Kiyoshi RR; a coal mining town.

[Kabutoni]

Hello all,

 

After a brief introduction here I'd like to present you all with my project: Kiyoshi Sekitan Kougyou Tetsudou, or Kiyoshi Coal Mining Corp. Railroad.

 

This layout is based on the last station on the KSKT mainline, Kiyoshi Station. Here is a coal mine situated and a small village where most workers live. The landscape will mostly be rough and northern Tohoku based in a winter-setting; gray, brown, black and dark yellow colours will probably be dominating. The overall feeling should be that of a dirty mining town with snowy patches and a few weeds growing between the tracks.

 

On both ends of the layout a large building will dominate the scene. On the right end it will be the engine depot where the hard working locomotives will rest next to the humble motorcars and rail buses. On the left there will be the coal bunker. Behind this building there will be a cassette system where I can exchange the empties with loaded cars and so create a feeling that the wagons are being filled in the building as we wait.

 

Houses are mostly wooden, but I will also have some plastered buildings in between to have some variation. The station building will also be wooden, but the coal bunker will be concrete, as most post-war contraptions of the like. The visual border between the layout and the backdrop will be difficult to mask, but I try to camouflage it with plants and buildings. It will probably change during the building stage, but isn't that always the case? The buildings are all going to be scratchbuilt, so wish me luck! :P Maybe I'll add interiors, just for fun.

 

Rolling stock will consist of:

- DD51-1 (MicroAce);

- DD54 (Tomix, until I find a replacement in the form of a small steamer or a DD13)

- Kashima RR KIHA 431 (Tomytec);

- Touwa Kougyou Katamichi RR KIHA 302 (Tomytec);

- Nanbu Juukan RR KIHA 101/102 (Tomix);

- About eight to ten TORA xx000 2-axle open wagons (to be bought);

- Several random freight cars (to be bought);

- Two or three Passenger coaches Shouwa 30~40 era, maybe 61-series? (to be bought);

- Maybe a black coloured snow plough.

 

All tracks on the visual part of the layout will be Tomix FineTrack. Beyond will be Minitrix/Roco. Switches will probably be manually operated to save money. Buildings and streets will have soft yellow and white lighting to add a quiet and serene atmosphere when dark.

 

I've drawn a quick, but detailed, plan of the layout as it's going to be as for now. The base is 2200mm x 170mm and is going to be based on foamboard instead of the usual wooden bases. This is to save weight and make easy to transport, as I intend to maybe attend small exhibitions and move away in about a year, back to the Netherlands.

 

The layout of the rails has been thought through intensively and I must say I'm quite proud of the result. It's spacious, realistic and the mainline ends up in the passenger platform, instead of the mine. There are also lots of operational possibilities and a chance to run more then a few motorised vehicles on the layout simultaneously.

 

That's it for now. First I hope to get out of my regular debts of starting a new academic year and then I can invest in the remaining tracks and start building the whole damn thing. In the meantime I'll try to post some photos of the location of the layout.

 

So, if anyone has any tips for me regarding the plan, please let me know! This is my first attempt at a real layout.

 

Cheers!

- Toni

 

P.s. The name Kiyoshi derrives from the American-Korean animation series Avatar. One island and its people are called Kiyoshi (1st appearance in the 3rd episode of the 1st series).

[Bernard]

Oooh a switching layout!

At first read it looks like you've done your research and have it well planned out. One question that comes to mind is the switches. If you are going to use Fine track what manual switches will you use? I'm just wondering if you have to use the same switches to be compatible.

Yes you are certainly right about modifying a plan as you go. I've done it many times now.

 

With all the switching are you planning on running the trains DC or DCC?

[Kabutoni]

One question that comes to mind is the switches. If you are going to use Fine track what manual switches will you use? I'm just wondering if you have to use the same switches to be compatible.

 

Are there different kinds of manual switches? I thought there was only one kind of manual switch; the PL/R541-15 (No. 1215/6), or have other switches with manual operation been released as well? I have no intention in using those switches with extremely narrow curves. Not only looks it unrealistic in the setting, it will most probably derail some rolling stock.

 

I'll be running DC, as I'm quite on a tight budget. It's a switching layout as I like to operate trains, not run them ;)

[Martijn Meerts]

Your DD51 won't make it over the narrow curve switches at least. I've tested that long ago with my DD51, it wasn't pretty =)

[Bernard]

My mistake since I don't use Fine track I assumed their switches came with motors.

 

Toni - On a small layout I'm probably say you'd be fine with either DC or DCC but since this is a Switching layout, you might want to re-think DCC. If you run DC, you are going to have to do a lot of installation on your rails especially when running multiple trains with constant switching. Initially it might be expensive to go DCC but in the long run it might make the layout easier to operate.

Do you know about how many engines would you like to operate?

