[PRCo] Re: Gas Prices--Japanese trains

Fri Jan 2 21:56:13 EST 2009

I'd probably ask somebody who belongs to the Japan Rail Modelers of Washington, DC if they be the tour guide. There is a good section on the trains of Japan. I'm in contact with one of the members a couple of times a week.

http://www.japanrailmodelers.org/

http://www.japanrailmodelers.org/pages/trains.html

What's to see?

I'd start with the 14 streetcar lines/systems which range from single lines to 9 lines and the several light interurbans. I'd ride many JR lines, of course, including Shinkansen and limited express lines.  As many of the major private railway interurban lines as possible, too.  But there is so much to see.

As one of my videos says, there is a mind blogging array of electric railroading apart from the national JR system,   larger systems boasting limited expresses with names like Skyliner, Rapit, Asagiri, EXE Express, Spacia and other trains boasting Panorama, Romance and Vista cars, there is  a museum line which offers regular service, line with heavy mountain grades, switch backs, there are carriers of freight,  street running interurbans and trams galore.  

You will find modern technology like automated stop announcements on streetcars and interurbans, electronic fare payable indicators on lines with stage fares, fare boxes that calculate fares and give change,  air conditioned streetcars and interurbans with growling gears, hand controllers and brake handles. 

Japanese tradition and religious beliefs in thrift keep much old running gear around even when new bodies are built. Street traffic is restricted to 24 mph, the same speed as conventional traction.  A typical side street  the older sections of Tokyo or Osaka is seen in the link below.  There are places in Japan where streetcars and interubans run on busy streets without sidewalks.

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14916379

Some of the jewels of the recent past have vanished.  The Kambara Railway  held on with its 1926 vintage EMUs until 1999, the side of the road suburban streetcar line and the interurban line at Gifu closed in stages between 1999 and 2005 despite new equipment and the 1920s vintage interurban cars on the Kotoden were retired in the summer of 2007 when replaced by air conditioned cars 1950s vintage cars from Tokyo.

What will you see?

Single track lines with passing sidings like Manyosen.  (These not the best videos quality wise, but there isn't much on Manyosen.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTXcuBFQsTs&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBRwzx0tlhQ&feature=channel_page

The 30 inch gauge (762mm) Kintetsu Utsube and Sangi Railway Hokusei commuter lines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintetsu_Utsube_Line

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangi_Railway_Hokusei_Line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qjXpoBXPgs&translated=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghlmIQEn4n8&NR=1

Shunting is rare on freight lines today.  Most freight moves in small containers that are off loaded with front end loaders.  But there is shunting on the Gakunan Tetsudo, a short interurban,  using a 1928 steeple cab.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDoWj0EicyE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Rmcni3tZA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUfGPYDeIKg&feature=related

The Oigawa Railway is a museum line catering to railway enthutiasts while serving a small local population with regular service.  Vintage EMUs are preserved and steam trains run 300 days a year on the Oigawa Railway.  JR also operates steam trains on a regular basis. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLTZ8qRGVjc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NktPExl0LY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8McnDadtLY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m28qP3esqc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ__dxVY8UM

The Toska Denki Tetsudo has a side of road streetcar line and single track stretches with passing sidings.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiromori2/317840179/in/set-72157594144781695/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiromori2/317850341/in/set-72157594144781695/

The vintage cars on the Hankai Tramway in Osaka.  The first video is from New Year's Day when virtually every car is out on the 2-3 lines.  Incidentally, streetcar junctions with crossovers are rare in Japan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wOovvRY06g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHBuVq0IB8E&feature=related

Hiroshima has 39 vintage cars in daily service along with many new LRVs on 9 lines with several multi track terminals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrsZx-wIO_E

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?55329

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?55335

The triple double track main lines of the Hankyu Railway interurbans heading from Juso Station to Umeda Station in Osaka.  The Hankyu system was  modeled on the Pacific Electric.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCIhQ_RkjPA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPP6QfU8OlY

If you go to Kyoto you can ride the Y shaped Keifuku Denki Tetsudo, part streetcar, part interurban. It has street running with safety islands,  private right of way with high platform stations and several covered stations.

http://www.japanrailmodelers.org/photos/L_KyotoSuburbs/pages/page_11.html

http://www.japanrailmodelers.org/photos/L_KyotoSuburbs/pages/page_14.html

http://www.japanrailmodelers.org/photos/L_KyotoSuburbs/pages/page_20.html

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?55379

You can return from Kyoto on the  Keihan Denki Tetsudo (Keihan Electric Railway) which has a four track section in Osaka somewhat reimscent of Chicago's North Side el. There is frequent express service, some cars even having TV screens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6Fvf32J-v4

Other Japanese interurbans have various deluxe limited express trains.

