Kururi Line changing of the guard, exclusively E130 operation from Dec. 2

[bikkuri bahn]

Yesterday at Yokota Station loop, this used to be a tablet exchange point:

 

Selected scenes of kiha 30 in three car formation:

[Densha]

The first video is on the last day of the old Kiha services right?

It's really a pity to see them go, the new Kiha 130-100's are not really my type. Especially the color scheme, why not make a specific color scheme for this line that actually looks good and is based on the now retired Kiha's? The Kiha110 was the last JR East Kiha that actually looked good, in terms of color schemes at least. JR East sorta lost it on that lately.

[Sacto1985]

I believe the color schemes on the now-retired KiHa's are essentially the ones used by the old JNR. They'll be missed, since the old KiHa's were arguably among the oldest DMU's still in revenue passenger service in Japan.

[Densha]

Yeah, but the white, blue, yellow livery on the Kiha37s and 38s seems to be doable on a modern DMU, even with some changes in the design. At least reusing colours should make it better. And actually I think any livery is better than those of the Kiha120/130 lookalikes.

[Densha]

http://hanadanna.exblog.jp/18988977/

:(

[Sacto1985]

Densha, are those old DMU's heading straight to the scrapyard? 

[Densha]

That's what I can make up from the google translation yes. :(

But I find them so old they should rather be placed or given to some sort of museum or organization.

[bikkuri bahn]

There were rumors that a kiha 30 would be acquired by Isumi Railway.  Hopefully JR East will keep one of the kiha 30's for their museum collection- the type is historically significant.

[Densha]

Yeah. I thought there were some Kiha30's preserved already, but I don't know about the Kiha37/38's. How many (and which) old Kiha's were actually in service on the Kururi line?

[bikkuri bahn]

Well, there were three kiha 30's- nos. 62, 98, and 100. Just this Tuesday two of the kiha 30's (nos. 98 and 100) along with the kiha 37 and 38's were hauled to Niitsu.

 

On the Musashino Freight Branch:

 

At Kuroiso, the train later proceeded on the Ban-etsu Sai Line to Niitsu:

 

Various locations on the Ban-etsu Sai Line:

 

*one video has a comment stating that these units are going to the Mizushima Rinkai Railway at a later date. Let's hope.

 

*a tweet has 6 units (kiha37/38/30) indeed going to Mizushima, to replace the kiha 20's currently used, sometime next year...

https://twitter.com/yokohamamikoto/status/275519990281691136

[Densha]

Do you know how many Kiha37 and Kiha 38 they have/had?

 

Let's hope the information is correct, but would that result in the Kiha20's being scrapped? We don't want that too. ;)