[Kabutoni]

Aye, I'm not considering DCC for now as it's just too expensive. I'm atm just a poor student. However, maybe later I'll switch to DCC with full sound manipulation.

 

The number of moving trains on the layout (visible that is) will be a maximum of three. Not moving at the same time, but sometimes moving together when going in the same direction. It's set in the countryside of the mid-1960's so it's quite easy going (I wasn't there yet during that time, but it looked quite relaxed to me).

[disturbman]

Love the plan. I would be ahppy to see this coming to life.

[Bernard]

Toni - Another question, how many transformers do you plan to use on the Switching layout and about how many insulated blocks? BTW, This will be a fun and active layout.

[Kabutoni]

There will be one transformer in use. I now have an old Fleischmann transformer in use, but this weekend I'll go hunt for a one with a higher pulse rate so the trains will receive a better flow of juice. There will be one or two insulated blocks. The engine house will be isolated as there are trains to be stacked away there.

 

Tomix switches have a directional insulation, so not much wiring is needed in that aspect. Pretty basic. Just how I like it. Most of the wiring will go into illuminating the houses I think.

[CaptOblivious]

This looks like a really exciting project! Could say a little more about the operations?

[Kabutoni]

Operations?

 

Well, there is going to be the regular exchange of empties with loaded cars from the left side of the layout where the coal bunker is situated. From time to time a delivery of new wood pillars and bars for the suspension support of new shafts as well as delivering supplies to the town and mine by closed freight wagon. This will mostly be handled over the lower two tracks, where most of the switching will take place.

 

On the upper track parcels and small supplies will be handled on the passenger platform. Here a regular passenger railbus will handle the customers in the quiet hours and a loco hauled 2/3-car set will give the shaft workers with a comfortable ride to and from their homes. In the weekends on Sundays and holidays the mine will be closed and a lower amount of passengers will be using the line, thus the engine depot will be the host of a few spare railbusses and maybe an engine or two while some freight cars stand on the switching track, waiting to be used the next working day. Maybe on local festival days special loco hauled services will run with typical headboards.

 

I could also decide on having a daily special on a long distance run from Kokutetsu (JNR) where a more modern 3-car DMU will take over. Maybe a new and fresh KIHA58 with soft seats, air-conditioning and heating could provide a comfortable and rather smooth ride to the next large town.

 

As you can see I'm putting more focus on variation for passenger trains then on freight. That's because I like passenger trains, but I also want to operate some freight trains. Otherwise it would get boring IMO  I'm not setting up a serious time schedule though. That comes maybe later. Then I can also incorporate sound and stuff.

[Martijn Meerts]

I've drawn a quick, but detailed, plan of the layout as it's going to be as for now. The base is 2200mm x 170mm and is going to be based on foamboard instead of the usual wooden bases. This is to save weight and make easy to transport, as I intend to maybe attend small exhibitions and move away in about a year, back to the Netherlands.

 

Where in the Netherlands are you from / are you moving to? I'm moving back myself in a few weeks, but unfortunately far away from any club even remotely interested in N-scale, let alone Japanese N-scale =)

[Kabutoni]

I'm probably moving back to Leiden or somewhere in the Randstad (I'm originally from Utrecht where I lived for 18 years). I can't live in the countryside. I need buildings with a bit of nature around the city for leisure, not to far from a small metropolis and with everything nearby.

 

Maybe we could pick up the J-Module project again when there are enough people interested. IIRC in Germany, Heiko Stoll has produced a complete layout with these standards... Don't know for sure though. I'll ask him personally when I go to his shop in a few weeks.

 

Anyway, this would be in about a year, so anything can happen in between.

[Fenway Park]

Hi Tony,

 

An interesting project.  There were several private coal mining railways on Hokkaido including the Yubari which used 9600 2-8-0s and other locos. These were replaced by DL55 (DD13) and there were mixed trains with hoppers and ex JNR coaches. The Yubari had diesel railcars as well.

 

The Bibai railway used 4110 type 0-10-0 tanks which hauled the workers trains as well. 

 

Hope this helps

 

Malcolm

[Kabutoni]

Thank for the info, but I've been intensively researching coal mining rail roads in Japan for some time now, so that's nothing new to me. I'm seriously considering a 9600 now as they were extensively in use during the days of coal mining. Maybe a C11 or C12 will do as well (without the windsplitters) as these run on the Moka railway where my girlfriend comes from: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travelblogs/76/6929/SL+Trains+on+the+Moka+Line?destId=356635 Though, I don't know if they ever ran coal services...

 

P.s. the new railcars (MOOKA 14 Type) are lovingly called 'Suika' (Watermelon) by the youth, at least that's what my girlfriend said: http://www.uraken.net/rail/chiho/moka/14.html

[Kabutoni]

Today I went to a modeltrain fair in Bonn-Endenich in the hope to find a new transformer, but to my surprise I found an old TOMIX set! I asked the owner how much he wanted for it and he said a €100. I only had €75 in my wallet so I started bargaining at €60. In the end he was persuaded by my €75 after explaining this was an old generation model where one can see the engine through the windows, the headlights on the roof weren't working and the set was incomplete without headboard stickers. A real bargain!

