Some things noted traveling from Tokyo this Summer

[gmat]

I managed to squeeze three trips on my Seishun 18 ticket this past week. On the Chuo Line, the 211 seems to have replaced all of the 115s as I didn't notice any traveling to Kobuchizawa and back. Saw the specially painted KiHa 110s. Wish that each of the number of small line using them repainted them. There seemed to be a number of Rinji "Special" 110s that go to Nobeyama and back during the Summer vacation season. Went to Kuroiso on Wed. the 12th and noticed that freight trains were still running during the beginning of the Obon Holidays.  At least four EH500s passed me going South on the three hour trip North. I felt that they were not being switched with other diesels at Kuroiso. At Kuroiso, there was an ED75 (757) that was being used to switch diesels. It was parked with the other EH500. There were a number of railfans waiting on the platforms for it to make the switch. I missed it, though. The soba stand at the station closed in June so I had to leave the station and find a restaurant to catch a bite to eat, missing the change over. I also noticed platform marks for the Aizu Liner for Kitakata Station at Kuroiso, but the lady at the window knew nothing about it. It must have been from a few years ago. Too bad as I wouldn't mind riding in style from Kuroiso to Koriyama and then to Aizu Wakamatsu. The platform mark showed a 189 in white and orange with a black nose, not the all red one. Saw lots of 205s from Utsunomiya to Kuroiso. No more 211s. When the local train from Koriyama arrives at Kuroiso, there is a mad rush to get a seat on the train for Utsunomiya. Every time. EF81 80 with the white shooting star also stopped at the station while I was eating. It later returned South alone. I saw it the next day at Ugisudani Station at around 5:00PM, heading North, again alone.

  On Friday, I shot the Moonlight Shinshu Asama 189 in the green and white scheme. But this morning, a 351 (Super Azusa) arrived at Shinjuku as the Moonlight Shinshu. Next an E257 came in on the Chuo Line as a Rapid, not as a Liner. Don't know where it came from. I notice that the daily EH500 that transits Shinjuku at noon didn't come yesterday and today. 

Most of the above might be old news to many of you.

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[miyakoji]

Thanks for the report Grant.

 

No 115s between Otsuki and Kobuchizawa?  Too bad, and it surprises me a little.  I didn't think they could be replaced that fast.  Maybe the fleet wasn't as large as I had guessed.

 

Are the people rushing around at Kuroiso using the Seishun 18?  If so, it sounds like there's a "Kuroiso Dash" like there's a "Ogaki Dash".  Cool.  I did the Ogaki dash a few times :).

 

I typically don't see it as a good sign when current rolling stock gets assigned to Moonlight services, although JRC uses (or used) 373s for it.  Otherwise I think it's types nearing the end of their careers.  Well, we know 351s are on the way out.  I guess they've scrapped all of the 183s and too many of the 185s.

 

I have a few pictures of E257s on rapid service.  I think it might be an early morning return run from a limited express late in the previous day.  I had always wanted to ride one but it never worked out.

[Sacto1985]

I think the JR East and JR West 115's are starting to disappear from service.

 

I can see the following:

 

1. JR East 115's based in the Niigata area replaced by E129's.

2. JR East 115's running on the Chūō Main Line replaced by 211's modified for cold weather service.

3. JR West 115's running between Shimonoseki and Himeji replaced by 227's.

[gmat]

Miyakoji, I think that many of the riders are going from Koriyama to Utsunomiya (2 hour trip) and beyond, so they'd like to sit if possible. You have to wait about 30 minutes for the next train at Kuroiso if you want a seat. I don't know if they are using the Seshun 18 tickets. I've ridden from Koriyama to Kuroiso on a late weekend afternoon train and I remember that it started out packed and didn't thin out very much even near Kuroiso. It wasn't so bad leaving Kuroiso, but I often ended up standing. And it's another 3 hours to Tokyo. 

I did see a light blue marked 115 being worked on at Omiya last week. I should head up to Takasdaki to see if the orange and green 115s are being replaced. 

Wiki says that the Aizu Liner is now a seasonal. Will go there to see what is being used. 

The 185s are still well used on the Tokaido Line and I see them being used as special trains passing through Akabane. I've seen them being used for school trips. too. 

 

I think that the 351s are very popular with the ordinary public and the kids as when I still haunted Shinjuku, many would come to take pictures or have their pictures taken in front of the train. A bit more that the 257s. 

Apparently the 22nd of this month will see the Hokutosei's last run. I plan to get a picture. Working the night before, so no chance there.

 

Grant

[railsquid]

Apparently the 22nd of this month will see the Hokutosei's last run. I plan to get a picture. Working the night before, so no chance there.

 

I imagine the platforms will be packed. I was passing that way on a Saturday afternoon recently and was surprised to see it running at all, even on a non-special day there were a few people hanging around taking photos.

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

Yes, 115系suka all gone east of Kobuchizawa.  Now it is 211系 in Nagano area colour.  The last 115系suka I saw was 447M in February.  Last 115系Nagano I saw at Kofu was in June.

[bikkuri bahn]

I imagine the platforms will be packed. I was passing that way on a Saturday afternoon recently and was surprised to see it running at all, even on a non-special day there were a few people hanging around taking photos.

 

Yes, the 22nd will see the last train, a Sapporo departure for Ueno.  Rather than dealing with the crazed railfan zoo on the last day, I always wonder why people just take pics on any of the previous running days, where the chances of getting a halfway decent shot are much better. 

 

https://www.jreast.co.jp/cassiopeia/hokutosei/time.html

[miyakoji]

Hello,

 

Yes, 115系suka all gone east of Kobuchizawa. Now it is 211系 in Nagano area colour. The last 115系suka I saw was 447M in February. Last 115系Nagano I saw at Kofu was in June.

Are any 115s in Nagano livery still operating up near Matsumoto and Nagano City?

[miyakoji]

Here's a Tetsudou Fan news item about the E351 on Moonlight Shinshu duty:

 

http://railf.jp/news/2015/08/17/204500.html

 

Apparently two special services were run to bring people back to Kanto from the 67th Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival (looks like a big deal http://www.suwako-hanabi.com/kojyou/ ).  Service 90 was operated with an E351, service 92 with an E257.

[Ochanomizu]

Are any 115s in Nagano livery still operating up near Matsumoto and Nagano City?

 

Hello miyakoji-san,

 

So sorry, but I do not travel so far.  However, I have checked my copy of JR Train Organisation Tables, Summer 2015.  On p105 115系 Nagano colour is listed as follows:

 

3-Car Formations travelling between Kofu and Nagano: 10 formations in operation: N5, N16, N24, N29, N32, N33, N2, N4, N9 and N10.

 

6-Car Formations travelling between Tachikawa and Matsumoto / Nagano: 4 formations in operation: C1, C12, C13, and C14.