[modeleng] Re: Off to the Far East

The National Transport Museum in Ueno in Tokyo is worth a visit, you  
can "drive" a retired power bogie from a subway car they have on blocks  
there and watch the rheostats or whatever those things are  
progressively click into place as the speed increases.  Or you can  
drive the Shinkansen simulator.  They also have a good collection of  
(static) steam engines, full sized (cape gauge, though) and model.  One  
model engine there is a 5" gauge GN atlantic built by the "LBSC" of  
Japan, Seiichi Watanabe.  He built dozens of live steamers over the  
decades, almost all UK outline, and this 5" incher was built just after  
WWII and named the "Flying Jiro" after his older brother who was killed  
in the war.  I knew Watanabe-san when I lived there and belonged to the  
local ME club that actually meets at the museum once a month.  Kozo  
Hiraoka of Shay fame is also a member and used to attend regularly.

Tokyo also has several streetcar/tram lines that still run which are  
worth a ride, the Arakawa-sen from Waseda Station to Minowabashi  
Station, and also (my favorite) the Setagaya-sen from Sangenjaya  
station to to Shimotakaido station.

There are two live steam lines I know of near Tokyo, one in Chichibu  
and the other in Shizuoka.  The Chichibu line is interesting as the  
engine they use is actually owned and operated by the main JR Railway  
Co. and is scheduled into their regular weekend operations.  One site I  
found is  
http://homepage.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/Oliver.L.Mayer/japan/verkehr/ 
steam.htm

Also, west of Tokyo is the hotspring resort town of Hakkone where they  
have a traction train (the  "Tozan Tetsudo" or "mountain climbing  
railway") that claws its way via switchbacks up the side of the  
mountain there, twisting and turning through the woods, over streams,  
etc.  You can reserve a hotel room at any tourist info center, but tell  
them you want it to be on a  "Tozan Tetsudo"  stop.  Staying at a  
traditional Japanese hotel or "Ryokan" is worth the price- be sure to  
request a hotel with an outside bath or "rotenburo".  Take the Odakyo  
express train to Hakkone, about an hour from Shinjuku station.  in  
central Tokyo and change for the Tozan tetsudo at Hakkone.  As the  
Odakyu train approaches Odawara and Hakkone, watch as the track changes  
to dual gauge (cape and standard), including pointwork.  This is also  
very doable as a day trip from central Tokyo.

Or just hang out in a major station like Shinjuku or Tokyo during rush  
hour and be amazed.

Have fun!
Bede McCormack
Brooklyn, NY



On Jun 28, 2006, at 2:12 PM, The Sheppard Residence wrote:

> All,
>
> On Friday evening I am off to Taiwan (Taipei), Japan (Tokyo) and S.
> Korea (Seoul) with a weekend in Taiwan and one weekend in Tokyo.
>
> So what is there to do and see?
>
> Any miniature (or full size) steam railways worth seeing, railway
> museums, interesting rides....
>
> All (clean) suggestions appreciated, but within the next 36 hours  
> please
> as I will not be able to pick up any e-mails when I am over there.
>
> Cheers
>
> Peter
>
>
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