Fukui and Echizen through operations started!

[ToniBabelony]

As of this month, the Fukui and Echizen railways have through running operations on the Echizen Mikuni Arawa line from Tawaramachi to Wakazuka Haribara. This is done with modern low-floor trams. Our JNS member Ayakoi has made a front view video already!

 

 

The whole ride is a wonderful mixture of inner city street running to an interurban experience through the rice fields. There is about one run per hour in each direction, but these are express services all the way from Echizen Takefu to Wakazuka Haribara: http://www.echizen-tetudo.co.jp/railway/transfer_fukutetsu.html

 

It's quite an impressive and lengthy service for low-floor train operations, with mixed high-floor operations. IIRC, the whole Fukui Railway network has been transformed to low-floor operations, starting in 2006, while still having high-floor rolling stock in operation.

 

Here a promotional flyer with timetable and statistical explanation for the through operations: http://www.echizen-tetudo.co.jp/railway/image/timetable_160327.pdf

[stevenh]

Great part around 21:00 where the bridge comes up. Nice horn!

Then the poor station that they couldn't low-floor... completely bypassed.

 

Meanwhile, I expected to see a pass of an EMU in blue/white stripes?
Will watch in full again tonight.

Edited April 5, 2016 by stevenh

[ToniBabelony]

Meanwhile, I expected to see a pass of an EMU in blue/white stripes?

There is a double encounter at Tawaramachi. Here is a lineside video from our Ayakoi as well:

I'm really getting into this operation of mixed traction! It offers a lot of inspiration for layouts.

[Densha]

Here is a lineside video from our Ayakoi as well:

I'm really getting into this operation of mixed traction! It offers a lot of inspiration for layouts.

When at the beginning of that video the announcer said "an express train is arriving", I was not expecting it to be this little yellow tram haha.

 

Also, yeah I also really like these mixed operations (Hiroden also comes to mind) and I have also been thinking of doing this on a layout someday.

[Nick_Burman]

IIRC, the whole Fukui Railway network has been transformed to low-floor operations, starting in 2006, while still having high-floor rolling stock in operation.

 

 

However I would try and get to Fukui ASAP to ride the high-floor equipment as I fear that it will not be around for much longer. When I was there in 2014 I had the luck of riding a 200 series articulated interurban from Takefu back to Fukui Ekimae; one of the sets was already set aside for parts at Takefu shops. With through service and new light rail cars Fukutetsu might be tempted to turn into an LRT line overnight...

 

Incidentally, funny how Echizen looks like the better-run of the two systems even though they were the ones which had to go through the bankruptcy courts...

 

 

Cheers NB

[Nick_Burman]

It offers a lot of inspiration for layouts.

Indeed... one of the ideas I have for a "big" layout involves a private railway connecting a JNR/JR station to its associated medium-sized town and to villages beyond. The first part of the layout (that between the JR station and the town centre) would have seen local services done using trolley cars/LRTs which would then turn into the town's main avenue to get to the private station in the centre. Through service would be done with high-floor cars (without steps though) which would run express over the section but would reach the city centre station on private right-of-way via a belt line used together with freight trains.

 

 

Cheers NB

[katoftw]

Interesting.  The Hiroden down towards Miyajima still has high and low platforms.  Dunno when the high platforms were last used.

 

Do you think this will have Echizen move on to LRT in the future and move away from their current rolling stock?

[Nick_Burman]

Interesting.  The Hiroden down towards Miyajima still has high and low platforms.  Dunno when the high platforms were last used.

 

Do you think this will have Echizen move on to LRT in the future and move away from their current rolling stock?

 

Personally I think it is going to be Fukutetsu who is going to ditch their high floor fleet, between the ex-Gifu cars and the Fukutrams they have almost enough low floor cars to do so. In fact, the high-floor fleet only comes out during rush hours.

 

 

Cheers NB

[ayokoi]

However I would try and get to Fukui ASAP to ride the high-floor equipment as I fear that it will not be around for much longer. When I was there in 2014 I had the luck of riding a 200 series articulated interurban from Takefu back to Fukui Ekimae; one of the sets was already set aside for parts at Takefu shops. With through service and new light rail cars Fukutetsu might be tempted to turn into an LRT line overnight...

 

Incidentally, funny how Echizen looks like the better-run of the two systems even though they were the ones which had to go through the bankruptcy courts...

 

 

Cheers NB

 

Fukui Railway 200 series 202 formation was dismantled.

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/kenmin-fukui/article/kenmin-news/CK2016032602000239.html

 

201 formation was already dismantled.

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/biketype1988/34505134.html

 

Now only 203 formation exist.

[ayokoi]

Indeed... one of the ideas I have for a "big" layout involves a private railway connecting a JNR/JR station to its associated medium-sized town and to villages beyond. The first part of the layout (that between the JR station and the town centre) would have seen local services done using trolley cars/LRTs which would then turn into the town's main avenue to get to the private station in the centre. Through service would be done with high-floor cars (without steps though) which would run express over the section but would reach the city centre station on private right-of-way via a belt line used together with freight trains.

 

 

Cheers NB

 

The N gauge model train "Fukui Railway 200 series" is sold by the Tomytec.

http://www.tomytec.co.jp/diocolle/lineup/tetsudou/2set_091.html

http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B0155WA6TW/ref=topnav_switchLang?ie=UTF8&language=en_US

[Nick_Burman]

Fukui Railway 200 series 202 formation was dismantled.

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/kenmin-fukui/article/kenmin-news/CK2016032602000239.html

 

201 formation was already dismantled.

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/biketype1988/34505134.html

 

Now only 203 formation exist.

 

Thanks for the update aiokoi. When I was in Fukui in 2014 I saw 201 out of service at Takefu; 202 and 203 were out doing rush-hour services. I rode north from Takefu to Fukui-ekimae on 203. I hope they preserve 203.

 

Cheers NB

[ayokoi]

Thanks for the update aiokoi. When I was in Fukui in 2014 I saw 201 out of service at Takefu; 202 and 203 were out doing rush-hour services. I rode north from Takefu to Fukui-ekimae on 203. I hope they preserve 203.

 

Cheers NB

 

I posted a cab view video of 202 from Echizen-Takefu to Tawaramachi via Fukui-ekimae.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml0TxTjA3hw

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoOfkagWAXw

Edited April 12, 2016 by ayokoi