A Japanese Garden Railway

[Anonymous]

I was asked for a few pics of my railway, so here you are. I must hasten to stress that track was laid in August this year, the line is still finding it's feet (or sleepers / ties / whatever).

The Takasaki Light Railway is a happy mix of British and Japanese narrow gauge railways, though there is a degree of influence from the US regarding rolling stock (or there will be soon).


This is my fake steam loco, which began life as a can of asparagus (the boiler bit).


My cardboard diesel pulling a small mixed train.


Railcar, based on Kiha201 (what?) a gas/petrol railcar from the 1930s. (I must fix that bit of track).


Just a wayside halt, called 'Gunma'.

If this is of any interest please visit my website for a bit more at:
http://www.freewebs.com/mjhfoster/

By the way, I'm really enjoying the forums![:D].

Arigatou[bow].

[tangerine-jack]

EXCELLENT, most excellent!

[John Busby]

Hi Mathew Foster
Any chance of more info on the rail motor and trailer
so far have not been able to get at your web site
regards John

[Tom The Brat]

Most beautiful! And how appropriate to have a train in a Japanese garden. Beautiful scratchbuilding there.

Pleased to meet you.

Wait till Ralph sees your cardboard diesel and asparagas steamer. He'll be inspired.

[SandyR]

Matthew, I can't begin to say how much I enjoyed your website...and your philosophy of scratchbuilding. I do that, too. One of my current projects (everything got put on hold because of cataract surgery) is a shorty tank car made from a small juice can and a few other scrounged bits. I've got some ore cars under construction, too...
Again, thank you so much for the inspiring website!!!
SandyR

[grandpopswalt]

Matthew,

I've tried repeatedly to access your website, no luck. Anyone else having problems?

Walt

[tangerine-jack]

Works great for me, Walt. It's a truly inspiring railroad, my own line fails to measure up in any category.

[markperr]

I spent three years stationed at the U.S. Naval Base at Yokosuka. I used to take the JNR line to Tokyo on a regular basis and traveled it to Kamakura almost from Yokosuka almost daily. I found it interesting that the colors of cream and blue on your Yokohama to Tokyo railcars are the exact same color code used on the Yokosuka-Tokyo line that I traveled in the late seventies and early eighties.

I spent my last two years living on the "economy", as we used to call it. I lived in Hayama, about a quarter mile inland from Hayama Beach just south of the emporer's summer palace. Spent a lot of summer nights drinking Kirin beer on that beach. I loved Bon Odori season. every night the fireworks were somewhere up or down the coast of Sagami Bay. I used to look out my bathroom window at Mt Fuji every morning while shaving. If there was ever a country I'd want to call home besides the U.S., it would be Japan.

Beautiful models, Matthew. You have much to be proud of.

Mark

[Anonymous]

I must say I really appreciate the very kind messages, thanks guys! Once in a while I wonder if I'm doing it right (the railway that is) but then I realise there is no right way and if it makes me happy then that's really all that matters. Nevertheless, your comments do matter, so thanks a lot.

I do though, feel much closer to my fellow railroaders/railwaymen/garden...well you know who you are, through this forum.

By the way, if you can't get to my sight you might try a simple search with the words 'Takasaki Light Railway' or 'garden railway Japan' as I have tried it on Yahoo.

As with everything, if only there was more time..ha ha, I suppose we all say that. But things on the Daruma Line will continue to evolve.

John, I'll stick a few more pics of the railcars on another post in this topic so have another look whenever.

Cheers for now!

Matthew.

[Anonymous]

A few more pics of my railcar and carriage, John. My construction process is very simplistic, all wood with a small 'Tamiya' motor/gearbox and two AA batteries for a power source. The people are made from modelling clay (200yen or $2 from my local DIY store).


Driver and simple controls (I can only improve).


Underneath, nothing complex to go wrong here.


Arriving at Misato Station.

The website has all the background info if you can get there.

Regards, Matthew.

[Anonymous]

Matthew, I was quite impressed with your garden railway. It has a look all of its own.

A few months back I had some visitors from Tokyo (Maiko, Hide and their sons) at my garden railway and they really enjoyed it. I e-mailed them a link to your site and know they will enjoy the pictures. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Regards,

Bill Chestnut
Upper Deerfield Township
Bridgeton, New Jersey USA

[John Busby]

Hi Mathew
Thanks for the extra pictures.
When I get a chance will have a good look at your web site.
Card board is not a material I had thought of for loco construction.
was well aware of its passenger coach and buildings possibilities
but not for locomotives.
Your line is certainly a different one and I think I / we are going to have to keep an eye on it.
For useful tips and different take on what a railway is.
On one of my video's is a Sharp Stewart tank loco and a couple of 4Wh coaches that may be of interest to you not sure where In Japan they where.
But the coach body's could be done in card.
Look forward to seeing more of the line some time as it progresses.
regards John

[bman36]

Hi Matthew,
Absolutely fantastic...and very inspiring too! You have every right to be proud of your work. Being a BIG fan of Narrow Gauge I am very interested in seeing what you have done. Definately different! Your use of cardboard for example is one I have not seen to date. If you had not told us it was cardboard I would never have known. Well done. Thanks for the photos. I look forward to seeing more from you in the future. All the best to you. Later eh...Brian.

[kimbrit]

Nice one Matthew, enjoyed the shot of the kids in the first carriage! Keep up the good work and look forward to reading and seeing more.
Cheers,
Kim