Japan 2019

[serotta1972]

As much as I love the Shinkansen, it's more of a means of getting somewhere quickly.  What I enjoyed the most was riding Limited Express trains and during this trip I was able to ride some with the major JR Operators.  I rode through major cities, farmlands, mountains, along rivers, lake shores and the Sea of the Japan at slower speeds and with large windows.

 

JR East - E353 Azusa (Shinjuku to Matsumoto)

 

JR East - E653 Inaho (Akita to Niigata)

 

JR Central - 383 Shinano (Matsumoto to Nagoya)

 

[serotta1972]

More Limited Express trains.  The 885 had the most interesting interior and seats, it felt like a board room with office chairs.  The rest were very similar and most having 1+2 seating arrangement.  

 

JR West - 683 Thunderbird (Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka)

 

JR Kyushu - 885 Sonic (Hakata to Kokura)

 

JR Hokkaido - Kiha 261-1000 Super Hokuto (Shin-Hakodate to Yakumo to Hakodate)

[JR 500系]

Wow Green is the way to go! Love these Green seats! It also seems you went from the northern most part to the southern most of Japan, Junior! Kudos! 

[serotta1972]

Yeah, I've been spoiled and it's only $100 more for the Green Pass so it's worth it.  It was only on one occasion that I was not able to get a window seat but it was only for a part of the trip.  No, I was far from the northern or southern most part of Japan - the plan was to just at least set foot on Kyushu and Hokkaido.  Already planning my next trip in my head and will be spending more time in the southern part of Japan.

Edited April 14, 2019 by serotta1972

[chadbag]

Very nice.  We are getting Green passes this time too.  Usually we don't but due to being there during the most busy part of the summer, we thought it prudent to get them to have a better chance at getting seats on certain days.

 

Thanks for the pics!

[serotta1972]

Hokkaido Day Trip: March 25,  2019

 

Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto : Hayabusa Series E5 (Tomix 98319/98320)

Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Yakumo : Super Hokuto Kiha Series 261-1000 (Tomix 98298)

Yakumo to Hakodate : Super Hokuto Kiha Series 261-1000

Hakodate to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto : Hakodate Liner Series 733-1000 (Tomix 98240

Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Ueno : Hayabusa Serie E5

 

I bought the E5 and 261 after this recent trip, I actually bought the 733 on my 2017 trip and glad I was able to ride it this time around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by serotta1972

[serotta1972]

A year ago today, I was at Hakata Station standing in awe in front of these magnificent trains.  I've only known them as N scale model trains and to see the actual trains and ride in them is almost surreal. If I slow down my model train purchases maybe I can go back in 2021. 

[yakumo381]

Of the recent new LEX in JPN, the JR East - E353 Azusa has got to be the most impressive for its detailed design in my view.

[serotta1972]

I couldn't agree more - I rode it in the morning from Shinjuku Station to Matsumoto and in the evening I visited Nariichi and he took me to a layout rental facility and I was running the model.  That was a pretty a magical experience in the model train world.

  

[yakumo381]

Amazingly an E353 is being scrapped at Nagano. Appears to be one that got flooded in last year's major Typhoon:

 

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by yakumo381

[Das Steinkopf]

On 3/29/2019 at 11:13 PM, JR 500系 said:

Wow that must be great fun! It's so nice to be able to ride, feel and then buy the model!  🙂

 

I'm pretty sure that there is quite a number of us who have done just that, including the two of us 😉 

[katoftw]

Great photos. Thanks for sharing.

[JR 500系]

Sorry for the hiatus! Man it hurts to see such a brand new train being scrapped.... 

[Socimi]

On 3/30/2020 at 11:27 AM, yakumo381 said:

Amazingly an E353 is being scrapped at Nagano. Appears to be one that got flooded in last year's major Typhoon:

 

An E353 was flooded by the typhoon?

 

As far as i know, the only set that has been sent to Nagano is 3-car Set S206 (built in November 2018) but apparently, it's not there to be scrapped, but to undergo repairs,
as it was damaged in an accident at a level crossing in the summer of last year.

 

The only thing that i don't understand is why they put it on the "to be scrapped" tracks. Maybe the "normal" tracks were full of to-be-converted E257s?

 

[cteno4]

Yard Forman: “Why did you just scrap that new E353! It was just in here for some minor repairs! That’s hundreds of millions of yen lost!”

 

Wrecking Crane Operator: “Well it was parked on the track you always have me dismantle trains on...”

[chadbag]

Big X painted on it  with -- NOT THIS ONE.

 

[cteno4]

Wrecking Crain Operator: “I thought the X meant dismantle it.”

[railsquid]

 

9 hours ago, Socimi said:

 

An E353 was flooded by the typhoon?

 

As far as i know, the only set that has been sent to Nagano is 3-car Set S206 (built in November 2018) but apparently, it's not there to be scrapped, but to undergo repairs,
as it was damaged in an accident at a level crossing in the summer of last year.

 

The only thing that i don't understand is why they put it on the "to be scrapped" tracks. Maybe the "normal" tracks were full of to-be-converted E257s?

 

 

Text in the video speculates it was placed there temporarily due to lack of space.