ED75 does Japan (take 3)

[ED75-775]

It feels like it's been a while since I posted, even if the forum says I did so yesterday. And since I'm back at my hotel, taking a break before setting out once again, I may as well keep up with the updates. It might help me take my mind off the fact that A.) this trip's now well past the halfway point, which is frustrating because it feels like it's going too fast, and B.) I've not found much that I can afford and want lately, which is causing some primal part of me to get very annoyed because it wants more trains and I can't find the right ones that would make it stop even if only for a bit. Oh well, such is life. There will be other opportunities elsewhere.

 

 

Yesterday's trip involved a jaunt out to Mojikō to visit what else but the Kyushu Railway Museum. I enjoy visiting this museum, which is a nice demonstration of what you can do on a small scale. Some of the rolling stock has now been reopened for guests to wander through, although KiHa 07 41 remains closed to the public which I'm guessing may be a preservation measure. Given there's only three KiHa 07's left, and this is the most original of the three, that makes some sense to me. The number of pairs of shoes inside, however, did not. Perhaps some limited access is still given under certain circumstances?

 

I also decided to do the mini-driving train again with my ride this time being the Yufuin no Mori, which coincidentally I'd seen the day before at Hakata. Given I'd also seen it on my last trip at Tosu (twice!) I wonder if that's a sign I'll need said train in my collection one day? I'm not in a hurry to do so though, so it can go into the 'Yahoo Auctions lurk pile' when I'm ready. I also got to see the 'new' train sign exhibition upstairs, and couldn't resist snapping a few photos of an old friend on the Museum's model railway.

 

 

With construction work going on between Mojikō Station and the museum, it's a walk around the block to get to the museum, which meant I had to pass the Retro Sightseeing Train's station from a different perspective. Said train was, in fact, parked at the station, which had me initially wondering if it was parked there until on the way back I stopped to see the station, and the staff were putting up a sign that there was a charter running that day.

 

I didn't think about walking to Stage One that day as it was a bit on the warm side to be hiking around, and there wasn't much to see at the Kitakyushu Freight Terminal - some EH500's and EF510-300's, a handful of EF81's, and around the back a very sorry-looking EF81 452 looking like it was waiting to be scrapped. All were well away from easily-accessible vantage points so no point stopping for a bash session. Although I did see the previous day's EH500 46 parked up with a container train, and sister EH500 66 which I'd seen in 2023 as well. Bad trainspotting habits, I know. And surprisingly, at least to me, the rampant overgrowth on the site of Higashi-Kokura Station had been cut back drastically, which was a first for me. I wonder why, as this location is no longer in rail use, as its role was taken over by the Kitakyushu Freight Terminal.

 

I did however spend a little time perusing the Kokura branch of Mandarake, which turned out to be a bust - not much there worth having - before catching the shinkansen back to Hakata. Kodama, Kodama - maybe a 500 series? And completely forgetting that Kodama 849 is a 500 - just not one of the blue ones that I want. So pink... I might vomit... huurrkkk.

Oh well. At least it's a 500, even if I had to stand in the door on car 1 all the way to Hakata which is actually not that long a distance, but indicative of the fact that it was a busy train. I could have taken it down to Hakataminami Station in the hopes of finding that Ultimate Rare Shinkansen, Doctor Yellow, but decided against it as I'd have been stuck there for more than half an hour with not much to do. Maybe I'll get lucky and see it tomorrow en route to Kumamoto!

 

Having had a short rest at the hotel, it was back out to the train stores to look and see if there was anything remotely worth having to shut my packrat-collector instinct up (nope, although a Märklin track expansion set was somewhat tempting), and then it was off to Ichiran Ramen for dinner. On coming back I spent a little time combing through the interwebs trying to plot my meetup with Mason tomorrow, and in the process finding that Nikkyosha Models has its own blog, which confirmed the plans for future preservation of steam locomotive 58654. A few more rabbit-holes dived down later, I'd learned that it was gifted (back) to Hitoyoshi City after operation ended. And since it'll be converted to run on compressed air and allowed to run on a short stretch of track, at least it's being kept going in some capacity. Personally, I'd prefer to see it running under its own power, but one day perhaps, one day...

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Today was an easy day. With day trips to Nagasaki and Kagoshima all but ruled out, I decided to head back to Kokura and wander around the shops there. With most train stores well off the beaten track, it turned into a bookstore crawl. A disappointing bookstore crawl. Not much railway material to be had! I think Kinokuniya holds the title of best bookshop to date for that.

