What local train leaving JR Takao Station towards Otsuki?

[gmat]

Shot this yesterday, Sunday morning, as I went through Takao Station. Was hiking with my wife, so no time to take proper photos.

I can't find mention of what line this would be. Can anyone help? Is there a wiki entry?

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about this one? It was there at the same time.

 

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[SONIC883_de]

These are

 

Series 115

[gmat]

Thank you, SONIC883, but I should have been more clear. What line? Sorry.

Best wishes,

Grant

[quashlo]

Chūō Main Line

ja:http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%A4%AE%E6%9C%AC%E7%B7%9A#.E4.B8.AD.E5.A4.AE.E8.A5.BF.E7.B7.9A.EF.BC.88JR.E6.9D.B1.E6.B5.B7.EF.BC.89

en:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%AB%C5%8D_Main_Line#Takao_-_Shiojiri

 

You can also frequently catch some of the E233 series on the Chūō Line Rapid traveling well beyond Takao to Ōtsuki, Kawaguchiko, etc.

[gmat]

Thank you, quashio, for your answer. Mostly staying in Tokyo, I thought that the Chuo Line trains were the orange striped or orange trains.

 

How about the dark blue train?

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[quashlo]

These are all Chūō Main Line trains. Officially, the Chūō Main Line runs all the way from Tōkyō Station to Nagoya Station, it's just that the sections in and around Tōkyō have evolved as commuter / urban rail service. Those are more commonly recognized as the Chūō Line Rapid (orange stripe) and the Chūō Line Local (yellow stripe). West of Takao, however, the nature of the line is much more rural and you see more of the types of trains that you took pictures of. When you reach Nakatsugawa, the nature of the line changes back to more commuter / urban to serve Nagoya's metropolitan area.

[stevenh]

Grant,

If you want to ride these trains, or know the timetables, check out Hyperdia. (Sorry if this post sounds like an advertisement for them. :) )

 

I just typed in 'Takao(Tokyo)' [it provides the help to get the correct station name] to 'Otsuki' and it came up with the 'Chuo Line'. Of course, we now only know this to be correct because SONIC883 and Quashlo gave us the answers :) But if you want to know the timetables when on the run, then check this site out, highly recommended.

 

Visit Hyperdia.com

The exact search is here.

[bikkuri bahn]

These are Chuo Line local trains, mainly running along the Takao-Otsuki-Kofu-Kobuchizawa corridor, with some continuing on to Matsumoto and Nagano, on the Shinonoi Line.  The light blue/grey/white color scheme are the Nagano colors, while the the blue and cream is the classic JNR color scheme known as "suka iro", mostly associated with the (now retired) Yokosuka Line 113 units , though also seen in dwindling numbers on Boso Peninsula (Chiba Pref) local services.  Just last week I rode a Takao-Kobuchizawa 115 unit to Kofu, then after buying a box lunch at Kofu, transferred to a Kofu-Nagano service also using these 115's.  I recommend taking a trip on the Chuo/Shinonoi lines by local train, and getting off at Obasute switchback station, maybe you'll see one of the EH200 tandem locos hauling a tanker train up the grade.

[gmat]

Thank you, stevenh and bikkuri bahn,

So I would label the train as Chuo local line, Nagano colors? And in cases like these, it would be important to catch the destination sign to label which train I'm shooting, and not go by the color of the train?

Thank you for all and any help.

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[bikkuri bahn]

Thank you, stevenh and bikkuri bahn,

So I would label the train as Chuo local line, Nagano colors? And in cases like these, it would be important to catch the destination sign to label which train I'm shooting, and not go by the color of the train?

Thank you for all and any help.

 

Best wishes,

Grant

 

Yes, that's correct.  Colors are not always reliable indicators of specific destinations, though they can indicate general operating areas.  For example, the "suka iro" (blue/cream) 115 units are based at Toyoda Shed, also indicated by the ハ　トタ　designation on the lower left side on the next to the last picture of yours.  Also, in addition to any destination indicators, these units helpfully have the train numbers displayed on the front in orange LED, for example, the train in the last picture is #1457M, which is a 9:27 service from Takao to Otsuki.

[gmat]

Thank you, bikkuri bahn, your comments are always helpful. Where can you find a list of the train numbers to find out where they are going? I've resorted to shooting the departure time signs to provide English and Japanese info on the line and destination but it still means that I miss a lot. I spent about three hours twice at Ueno to sort out which trains are passing by Uesugidani Station on tracks 5 to 13. Got a firm understanding when I drew a Uesugidani track schematic and then looked at Ueno Station again.

Best wishes,

Grant

[bikkuri bahn]

Where can you find a list of the train numbers to find out where they are going?

 

In a timetable book (jikokuhyo) available at any bookstore.  Each train's number is listed at the top of the column.  This blog (Japanese) tells you how to find the train numbers and check them in the timetable:

 

http://myuziamu.web.fc2.com/jikoku.html

[gmat]

Thank you, bikkuri bahn.

Best wishes,

Grant