Australian Japanese Model Railway Group

[linkey]

Hi Everyone,

Just recently one of the members of the Australian Japanese Model Railway Group (AJMRG) has given me some more photos of the module displays at the Japan Festival held at Box Hill on May 15th. These photos can be found on the AJMRG website http:www.ajmrg.org.au and follow the link of Event Photos and it wil lbe under the folder 2011 Japan Festival Box Hill.

There are a collection of both KATO Standard Module layout and the T-TRAK. We are hopeful to be at Caulfield Victoria (August 20th and 21st) at the AMRA Vic Branch Model Railway Exhibition.

This thread will be used to update any news that the AJMRG will be involved in and have links to any photos to their website.

Hope you enjoy out photo gallery.
 

[Bernard]

Thanks for sharing the photos.....really nice exhibition, I like the work your club has done with the scenery at the RR crossing and the elevated track and the highway. Thanks.

[linkey]

For all Australian Members of the JNS forums,

the Australian Japanese Model Railway Group (AJMRG) will be at 41st AMRA Model Railway Exhibition Caulfield Racecourse on the 20th and 21st August.

Come over and say Hi to the members and have a look at our module layout. We will be taking photos of the layout for our other JNS forum members which we will place a link to our website when the photos have been uploaded. So it wil lgive everyone a chance to see what we have been doing at this exhibition.

You might be surprised on what trains run on our layout!

[linkey]

The latest photos of the Australian Japanese Model Railway Group (AJMRG) at the Australian Model Railway Association (AMRA) Vic Branch Caulfield Exhibition that was held on the 20th-21st August.

http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z143/linkey78/model%20railway/AMRA%20Caulfield21stAug2011/

Or you can check via the AJMRG website for the photos: http://www.ajmrg.org.au

Beware that there is over 140 photos in this album and all of the shots were taken from a Kodak EasyShare C513 camera so the shutter speed is slow and the auto focus is very limited.

[Dani]

OMG!!! Why did you recreate a suicide??? there is a man laying on the tracks!!!

[linkey]

One of the members was just showing us that the distance from the platform to the track was so wide that a person would fit between them and still not get hit by the train.

We were telling the person who owns the module that their cantenary was making their platform wide and so the person (named "Wally") was used as a demostration hence the photo shot. You will find "Wally" on the train, laying down on top of a building, on a frieght car and many other places in the photos.

We know it's not right in taking shots of something that resembles as a suicide and that was not the aim. A few years ago we got told of spainish guy survived while a train went over him. We thought of just showing how if we don't have the platform close to the track it would do:

1. Make passengers have to jump over the gap between train and platform
2. If we find missing figurines we now know where we might find them.
3. A reminder for the module owner to look at re-adjusting the platform with the Cantenary poles to be closer to the track.

Mind you that the attendees of the show didn't get to see this as "Wally" was moved around to various places of the module layout, after the photo was taken. 

[Dani]

One of the members was just showing us that the distance from the platform to the track was so wide that a person would fit between them and still not get hit by the train.

We were telling the person who owns the module that their cantenary was making their platform wide and so the person (named "Wally") was used as a demostration hence the photo shot. You will find "Wally" on the train, laying down on top of a building, on a frieght car and many other places in the photos.

We know it's not right in taking shots of something that resembles as a suicide and that was not the aim. A few years ago we got told of spainish guy survived while a train went over him. We thought of just showing how if we don't have the platform close to the track it would do:

1. Make passengers have to jump over the gap between train and platform
2. If we find missing figurines we now know where we might find them.
3. A reminder for the module owner to look at re-adjusting the platform with the Cantenary poles to be closer to the track.

Mind you that the attendees of the show didn't get to see this as "Wally" was moved around to various places of the module layout, after the photo was taken. 

It was just for laughing, forgive my "black humour"!!  You are right, I also saw too much distance between platforms and trains because of the catenary poles, but I'm not sure how is it done in the real life. How is the catenary installed between platforms? Without poles, attached directly to the platforms' roofs?

Congratulations for all the excellent work of your group, I love all photos. I'd love to have a group like this near where I live.

