Passing Sidings in Tight Locations

Curved turnouts can be used to place turnouts in tight locations just like the prototype. These turnouts can allow you to add a station with passing sidings to a small oval. Its just the place for a Kiha 130 or similar Japanese diesel rail bus or a Modemo Keifuku high floor tram loading at platforms on either side of the tracks.

Curved turnouts leading into a station at the bottom of a small oval lalyout.

Curved Crossovers

Another application of the curved turnout is a crossover on a curve.

Curved crossover using Tomix 1278 and 1279 turnouts.

Branch Line Turnoff

The final application is a branch turnoff. This could be just past a station or stand alone. Curves like these can help avoid right angles frequently encountered on small layouts.

Branch line turnoff using Tomix 1279

These gently curving turnouts can produce some of most realistic looking trackwork seen on a layout.

Since my original list in August 2008 and updates in May 2010, and August 2011 much has changed. Since the May 2010 update, Ace of Bicycle has disappeared from eBay and Hobby World Japan closed their English language online shop. Now Rainbow Ten has announced it will close its online shop effective 31st January 2012.

Shipping

There are two shipping options with most dealers, either EMS or SAL.

EMS (Express Mail Service) is more expensive, fast, insured up to 20,000 Yen automatically, and trackable.

SAL is small packet is cheap, uninsured, takes 7 to 14 days minimum, and has a 2,000 gram limit (except for printed matter). As SAL only gets available air cargo space, delivery times vary considerably.

Ordering from Japan

The new year starts in Japan in April and dealer stock is often the lowest at this time. Previews of new items appear at shows starting in May at the Shizouka Hobby Show and continue through JAM (Japan Association of Modelrailroaders) in August. Dealers start replenishing stock levels in the late spring. Dealer stock levels are good through the fall until New Years, most new releases appear and restocking activity gradually slows down as the March 31 year end approaches.

There are also several extended Japanese holiday periods like New Years (which can last as long as 7 days in some cases) in early January, Golden Week in late April and Obon in August which totally shutdown processing of orders and email reply.

Japanese Internet Dealers

Hobby Search

Hobby Search has been my primary source since day one. Hobby Search has a very large catalog of items listed by manufacturer and category. Items from smaller manufacturers can be found in a separate Other Makers directory. With such a large selection of items the Manufacturer List is handy. There is also a Release List and a Series List. Prices on stock and reservations are generally 10% off regular price for most items plus 3% points.

There is a points program that earns you 3% of most items. This can be redeemed on future purchases and used to reduce shopping and shipping costs. Points are good for one year. If you have more points than the total cost of your order, the points are only applied to the merchandise purchased. You will still have to pay shipping.

Shipping is now either SAL (up to SAL limits) or EMS. HS takes reservations on upcoming items and now allows you to choose SAL or EMS shipping during the pre-order process. Hobby Search is again taking credit cards or you can pay with or PayPal.

Hobby Search also carries Japanese railway and model train magazines in a separate “store”.

Plaza Japan

Plaza Japan is a long time eBay store and another source since day one with a good selection of Tomix items and other Japanese model railroad manufacturers. On screen stock count helps when placing track orders as stock-outs are a real inconvenience. Items are priced in US dollars, so when the US dollar is high prices may seem high. Defective or incorrect items can be exchanged for the same item at no extra charge when reported by e-mail within 1 week from the delivery date. EMS and SAL shipping is available. As an eBay dealer PayPal is the primary means of payment. Plaza Japan is a very reliable source.

Tokyo Rail

A small independent Japanese dealer selling on the internet. Prices are usually MSRP or higher reflecting the limited production runs of many Japanese model railway models. On orders less than 5000 Yen, there is a 500 Yen low order fee. Ships EMS or SAL plus a couple of other options. Prices are quoted in Japanese Yen, US Dollar, Euro or Pound. Payment is PayPal or credit card.

Hobby Link Japan

Not really a model train dealer, but they do offer some Tomytec, Sankei and Bandai B-Train Shorty items, and sometimes at very good discounts. Each item shows its shipping cost by either FedEx, EMS or SAL. Payment is either by PayPal or credit card.

