Wat Ur Favourite Private/local J line and Why?

[Thankyu6300]

Obviously hankyus :) I also like Shintetsu my GFs dad worked on that line as an architect, he had a big part in design of stations but I'm not to sure exactly what else he did. When I was at their house he pulled out a big piece of grid paper with the list of stations at the top then there were some jaggered logarithmic looking lines (sorry guys I whish I took a picture) it was like some kind of estimate stating the speed and travel times to each station. So what's your favourite local/private line any romantic stories or experiences you had I'd love to hear yours. :)

[Suica]

No offense but with this title your thread looks like another spam bot creation from the main forums view.

Also I guess this rather belongs into the prototypes forum?

[Thankyu6300]

Sorry ... sometimes I'm a little bit unsure what category to post in

[Das Steinkopf]

There are two private lines that I am particularly fond of but only one of them I will dare to model, the first is the Keihan Keishin and the second is Hankyu.

 

The Keihan Keishin is the line that got me into modelling Japanese N scale, when I stayed in Otsu I was fascinated watching a 4 car EMU work it's way up the centre of the highway from Hamaotsu to Kamisakaemachi, after that it then darted behind the back of houses through cuttings and tunnels as well the urban landscape around Shinomiya and Yamashina, the diversety in scenery for such a short line makes it interesting. The operation of the line is also interesting especially at Hamaotsu where it joins up with the Ishiyama Sakamoto line, I am a real sucker for short trains especially the 2 car and 4 car trains that ply the line, I have also ridden the Keihan Mainline but it does not really appeal to me as it just doesn't have the character that the Otsu lines have.

 

With the Hankyu I suppose it's more about presentation if anything, the classical lines coupled to their immaculate appearance both inside and out make these trains a pleasure to ride in, to me they symbolise what is now a bygone era in Western railways with their style and not to mention the service they give to their passengers is second to none, especially when it comes to the station staff. I really like the Hankyu but I will never model it as I have already committed myself to quite enough in Japanese N scale with modelling Keihan Keishin over a 30 year period and contemporary JRF and JR Tokai, not to mention a sizeable amount of OO Gauge GWR as well as a fairly big collection of freelance LEGO trains.

Edited January 28, 2017 by Das Steinkopf

[railsquid]

Wat Ur sounds like a tourist attraction in Thailand...

 

I guess I'd put the Chichibu Railway as my favourite as it has an interesting mix of 2nd hand passenger stock, freight operations and even regular steam excursion trains, and it's kind of local to me.

[Thankyu6300]

Thanks for the responses so far. Sorry for the bad spelling in the tittle I just felt like it wouldn't fit in the entire subject line. I'm keen to know about everyone's interests with Japanese trains other than Shinkansens. Das steinkopf. Very impressive you have been modelling a line for that long that's just awesome. Chichubu certainly does sound interesting I've never been around that reigion in kanto would love to see it some time.

[ToniBabelony]

I have a few and it's always shifting with me unfortunately. However, I can say for sure now that at least the Kantō Railway is very high on the list. Although I'm a big fan of electrified lines, the odd player in the Kanto area on its flat, straight, catenary devoid, race tracks is an attractive company to me. It's located in my wife's hometown, so I can ride it every time we visit the inlaws. It doesn't have much interesting rolling stock, but it's the little scenes like these (especially on the single-track 'North Section') that do it for me:

 

 

Now it's only waiting for Tomytec to release these single-car DMU, as they've already released the 2-car versions and old DMU. Also, these trains propel themselves at a breakneck 90km/h over shoddy tracks to be competitive with private car traffic on the 'North Section'. Very exciting stuff :)

 

Next to that, the Tochigi-prefecture lines of the Tōbu network have left a serious impression on me. Especially the Kinugawa line with its tight curves and strange rolling stock has got me mesmerised. Albeit the section north of Shin-fujiwara being relatively new (1980s), the idea of riding all the way to Aizu-wakamatsu by only private rail with only changing once because of the lack of catenary (Asakusa - Aizu-tajima - Aizu-wakamatsu) is amazing! Also, this connection will get the fresh Tōbu Revaty 500 Series this year in operation. One of the best looking contemporary trains!

 

Another favourite is a local company, Sōtetsu, a very simple network with very intense operations, but not much interesting going on in regards to rolling stock, as they have no dedicated Ltd. Express trains. Nevertheless, it's those offbeat lines that attract me.

Edited January 27, 2017 by Kabutoni

[railsquid]

Chichubu certainly does sound interesting I've never been around that reigion in kanto would love to see it some time.

 

Some photos of the mountainous end of the line here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/129145651@N06/albums/72157670119290154

 

Within Tokyo I guess the Keisei/Asakusa/Keikyu network is my favourite due to the utterly random mix of trains which run on it.

[HantuBlauLOL]

probably hokuetsu express, because the locals were actually doing 130km/h..

also the landscape (outside the horrendous amount of tunnels) is good.

 

http://inverterhitechloco.com/img/img2451_20110827-0004.jpg

 

from http://inverterhitechloco.com/sb.cgi?cid=443

 

 

 

 

for the trains alone, i vote for shizutetsu.

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CH196YQUEAAB_YC.jpg

 

from https://twitter.com/akaobi_7001/status/611783571238334465

Edited January 28, 2017 by HantuBlauLOL
image embed

[Socimi]

Ahhh, difficult guess...

 

Tokyu Corp. with it's sleek silver trains and dense operations...  Keio railway for the same reason (especially the 1372mm lines).....

For the kansai region i also vote for Hankyu...

If the subway networks counts i vote for Eidan/TRTA follwoed shortly after by the Osaka Municipal Subay.