 

By mid-afternoon I’d returned to Hakata, and after a brief break at the hotel and forum update, set out for dinner. Only this time, I ended up ignoring all the konbini stores and wound up at DiverCity Mall where, after watching a fountain show and revisiting the Gundam Base, I plumped for a ¥900 bowl of ramen from the Ramen Stadium. It came out in less than five minutes too - speedy noods, and they were tasty at that too!

 

Despite having ignored them earlier, I could have only ignore the siren call of the konbini for so long, and ended up deciding not so far from the hotel that I wanted dessert. In the process I ended up shambling almost around an entire city block or two, and witnessing the ends of two northbound freight trains in quick succession. Then, as I walked down the elevated walkway across the front of Hakata Station, a flash of a familiar fluted stainless body caught my eye…

 

Last time I’d seen EF81 303, it had just rolled through Tosu nearly a year ago while I was ogling passenger trains. This year, I decided there was no fudgin’ way I’d miss photographing it! Unfortunately for me, it beat me to the bridge at the south end of Hakata Station, and hid behind a Series 885 that was running into the station to boot! Oh, well. At least I haven’t seen any plans for it to be retired, unlike the last ED76’s which I understand from some Google-Fu are being retired this month, so there’s every chance I may see it yet this time, or maybe next year…

 

In the end, I got dessert, and it’s been a chilled day so far. Though I still haven’t decided on whether or not to head back to Hiroshima on Sunday for the Streetcar Festival - suggestions welcome! - there’s a bit to look forward to tomorrow. It’s sightseeing day in Kumamoto with Mason.

 

Alastair

[SL58654号]

On 6/14/2024 at 6:30 PM, ED75-775 said:

...and couldn't resist snapping a few photos of an old friend on the Museum's model railway.

 

Neither could I.

 

Very glad to have met a new friend in person today, and I had such a grand day out with you on one of your last days of your tour of Japan.

Thanks for everything @ED75-775. It's not every day I have met such a like-minded and knowledgeable rail fan with whom I am so glad to associate with. You have furthered my interests in New Zealand railways as well. 
Thank you for the books and the extra bridge for my layout. I welcome you to return to Kumamoto anytime!  

[ED75-775]

It's been a long day, and while I wait for my washing upstairs to finish, may as well do another quick update.

 

Today's plan was to meet up with Mason - alias @SL58654号 - and tour around some of the sights and sounds of Kumamoto. I'd briefly stopped there during my last trip in 2023, when I'd gone to ride the SL Hitoyoshi and wound up paying a visit to Nikkyosha Models to buy my Kato DE10 after seeing the train off. That hadn't left much time to look around though, and it was incredibly generous that Mason was willing to take time out of his day to show me 'his' city.

 

Mason didn't get off work until lunchtime-ish, so I had plenty of time to get down to Kumamoto on the shinkansen. This time around I was aiming for an 800 series, a type I'd seen but never ridden before. I got lucky with Tsubame 319; it was a 800 so I got my first ride on the type almost straight away. And while I didn't see Doctor Yellow at Hakataminami, I did spot one of the two 'preserved' 100 series dining cars looking a little unloved in a siding. As said siding housed cab coaches from a 0 series and WIN350 before they were scrapped, it left me pondering if this dining car may also be up for the chop before long. Shame really, but can't save everything.

 

 

On arrival in Kumamoto, there was enough time to check out the narrow gauge platforms, where I found a pair of KiHa 183's idling away and a sign for the SL Hitoyoshi still gracing Platform 6... memories. On coming out of the station, there was a tram already waiting at the station tram stop so instead of taking my time and checking out what looked to be a motorbike event on the station forecourt, I hurtled across and leapt onto tram 1355 for the trip up to Kumamoto-jo. Once there, I was at least half an hour early so there was plenty of time to take tram photos. Eventually, Mason showed up and we set off around the city.

 

I have to admit, Mason is one of the most enthusiastic individuals I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and very friendly to boot. In the process of shambling around Kumamoto-jo, we chatted about our shared interest (railways), nearly crashed a Shinto wedding at the castle's Inari Shrine by mistake (oops!), I traded some books and a DVD and Mason kindly shouted me some omiyage souvenirs from one of the little shops below the main keep. He also treated me to lunch at the nearby Saizeriya which was both good, and cheap. In return, when we visited Nikkyosha Models, the least I could do was reciprocate with a Kato truss bridge for Sakuragi no yu sen. Mason also helped guide me to one of his favourite second-hand bookshops where he of course found more railway magazines, and I picked out an interesting little book on railways in Kyushu which I still need to translate the title of.