Cheers,

Dani.

[KenS]

How is the catenary installed between platforms? Without poles, attached directly to the platforms' roofs?

If there are roofs, often the beams holding them up are extended over the track as supports, as in this photo or there are simply beams between roofs. Without roofs, they just stick the pole on the platform (rather than between track and platform as the Kato/Tomix pre-built poles would go). You can also have poles even if you have roofs, as in this photo with the outside pole placed behind the platform and the center pole going through the roof.

See wikimedia commons Station Platforms in Japan for other photos.

[bill937ca]

I found this plan for adapting masts for Tomix platforms on the web. Perhaps this will help.

[linkey]

After taking my laptop with me to the AJMRG working party meeting and showed them this thread, you guys got them laughing in a good manner. We are now looking at the fact KATO is bringing more over head cantenaries and are competing with TOMIX so our module layouts would most likely be having KATO ones used.

[linkey]

The AJMRG had a good time over at Morwell as they were invited to run their T-TRAK modules for the LaTrobe City Council Sister Cities festival. Which we had both Chinese and Japanese Reps at the festival. The people and the organisers were very happy with our display and would like us back again. (For those who don't know Morwell is a 2hr drive from Melbourne in the east direction) But for someone like me it was a 3 hour drive. :'(

[linkey]

The Australian Japanese Model Railway Group will say farewell to 2011 on this Sunday at the Japanese Cultural Festival as we take a break before the christmas period and then meet back up in 2012 and getting ready for an action packed year with possibly 6 conventions and 3 Cultural events.

If you are in Melbourne (Collingwood) Victoria come to the Collingwood Town Hall and see us there on the 27th November.  :)

[Martijn Meerts]

A wee bit far away and short notice ;)

I definitely want to visit Australia sometime though.

[The_Ghan]

A wee bit far away and short notice ;)

I definitely want to visit Australia sometime though.

Before you book anything be sure to let us know.  I know that keitaro and I would be happy to have a meet-n-greet with you here in Sydney and it would be tops if the trip were timed to coincide with one of the exhibition weekends.  I'm sure the folks in Brisbane and Melbourne would do the same.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[Martijn Meerts]

Won't be anytime soon.. I really want to go to Japan first, which will hopefully be late 2012 :)

[The_Ghan]

Won't be anytime soon.. I really want to go to Japan first, which will hopefully be late 2012 :)

Ha,

I'm planning my trip as I check this forum ... planning to be there November 2012.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[Martijn Meerts]

I'm aiming to be there around october/november as well. Will be in/around Kyoto mostly, and I really want to see the Jidai Matsuri festival, which is the 22nd of october usually.

[Dani]

I'm aiming to be there around october/november as well. Will be in/around Kyoto mostly, and I really want to see the Jidai Matsuri festival, which is the 22nd of october usually.

A good plan for that day is to go early in the morning (between 8 and 9 a.m.) to Heian-jingu Shrine to see the ritual where the palanquin carrying the Heian-jingu Shrine deity embarks for Kyoto Imperial Palace. After that you can go to see Ginkakuji, walk from there all the Philosophers' path and with no stress you will be again in Heian-jingu Shrine before 14h, expected arrival time of front of the procession, departed from Kyoto Imperial Palace at 12h.

I hope you spend a nice time there!!!!!

[linkey]

Gomen nasai (Sorry) for the late notice guys, just been busy with a few other things happening and not happening (parcel hasn't arrived from HS and reaching the end of 4wk mark sal shipment).

Next event I will post up in advance.

[linkey]

Even thought we are just coming to the end of November. The Australian Japanese Model Railway Group (AJMRG) would like to wish everyone a happy and a joyful festive season and we are all looking forward to 2012.

Sunday the 27th November was our last day of any operational and adminstration for 2011. We have been to 3 Japanese Cultural events, 4 Conventions/Exhibitions and a few maintenace days for this year. So with that I will leave you all with a photo from the Collingwood Japanese Cultural Festival the DE 15 Snowplow train on the move (thought it would be good for our Winter Wonderland friends who gets snow)