DF200 tests on Sekihoku Line onion trains + bonus

[bikkuri bahn]

Last month testing occured with a DF200 diesel on the winter-season (and perennially threatened) Sekihoku Line onion trains.  As JR Freight's public reason for discontinuance of this train was the life-expiration of the dd51 motive power, successful replacement with the DF200 may prolong this interesting service.

 

At Engaru (movement begins at about 0:45):

 

And for all you kiha 40 fans, a warm season scene on the Sekihoku Line, at Jomon.  4 car train 4653D, an Engaru-Abashiri service, reminiscent of JNR era express trains:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dihx7bMNNIg

[Nick_Burman]

Last month testing occured with a DF200 diesel on the winter-season (and perennially threatened) Sekihoku Line onion trains.  As JR Freight's public reason for discontinuance of this train was the life-expiration of the dd51 motive power, successful replacement with the DF200 may prolong this interesting service.

 

BB, wasn't the public excuse the state (rather, age) of the container flats?

 

Cheers NB

Edited April 26, 2013 by Nick_Burman

[cteno4]

What are those container flats?

 

Thanks

 

Jeff

[bikkuri bahn]

Nick, all the newspaper reports mention the age of the dd51 locomotives, I haven't heard about the flats.  I reckon the flats are an easy replacement.  Honestly, I think JRF wants to get rid of the remaining dd51 based in Hokkaido as soon as possible, and more importantly, get out of freight service on branch and secondary lines, as well as hauling freight that doesn't move in containers (i.e. tank cars).  They are IMO, pursuing a downsizing strategy in their business plan, despite their "eco" rhetoric and talk of modal shift.

[miyakoji]

Bikkuri, around 2004 I think it was, I met a travel writer who said that environmental regulations would make JRF more competitive and their business would improve. I assume it would have made road transport more expensive, I don't know exactly, but do you know if any such regs have come to pass over the last 10 years or so?

 

Also, do you know how much JRF has to pay to the passenger JRs for track usage? Not in exact numbers, but is it reasonable relative to the actual wear and tear, personnel needing to plan schedules, etc, or is it excessively high? Such things are rarely low :)

[Nick_Burman]

as well as hauling freight that doesn't move in containers. 

 

This doesn't tally up with what I see from here through videos. Although JRF is trying to containerize everything in the land, they are still interested in other non container traffic...provided (I believe) the customer foots the lolly for the rolling stock. Otherwise JRF wouldn't have bothered testing new limestone hoppers for Nagoya-area flows and would have given Toho Zinc "the finger" rather than accepting TZ's new zinc slurry tank wagons. Concerning tank cars, I feel that JRF is trying to phase out all under-100kph speed tank cars (that is, anything other than TaKi1000 cars) - which seem to have been sent to Hokkaido exactly to cope with "dying" traffic flows.

 

 

Cheers NB

Edited April 27, 2013 by Nick_Burman