The Odakyu Railway's Romancecars started the trend in 1957.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTsyf3Ljhsk&feature=related

Odakyu Railway's VSE 50000 Express

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y65S6H22WU

Odakyu's EXE Express

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eELAKxlyIO4

Tobu operates the Spacia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUafX59WC_E&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayj26vpPjVo&feature=related

Seibu Railway has Red Arrow Express.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpQpjP3U7HE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cCUe1Fruw&feature=related

Nankai wanted a unique train for their airport trains.  They got it with the Rap:t.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA-9dalPJP0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXI3TnTwQfw&feature=related

There are several interesting light interurbans in various parts of Japan

In Kobe, the Keihan Keishin line and Sakamoto lines operate as Street Metro under special license.

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?55397

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6vaWVc2ww8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKL2y2juEz0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAT3ELbOVk8

The Fukui Railway a few years ago operated vintage high floor cars is now operated LRVs including some low floor cars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyGutUmPg7M

A Japanese language page with photos of the old Fukui Railway.  Virtually all students in Japan travel to school by railway company. This another rare railway with street loading stops (by special license).

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/tetsudo/miyata/local/repo/fukui/page01.html

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/tetsudo/miyata/local/repo/fukui/page02.html

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/tetsudo/miyata/local/repo/fukui/page04.html

The Hakone Tozan is a mountain climbing interurban, near Tokyo,  with switch backs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzzPI3pvsiE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkDSX2T0PvA

Close by, also south of Tokyo, is the Enoshima Electric Railway, aka Enoden, which is a single track interurban railway running on 12 minute headways along a single track line with two car trains in very tight quarters, along the ocean and single track in the middle of the street.

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?55263

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3CYXYzwMPA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wljAd6V9Kac

There's lots to see in Tokyo.

This is the Keisei Electric Railway (the route most visitors take from Narita Airport to Tokyo) crossing JR East's ten track section near Nippori Station.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XWnBtGwX1Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lPxEVAcbW8&NR=1

The train on the elevated in this video is the Keisei Skyliner, whichs links Narita with Ueno in Tokyo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6SOWb6G31I

The Tokyu Setagaya  line in Tokyo using LRVs.

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?55503

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?55501

And there are the elevated JR commuter lines in Tokyo like the Yamanote line.

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?94953

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?94954

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?94948

There are several junctions on JR where you find JR trains, private railway trains and subway trains running on the same lines.

Nippori Station

http://tekkenweb.sakura.ne.jp/tokyorail/trrailfan/trfjr7.html

Tokyo Station

http://tekkenweb.sakura.ne.jp/tokyorail/trrailfan/trfjr1.html

Shin-banba Station where you will find 16 types of EMUs

http://tekkenweb.sakura.ne.jp/tokyorail/trrailfan/trfps1.html

Japan still has sleeper trains known as Blue Trains, as of now, but there days are numbered.  As the high speed Shinkansen lines reach further across the country, sleeper trains are slowly loosing their market.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UblFCzXaXUI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-HyKNKgej0

Just too much to see in one trip!  Hope I haven't forgotten anything. I'll get there someday soon.

Bill

________________________________

Fred Schneider wrote:
The only people I know personally who are living today and who have  
photographed JNR are Russ Jackson and Bill Middleton.  The first two  
are in railway equipment engineering.  Russ designed the SEPTA K- 
cars and the P&W replacement cars.  Bill Middleton was in the navy  
and was assigned there for several years; he is now past 80.  I had  
one other friend, Bill Janssen who was the resident inspector for  
SEPTA in the Kawasaki plant when the K-cars were being built; he died  
two years ago.

It's on my list of places to go.  I'll let you make me a list of  
places to go and things to see once you've done it.  Or maybe when  
you go, you might want to be the tour guide????????????

On Dec 29, 2008, at 9:31 PM, Bill Robb wrote:

> 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
>
>
>
>
>