My top 5 favourite Japanese trains

[The Birmingham train spotter]

5) The EF210,this Bo Bo Bo electric freight locomotive was built in 1996 by Kawasaki Heavy Industry and used by JR Freight

4) The HD300, This Bo Bo Diesel Hybrid was built in 2010 by Toshiba and used by JR Freight as a Diesel Shunter

3) The EF66, This Bo Bo Bo electric freight locomotive was built in 1966 by Kawasaki Heavy and and used for mix traffic services 

2) The EF65, This Bo Bo Bo electric freight locomotive was Built in 1965 by Kawasaki Heavy Industry and used for mix traffic services

1) the EH200 ,this Bo Bo Bo + Bo electric freight locomotive was built in 2001 by Toshiba and used for Tanker trains

these are my favourite Japanese trains today

[Kamome]

Your top 5 at the moment, anyway. Japanese railways is a deep rabbit hole to fall down. You can see the heavy JRF influence in your pick and I’m sure you are having fun finding out about more and more of the huge range of Japanese rolling stock.

 

I have more “favourites” in JNR era but there are still a lot of modern trains I like.  I don’t know if i can name my top 5 without having to change it multiple times as I overlook other trains.

 

All the best

[The Birmingham train spotter]

To be honest these are my main favourite locomotives I see on YouTube..I still need to learn about DMUs,EMUs,Shinkansen engines and steam engines

[gavino200]

Those are all awesome locos. I'd never seen the HD300 before, but I really like it's livery. What would you haul with those locos? That's another rabbit hole for you!

[The Birmingham train spotter]

To be honest I'd have these

EF210 on container duties

HD300 For shunting

EF66 on the blue Fuji train

EF65 on freight duty

EH200 on tanker trains

[HankyuDentetsu]

I'll come at it from the DMU/EMU side of things then, as I've no working knowledge of Japanese locomotive models (sorry!!)

 

A lot of my choices will seem very "normie" / beige / safe / bland, but here we go anyway!

 

No tourist trains in this selection; might do that next.

 

1. KiHa 40 Series (Hokkaido colours of course) - needs no introduction. The KiHa 40 wasn't the gateway into my Japanese train obsession, but quickly became my favourite - it's an icon, always will be

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JNR_40_series_DMU_017.JPG

 

2. Hankyu 6300 Series - the lesser spotted Kyō-Train, absolutely bloody lovely in every measurable way..... and the only train on my list that gets two pictures, for very, very good reason

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hankyu-6354F_kyotrain.JPG

 

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wBMemRyMiv0/X4ciXOsA7xI/AAAAAAAD5qU/3S5RHVbmQegTkVmym9V7ibL5w3VBsQAnQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/david-bowie-in-kyoto-2.jpg

(What's even cooler than a Hankyu train? A Hankyu train with David Bowie riding on it. 6855 might not have been a Kyō-Train, but it's a variant of the line - perhaps those even better informed than I can confirm?)

 

3. JR 233 Series - I'm sorry, I know some of you will be wincing at this, but I love it, especially in Chuo-line colours. When I first saw it, the 233 was like nothing else I had ever seen. Common as muck, but utterly beautiful

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/E233_series#/media/File%3AJRE_E233Series.jpg

 

4. JR Kyushu Kamome 885 Series - fairly standard on the outside, but on the inside the vibe is like no other commuter/inter-city train I've ever ridden

https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/lang/assets/img/train/kamome/img_cabin-interior-carousel03.jpg

 

5. JNR 485 Series - because goddamn just look at it. Would probably be higher up the list if I was old enough to have ever ridden on one

https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ファイル:Kuha481-603.JPG

 

Honourable mentions go to:

 

JR East E353 - brute

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuji_Excursion#/media/File%3AE353_Super_Azusa_Higashi-Koganei_20171226.jpg

 

JR Hokkaido KiHa 261 Series - got to love the bold colours, the Super Hokuto and the even more delightfully pink Hamanasu, pictured

https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/JR北海道キハ261系気動車#/media/ファイル%3AKiha-261-5101_Hamanasu.jpg

 

Finally, JR Hokkaido trains slap, the 789 is another treat

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Kamui#/media/File%3AJR_Hokkaido_789_series_EMU_007.JPG

 

 

Would love to see everyone else's picks. Cheers to the Brumie train spotter for starting this thread!

[gavino200]

7 hours ago, HankyuDentetsu said:

I'll come at it from the DMU/EMU side of things then, as I've no working knowledge of Japanese locomotive models (sorry!!)

 

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wBMemRyMiv0/X4ciXOsA7xI/AAAAAAAD5qU/3S5RHVbmQegTkVmym9V7ibL5w3VBsQAnQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/david-bowie-in-kyoto-2.jpg

 

 

(What's even cooler than a Hankyu train? A Hankyu train with David Bowie riding on it. 6855 might not have been a Kyō-Train, but it's a variant of the line - perhaps those even better informed than I can confirm?)

 

 

 

 

Couldn't agree more. Station to station with the Dave. I believe he rode the Trans-Siberian railway back in his Ziggy days. Great selection of trains btw.

[TokyoImperialPalace]

1. 西部００１系　https://www.seiburailway.jp/railways/laview/
2. 阪急電鉄９０００系　https://www2020.hankyu.co.jp/story/maroon/9300.html
3. 近鉄８００００系　https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/senden/hinotori/
4. Ｅ２５９系　jreast.co.jp/train/express/nex.html
5. 京阪8000系 keihan.co.jp/traffic/premiumcar/train/

 

I have missed a number of other good trains, and probably trains that should be in the top 5. I want to make an honorable mention to the other Kintetsu trains that should have also been in the top 5 - I wanted to be able to give other companies a chance! 

 

[HankyuDentetsu]

Great selection there Tokyo, plenty of good Kansai action too. My profile pic will tell you that I agree with your Hanyku selection 🙂 

 

Really want to try Hinotori; Kintetsu does some amazing stuff with their limited express stock. I've been on Shimokaze 1st class - that was an experience I'll never forget. Keihan - used to be a regular user of the line but haven't been back in Japan since they released the premium car - can't wait to get back to try it sometime. NEX is a pleasure to travel on.

 

Laview looks incredible - anyone on here had a chance to ride yet?

[katoftw]

800 series shinkansen

 

885 series limited express

 

KiHa 40 (any)

 

KiHa 72 limited express

 

E259 limited express

 

So so close...

 

500 series shinkansen

 

Hankyu fleet (all)

Edited September 27, 2021 by katoftw