 

 

Eventually the two of us had to part ways as Mason had another appointment to make, but it was a pleasure to make his acquaintance and walk around Kumamoto. With a bit more time to play with, I ended up retracing part of our route around Kumamoto-jo and taking some time to read the various information panels about the reconstruction works. Eventually it was time to head back home though, and I retraced my steps to the station where I took the time to hunt through the Amu Plaza mall attached to the station to see if a book I'd recommended Mason was available there (sadly not). Another 800 happened to be waiting to return me to Hakata, where I decided once more to dine at Champion's Curry. That location, I'm sorry to hear, is closing down at the end of this month so I won't be able to enjoy it in 2025 so I've certainly made the most of it this trip.

 

I'm hopeful that at some future point I will be able to take up Mason's hospitable offer to come back and see more of the city - and perhaps, one day, ride the Hisatsu Line to Hitoyoshi behind steam again. It sounds like Hisatsu-sen Again has plenty of steam behind their campaign, and I sincerely hope they'll succeed in their cause. Likewise, if Mason ever were to make it down to Christchurch one day, I'd be pleased to reciprocate his hospitality with some of my own.

 

Still not decided on what I'll do tomorrow and whether I'll hike back to Hiroshima to visit the Streetcar Festival. We'll see on the day.

 

Alastair

 

 

[SL58654号]

I'm gladdened by your kind words. 
I wound up ordering that RM book on JNR EL via Amazon anyway. 
Thanks again for coming! 🇳🇿🇺🇸🇯🇵

[cteno4]

It’s so great when folks end up meeting like this all over the world (especially in Japan) through the forum! Makes the forum worth having just for an adventure like this happening. Glad you guys got to get together, thought you would have a fun time.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[ED75-775]

What irresponsible financial decisions will I make today?

 

 

Stay tuned!

Alastair

[ED75-775]

OK, so the wallet got spared today, but the fun’s continued and by that I don’t always mean actual fun.

 

Sunday’s original plan had been to possibly go to Hiroshima for the Streetcar Festival, but that plan was ruled out on the day as I’d be heading to Kyoto the following day and didn’t want to spend two consecutive days buzzing up and down the shinkansen. Instead, I decided to put some stuff together (conveniently forgetting two KoKi 106’s I’d recently brought) and run at Popondetta.

 

While I don’t mind some user-applied details, all I’ll say is Tomix brake wheels are the wrong kind of zen. Nasty! As attested from the “What did you order” thread, I ended up replacing them outright with Kato ones, but that happened later in the day. I also assembled my Kato UT11 containers which were actually quite easy to do once I figured out how to pop the tanks out of their frames.

 

 

The trusty EF65 was called upon once more to handle running duties, although once I finally got the opportunity and courage together to get a track slot, it picked up some problems with one of the points. Turning it around and running anticlockwise rather than clockwise fixed that.

 

 

I do have to admit, KoKi’s are nice, and it was worth the wait to have some fun with them in the end after trawling a few other shops to kill time and trying to find more Kato tank containers, which turned out to be a waste of time - no one’s got any! Must be a side effect of the new set having recently come out.

 

The evening was spent mixing wagon parts, playing Honkai Star Rail on my iPhone, having a (very) late dinner and playing Suitcase Tetris. All that meant I didn’t get to bed until well after 2AM. Phew, what a day!

 

Alastair

Edited Tuesday at 09:36 AM by ED75-775

[Tony Galiani]

2 hours ago, ED75-775 said:

While I don’t mind some user-applied details, all I’ll say is Tomix brake wheels are the wrong kind of zen. Nasty!

 

Phew!  I am not the only one who has difficulty with these.  My Tomix KoKi, which I painted and weathered earlier this year, still lacks its brake wheel as I had so much difficulty with it.  Might try again this week now I that I know it is not me!

 

Cheers,

Tony

[Kingmeow]

10 hours ago, ED75-775 said:

What irresponsible financial decisions will I make today?

 

 

Stay tuned!

Alastair

 

With a smile like that it looks you will make plenty of irresponsible financial decisions!  😁

[ED75-775]

When last I left off, I had wrapped up my last full day in Kyushu rather late. Somehow I still managed to be up in time for breakfast, thanks iPod alarm, and to check the room for any leftover bits and pieces before departure. As I’d discover later that day, I still managed to miss something - my glasses case! Not good, but the hotel’s aware and looking into it right now.

 

 

My travel plans called for a 10:45 departure arriving sometime after 2:00 in Kyoto, though I unknowingly overrode my luggage reservation by mistake and changed trains at Shin-Osaka rather than at Shin-Kobe! Oops. On a happier note, I’d plotted my seat reservation so I’d have a grandstand view of the Shin-Yamaguchi and Okayama depots with all their tasty KiHa’s. I even got a bonus too at Shin-Yamaguchi with DD51 1043 in attendance, although I missed the photo opportunity. Ditto another at Himeji where a two-car 103 was waiting on a Bantan Line service.

