Smooth travelling on a Japanese EMU set.

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

On one of my visits to Japan, several years ago,  I'd arrived at Narita from Melbourne just after the end of the curfew, about 6.15 a.m.

After the usual fiddling about with entry, customs etc. it was about 7.30, so it was off to Tabata in Tokyo for my hotel there.

I'd used the NEX for these journeys previously, but decided to use the Keisei this time.

With my Suica card in my hot little hand, I boarded a six or seven car Keisei semi-express bound for Keisei Ueno.

Standard three or four doors aside, longitudinal seating.

Oddly, there were few people on board, I took up a seat close by one of the doors.

These cars have vertical grab poles near the doors, and a girl got on at Narita, and stood alongside the pole near me.

Off went the train, and she opened her handbag and proceeded to apply her make-up.

She went through the whole routine, lipstick, blush, eye shadow, mascara etc., all the time while standing up with the train in motion.

The only times that she needed to stop and grab the pole was when the train was braking or accelerating.

Japanese girls are very finnicky about their appearance, so this must have been a routine thing for her to do on her way to work.

I can't remember where she got off, probably at Keisei Ueno.

I wonder whether there are other suburban EMU  lines where the same thing could be done satisfactorily by a girl.

If tried out on the Melbourne suburban network, she'd end up looking like a circus clown!

Yes, the Keisei line in from Narita is pretty flat, with few violent curves, but it was a good example of excellent track laying.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

 

 

[katoftw]

I believe it rates in the top 10 for annoying things passenger do survey each year in Tokyo.

[ben_issacs]

katoftw, 

A bit hard to see how this would be an annoyance to passengers.

Maybe if she was doing this in a fairly crowded train, other passengers might object to her perfume, or getting face powder on themselves.

But, it takes all sorts.

If I saw it in Melbourne, very unlikely, of course, I'd be amused!

The main reason for the post was to comment of the smoothness of the ride which allowed her to carry out this procedure.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

[cteno4]

I believe it does show up on the top 10 of Japanese rider list of annoying things done on a train. It’s also a different culture so different things may annoy different cultures. Blowing your nose in public in japan is not appreciated if not done quietly and discreetly whereas a loud, obvious honk may not make anyone stir in Australia. The converse of sniffing/snorting your nose a lot won’t make a stir in Japan but probably would in Australia.

 

jeff

[railsquid]

Also available on the London Underground:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/mar/29/riding-the-tube-a-photo-essay-by-stefan-rousseau

 

 

[ben_issacs]

railsquid, 

Thanks for that.

Not as Japan specific as I thought, although in one shot the girl isn't in a train.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

 

[Nick_Burman]

Back to the smooth riding... I agree, the track on some Japanese lines can be astounding. I remember falling asleep aboard a Kintetsu local train between Yamato-Saidaiji and Kyoto - and its not an easy task to fall asleep on a longitudinal-bench commuter train!

 

Cheers Nicholas

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

Japanese train travellers seem to be able to sleep easily on most trains,even on the longitudinal seated  subbies, and also seem to be able to wake up just before their stop. Possibly their subconscious mind is tuned to the train audio announcements.

Regards, 

Bill,

Melbourne.

 

[katoftw]

Common worldwide the ability to sleep on a train. Not Japanese specific.

[cteno4]

Very true, I’ve watched many many commute snoozers on BART, DC metro and nyc subway. I think it’s just intrinsic to habitual riding a commute train and nothing cultural.

 

jeff

[marknewton]

Sleeping on commuter trains is for amateurs. The real test of ability is if you can sleep curled up in a ball on the inspector’s seat of a steam loco - in traffic. 😴

 

(Disclaimer - there was an epic drinking session in the RSL club the night before...)

 

Mark.

[cteno4]

Or properly wedge all your clothes into a bunk so you can sleep quartering 15’ swells.

 

jeff