Interesting loads

[Kiha66]

I was reading an article today on Japanese shipbuilding, and they attached a picture of a propeller being transported by flatcar (although in Korea). I was wondering other unusual shipments make use of the Japanese railways.

 

2016-05-12T135847Z_340545957_S1BETDQAFFAA_RTRMADP_3_SOUTHKOREA-ECONOMY-RESTRUCTURING.jpg

 

https://gcaptain.com/japan-overtakes-south-korea-in-shipbuilding/

Edited January 6, 2017 by cteno4
image embed

[railsquid]

Probably not all that much, I would guess (disclaimer: armchair internet supposition) it's easier to transport anything that won't fit in a container by ship around the coast (including some Shinkansen deliveries).

[kvp]

The photo was taken inside the ship building plant, so this load never left the factory. It's very much out of loading gauge, so it won't fit most lines. The only large loads that i've seen on old japanese photos were large transformers and turbines/generators shipped high in the mountains for hydroelectric projects. Afaik Tomix made most of them as special freight cars. Since there is no heavy industry too far inland in Japan, there is not much of a need to move large items in or out on rails or even on roads. For the coastal factories, the cheapest and easiest way is shipping.

[Kabutoni]

AFAIK there should still be plenty of places in inland Japan that need transport of transformers by rail. One example is the Oyama Takatakeseisakusho sen'yō-sen (高岳製作所専用線). Despite the look of these kind of lines, they are still in use a few times per year (or once per every few years), depending on how business goes: http://valtameri.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-167.html It's entirely justified to run SiKi type heavy-load cars on your layout wjth this in mind. Just remember that they don't run in combined consists, but as special services, sandwiched between two Yo type guardman vans.

[nah00]

UM-14s with cables in them, I plan to make some of these for my JOT ones. 

 

 

Edited January 5, 2017 by nah00

[velotrain]

I was reading an article today on Japanese shipbuilding, and they attached a picture of a propeller being transported by flatcar (although in Korea).  I was wondering other unusual shipments make use of the Japanese railways.

 

 

That's a low-bed truck - the only rails in the photo are for a gantry crane.

[cteno4]

Yeah it is one of those very multi wheeled heavy lift transport platforms used now all the time to move stuff like this (and whole hunks of ships) around the shipyard.

 

http://www.tdintlgroup.com/heavy-lift-transport/

Jeff

Edited January 5, 2017 by cteno4

[Welshbloke]

Not Japan, but there's a wonderful film from the 1960s of moving a similar size transformer around north Wales by rail and road:

 

 

I believe this hydro plant was the one which severed the original alignment of the Ffestiniog Railway, forcing the building of the famous Dduallt spiral to reconnect the line.

[marknewton]

That film is marvellous. Thanks for posting it!

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[marknewton]

AFAIK there should still be plenty of places in inland Japan that need transport of transformers by rail. One example is the Oyama Takatakeseisakusho sen'yō-sen (高岳製作所専用線). Despite the look of these kind of lines, they are still in use a few times per year (or once per every few years), depending on how business goes: http://valtameri.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-167.html It's entirely justified to run SiKi type heavy-load cars on your layout wjth this in mind. Just remember that they don't run in combined consists, but as special services, sandwiched between two Yo type guardman vans.

Another blog with coverage of the ShiKi transformer cars is here:

 

http://blog.livedoor.jp/koukendaisuki/archives/51960186.html

 

I notice that both the loco and wagon shown on this blog wear the logo of Nippon Express. I'm guessing they're hired out to the companies like Daihen?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.