Seven Stars in Kyushu full trainset test

[cteno4]

Sad as a really good designer could still appeal to this audience while at the same time making the space no seem small and uncomfortable. Done all the time in yachts. There are going to be a lot of bruised shoulders on that train.

 

Jeff

Edited September 15, 2013 by cteno4

[westfalen]

The railfan in me would rather catch an all stations local over the same routes anyway, even if the price was within my reach.

[E6系]

 

Apparently Jaguar has copied JR Kyushu styling ...  

[bikkuri bahn]

Apparently Jaguar has copied JR Kyushu styling

No way man, that Jag is a pure ripoff of the Mitsuoka Himiko

[Kabutoni]

Buongiorno a tutti!

 

[Ronny]

Alfa Romeo style!!!

[Densha]

Not trying to whine, but didn't I already made that suggestion on the first page?

[Kabutoni]

Not trying to whine, but didn't I already made that suggestion on the first page?

 

Sssssh! Don't spoil the fun!

 

[Ronny]

Densha I remark your suggestion.

[Mudkip Orange]

Difference is the Jag, the Alfa etc actually have a friggin' engine in there, so there's a reason to have a grille for ventilation.

 

Honestly the interiors of these trains look like mobile homes to me. I realize that's a particuilarly American interpretation but seriously 90% of the time you see that sort of oak paneling it's a doublewide. The crystal furniture and whatnot doesn't help the effect.

[bikkuri bahn]

Honestly the interiors of these trains look like mobile homes to me.

All the better to attract the geezer crowd. :)

 

*as for me, give me a lower berth on a B Shindai, and I'm happy.  After arising, sitting on a pull down seat in the corridor while watching the sun rise is my idea of a fine overnight train journey.

Edited September 19, 2013 by bikkuri bahn

[westfalen]

All the better to attract the geezer crowd. :)

 

*as for me, give me a lower berth on a B Shindai, and I'm happy.  After arising, sitting on a pull down seat in the corridor while watching the sun rise is my idea of a fine overnight train journey.

And peeking out in the middle of the night at some country station to watch the railwaymen going about their business and half asleep people seeing off or picking up friends and family off the train, or looking out of the little window of an upper berth in a twin compartment on the Hokutosei to watch snow covered Tohoku countryside roll by.  The first of those is true no matter what country you're in.

 

Sadly most overnight trains remaining in the world these days cater to the geezers rather than normal travellers, spend the day seeing the tourist spots in one city then a quick overnight sprint to the next, not the best way to travel if you actually want to see the railway.

[bikkuri bahn]

And peeking out in the middle of the night at some country station...

Indeed.  My most recent experience was on a 583 series (A shindai lower berth)- snow-covered mountain valleys lit by moonlight between Maibara and Tsuruga, with minimal light pollution from the train- something I may never experience seeing again, at least in such a style of train.

[cteno4]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/10/03/business/jr-kyushu-raising-rate-for-seven-stars-train/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jr-kyushu-raising-rate-for-seven-stars-train#.Uk2tHoy9KSM

[Densha]

Lol. Should I interpret that they just have such a high demand they are able to change the price? Even if they lose a few customers now they have more than enough anyway.

 

And seeing the DF200 is daylight makes it look even worse than in the shed...

[westfalen]

That's $8393 in Australian money!  That would get me about 140 nights at Toyoko Inn, not factoring in Toyoko Inn member discounts.

[bikkuri bahn]

That would get me about 140 nights at Toyoko Inn,

And with that, 140 days of trainwatching, you can only dream... :)

[gmat]

Tonight's NHK's news said that the Seven Stars in Kyushu suffered a number of scrapes on its side as it made a test run. In English it said that the train is 2 cm wider but graphics seem to indicate that it is much wider, perhaps he meant 20cm wider.

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[cteno4]

Ha sounds like the acela!

 

Jeff

[bikkuri bahn]

First revenue run today:

[westfalen]

Did they mention how many passengers they had on the first run?

[miyakoji]

It says 14 groups of 28 people, unless I'm misunderstanding that and it's to be added up. I don't think so. Given the fare, that's probably enough.

[cteno4]

interesting western press trip review

 

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/ryokan-on-rails-20131211-2z5be.html

 

jeff

[Keikyu]

I like the deep maroon color it has, but man is it expensive.

[cteno4]

Seven Stars train off to rolling start in Kyushu

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/12/19/national/seven-stars-train-off-to-rolling-start-in-kyushu/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=seven-stars-train-off-to-rolling-start-in-kyushu#.UrNErShAd9k

Edited December 19, 2013 by cteno4