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Here's a very well made video by jitensya37 about the history of the area around Shiojiri Station. Thanks to some clear maps and years written in the western system, this video is understandable and enjoyable. Shiojiri Station's history starts in 1902 under JGR, at this point specifically the Ministry of Railways. The video shows various line alterations over the years including the relocation of the station building in 1982 as well as a walk around the neighborhood. It became JR East territory in 1987 and is also the administrative border with JR Central's portion of the Chuo Line running southwest to Nagoya. jitensya37's other videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/jitensya37/videos Google map centered on Shiojiri Station: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1134192,137.9493623,14.75z Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiojiri_Station Wikipedia map of lines: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ファイル:岡谷・辰野・塩尻付近_JR路線図.svg The excellent Senro Haisenzu blog also has several entries for Shiojiri. Included are track diagrams and old photos: December 25 1978 pts 1 and 2: http://senrohaisenzu.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2008/02/19781225_adaf.html http://senrohaisenzu.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2016/05/19781224-bd4d.html May 1 1988 pts 1 and 2: http://senrohaisenzu.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2016/05/198851-d36d.html http://senrohaisenzu.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2016/06/198851-086c.html May 1 2002 pts 1 and 2: http://senrohaisenzu.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2009/07/200251-1-3877.html http://senrohaisenzu.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2009/07/200251-2-a1b8.html

JR East has refurbed two KIHA 100 cars. They have new interiors, a new livery, and new numbers. Formerly 110-108 and 100-29, they are now 112-711 and 103-711. The service is called the HIGH RAIL 1375. The Koumi Line's highest elevation above sea level is 1,375m, which is the highest elevation of any JR line. Livery and ekiben look good! http://railf.jp/news/2017/06/21/234500.html by ya1964ma by The Dramatic Chuo Main Line

This is from several months back, but an E233 set (2000 sub series Mato 10) used on Joban Line local service was sent to Nagano General Rolling Stock Center to be fitted with CBTC equipment. After a stay of almost three weeks*, it returned to its depot at Matsudo, pulled by an EF64 based out of the Nagaoka Rolling Stock Center. Locations are Hachioji and Kunitachi. *apparently fitting of CBTC equipment is quite involved/complicated, it required about 10 days per trainset for London Underground Northern Line stock to be fitted with like equipment.

Here's a video of a depot open day, which is nothing new. In this case it's at Nagano, last October. But Nagano is one of JRE's scrapping sites, and there are several cars in this video waiting for the shears, as well as a few that seem to have escaped their fate (at least for now), including EF62 3 and a 253 series Narita Express end car. It gives you some indication of the upkeep routines that must be in place; have a look at its appearance after just a few years of neglect.

Here's footage by YT uploader KAZUOo50 from the area on September 12th and 13th, 1997. Operations here ended just a few weeks later on October 1st. This is a full 56 minutes, serious fans only, please

A 45min TV program of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, to be operational in 2014. Some interesting info about construction financing and subsidies, as well as 3rd sector operations, for those who understand Japanese. Make sure to check out an aerial ride above the whole length of the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Nagano to Kanazawa at 5:30. Also some CG renderings of the Toyama Station, at 38:55, and the remodeled Nagano Station, at 44:21. The platforms at Nagano Station have already been lengthened to accomodate the future 12 car trains, up from the current 8 car Asama consists. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj926gndpl0