At about 2:30 of this video you will see a brief sequence of Japanese three rail trains. This video was filmed at the Japan Model Railroad Association convention held this weekend in Tokyo. Out of maybe 1000 exhibits I would guess no more than 2-3 would O gauge 3 rail. The Japanese market is about 75-80% N gauge (either 1/150 or 1/160), 10-15% HO (usually 1/80) and the rest all the others.
I've come across one or two other 3 rail videos from Japan, but never found very much at all.
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I found a few more Japanese O gauge three rail videos. An on the floor layout is pretty common in Japan. Even some MTH.
They don't seem to care much about scenery, do they.
Not three-rail, but definitely O Scale: Scratchbuilding a Series E3 Shinkansen:
Looks like scratchbuilding isn't just for vintage equipment anymore 
---PCJ
Rats, I was hoping to see some Japanese trains in 3RO that I could get.
Oh yeah, 3 rail O-gauge has been popular in Japan a long time. One manufacturer even produced tinplate similar to Marx 3/16" scale stuff back in the day.
Bill Robb posted:... Out of maybe 1000 exhibits I would guess no more than 2-3 would O gauge 3 rail. The Japanese market is about 75-80% N gauge (either 1/150 or 1/160), 10-15% HO (usually 1/80) and the rest all the others.
I've come across one or two other 3 rail videos from Japan, but never found very much at all.
Trying to find 3-rail O-gauge in Japan is like trying to find TT scale in USA. It's just not popular for their place and time !
They certainly have outstanding variety and quality of model trains in their smaller scales. And yes they can do scenery.
I have this one Japanese-made 2-rail O-gauge brass loco, KWR brand possibly made in the late 1940's IIRC.
The Sakai 2-6-2 "3/16th" freight set is or was fairly common...I picked up one to get a different wheel arrangement engine. I wondered if they were just made for export and only a short time, before crashing into a legal hassle with Marx? I have heard of other O gauge Sakai but not seen any.
handyandy posted:Oh yeah, 3 rail O-gauge has been popular in Japan a long time. One manufacturer even produced tinplate similar to Marx 3/16" scale stuff back in the day.
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Ace posted:They certainly have outstanding variety and quality of model trains in their smaller scales. And yes they can do scenery.
Yeah, but they don't seem to be keen on weathering. Maybe it factors into the societal pressure for cleanliness and order, I have no idea. But I used to read a lot of Japanese model train magazines (okay, look at the photos as I can barely understand it spoken and not at all in written form) and I very rarely ever saw layouts that didn't look like an 'ideal' world where there were no weeds, junk or dirty... anything on them.
All that said, the example above shows what I mean and there's no argument that it's very pretty!
Had to add another. A "Series E7-based Hokuriku Shinkansen", also scratchbuilt in O scale. Pay particular attention to the use of ordinary cardboard for the main body, and the use of a miniature display for working LED destination signs:
While this is just a display model (note that he also scratchbuilt the truck frames), it shows the potential of what could be done with regard to ultra-modern high-speed trains.
---PCJ
Forum member Farwest hasn't checked in for a while. He resides in Kochi and runs Lionel O. He gets most, if not all of his stuff from the U.S.. No email in his profile.
I believe it's simply the lack of space for O Gauge.
Interesting about Japanese cleanliness.......is it THAT clean over there? No riding trains and admiring the dumpy back yards, junkyards, collapsing infra structure, graffiti and vandalism, as you go in and out of cities? (not just on trains) Here I am modeling a ghost town, with debris and ruin....
colorado hirailer posted:Interesting about Japanese cleanliness.......is it THAT clean over there? No riding trains and admiring the dumpy back yards, junkyards, collapsing infra structure, graffiti and vandalism, as you go in and out of cities? (not just on trains) Here I am modeling a ghost town, with debris and ruin....
Go to google maps Tokyo area and go to street view. ( drag and stick the little orange guy on a street) The city is amazing how clean it is). I was there a few years ago and it floored me how clean everything is. I came back to LA and wanted to puke! AAGGGHHHH!!!
Go here to check out where I was.
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.6345886,139.6042411,3a,75y,33.01h,82.61t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-sUiT8q9fz1I%2FU4MmCcCagdI%2FAAAAAAAAJok%2FQ4xW5Z6zAZcAXjKouvaIJ8dl-z-pGqQagCLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-sUiT8q9fz1I%2FU4MmCcCagdI%2FAAAAAAAAJok%2FQ4xW5Z6zAZcAXjKouvaIJ8dl-z-pGqQagCLIB%2Fw203-h101-n-k-no%2F!7i10800!8i5400
That is the google address.
colorado hirailer posted:Interesting about Japanese cleanliness.......is it THAT clean over there? No riding trains and admiring the dumpy back yards, junkyards, collapsing infra structure, graffiti and vandalism, as you go in and out of cities? (not just on trains) Here I am modeling a ghost town, with debris and ruin....
That's one of the perks of riding the train, in my opinion. I love looking at people's collections of cars, junk, washing machines, tarped roofs, and such.
Carl/Moonman nailed it: space is at a preminum in Japanese homes. The smaller scales just work better there.
Tomlinson Run RR
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