Dealers Outside Japan

BT Trains

A new west coast US dealer offering Tomix and other Japanese model train products. This is great if you are American, but my issue is that US postal rates are excessive compared to Japanese postal rates and you can get a double whack on the exchange from Yen to USD and then to your home currency. Still you will find Tomix, Kato, Greenmax, Micro Ace, Kawai and Hogarakado.

Model Train Stuff

The internet arm of M. B. Klein carries Japanese model train items by Kato and Tomix. The Tomix stock is mainly vehicles and structures.

Japan Model Railways

Located in Kamen Germany, Japan Model Railways is one of the few Tomix dealers outside Japan. Japan Model Railways carries a very full line of trains, track, structures and vehicles. Items are priced in Euros. For many people in Europe this dealer is a great alternative to shipping bulky items like track all the way from Japan. The same people also run a train store 10 minutes away from Kamen’s train station.

Tomix offers two incline sets each with 10 piers of different heights.

3016 — single track
3044 — double track

The pieces in each set have small numbers from 1 to 10 marked on the piers. These numbers indicate their relative positions in the grade and are shown on the diagrams below.

In general 45 degree curves or 280mm straights have one incline support under the rail joiner at each end of the track piece and one in the middle, for a total of three. Straights of 140mm have one incline support under the rail joiner at each end of the track section, for a total of two.

Single track sections

Here is an example of a single track incline taken from the Model Railway System Guidebook, page 10 for Tomix 90943 and 91063 (track sets A + C). Tomix 1171 C280-45 and Tomix 1172 C317-45 curves are used.

Tomix single track incline section A+C

Anyrail indicates this track section is 1220mm long.

Double-track rail sections

Here is a double track incline example taken from the Model Railway System Guidebook, page 13 for (track sets A+B+C+C+D). Tomix 1161 C280-317-45 curves are used.

Tomix double track incline section A+B+C+C+D

Anyrail indicates this track section is 1220mm long.

I’ve also come across a diagram of a straight incline made up of 5 280mm straights (total 1400mm) from the surface track to the viaduct level.

Understanding how Tomix intended for inclines to be used is a good step towards better running model trains.

You can use a single track viaduct, but one of the great sights that sets Japanese model trains apart is trains passing up above the streets on elevated viaduct tracks.

Tomix elevated track on an earlier version of my layout.

After creating my current 30 x 60 inch layout I set out to see if I could fulfill my long unfulfilled desire to have a truss bridge across my train layout along with viaduct track. The issue has been the narrow width of my layout tables which were created for another purpose but are about as big as I can go in an apartment.

I have found that by using a single C317-280 45 degree curve sends the tracks across the table at a far more realistic angle than a sharp 180 degree curve at the end of a table.

Realistic viaduct curves for narrow layout tables.

There are several options for the S140 straight viaduct sections in this example. I used the Tomix 3052 double track bridge, but you could also choose any of these:

1061- S140 double track viaduct straight
1066- S140 double track concrete viaduct straight
3051- S140 double track bridge (blue)
3053- S140 double track bridge (yellow)
4047- Overhead railway station with store (with 3062 Viaduct 140-55.5 as a track base)

Another option is to use a 3068 double track girder bridge set which allows you to use stock Tomix track. Two or more 3068 girder bridges would allow you to add 1247 double crossover to the viaduct tracks or a single track crossover could be created with two N-PR(L) 541-15 switches.

To just to see how narrow you could make this layout I created a simple double track preliminary plan that downsizes this track arrangement to a space as narrow as 26 inches. The concept plan below requires a space 26 x 96 inches, which is four inches narrower than my tables. Its not a completed track plan as grades still have to be established to link the viaduct track with the surface track (and I don`t anticipate having the time to do this for some time). Additional track could be added to make a more interesting layout.

Many Japanese trains would be right at home on curves like these, but they are too tight for realistic Shinkansen operation. Shinkansen trains on tight curves like these may take on the appearance of a toy train.

If you reduced the number viaduct straights you may be able to use an even narrower table, but I haven`t worked out this or the return curves in the figure eight.

