New Layout: South Kansai

[EWS60008]

Hello everyone!

I have finally started to work on my Japanese N Gauge Layout which is based in Kansai near Osaka and the Layout will feature multi-workings as the elevated tracks are for the High Speed Shinkansen trains and the lower level tracks will be served by the local trains and freight trains that will operate on this Layout. The layout will be a Metropolis city and will feature the high rise buildings from the Kato Diotown range and Tomix respectively. Here is a video clip of my Layout in progress:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/BDRuFI8mU18" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/BDRuFI8mU18</a>
As you can see, the trackwork is incomplete as I still need some additional piers for the elevated HSL line and the lower level track is currently just one lane of track and this will be a double track with crossovers and points leading to the traction depot and a rural station set at ground level. The lower level tracks are also going to be extended to use the full width of the board and will pass under the HSL lines which will emerge from the blue truss bridges on each side and the station will be located where the apartment building is currently situated, so this should give you a rough idea on how long the lower level tracks will be when done . There is still a fair amount of track to complete, although I hoping to have most of the trackwork completed by the end of September to Mid-October time with funds permitting .

[to2leo]

Looks pretty cool.  If you did not explain where you are, I thought we will be in Madrid!

Keep us updated!

[EWS60008]

Thanks, I will keep you all updated on the progress. At the present time, I have not done anything new to the Layout yet as other commitments have kind of got in the way of this project, but the next update should be in November when I hope to have atleast 80% of the trackwork completed.

Watch This Space! .

[Bernard]

Ash - I don't know how I missed seeing your layout. Funds are always the stumbling block in any layout. I saw a layout similar to this and what was interesting was the middle area had large buildings that hide the train from view at times. There was a busy street that ran through and gave the impression of a lot of activity. Nice start!

[EWS60008]

Thanks for the compliment mate, I am planning to fit all the buildings when I get them with LED lights that should make night operations fun, especially with the carriages fitted with the Kato interior lighting . The inner track curves for the lower deck line I need to get are the R249 curves as I have checked the ratio clearences and I have been told that Minitrix and Graham Farish locomotives can run on these without any problems but although Shinkansen trains cannot be used on these curves because they are too tight for them, the lower lines will only ever see local and freight trains anyway .

Big update coming soon..............................

[Shashinka]

Looks great, keep us up to date on the progress.

[Bernard]

EWS - Any Updates and/or photos of the layout?

[EWS60008]

Yes I have done a bit of work since the last update as there is now a station on the lower level lines and also the track on the lower level is double track and also I have replaced some of the steel cross-membrame piers that came with the Kato Viaduct set that I bought new back in 2006 with the new concrete pontoon type. Also new rolling stock has also arrived in the shape of the Wrexham & Shropshire Class 67 set by Dapol, A Bombardier Blue Tiger Diesel Locomotive in MKB livery and some European carriages in SNCF and OBB livery.

Over the Xmas season, I also received a Class 60 in N gauge by Graham Farish in British Steel livery and this is numbered 60006 and it is also limited edition as only 504 were produced. I will do a video presentation of my layout later tonight and I will post a video on this thread along with some photos for you all to see .

[EWS60008]

Hello again,

At long last I have finally got round to doing another video which had to be split into two parts because of the 10 minute limit imposed by YouTube, but here is part 1
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/S-zmIlAxc78" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/S-zmIlAxc78</a>

and Part 2
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/fk6wzlXfF9E" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/fk6wzlXfF9E</a>

Hope you like and the next update should be coming up as soon as I get the aforementioned yard done, although I have ordered a 6 floor building for which I will use as a marker of where the downtown district will be. Also I thought I would mention that my Layout is now named "Sakai" as it is based on the outskirts of Osaka, but this layout will not mimic the real location in any way .

Cheers
Ash

[Bernard]

Ash - Thanks for the video and I liked the commentary you added into it. It seems that you have a lot of room to add in a nice yard to store and display your trains!

[EWS60008]

Thanks and I am pleased that you liked the videos. However I am in a bit of a dilemma as by looking at IST's Unitram review, I am currently pondering over some choices I have in mind about what to do with further development of "Sakai" mostly regarding the idea of including a tramway or to stick with the storage yard as originally planned.

I am currently deciding on if to add a traction maintenance depot for the locomotives and units nearest to the viaduct plus a three-lane carriage siding, or just have a five track yard to store the trains on without a depot. Or even make a five-lane shed by scratch-building one up that will cover all the tracks? Also I want to leave enough space for my city district as well, so I am kind of scratching my head and pondering over these decisions. The other option could be to use the Kato Unitram in the open space in the middle of the layout, but my question is, would the Kato Unitram oval fit inside the space?

[IST]

but my question is, would the Kato Unitram oval fit inside the space?

Yes, it would.  But I would rather choose the maintenance depot instead of trams. I think you will buy more Japanese trains for this layout, so a depot will be more useful and more spectacular also.
Thanks for the videos, I really like your comments. Your W&S train set looks great, but it seems to be too noisy, as if I hear my Voyager.  Typical Dapol...

[EWS60008]

Thanks for the advice and I am pleased that you liked the videos too , I have decided to stick with building the train yard on my layout as I can then show off my trains when they parked up in the yard and as my units such as the Osaka Loop Line and Kansai unit will run in 8 carriage formations, I will need some long-ish carriages sidings for them . Also I hope to get my hands on a Nankai Rapi:t 50000 VSE unit, JR Series 681 and the Series 321 as well.

