[PRCo] Re: Gas Prices--Japanese trains

[Bill Robb]

This is just a small part, but an important part of the JR system.  The
news story doesn't say anything about JR East's Tokyo commuter lines
which I assume ran without problems. There were storm related problems
in other parts of Japan yesterday. But this also is the beginning of
the New Year's Holiday in Japan.  Its like the days immediately before
or after the American Thanksgiving. All intercity lines are swollen
with traffic. In fact December 29th might be the busiest day of the
year.
I haven't been to Japan, I was hoping to go this year, but
with the economy it won't happen this year. You Tube and the internet
probably brought about this interest. I subscribe to 79 You Tube
channels currently.  Each day I have a  proof sheet like page of new
videos so I can see what's going on. I can read news stories, translate
web pages with machine translators and follow car lines with online
maps like Google Maps. Over the weekend I traced each of the Hankai
Electric Tramway routes on Google Maps.

The culture is almost completely different and I am as hooked on the culture as the streetcars and interurbans.  

The
railfan culture is amazing.  Trains estimated this summer that there
are 7 times as many railfans in Japan.  Railways run commemorative runs
when equipment is retired. Sometimes there might be 10-15 runs if
necessary over a couple of months.  There are all kinds of models,
magazines, and videos.  It is so main stream.  Model trains are  sold
in department stores, resturants  are built around train layouts.  Most
of the railways have at least one weekend a year when their shops are
open to the general public, usually through a lottery because everyone
cannot be accommodated. Just amazing.

Anytime I want to hear growling gears or the chugging of steam, I can hear it live on You Tube and usually farily recent.

I'll get there some day.

Bill


Fred Schneider wrote:

Amtrak's nationwide average is 76,000 a day (base on equal patronage  
every day of the week).   They hoped to have 126,000 on the day  
before Thanksgiving this year.

And this story talks about a three out delay in Japan at the start of  
the day today which delayed 137,000 passengers, 80% more than Amtrak  
moves in an entire day!    Wow!   If Amtrak had not spun off all the  
clockers in the Northeast Corridor to SEPTA and New Jersey Transit,  
the USA total for a day might be in the range of the number delayed  
on one line in Japan in three hours.

Bill, have you even been in Japan?   How did you come by this interest?

Fred