The curves are C243 and C280. The track pieces needed are:

Tomix Fine Track 1022(S280). Straight 280mm. 18
Tomix Fine Track 1061. Straight 140mm. (double track) (viaduct) 2
Tomix Fine Track 1099A(S33). Straight 33mm. 2
Tomix Fine Track 1099B(S18.5). Straight 18.5mm. 2
Tomix Fine Track 1121(C280-45). Curve radius 280mm, angle 45º 8
Tomix Fine Track 1124(C280-15). Curve radius 280mm, angle 15º 4
Tomix Fine Track 1125(C243-45). Curve radius 243mm, angle 45º 8
Tomix Fine Track 1143(C243-15). Curve radius 243mm, angle 15º 4
Tomix Fine Track 1161. Curve radius 280mm-317mm, angle 45º (double track) (viaduct) 2
Tomix Fine Track 3052. Straight 140mm. (double track) (bridge) (green) 3

It is possible to create a realistic double track viaduct section on a layout table as narrow as 26 inches and enjoy running trains on double track viaducts in true Japanese model railroad style.

I visualize the layout as being urban but not city core with trains passing through a neighborhood between stations. I find it hard to fit realistic size stations into such a small space so I focus on what could be the locations between stations.

The layout uses Tomix C243. C280, C317 and C354 curves and 541-15 turnouts.

Tomix layout, November 2011

The list below gives the number of pieces of track required for this track plan.

Tomix Fine Track 1021(S140). Straight 140mm. 7
Tomix Fine Track 1022(S280). Straight 280mm. 10
Tomix Fine Track 1121(C280-45). Curve radius 280mm, angle 45º 4
Tomix Fine Track 1122(C317-45). Curve radius 317mm, angle 45º 8
Tomix Fine Track 1123(C541-15). Curve radius 541mm, angle 15º 2
Tomix Fine Track 1125(C243-45). Curve radius 243mm, angle 45º 8
Tomix Fine Track 1126(C354-45). Curve radius 354mm, angle 45º 8
Tomix Fine Track 1247. Double crossover 280mm. 15º 1
Tomix Fine Track 1271(PR541-15). Right turnout 140mm. 4
Tomix Fine Track 1272(PL541-15). Left turnout 140mm. 4

A small layout like this is a great place to enjoy running your trains on a dark night.

The Modemo web site reports that there were printing mistakes in the stickers. Some of the destination signs are wrong. Corrections are here, here, and here.

From what I understand similar problems occurred with the first Modemo articulated trams and these were later corrected.

The basic tram junction piece we are missing is the curve track crossing over a straight track. For wide tram track this would be a C140 curve across a S70 straight. The C140 curve would match the Tomix 1231/1232 switch curves. This curve is found anywhere in the world with double track tram lines and turnouts in a grid pattern.

Tram curve crossing straight.

With this piece we could easily build tram turnback loops allowing trams turn back short of the final destination.

I’m not even sure this item would ever appear from Tomix. This type of crossing is rarely seen in Japan these days. Most streetcar lines in Japan are straight back and forth operations with crossovers rather than loops. It might take a after market supplier to build such a piece compatible with existing Tomix wide tram track specifications.

Along with a switch here is how the combination appears.

Turnout and curved crossing.

It is very much an essential piece of track on any system using single ended rolling stock and would be a great addition to the Tomix wide tram line of products.

The Lisbon Tram Project is now located on a serving tray which has enough space for a loop of tram track and a few buildings.

What were the setbacks? The track plan on the 30′ x 60″ layout was originally laid out for N gauge trams. Then the Lisbon HO tram came along. Although the tram fit the layout, HO scale structures were very hard to fit into the mid block spaces.

There were issues with four wheel drives binding on the C103 S curve with the weight of the HO tram body added. Without the tram body the drives ran fine. With double truck N gauge cars the C103 S curve is not an issue at all.

So I have relocated the Lisbon HOn30 tram to a Mahogany finish serving tray measuring 19 7/8 x 13 3/4. There is enough space for a single track oval with C140 curves and several HO scale buildings, vehicles and figures.

Tram stop on HOn30 tram layout.

I accomplished my major goal which was motorizing the Amarleus tram with a N scale drive. Someday I would like to create a much larger layout based on the fascinating Lisbon tram network.