Japanese Freight Locos

[gavino200]

The M250 is a freight multiple unit. Two single container motor cars on both ends, sandwitching a rake of double container flatcars. There were earlier attempts at freight emus in Japan, but turns out, that they are not really needed as the added flexibility of a loco hauled train is better and an 8 axle, 4 bogie locomotive has the same number of axles, so two of them could provide the same traction force as the 4 M250 motor cars with higher speed or power. There were some top and tail test services through the seikan too, testing the same arrangement what the M250 provides on the DC Tokkaido line.

 

Thanks. I'm amazed by how well designed the Japanese rail system is. This may be a dumb question, but would you say they are the world leader in train design? 

 

Related question. I'm also very interested in China. How would you say the Chinese Shinkansen ripoffs compare to the origional?

[kvp]

Thanks. I'm amazed by how well designed the Japanese rail system is. This may be a dumb question, but would you say they are the world leader in train design?

 

Related question. I'm also very interested in China. How would you say the Chinese Shinkansen ripoffs compare to the origional?

Not much alternative remains. In Europe you have Siemens and a few smaller companies like Bombardier and Stadler. Since the last big US companies went down, you have to go to Japan to get stainless cars Budd used to make or to Europe for a decent electric loco. Today japanese companies are the one to go if you want a good emu and lately this is true even for dmus.

 

For the chinese copies, they managed to switch from steam locomotive production to high speed trains by taking the electronics from Siemens and the car design from Japan. They even managed to make these hybrids faster by removing normally unneeded structural parts like crash safety. It's like a chinese toy, which is cheaper and more flashy than the one it copies and then it breaks and tries to kill you.

 

Generally what makes japanese train technology good is that there is a large enough home market that can support continous development, while most competitors struggle to get enough orders to get at least the development costs back.

[velotrain]

Bombardier may be headquartered in Berlin, but they have N.A. production facilities in both Canada and the U.S.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_car_(rail)

 

Claims "Bombardier is the largest manufacturer of passenger cars in the world."

 

However, the only Japanese company listed is Kawasaki, and then only their N.A. operations.

 

This article is primarily a history over the past century or so, and a warning before the Manufacturers section reads:

 

"The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject."

 

Given this, I have no idea if the prior statement about Bombardier is true or not, and just what it might be based on.

 

Searching for Bombardier, their corporate hit/link begins with, "World's leading manufacturer of both planes and trains."

 

Just reporting my findings and not certifying any of it.

[Kiha66]

Theres also Hyundai Rotem in korea, they seem to supply a lot of the newer trains to California along with nippon sharyo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Rotem

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Sharyo

[bill937ca]

Japanese train, tram and rail bus builders off top of my head.

 

Alna Sharyo

Kinki Sharyo

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

Toshiba

Hitachi

J-TREC aka Japan Transport Engineering Company (formerly Tokyu Car Company)

Nippon Sharyo

Nigiata Transys

Mitsubishi

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Locomotive_manufacturers_of_Japan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Rolling_stock_manufacturers_of_Japan

Edited January 9, 2017 by bill937ca

[scotspensioner]

I live in Scotland near Edinburgh in the UK.The near future ( next two or three years ) is going to see Hitachi three and four car e m is taking over our local train services and AT200 express units taking over the London to Scotland services.

These trains are being shipped from Japan to North East England as bare shells for completion in a new purpose built factory.A small number of complete units are however coming direct from Japan.

The first ones are already on the rails but it'll be another year before they enter service

[cogenix]

Personally I find the EF510 and EH500 interesting.

EF510 can also be used to tow your Hokutosei or Cassiopeia, and EH500 has a really nice red shade. 

What gauge is preferred? It seems that N gauge freight locos are rarer, with HO being more common.

[westfalen]

It seems that N gauge freight locos are rarer, with HO being more common.

Actually it's the opposite.

[Ewan.in.gz]

Yes, you guys are right, the second letter in the classification only counts driving axles.

 

N-scale is by far the most popular model railway scale in Japan. Lots of people squeezed into not much flat land leads to small homes!

 

And having lived in China for 13 years, I would say that overall the rail system is fairly safe, considering the amount of people using it, but Chinese society doesn't put much emphasis on individual responsibilities..... So on trains (and planes, and busses) you will find passengers doing obviously stupid things and then complaining if they hurt themselves or get into trouble..... It is one thing that really drives me mad about this country!

 

Ewan

[Densha]

In addition to Das Steinkopf's post, I have to add that the EF200s are also being used on the Tokaido Main Line. Just like EF210s and EF66(-100)s, I've seen them hauling container trains on the entire Tokaido Main Line. Makes me feel like there is just one big pool existing of several loco types for these services, but I expect it to have been changed into EF210-only in the not too distant future.

 

I have yet to see any EF65s on the Tokaido Main Line except for special services or hauling empty stock, but they do still rather frequently run freight trains on the Sanyo Main Line and via the Seto-Ohashi Line to Matsuyama (or other freight terminals along the Yosan Line) on Shikoku.

 

You can also see EF510s on the Biwako Line section (Maibara - Kyoto) of the Tokaido Main Line by the way.

 

Now how to find out the timetables for the remaining DD51 services on the Kansai Main Line...

Edited January 10, 2017 by Densha

[HantuBlauLOL]

They even managed to make these hybrids faster by removing normally unneeded structural parts like crash safety. It's like a chinese toy, which is cheaper and more flashy than the one it copies and then it breaks and tries to kill you.

 

for real?

 

yet our government choose their hst instead of japanese one.

[westfalen]

for real?

 

yet our government choose their hst instead of japanese one.

Probably because it was cheaper.

[velotrain]

Probably because it was cheaper.

 

Probably?

