# My Japanese Trains



## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

Hisashiburi (it's been a long time), as they say in Japan. I haven't had a build log here in years, and it's my love of Japanese commuter trains and rural lines that has inspired me to come back to the work bench. I've lived there for 8 years and I'm a frequent visitor now. I have for your consideration my builds of a diesel motor unit (DMU) of the KiHa variety that plies the rural lines throughout Japan and an electric KuHa type that evokes the looks of JR's commuter trains. I have access to a water cutter, so I drafted up the front and sides of the DMU and cut them out from .125 sheet styrene. Then it was just a matter assembling the parts with liquid cement or super glue. Either worked well.


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

*Building the KiHa Coaches*

The KiHa are a series of DMUs that provide services to the farthest reaches of Japan's truncated railway companies (East Japan Railway Corp, West Japan Railway Company, Hokkaido Railway Corporation, Kyushu Railway Company and Central Japan Railway). Until 1988, all were under the banner of Japan National Railways (JNR) but was divided up among regional divisions in a de-centralization effort. KiHa's are powered by under slung diesel engines with hydraulic transmissions. They serve the most remote communities imaginable. They operate like a rail bus with an operator under "One Man" fare collection. They are run as a single unit or in pairs. This allows the stations they serve to be unmanned (except for the one with the cat in charge). The one I'm making isn't scale, but I'm trying to evoke the flavor of these simple coaches that travel up and down some of the most beautiful scenery ever. Anyway, back to the build. Once I've got the ends and sides together, I add the 1/2 inch ABS half round to the roof corners. These take the flimsiness out of the body and strengthen it. I buy it at Home Depot. After this, the floor went in. Looking back, on the second unit, the floor will be installed last.


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

I'm putting an operator's cabs in both ends, since the real ones work the same way. There is a lot of space to work with if I wanted to put in an interior, but I'm tempted to just blank out the windows ala Hartland Motor Works. We'll see how I'm feeling after frame up two of these. Maybe you guys and gals can egg me on.


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

I also framed up the KuHa EMUs the same way. I have to dig up my HLW pantographs for this one. Lots of private railways operate EMUs as well, but some of these lines are disappearing. Once such line was the Towada Kanko Railway which ran from Misawa (home of Misawa Air Base) to the city Towada. It ran it's final run in April 2012 to much fanfare and tears of thanks.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Looks very nice.
Do please put interiors in them.
Since you cast, it won't be too hard to make a bunch of seats and put passengers on them.
Regards,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

Ah, so you are aware of my casting talents, eh?


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

rwalker said:


> Ah, so you are aware of my casting talents, eh?


I looked at your other posts to see if you had a first name, could not find one, but you spoke of casting for years for multiple parts for projects!
This would seem to fit the bill.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Looks great mate, will look awesome when complete.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice work.


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

Hello, very impressed with what you've completed so far. Looking forward to seeing more of your progress.
Well done,
thanks.


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

*Construction Continues*

First KiHa roof installed.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Coming along nicely.
The first and third photo look VERY similar!
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

Yes, fixed that


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

With the mis-cuts and scraps I made a shorter version of the KiHa DMU. It's roughly 3.5 inches shorter than the original, yet it has the same window spacing and seat capacity. Just right for those small radius curves at a little over 18 inches. When I get these done, I want to scale up this HO paper model of the Seaway Train from animated feature Spirited Away.


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

Got more work done on the J-trains. I decided to concentrate on the mini coach I threw together to prototype building the others. This weekends work got it puttied and sanded, floor mounts installed and a drivers compartment made.


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## rwalker (May 22, 2008)

Hello, anyone, I'm thinking ahead for the head and rear red marker lights. I need an idea of how to get the headlights to come on going forward and the red marker lights to come on in back as well. I've used the RaM Electronics dual head light kit to do this in the past for just the head lights. I'd like to avoid having to use two of these per car, any thoughts?


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