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The interesting looking 737 Series will enter service on May 20, 2023 on the Muroran Line between Tomakomai and Muroran. Hokkaido rolling stock often has a unique appearance I think, I assume it's considerations for the climate. This model's body is apparently painted, not a wrap. It's a very light pink, not white. My only criticism is that the configuration of the crew compartment doesn't look conducive to making front view videos 🙂 😐 ☹️ from JR Hokkaido's official YouTube channel

This video title is "kasoku sugee," an ASCII face, and then another "sugeeee." I'll translate it as "awesome acceleration." This is DE10-1691 in an out-of-service move from Sapporo to Naebo on August 19, 2021. Built by Nippon Sharyo, it was delivered to Obihiro Depot on February 13, 1975. It has been in Hokkaido throughout its life. Assigned to Kushiro Depot on April 1, 1987 for its first day on the JR Hokkaido roster, it was subsequently based at Hakodate, and at Asahikawa as of April 1, 2021. 1691 is part of the 1500 subseries which included 265 locomotives, numbers 1501 through 1765. The teamde10 link below lists a few interesting points in its history. At 8:06 AM on January 15, 1993, the Kushiro Oki earthquake occurred, which derailed it within the Kushiro diesel shop. Snow plows, brake and sand equipment, and stabilizer bushings were damaged. It was put back on temporary rails a few days later. On March 14, 2016, it powered the last track inspection on the Esashi Line before the line's transfer to the third sector South Hokkaido Railway Company. Its radiator fan, at the end of the long hood, has Naebo's three-leaf ornament. Obviously the main point of interest here is the acceleration and engine rpm. A Yahoo chiebukuro post puts its maximum acceleration at 2.89km/h/s on the level. All DE10s have the DML61Z engine, a 61 liter V-12. From the 1000 subseries on, they have the B variant, good for 1350 horsepower at 1550 rpm. I haven't read whether or not the engine control system will take it over that. If that's 1550 rpm in the video, I'd say it's fast enough 🙂 http://teamde10.fem.jp/rireki/de101600/de101691.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNR_Class_DE10

Recent delivery of the kiha 261 trainset "Hamanasu" from KHI Kobe works to the JR Hokkaido Naebo Depot/Works. First scene is somewhere on the Hokuriku Main Line, rainy season haulage by Toyama-based EF510 through the rice fields. Next is a (delayed) arrival Saturday AM in the Sapporo area. First scene at Chitose, then the Toyohira River crossing, and at Naebo rolling stock works.

JR East will loan a diesel railcar set for use on the Soya Line, while Tokyu will provide the Royal Express trainset which will be used on a yet undetermined itinerary from Sapporo to Eastern Hokkaido. The Royal Express is a DC EMU, so in AC and unelectrified JR Hokkaido territory, it will be pulled by a set of diesel locomotives coupled with a generator car providing hotel power.

Slated to start running on the Hakodate Main Line between Otaru and Oshamambe at the spring timetable revision in March of next year. These will eventually replace the kiha 40 type. Delivery of 6 units back in September. Various southern Hokkaido locales:

As of now no other information than this photo taken at Goryokaku is available.

Well my winter holiday begins this evening. I am taking the sleeper express Hamanasu most likely for the last time, as it's being axed this coming March (along with the Cassie) to make way for the shiney new Hokkaido Shinkansen. I have booked a lower berth (B shindai), and this too may be my last experience using this form of accomodation. In Aomori I will be taking a Hayabusa service on to Tokyo, with an arrival around 11am. I splurged a bit and got a seat in the green car.

JR East staff to be loaned to JR Hokkaido in bid to raise standards Oct. 16, 2013 - 03:15PM JST (http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/jr-east-staff-to-be-loaned-to-jr-hokkaido-in-bid-to-raise-standards) SAPPORO — The Hokkaido Railway Co (JR Hokkaido) has accepted an offer from East Japan Railway Co (JR East) to accept transfer staff in a bid to raise standards at the troubled rail operator. At a meeting last week, JR East president Tetsuro Tomita declined a request from JR Hokkaido for financial support, but offered technical support and staff loans, Fuji TV reported Wednesday. His offer was made after JR Hokkaido hit headlines when it was discovered it had been running a train on the Okhotsk express service between Sapporo and Abashiri with its automatic emergency brake disabled. That news came days after the beleaguered railway company announced that unrectified problems had been identified at 97 locations throughout its rail system. In August, the companies began an idea-sharing initiative related to safety management. However, the scheme was halted when the discovery of the unaddressed faults made headlines last month. In the latest in a series of high-profile problems at the company, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport yesterday said that the company had failed to accurately record the locations of the defects. Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Akihiro Ota, said section manager class employees would be dispatched from JR East to JR Hokkaido in an attempt to improve the latter’s safety record and to create regional parity between the operators.

Going to Sapporo in September and am trying to determine the best shots to watch trains outside of Sapporo Station of course. Anyone in the group been there? I'm gun I g for as much ground level and at-grades as I can since I don't use zooms anymore to take pix.