Question about JNR EF63 banking operations

[NGT6 1315]

Morning,

 

I was just reading about the rather unusual operating mode of the EF63 engines over Usui Pass where they provided banking service. As I understand the English Wikipedia article, usual practice was for a pair of EF63s to be coupled to the downhill end of the train. The driver, it would seem, actually operated the entire lashup from the rearmost cab of the pair of EF63s, with a second driver acting as observer riding in the cab at the front of the train when it was travelling uphill.

 

Does anybody know what the idea behind this practice was? Thanks in advance!

[disturbman]

Maybe because it was impossible to operate the machine from the front cab end of the EMU and because it's more easy on the couplers to push a train up a hill more than pull it. ;)

[bikkuri bahn]

Possibly another additional reason would be to improve timings- on arrival at Karuizawa, the trainset can depart as soon as the uncoupling is finished- no need to wait for the bankers to clear the line and re-align the switches.

 

BTW, I was lucky to see this operation (must have been when I was either in either high school or college).  It was a bit of an event- many passengers would get out of the train to watch the EF63 couple up with their train at Yokokawa.  Also, many passengers would use this interlude to purchase the famous "toge no kamameshi" bento lunches- which are still sold at the station and are delicious.

[NGT6 1315]

Maybe because it was impossible to operate the machine from the front cab end of the EMU and because it's more easy on the couplers to push a train up a hill more than pull it. ;)

 

 

Yes, I can see the logic to the last point. On the other hand, isn't it more common for the train which is being banked to operate under its own power and the bankers merely providing additional power at the rear? Of course, I could imagine that such issues like overhead current limitations might have precluded this.