Kita-osaka kyuko is also a very intresting company, and for local third-sector railways i vote for the Choshi dentetsu and the Chichibu railway follwed shortly after by the Sanriku railway.

Edited January 27, 2017 by DavideTreni

[velotrain]

Some photos of the mountainous end of the line here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/129145651@N06/albums/72157670119290154

 

 

Great photo using the mirror.

[Das Steinkopf]

Thanks for the responses so far. Sorry for the bad spelling in the tittle I just felt like it wouldn't fit in the entire subject line. I'm keen to know about everyone's interests with Japanese trains other than Shinkansens. Das steinkopf. Very impressive you have been modelling a line for that long that's just awesome. Chichubu certainly does sound interesting I've never been around that reigion in kanto would love to see it some time.

I have only modelled the Keihan Keishin for a couple of years but I will covering the period from around 1984 till present, I did model GWR for around 15 years before getting into LEGO trains for about 12 years and now I am back to modelling GWR as well as Japanese N Scale.

[katoftw]

I haven't been on many lines, but I'll throw down a few.

 

Keifuku Arashiyama Line - A good mixture of retro trams, road and corridor running.  Arashiyama Station is nice without being too gimmicky.

 

-or-

 

The Kumagawa section of the JR Hisatsu Line - Tunnels, farms, window scenery etc.  Watching that river flow past for 2.5 hours is majestic.

Edited January 28, 2017 by katoftw

[Kiha66]

The Matsuura Railway, operating the 93.8 km Nishi-Kyushu Line from Arita in Saga Prefecture to Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture.  It was the first Japanese railway I ever rode, and still has a lot of its coal hauling heritage.  Served by single DMUs, much of the line is raised up on high concrete trestles and passes through many short tunnels.  As far as I can tell, most of the line hasn't changed except for the abandonment of the branch to the nearby coal mine, and the rebuilding of sasebo station altering the last few hundred meters.  I loved the ramshackle houses built into the trestles, it feels like something out of a Stuido Ghibli movie!

 

In 1964

http://www.geocities.jp/itotsune6286/matsuura.htm

 

And today

http://3rd.geocities.jp/tyunerkkk2/mr.html

 

Bonus, In 1964:

http://www.geocities.jp/itotsune6286/image2/matsuura01.jpg

And in 2015:

[Densha]

Ah the Matsuura Railway! I remember watching a zenmen tenbou of this line years ago and also really liked the scenery, but after that completely forgot where this line was located and how it was called. Great to find it back again!

[JR 500系]

Mine will HAVE to go with Odakyu, my number 1 private railway... The Romance cars are to die for... I blame the VSE 50000 for luring me into the Odakyu trap and it doesn't stop from there... EXE, MSE, RSE, LSE... all beautiful to me now... Even the Techno Inspector and the 1000 series...

 

Close 2nd is Kintetsu in Kansai... Again, the gem has to be the Shimakaze 50000 that lured me here... That beautiful white and blue, stunning front... all rolled into one beautiful looking train... Then the ACEs type came along with their boring yet something luring orange, together with their endless connection series... Not to forget the Urban Liner next and the Iseshima Liner!

 

The 3rd would be Tobu Railway... The Spacia 100 series was the first train that attracted me to Tobu, along with the 200 series Ryomo... Recently, the Tomytec releases of the 8000 series in different liveries and various connections also attracted me further... What can I say, I love these strange and weird connections with various liveries!

[Kiha66]

Ah the Matsuura Railway! I remember watching a zenmen tenbou of this line years ago and also really liked the scenery, but after that completely forgot where this line was located and how it was called. Great to find it back again!

Cool!  I've been rediscovering the lines I've traveled via zenmen tenbou on youtube.  Was it this video by any chance?  I rode the line to a few places between Aino-ura (44 min mark) and Sasebo at the southern end of the line.  Definitely worth the ride if you're ever in that area of Kyushu!

Edited January 28, 2017 by Kiha66

[velotrain]

 

The Matsuura Railway, operating the 93.8 km Nishi-Kyushu Line from Arita in Saga Prefecture to Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture.  

 

I like the visual effect of the lax weed-spraying!

[bikkuri bahn]

JR: JR West Biwako/Kyoto/Kobe/Sanyo line (basically the JR West urban network portion)- the four track sections blow away any other JR lines in variety and operational interest

Private Kanto: Keikyu (by far), then Seibu, Tobu, in that order

Private Kansai: really difficult, but if I have to choose one, probably Hanshin, as long as a visit involves riding a 5001 series. Kintetsu a close second.

Outside those areas: Nishitetsu

[marknewton]

JR West Hakubi line.

 

Toyama Chitetsu/Manyosen.

 

Sangi Railway Hokusei line.

 

Oigawa Railway.

[Thankyu6300]

Thanks for responding, i really enjoyed reading everyone's favorites and some great pictures from everyone.

 

Thanks

Phil

[Ken Ford]

Too many to list, but I keep coming back to the Keifuku "Randen" branch to Kitano-Hakubaichō.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I have a soft-spot for the Chuo and Shinonoi lines. The Iida line (particularly with the older EMUs and ED62) and the Koumi line as also favourites. 

[houari]

My favorite so far is Hankyu's, in terms of beautiful, classy rolling stocks

 

But I am daily user of Tobu Tojo line, so perhaps it is the bond that makes it my favorite? ahaha..

[enodenlover]

My primary Japanese rail interest is older tram and interurban lines so I have a number of favorites. The Enoden is my #1, and others are the Hakone Tozan, the Randen, Nagasaki's tramway, Keihan's interurban lines, and the late lamented Kitakyushu tram line of the Nishi-Nippon Railway.

 

Bob

Edited February 8, 2017 by enodenlover