Gakuentoshi Line views before electrified service starts

[bikkuri bahn]

Well, as miyakoji is likened to say, "it's a bit quiet on the prototype side", and to prevent this forum from becoming a DCC scuttlebutt corner, here's something from my corner of the world.  The Gakuentoshi Line (aka Sassho Line) is due to be converted to EMU service in June, first with 70% of services electrified, and fully electrified by autumn. The unique feature of this line is long trains of 6 or 7 car diesel units on the rush hour services.  These will be history within the year.

 

Overall view of the line:

 

Some scenes on the then un-electrified (and single track) portion past Ainosato Koen.  This now has catenary, confirmed on my excursion today.

*at 1:41, a train crossing the Ishikari River on a massive truss bridge.

 

The portion of the line past Hokkaido Iiryou Daigaku will remain unelectrified, hosting only 3 trains/direction in a day.  Here is the single railcar at Ishikari Tobetsu being coupled onto the Sapporo bound train.  This scene will disappear also.  

[The_Ghan]

I especially like the third video bikkuri.  Thanks for posting.

 

I notice the guard tested the coupler three times but, to me, it seemed odd that the mechanic with the brightly coloured helmet opened the diaphram while the guard was the one doing the work that could have resulted in a head injury.  I also expected a bit more point and say.  Nonetheless, very informative video.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[westfalen]

I'll see if I can dig out my winter time footage from Feb 2006 when I spent a week riding all the passenger lines in Hokkaido I hadn't yet been over. It will be interesting to see how long the last section stays open, three trains a day hardly seem profitably though there is probably a subsidy to carry school students.

[keitaro]

is that the same kiha that the hidaka line used?

[miyakoji]

is that the same kiha that the hidaka line used?

 

 

In the videos, it's KIHA40s and KIHA141s, I don't know much about the Hidaka Main Line but all the images on wikipedia show KIHA40s.

[Mudkip Orange]

.

[westfalen]

Some shots from my trip up the line in February 2006.