to expand a Kato E353 series 4-car basic set
• some side destination stickers for the Tomix N gauge JR 209-1000 Series (Chuo Line) set
• a whole bunch of Revolution Factory detailing accessories

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The Nonowa station mall at Musashi-Sakai Station on the Chuo Line has been using these promotional flags featuring the "face" of the classic 101 series commuter train (which was first introduced on the Chuo Line).

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In a previous entry, Improving Tomix "Second Generation" mechanisms, I provided a suggestion to improve the mechanism of these models by applying tape to the worm gear case to stop it vibrating against the chassis.

A year older and wiser, I've since discovered that while this mitigates the underlying issue somewhat, it's not a particularly effective solution.

The underlying issue, it turns out, is the interaction between worm gear and worm gear case - without sufficient lubrication, the worm gear will cause the case to vibrate, and sometimes "stick" slightly, causing the car to stutter, and possibly put more strain on the motor/and or cause a higher current draw than it should do.

The solution is simple, effective and obvious: lubricate the interface between worm gear and worm gear case.

Using a toothpick/cocktail stick I applied dabs of grease to the "tunnels" on inside of the case (above right) and to the worm gear itself one either end where it rotates against the case. Excess can be remove with the toothpick, and wiped on the exposed part of the worm gear (though this really doesn't need much lubrication).

Before doing that however, it's worth cleaning both worm gear and the case, to remove any existing grease/oil residue, and in the case of the worm gear, remove any built-up fibre which may have ended up wrapped around it (quite common with second-hand stock, and something I evidently missed last time).

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An ad-hoc, incomplete list of preserved steam locomotives on static display within the 23 wards area of Tokyo:

• Jōhoku Kōtsū Kōen (城北交通公園; map): D51-513
• Asukayama Kōen (飛鳥山公園; map): D51-853
• Kita-Shikihama Kōen (北鹿浜公園; map): C50-75
• Ōtsukadai Kōen (大塚台公園; map): C58-407
• Ueno Park (上野恩賜公園; map): D51-231
• Shinbashi Station (SL広場; map): C11-292
• Setagaya Kōen (世田谷公園; map): D51-272
• Higashi-Shinagawa Kōen (東品川公園; map; link with picture): Seibu Nr. 7
• Higashi Chōfu Kōen (東調布公園; map): D51-428
• Iriarai-Nishi Kōen (入新井西公園; map): C57-66
• Haginaka Kōen (萩中公園; map): B3-34
• Momijiyama Kōen (紅葉山公園; map; close to Nakano Station): C11 368

 

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It's just been announced that Tomix World, formerly located in Omiya and which closed in early 2019, will be reopening on Saturday July 27th at its new location close to Kanda Station in Tokyo.

The new address is: Kanda IK Building 7F, 2-7-1 Kajimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (東京都千代田区鍛冶町2丁目7-1 神田IKビル7F); Google Street View link.

The Tomix World website contains more details (at the time of writing in Japanese only).

 

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Flickr album with a bunch of pictures: DB 485 005 bis 885 709

Model by Roco:

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