A & B Report

Winter 2013


The forest of Bontenzaka Garden turning from colorful to monochromatic.

A Happy New Year !

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You can see large ones by click on the photos in this page
Colorful forest

The red, orange, and yellow trees in Bontenzaka Garden in October.


fallen leaves

The ground in Bontenzaka Garden covered with fallen leaves in November.


In order to remove fallen leaves from track, blower car worked.

The movie of Blower car working 1 *MOVIE in YouTube*
The movie of Blower car working 2 *MOVIE in YouTube*

Ordinary service

AB20 & AB10 double-header train working everyday in beautiful autumn garden railway.


The last photo shows big railcar in last run because its chassis is used too for blower car and rotary snowplow.


The railway service during the work of burning fallen leaves.


In December it snowed a little, but the railway service was not influenced.
The last two photos show Judith M in steam-up and running.

Autumn express running around garden *MOVIE in YouTube*


5inch Baldwin B1 rear tank
I am scratchbuilding 5inch gauge 2inch scale Baldwin B1 rear tank of Kiso Logging Railway in Japan.


The first photo shows painted cabin, steam dome, sand dome, smokestack and engine cylinders.
The second photo is exhaust pipe and two steam intake pipes that are located under smoke room.
The third photo shows the piping in the smoke room such as exhaust, intake and blower.


The first photo shows the piping of right side under the cabin.
The second photo is painting cabin floor hanging from the workbench that was the last painting material.
The third photo shows the chassis in piping works and the boiler on the work bench.


The first photo shows the water tanks in both sides on the rear cabin.
The second photo is the right side view of the piping, looking two whistles, injector, injector output pressure gauge, etc.
The third photo shows the boiler wrapped by the insulator on the chassis before covering with boiler jacket.


The first photo shows the side view after all piping works.
The second photo is the comparison with G scale live steam Baldwin by Aster.
The third photo shows the left side view looking water feed pipe, sand pipe and blower pipe, that are all dummy detail.


The more small detail parts for piping were built as shown in the first photo.
The second photo shows the headlight working after left side piping of electric distribution from the cabin.
The third photo is the right side view of dummy details of steam piping for generator.

The movie of the last air test of Baldwin *MOVIE in YouTube*

Baldwin first steam-up and run

Baldwin was removed from the workbench in the workshop to the track in the garage by using lift and temporary track.


The first steam-up was carried out in 8th Dec. 2012.
The result was perfect. Baldwin ran very well and smoothly without any steam leak.
After the first test run of about 5km distance, I checked the some points but could not find any troubles.

The movie of the first run of Baldwin *MOVIE in YouTube*
The first run with rear panel *MOVIE in YouTube*


The first photo shows the Baldwin hoisted up for checking in the garage after first test run.
The second photo is the under view of the chassis looking driver axis gears.
After the check and a little repair, The maker's plate built by etching was set on left side of front.


The second running test was carried out in 23rd Dec. 2012.
As shown in the first and second photos, the firewood bunker cover on rear top of cabin was set that is made of cardboard.
The last photo is the comparison with Kato 7ton. Baldwin is 2inch scale(1/6) and Kato is 2.5inch scale(1/4.8), but Baldwin is bigger than Kato.

The movie of the free run of Baldwin *MOVIE in YouTube*
The movie of the injector working *MOVIE in YouTube*

In September 2011 I started to build this 5inch gauge Baldwin B1 rear tank of Kiso Logging Railway.
This locomotive is the most popular narrow gauge steam locomotive in Japan,
but there are few riding size live steam model because of difficulty of driving against rear tank.

This model was designed by Mr. Yokota, and he built it in 2005.
I received the wheel casting and laser cut steel parts from him in 2009.
And Mr. Sugiura supply the parts drawings of it. He built the same model in 2010 and drew them for himself.
In 2011, I asked Mr. Sato to build the engine of it, and he built soon.
The boiler was used the one for S6 by OS Locomotive, and many fittings by OS were used too.
My lathe and milling machine were from Bellmex International, and I was given some helps in this project.
These helps from my friend and the company made this project to be fast success and made me happy. Very thanks !