[Das Steinkopf]

In addition to Das Steinkopf's post, I have to add that the EF200s are also being used on the Tokaido Main Line. Just like EF210s and EF66(-100)s, I've seen them hauling container trains on the entire Tokaido Main Line. Makes me feel like there is just one big pool existing of several loco types for these services, but I expect it to have been changed into EF210-only in the not too distant future.

I have yet to see any EF65s on the Tokaido Main Line except for special services or hauling empty stock, but they do still rather frequently run freight trains on the Sanyo Main Line and via the Seto-Ohashi Line to Matsuyama (or other freight terminals along the iYosan Line) on Shikoku.

Thanks for the additional information as it is nice to see someone else interested in JRF, I feel it gets neglected a lot of the time as most modellers tend to focus on the passenger networks.

 

You can also see EF510s on the Biwako Line section (Maibara - Kyoto) of the Tokaido Main Line by the way.

Now how to find out the timetables for the remaining DD51 services on the Kansai Main Line...

I hope to see some of them in action when I go over in April, we are spending some time in Kanazawa and Kyoto so I am bound to get a chance of seeing them, I'm not a big fan of the EF510-0 Red Thunder livery but I really like the silver and grey livery used on the ex JR East EF510-500's.

[HantuBlauLOL]

Probably because it was cheaper.

 

don't think so.

 

 

Personally I find the EF510 and EH500 interesting.

EF510 can also be used to tow your Hokutosei or Cassiopeia, and EH500 has a really nice red shade. 

What gauge is preferred? It seems that N gauge freight locos are rarer, with HO being more common.

 

HO is rarer on pretty much anything japanese train related.

 

 

 

 

btw, is EF81-300 still operational?

[Densha]

The ex-Cassiopeia EF510s are rather rare because there's simply few of them. Remember there's also blue ex-Hokutosei EF510s. They run mixed together with the red EF510s, so you really need to be lucky to get to see one of the rarer liveries. So far I have spotted a blue EF510 on the Biwako Line on probably a through service from the Hokuriku Main Line.

 

As for DD51s, I've seen plenty of them up until now in western Honshu sitting on sidings, but none of them in actual service.

 

If you're interested in ex-JNR locos, the yard between Kiyosu and Inazawa stations on the Tokaido Main Line in Aichi prefecture still had plenty DE10s, DD51s, EF65s, EF66-0s and others sitting around when I passed by last September. I reckon the DD51s are those from the Kansai Main Line, and considering that there are plans to replace those with EF200s sooner or later, I think you really need to hurry if you want to catch these in actual service.

 

On other news, I was able to spot an EF67 (the single remaining?) in Hiroshima a few days ago. Wasn't able to take a picture, but these will go to the scrapyard very soon.

 

It also looks like the EF200-300s, the supposed replacement for the EF67s, are just doing standard freight hauling services in the Chuugoku region and on Shikoku. They're probably also doing banking services, but I've already seen plenty of them just pulling freight trains.

Edited January 11, 2017 by Densha

[katoftw]

don't think so.

Probably best to hit up google. There is a side story also. Edited January 11, 2017 by katoftw

[Das Steinkopf]

On other news, I was able to spot an EF67 (the single remaining?) in Hiroshima a few days ago. Wasn't able to take a picture, but these will go to the scrapyard very soon.

It also looks like the EF200-300s, the supposed replacement for the EF67s, are just doing standard freight hauling services in the Chuugoku region and on Shikoku. They're probably also doing banking services, but I've already seen plenty of them just pulling freight trains.

Back in April 2015 I was lucky enough to spot a couple of EF67-100's towards the twilight of their career sitting in the yard at Hiroshima alongside an EF200, I also got to see their replacement an EF210-300 doing the job it was designed for on the tailend of a freight train about to head up towards the Senohachi section of the Sanyo mainline.

 

 

 

 

[Davo Dentetsu]

The ex-Cassiopeia EF510s are rather rare because there's simply few of them. Remember there's also blue ex-Hokutosei EF510s. They run mixed together with the red EF510s, so you really need to be lucky to get to see one of the rarer liveries. So far I have spotted a blue EF510 on the Biwako Line on probably a through service from the Hokuriku Main Line.

Still a tragedy to lose their stars.  Wonder if they'll be restored with them one day when their career is run and done...

[marknewton]

HO is rarer on pretty much anything japanese train related.

Sometimes when I look at my bank statements I wish that was true... :)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[nah00]

In addition to Das Steinkopf's post, I have to add that the EF200s are also being used on the Tokaido Main Line. Just like EF210s and EF66(-100)s, I've seen them hauling container trains on the entire Tokaido Main Line. Makes me feel like there is just one big pool existing of several loco types for these services, but I expect it to have been changed into EF210-only in the not too distant future.

 

 

Are there any plans to use EF-210s further out (like on Tohoku main line) or does the EH-500 have a monopoly on that? I know there's not a dual voltage EF-210 (yet) but it would make sense to try to standardize. 

[Atomsk]

The newest freight locomotive is the EH800, which can operate on 20Kv and 25Kv AC.  These are now the only locomotives that can operate through the Seikan Tunnel, since they upped the voltage for the Hokkaido Shinkansen.

 

Tomix makes an EH800 in N scale.

[cogenix]

Ef81-300 not operational I think. Other ef81 makes are still operating.

[Davo Dentetsu]

Ef81-300 not operational I think. Other ef81 makes are still operating.

303 is still kicking about very actively on Instagram, so very possibly still one going.

[HantuBlauLOL]

Ef81-300 not operational I think. Other ef81 makes are still operating.

 

303 is still kicking about very actively on Instagram, so very possibly still one going.

 

sweet! still on kanmon area?