Longest single-train narrow gauge journeys in Japan

[ote-m]

I apologize for the awkward title and awkward writing below.

 

I'm looking to find the local, rapid, or special rapid that has the longest traveling time on the JR east narrow gauge network. I think the longest travel time for any local train in Japan is the Iida line Local, which takes 389 minutes from Okaya Station to Toyohashi Station. However, this is obviously JR central territory.

 

I'm pretty sure the longest train that JR east runs operates from Atami to Maebashi, at 255 minutes on the Shonan-Shinjuku (or Ueno-Tokyo?) Line. Any other takers?

[ToniBabelony]

JR Hokkaido has the longest run with a normal train. ±8:30 hours on the 2429D from Takigawa to Kushiro: http://www.sankei.com/premium/news/141130/prm1411300008-n1.html  It's about as hardcore as you can get. However, it's not JR East ;) I'm sure there is one along the west coast that can satisfy your needs (no time to research atm).

[bikkuri bahn]

Right now the longest local services on JR East are three services/day between Atami and Kuroiso, a distance of 268.1km and taking around 286 minutes end to end. The longest local service overall in time is JR Hokkaido train 2429D, taking 8hr 27min to get from Takikawa to Kushiro. The longest in distance is JR West train 371M, a service from Okayama to Shin Yamaguchi, a distance of 315.8km.

[kvp]

Personally i think if they restored the old daytime Fuji service as a tourist excursion train it would be really popular or if it was available as a normal express service it would attract people away from buses. But since both version would take passengers away from the shinkansen (and add much more from airplanes and buses), this move is unlikely.

 

ps: A good article i found accidentally about the situation in Europe: http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/12/high-speed-trains-are-killing-the-european-railway-network.html

[Sacto1985]

Right now the longest local services on JR East are three services/day between Atami and Kuroiso, a distance of 268.1km and taking around 286 minutes end to end. The longest local service overall in time is JR Hokkaido train 2429D, taking 8hr 27min to get from Takikawa to Kushiro. The longest in distance is JR West train 371M, a service from Okayama to Shin Yamaguchi, a distance of 315.8km.

 

I believe a small number of long-distance commuter configuration JR East E231-1000'ss and E233-3000's operate all the way between Atami and Kuroiso (say, isn't Kuroiso Station the north end of 1500 V DC overhead power on the Tohoku Main Line?).

 

As for the Okayama to Shin-Yamaguchi service, I wouldn't be surprised by 2018 the 115 Series EMU now on this service is replaced by a three-car 227 Series EMU.

[Nick_Burman]

The Iida line would also be a possibility - I don't know if there are any locals which travel end to en, but if there were it would be 6h journey, Toyohashi to Okaya.

 

Cheers NB

[Suica]

It seems like that 2429D doesn't run anymore? I can't find it through Hyperdia.

[Sacto1985]

For those interested, here are two zenmen tenbou videos of some really long journeys on various JR zairaisen lines:

 

Kami-Suwa to Toyohashi on a JR Central 313 Series EMU, essentially a full trip on the JR Central Iida Line--in real time just over 7 hours long, from YouTube member Nagomi View:

 

 

Shin-Yamaguchi to Tottori on the Super Oki limited express, Shin-Yamaguchi to Tottori on the JR West Yamaguchi Line and San'in Main Line, from YouTube member OleOleSaggy:

 

 

 

[bikkuri bahn]

It seems like that 2429D doesn't run anymore? I can't find it through Hyperdia.

The train number was changed to 2427D. It doesn't run the full length however due to typhoon damage to the line somewhere between Furano and Shintoku. This section is embargoed. It does appear to run between Shintoku and Kushiro however.