There are some points to repair or rebuild, so I think that it is not completed still.


Ice season

In this season, the temperature is below zero all day. The lowest temperature reaches twenty degrees centigrade below zero.
But the scenery is fantastic and beautiful.


Small live steams

The first photo is PPS vertical boiler locomotive, 45mm gauge, 16mm scale, oscillating engine, gear drive, gas fired.
The second is Graham Stowell's Pannier tank 0-4-0, 32mm gauge, 16mm scale, oscillating engine, pot boiler, meths fired.
The third is Beck's Helene of Pannier tank 0-6-2, 45mm gauge, G scale, gas fired.
The fourth is steam roller toy, maybe by Vilesco, converted to gas fired.

PPS vertical boiler running *MOVIE in YouTube*
G. Stowell's Pannier tank running *MOVIE in YouTube*
Beck's Helene running *MOVIE in YouTube*
Steam roller running *MOVIE in YouTube*


One truck Shay and single cylinder Shay

It is one truck Shay I purchased as a junk or part built model, 45mm gauge, gas fired, the chassis and boiler are by Accucraft.
After some problems were solved in oscillating engine and gear of drivers, It became to be able to run.
So, I decided to built the body for it, and scratchbuilt with brass plate. Her name is Zelda.

One truck Shay running *MOVIE in YouTube*


This Shay is by French maker, I purchased by used model.
The problem could not solved in engine, so I replaced to one cylinder stationary engine, and changed unwell gas tank to new one.
Still the boiler is so feeble, and the Shay can run barely.

One cylinder Shay running *MOVIE in YouTube*
Where is the engine working ? *MOVIE in YouTube*


Owain and Bass

Owain is the body kit by Swiftsixteen in Wales to use a Accucraft Edrig or Caradoc chassis.
The photos show under construction and completed Owain after painted.

The movie of Owain running *MOVIE in YouTube*


I got this old model as a junk, and found it is LBSC designed historical model named Bass.
Some parts were lacking, so I built them such as steam pipe, lubricator, exhaust pipe and blower nozzle.
In order to solve the problem of weak power, I rebuilt meths burner too.
The old locomotive became to run again after long years. So I repainted by bright green, and decided to display in my hobby room shelf.

The movie of LBSC Bass running *MOVIE in YouTube*


Snow day service

In the middle of January, the snow came to Bontenzaka Garden, and lay about 30cm
The photos above show the rotary snowplow working on the main track.


After the snowplow works, the train service can be go ordinary.

Snow express running around the garden *MOVIE in YouTube*


Building tank car

The tank car was scratchbuilt to use the additional water tank for new Baldwin.
The prototype is the tank car in same Kiso Logging Railway.
A plastic trash can was used for the tank, and a tea-can for the top hatch of the tank.


The photos above show the tank car completed.


Stationmaster and Assistant stationmaster

In the first photo, they play soccer on green grass and their uniforms are all Japan team.
The second is Assistant stationmaster sitting in the cab of rail car.
The third shows their new coats to prevent the dirt in rain or snow day, not to protect against cold.

Special training of Assistant stationmaster *MOVIE in YouTube*
Cold morning stroll *MOVIE in YouTube*
Stationmaster coming late *MOVIE in YouTube*


In the first photo, they are together on the green grass garden.
The second is the new year commemorative photo. Their costumes is snake caps because 2013 is the snake year in Japan.
The third shows their early morning stroll through the snow forest.

Stationmaster walking around the garden *MOVIE in YouTube*
They inspect the snows *MOVIE in YouTube*


Long winter

Winter has just started. It is neat and clean season but will be a little long.

Next A&B report would be in April. We will feel a sign of spring.

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