 

So, now my layout is an old KIHA 183-0 express set richer. Problem is that it's not the correct era, so I have to adjust the goal of the layout a bit.

 

Could anyone tell from which year the set is? I'd guess around 1981 or so... Also, wtf. KIHA 184-1? Who needs a generator compartment car in a diesel train?

[stevenh]

Hah, Toni, well done! It's always hard to pass on Japanese stock that someone has held on to for a long time.

And welcome to the forums, I cannot wait to see what you get up to with this layout :)

[Kabutoni]

Thanks Steven! I hope to receive my ordered tracks soon so that I can start building.

 

Also, I've converted the KIHA 183 to a 4-car consist. At first the motor was in the KIHA 184-1 carriage, but I managed to swap it into one of the KIHA 182 cars. Now it runs like the Ohotsuku (Okhotsk) repainted in its original JNR livery. The numbers even match the prototype! (KIHA 183-1, KIHA 182-1, KIHA 182-2, KIHA 183-2) I'm quite happy about that.

[marknewton]

...On the upper track parcels and small supplies will be handled on the passenger platform. Here a regular passenger railbus will handle the customers in the quiet hours and a loco hauled 2/3-car set will give the shaft workers with a comfortable ride to and from their homes...

 

Tony, that's an interesting plan, but one thing puzzles me. If a loco-hauled train runs into the platform from right to left, how does the loco run around and get onto the other end of the train for the return trip?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Kabutoni]

Tony, that's an interesting plan, but one thing puzzles me. If a loco-hauled train runs into the platform from right to left, how does the loco run around and get onto the other end of the train for the return trip?

Hi Mark,

 

The plan is just to back the train up just after the last switch, run the locomotive around, back it up to the coaches again, back the train up to the end of the platform and presto. I got inspiration from British branch line termini where this was common practice. As the Japanese railway system is based on the British system, I guess this was also regular on Japanese termini (which is most likely). Otherwise another spare loco could take over the coaches instead (but I don't like that idea).

[marknewton]

I thought that might be how you intend to work the platform. (When you say that this is common practice on British branchlines, you're referring to the current era?)

 

Japanese safeworking was indeed based on the British system, with only one or two significant differences. Under Japanese safeworking rules, a loco running round it's train as you describe would have to be in possession of the staff or token for the preceeding section, as it would be occupying the main line, and so no other train could approach or enter the yard while you were doing that shunt. I realise you are modelling a private line in the 60s, but they too were regulated by the railway ministry, and used pretty much the same safeworking as the JNR. At the bare minimum you'd need a home signal, and a shunting limit board with enough overlap to prevent connflicting movements in the yard.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[westfalen]

I would imagine that this being the terminus the yard would be protected by signals as there would be quite a bit of shunting going on, it would add interest to operations if the shunt engine were not permitted past a limit of shunt board and you had to watch out if you were shunting a long string of wagons.

 

It's interesting to see a Japanese layout designed for operation.

[marknewton]

It is interesting, but I think Tony needs to do a bit more work on this design to make it more workable.

 

As you say, the yard would be protected by signals, but a better approach would be to separate the arrival road and run-round, and provide a neck to allow the coal loader to be shunted without blocking the main.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[westfalen]

It is interesting, but I think Tony needs to do a bit more work on this design to make it more workable.

 

As you say, the yard would be protected by signals, but a better approach would be to separate the arrival road and run-round, and provide a neck to allow the coal loader to be shunted without blocking the main.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

I guess it would depend on how much space he had but that would allow one operator to shunt the yard while another ran the mainline trains in and out. At a show that would give more action to gain attention. Toni, you mention you are using Tomix track, you could try out different track arrangements to see how they work out before fixing the track down, I've always seen this as one advantage of Tomix or Unitrack.

[Kabutoni]

Hi all,

 

Well, the layout isn't fixed yet, so I'll probably play a little around with the arrangement of it all. Also, the layout is meant to be operated by one person, so I don't think there will be a possibility to run two trains at the same time. Blocking the main-line shouldn't be much of a problem as speeds will be low enough to ensure safety and safety signals will be installed. Maybe I could have the headshunt of the run-around movement end up in the depot to ensure main-line safety.

 

Passenger-switching is based not based on current British switching of course, but on a more classic way. I'm not an expert on British trains, but that kind of switching kind of intrigued me, as it wasn't all that common on the main land.

 

Also, the line will be private-owned, but with a JNR express service twice a day with a KIHA183 (I've just bought it), so that means the date of the setting should be changed to the early eighties... Maybe I could install light signals to make things easier and change from the coal based theme to a more realistic seen cement/gravel theme.