Passenger Car Series

[scott]

Does anybody know of a site that describes the different "series" of Blue Train passenger coaches, what trains they are/were used for, etc.?

[yakumo381]

Try http://www.uraken.net/rail/kokutetsu/blue.html

[CaptOblivious]

Scott,

 

Are you asking for a site that explains the difference, for example, among the eight-thousand variants on the venerable オハネ24? Or what the difference between a 24-series and a 25-series passenger car are? Because I frequently wonder about these distinctions.

 

I wonder if this site might help? Just found it:

http://www.jnrsite.net/PC/12k/htm/12k_frm.htm

[scott]

Are you asking for a site that explains the difference, for example, among the eight-thousand variants on the venerable オハネ24? Or what the difference between a 24-series and a 25-series passenger car are?

 

Even more of newbie question -- more like what's the differences between 10-, 14-, 20-series, etc, etc.

[keitaro]

24 series sleepers coming out from tomix btw, i'm not sure on half the difference of these types some times.

 

Is it possible that some are given a different series just becasue they run a different line and service?

 

I looked a while ago and cannot see any diffeernce some times.

[bikkuri bahn]

Are you asking for a site that explains the difference, for example, among the eight-thousand variants on the venerable オハネ24? Or what the difference between a 24-series and a 25-series passenger car are?

 

Even more of newbie question -- more like what's the differences between 10-, 14-, 20-series, etc, etc.

 

The 10 series (1955~) was the first modern post-war era group of passenger cars built for JNR.  They used a semi-monocoque structure inspired by the Swiss SBB lightweight Leichtstahlwagen coaching stock.  Included in the series were coaches, sleeping cars, dining cars, postal and parcels cars.  They were mainly used on express services.

 

The 14 series (1969/1972~) was a development of the earlier 12 series, incorporating underfloor generators for aircon, and consisted primarily of sleeping cars for limited express services (Blue Train), and coaches with reclining seats.

 

The 20 series (1958~) were the original "Blue Train" sets, inaugurated on the Asakaze service linking Tokyo with Kyushu. They relied on a generator car to supply auxiliary power for aircon, utilities, etc.

 

The 24 series (1973~) was the last series of Blue Train stock, and incorporated more individual rooms for passengers in line with changing tastes in travel.  Also the aftermath of the Hokuriku Tunnel Fire in 1972, when a underfloor generator caught fire, led to the return to the central generator system for hotel power.  As the 24 series uses 3 phase AC for aux. systems, they cannot be run with 14 series in the same train.

[scott]

Thanks, BB--that's a great summary.

[miyakoji]

central generator system for hotel power

Good info there, Bikkuri.  I've often wondered why passenger cars like this don't have a pantograph for pickup in electrified sections.  Maybe such contraptions exist somewhere in the world, but I haven't seen them.  On the other hand, I've seen the generator car of blue trains humming away while at stations.  Also, HEP is provided by locos in some places, isn't it?

 

Also, I was interested to read about the Hokuriku Tunnel Fire.  Never heard of it before.

[bikkuri bahn]

There was actually a panta-equipped generator car in the 20 series, the kani 22:

http://www.jnr-photo.com/PC20/kani22/kani222a.JPG

 

It was used first on the Hayabusa services in 1960.  Apparently the additional electrical equipment increased the axle load too much, restricting speeds on the lighter stretches of track, and also the cargo space was too small at 2t, therefore the equipment was removed sometime in the sixties.

[scott]

Maybe such contraptions exist somewhere in the world

 

Yep -- http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/ch/SBB_CFF_FFS/car/restaurant/CFF_WR-RIC_Lux_1.jpg

[keitaro]

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10141292 what should I be running to pull this ?

 

Anyone know I was thinking of being different and going from a de10 or steamer

[bikkuri bahn]

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10141292 what should I be running to pull this ?

 

Anyone know I was thinking of being different and going from a de10 or steamer

 

Typically (prototype), an electric locomotive or perhaps a dd51.  In a coach yard, perhaps a de10.  But it's your railway, so run it with whatever you want.

[keitaro]

haha yeah since I can buy trains again in a few months this coincides with that.

 

I'm tossing up my options on what I want to invest in.

 

 

since I don't have any japanese steamer yet I'm considering the new kato as that on re-release soon and so is the new tomix one.

 

or the E5 hayabusa haha

[scott]

Going by the garbled translation on that page, it sounds like these are for the Nihonkai and Akebono blue trains. So an EF81 would be good, or an ED75 or ED79 if you're modeling Tohoku. Actually, I wouldn't mind having that set myself.

[keitaro]

hmm kato are doing a new ef81 in may.

 

although i don't have an electric line at this time. so many choices

[CaptOblivious]

Blue trains have also been hauled out of Ueno station (which I saw mentioned in the garbled translation…) by EF65's, EF62's, and EF64's.

[keitaro]

fair enough i ordered an ed62 and the new 24 series on preorder now to wait till july

 

 

edit -- idiot i am wrote wrong model