 

 

If you’re like me, there’s only one way to start your time in a new city, and by now I think you can all guess what it is! With bags dropped off in my room (eighth-floor, no station view) it was go time. Thankfully, very little tempted me but some of that which did, made my wallet curse a blue streak. I also got a look at the new Kyoto Mandarake which is within walking distance of Hobbyland Pochi - but, like most branches, the train holdings there aren’t terribly exciting.

 

I also found a smaller train store east of the central city, but said store had signs that it was both cash and Japanese language only. Clearly not one to visit if you’re a clueless gaijin like me. Dinner that night was at Kyoto Ramen Koji, specifically the Hokkaido miso ramen store with its delicious zangi fried chicken. And some of these stores now have EFTPOS which I don’t recall them having last year… or maybe they did, and it’s my lousy memory at fault. Heh!

 

Alastair

[Kamome]

Generalising about the populace of Kyoto, they have been collectively recognised as not liking tourists. They were actually extremely happy during the pandemic due to being able to get around their city without issue. 

 

I guess the infrastructure is not as efficient as some other cities due to the good number of heritage sights, and locals probably get pretty annoyed having to compete for space with the vast number of visitors. Sure they welcome their cash, though.  You do see some videos of annoying visitors in Gion running in front of Maiko and taking photos like the paparazzi which doesn’t help the cause. As they say, “When in Rome, don’t be an insolent f*****”

 

I assume this shop might be one of those old style shops that may have had some challenging experiences. Japanese people never haggle over pricing. Or they just hate anyone or anything that’s not Japanese.  You do bump into those sorts from time to time.  Although some smaller shops in my neck of the woods don’t like you paying in anything other than cash. 

 

This behaviour does remind me of some of the vendors at model railway events when I was a kid. They wouldn’t want you looking or touching stuff despite having money to spend. My dad would always happily put them in their place. 

[cteno4]

I can only imagine what Kyoto is like now. My last visit was about 11 or 12 years ago (before the Chinese tourist invasions) and it was a zoo. Absolutely insane number of tourists clogging everything. I can imagine what it must be like for the locals to live with. I grew up in Monterey which is driven by tourism, but nothing like that. I worked down on cannery row for a while and crowds could jam the sidewalks and at times I would have visions of having a machete and hacking thru the throngs like making way thru dense jungle vegetation, but that was just momentary and very localized. First trip to Kyoto in 84 it was almost blissful there and attractions were super easy to get to and not very crowded at attractions. I’ll keep those memories alive.
 

jeff

[ED75-775]

11 hours ago, cteno4 said:

I can only imagine what Kyoto is like now.

I’ll sum it up in one word. Busy.

 

Taking a quick break at Randen Arashiyama Station, so here’s another update. I’ll post a few more to bring things up to date later.

 

Tuesday dawned wet and grey, so not very practical for being out and about. With my wallet now all but dead and buried, I decided the prudent thing to do was head to Denden Town and have that out of my system. As nice as some of the bits were, only one wagon tempted me.

 

With the weather also being foul, I decided I’d kill half a day and head back to Hakata in the hope the hotel had my glasses case! To me, it seemed like the move was to pay a bit extra and get the Nozomi shinkansen from Shin-Osaka, and catch a Sakura back. I honestly can’t say I see why there’s a need to pay extra to make less stops, but whatever - that’s how it is.

 

Long story short, as obliging as the hotel staff were, the glasses case had not been handed in. I headed back to Kyoto in the knowledge that if it turned up, they’d be in touch. By the time I got back, Ramen Koji was still open so I headed there for dinner to perk myself up at Men-ya Iroha with its Toyama black ramen and curry set. The evening was spent clearing out my suitcase of junk and hobby goods, and re-checking if my glasses case was in there (it wasn’t). Oh well!

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

This next update is brought to you by Rail Gallery Rokko, proudly (informally) voted as one of the favourite online train stores of the JNS Forum!

 

 

I have to admit, yesterday’s plan called for a visit to the Kyoto Railway Museum. After I walked across Umekoji Park and stopped along the way to photograph the old trams and buy a strawberry kakigori as an after-lunch snack, I discovered that they were closed on Wednesdays! I shambled back to the station, and decided on spur of the moment that I’d pay Tokonami-san a visit.

     

 

With so much money laid down on train stuff, and having stopped at the Kato Store Kyoto earlier that morning for some more containers, I decided at this stage to forego a third Kato C12 and instead went small with a book, some Tomix containers and a packet of 0.3mm brass wire which looks to be the right diameter to fix the C59 drawbar.

