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Forum members based in Japan may be interested in checking out the NHK program "100 kame" (one hundred cameras)- the topic of next weeks program (July 22, 7:57pm~) is a visit to Tokyo Metro's central traffic control center, the first time ever this facility has been featured in the media. Positioning multiple cameras at various vantage points, it aims to capture the day to day operations of this facility. including when the inevitable schedule disruption occurs. Also featured is Kotake Mukaihara station, featuring 34 switchpoints and 118 train arrivals/departures per 2 hour morning rush. Should be interesting, and may reveal some hitherto unknown (to the public) aspects of railway operations. https://www.nhk.jp/p/100cam/ts/QP8MPNM1GL/blog/bl/pG0anBl8J1/bp/pJLqwLxODP/

Period documentary from 1970, complete with atmospheric soundtrack and apropos editing effects. A view of the modern JNR, one emphasizing "cybernetics". https://youtube.com/watch?v=75N2GV9ZCuE Starting from the old JNR of iron trains and iron men (Joban Line steam), we are whisked to the new look railway of Shinkansen CTC, MARS online reservation system, ticket vending machines (some even sell express tickets!), newfangled automated ticket gates from Omron, automated maintenance of emu traction motors, computerized hump yards, computer traffic simulations, automated printing of string diagrams, testing of the 0 series at 250km/h for running on the future Sanyo Shinkansen, and what do we have here at 17:58, an early version of touch panel to modify the running diagram?? Lots and lots of blinking lights.