Another old JNR era soldier retires

[bikkuri bahn]

Somewhat overlooked in the brouhaha over the last runs of the night trains Noto and Hokuriku was the retirement of the kiha 52 diesel railcars on the non-electrified portion of the Oito Line in Nagano and Niigata Prefecture.  These will be replaced by JR West kiha 120 units or as I call them, "wafu pacers".  Sometimes newer isn't always better...

 

Anyway, I regret never having visited this line and riding these trains, but this line is located in a remote corner of JR West territory, basically on the back side of Honshu.  Here is a nice compilation of scenes of kiha 52 units working their final winter.  I especially like the scene at Nechi Station (starting at about 3:34) where you can hear the marvelous knocking sound of the DMH17 engines at idle (also apparent at 6:46):

 

[Kabutoni]

Ah damn. I wanted to ride these the next time in Japan! D: One line to scrap off the list...

[disturbman]

Too bad. By the way, what is the train we can see the front at the end of the video? A 715?

[Kabutoni]

Too bad. By the way, what is the train we can see the front at the end of the video? A 715?

Almost right, it's a 419. ;)

[disturbman]

What's the difference? Different type of electrical pickup?

[westfalen]

I had the opportunity to ride the line in 1998 I believe the line had just been reopened after being closed for some time due to flooding. The first video is what I took from the train, the second is a bit of activity in Itoigawa yard while we were waiting for our next train. I'm surprised to hear these old cars were still running 12 years after I saw them. In a way it's good to see JR West investing money in the furthest flung reaches of the system but it's still a shame to see them go. Nice to see that they seem to have been repainted into more traditional paint schemes before the end.