[modeleng] Re: Off to the Far East

Is the O & S Engine company still in existence?  At
one time, they made some live steam locomotives for
the export market.  I do not know where they are
located, but might be worth a try.

Al Messer

--- Bede McCormack <bede@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> 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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