The next stop happened to be a spur of the moment one, but I decided to make the trek to the HRS Märklin Store Osaka where I picked up some of the last hobby materials for this trip. By the time I got back to Kyoto, it was already approaching 10:00, and most of my favourite restaurants were finished for the night. A 7-Eleven hamburger rice bowl solved that.

 

Alastair

Edited yesterday at 12:55 PM by ED75-775

[ED75-775]

Time for more updates because I’m still a bit behind.

 

Thursday’s adventure turned out to be a trip to Saga-Arashiyama to visit the SL Hall, the Randen terminus, and the Togetsu-kyo bridge. This meant braving one of the most heavily touristed parts of Kyoto… even though it was a weekday, perhaps there might be less people? Short answer: no, not really.

 

 

Having stopped at the SL Hall on the way out, I snagged a fresh crème brûlée donut from a shop at Randen Arashiyama and headed south to the bridge. A few minutes walking beyond that brought me to the Hankyu Arashiyama station, from where I shambled back to Togetsu-kyo on my way back to the Randen station.

 

 

One of my reasons for going back to the Randen station was to try another kakigori dessert, from the same shop I’d visited last time. They’ve changed slightly and are now takeout only, but the kakigori is still just as delicious as ever! For those looking for other food options there are plenty of cafes and restaurants nearby, not more than a few pickle sellers, and, for the adults, a couple of sake shops with tasting options. I’m sure @Grant_T would enjoy that if he hasn’t already been to this area.

 

Having had my fill, I headed back to the JR station, and returned ‘home’ to Kyoto for the next round of entertainment: a running session at the now more compact Popondetta Kyoto store. Last year they’d been spread across two shop spaces diagonally across from each other; this year they’re in just one shop space, the former restaurant one, with the Kyoto layout turned through 180 degrees, the ‘main’ rental layout on the other side of the shop, and the former back room now holds most of the second-hand stock and track.

 

I had track 14 on the Kyoto layout - where I’d previously run trains in 2023 - with once again my EF65 doing the honours with the full container train this time. Much fun! Once I finished up, it was off to Gourmet Curry Spicy Marsara at Kyoto Station for dinner. They’re a nice little spot, and their curry’s tasty too.

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Today’s trip was back on track - literally - at the Kyoto Railway Museum. The weather had started off poorly but by the time I reached the museum just after 10:15, it had fined up considerably. And with a gentle cooling breeze to start off with, the heat wasn’t too bad either.

 

 

Weekdays don’t seem to be any less busy than weekends as there’s still plenty of kamikaze toddlers around with their parents, though there were also a number of school groups on site too. Steam on site that day was provided by my old friend 8630, while in the workshops was the tender of C62 2, and the boiler and chassis of C57 1 which is being overhauled to rejoin D51 200 in SL Yamaguchi service - the latter engine, it seems, is hunkered down at Shin-Yamaguchi during its month-plus-long break. I couldn’t get any photos of the C57 for @Dillon though, thanks to some awkward angles and the bird proof netting on the doors.

 

 

There was a little work going on in the roundhouse with both C62 2’s engine unit and C56 160 being worked on. When I first arrived, one of the staff was also cleaning down C59 164 too. As an added bonus, I also got to see the museum’s maintenance shifter briefly at work too - it was being put back in the working side of the roundhouse when I showed up. Weird little creature…

 

 

Having provoked some discussion about an N-scale C53, here’s the sole survivor which hasn’t run under its own power since 1960. Although semi-successful, the type lost favour with JGR management due to their complexity and the fact they were the only three-cylinder engines on the network. By the end of the Second World War, the type was kept running until 1948 by which time enough C59’s had been built to enable mass withdrawals to take place, with the last examples out of traffic by 1950.

 

 

And for my friend @SL58654号, one of the three surviving 7100-class ‘Moguls’, and the only one capable of running no less! I’ve never seen it out of the roundhouse though so clearly only a special-event engine.

 

Having wrapped up at the museum by mid-afternoon I shambled back to the hotel, then headed out after a rest looking for a 7-Eleven that might have my favourite kiwifruit soda. Finally found one (goodbye, lousy one-yen coins!), then walked back to Aeon Mall to sample the kakigori festival food trucks nearby. Dinner, not so long after, was at Spicy Marsara once again, this time a chicken cutlet curry.

 

Tomorrow, I tackle my first Japanese theme park, and hopefully get some parcels on their way.

 

Alastair

[Dillon]

Hopefully the overhaul is doing good.