[bill937ca]

Seeing you are model South Kansai these wiring diagrams may be of interest.

http://www.geocities.jp/neko_terashima/map_jr.html

Click on a colored area and it will take you to a detailed diagram.

http://www.geocities.jp/neko_terashima/jr-osakaloop.html

http://www.geocities.jp/neko_terashima/jr-osaka.html

[EWS60008]

Seeing you are model South Kansai these wiring diagrams may be of interest.

http://www.geocities.jp/neko_terashima/map_jr.html

Click on a colored area and it will take you to a detailed diagram.

http://www.geocities.jp/neko_terashima/jr-osakaloop.html

http://www.geocities.jp/neko_terashima/jr-osaka.html

Thanks for the info and the links to those sites, although the layout I am building will be built mainly on a modellers licence, I want to run most types of prototypical units that operate in the Osaka area of Kansai .

[disturbman]

Then you should be happy, Microace just released two Nankai trains, Series 6100 and 7100 in new livery.

- http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10086785
- http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10086789 (this one might be available someplace else).

[Mudkip Orange]

Wow, that 7100 is a perfect match for Mudkip Dentetsu's corporate colors.

[EWS60008]

Thanks for posting those matey! . I hope Plaza Japan gets them in stock soon!

[disturbman]

I don't use PJ but seing its Microace stock, if I were you, I wouldn't count on it.

Plus, usually Microace makes small production runs and if you miss it, you won't get any untill the next batch (which could be many years from now) or if you buy second hand.  For example, I wanted the 789 Series -1000 which was released today but it's allready sold out at HS, Popondetta and Rakuten. In fact, I saw the last one go at Popondetta. I hope that HW will have some in stock tomorow. They usually have some left over (one or two units) after a release but it seems that this item is quite in demand. First release ever if I remember correctly.

And the 6100 and 7100 are too already out of stock at HS and Popondetta. So if you want one and see one, don't think take it. Seems like they're going to be hard to find. Maybe Microace downsized its production because of the downturn.

[EWS60008]

Thanks for the info regading MicroAce models. I assume that those other two vendors don't accept PayPal for payment? I am quite skeptical when it comes to enter card payment details online due to the amount of fraud that has occured in the past .

[disturbman]

Hobby Search has a quite recent tradition of accepting PayPal and the not accepting it. I don't where they stands today.

Hobby World Japan does accept PayPal payements, their website even state "we prefer PayPal".

Popondetta, I don't think they accept PayPal but I clearly don't know.

And regarding MicroAce's models, they usually are sold on reservation and they're quite quickly (if not directly) sold out (at least on the "gaijin" market) when released.

[disturbman]

They finally are available (in back order but that's not a problem usually) at HW.

- 7100: https://www.hwjapan.com/sh/ACE12518.aspx
- 6100: https://www.hwjapan.com/sh/ACE12504.aspx

[EWS60008]

Brilliant find there buddy! I just need to sell off some more OO gauge stock to make way for these beauties .

[disturbman]

You're welcome, I like helping out a fellow collector. :)

edit: Those models are now in stock at HW, no more back orders.

[EWS60008]

Those units will look just the part with a lighting kit fitted in the saloons but my question is, does MicroAce make lighting kits for their trains?

[disturbman]

Of course they do! Let me check the numbers on HS.

So the item which will fit into those babies are items number: G001, G002, G003 or G004. G001 and 3 are packs of two pieces and G002 and G004 are packs of six pieces. G001 and G002 are "Lamp" colored and the others are white. All are LEDs.

You can also fit Tomix's close coupler to Microace products, you just have to check the cross references given (and recently updated) by the Captain. Microace reference for those units is: F002.

[EWS60008]

Thanks again for that mate. Honestly speaking here, and I know its going to cost a moderate amount, but I want to have lights fitted in all of my passenger stock as I think that night operations would be spectacular. Especially if I can work out a way of fitting cab lights into the freight locomotives, so I will buy a battered one to practice with as then at least I won't ruin an expensive model if I mess up! .

[EWS60008]

Hi again,

Another video from me! .
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/efNsLSp1eqM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/efNsLSp1eqM</a>

Not a very big update compared to my other past videos, but construction has started with access to the yard as the branching point has been installed along with the R282-15 radius curves. However there is a slight problem because the R282-15 curves are just too shallow but I am certain that the R249-15 curved track will fit in there just nicely, but once this is sorted out. More work will continue on the yard! .

Also in this video, you will see my newest addition to my fleet in the shape of the MicroAce A-0411 Series 103 Osaka Loop Line train which I think this variant is the refurbished version compared to the other versions made by Tomix & Kato respectively .

Another update will come soon but enjoy this video for the time being.

[disturbman]

Ash, mate, your vids really are unique. There isn't many dynamic shots but you speak and speak. It's quite good and makes for a very hypnotic moment.

I too find the Micro Ace releases quite good.

[EWS60008]

Thanks, I try to keep my videos interesting while covering the topic in detail. I will probably most likely do a video of my Series 787 Relay Tsubame set when it arrives as it is currently stuck at Parcel Force's International Depot at Heathrow at the present time (or so the website is telling me anyways). Then I will aim to get the MicroAce Rapi:t 50000 which I believe there are two issues released as A0750 standard issue and A0751 which comes in a wooden box set .

[disturbman]

Exactly, good luck with that.

I didn't know that the Series 787 Tsubame was running in South Kansai. 

[EWS60008]

Psst! Top Secret!

Don't tell anyone but the Series 787 is on loan to Nankai until the Series 50000 Rapi:t arrives!! .

[EWS60008]

Here is a video of my latest arrival to the fleet!
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/I53hns4O6Ek" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/I53hns4O6Ek</a>
Its a feisty little b*gger as well! .

[IST]

Here is a video of my latest arrival to the fleet!

Thanks for the video! Please do another video if you put interior lights into the model!

[EWS60008]

I certainly will do mate and I might run the layout with dim lights to show off the interior lights better .