JR Central - Narai to Nagoya on the Nakasendo Train

[miyakoji]

Well I hear crickets, so I'm going to try to make some noise today . First up, a video by dbz586601. He's one of the best uploaders I've found for coverage of JR Central and Tokai-area private railways, and he's been quite prolific over the past week or so with dozens of uploads of run-bys as well as a few zenmen tenbou videos.

 

Here we have JR Central's Nakasendo Train, a new special service apparently classified as a kyuko (non-limited express, with a lower surcharge) on the Chuo West Line run with the former Asagiri 371 Series rolling stock. This two-part video is a ride departing Narai at 3:42 PM, which is over halfway to Nagano from Nagoya. The Shinano limited express uses the same route.

 

Plenty of footage of rural scenery in the first video, and in the second, a cool night view, particularly towards the end. The departure at Tajimi, the last stop before Nagoya, is at 28:15, and by this point the sun has set. I think at 39:00 they're passing Jinryo Station and Depot. The approach to Nagoya starts around 46:50, passing under the #2 Nagoya Loop Highway, and crossing the Shonai River just after that. This river is the northeastern border of the city, and past that is Shin-Moriyama, the first station in the city limits.

 

Have a look at the link below about the Nakasendo, very interesting. It appears that the modern Chuo West Line is roughly parallel, just as the Tokaido Main Line and Shinkansen are parallel to the historical Tokaido.

 

Narai to Ena

 

Ena to Nagoya

 

 

map of the five historical routes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JP_-Gokaido.png

the Nakasendo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakasend%C5%8D

Ena Station: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ena_Station

the train's schedule on ekikara.jp: http://ekikara.jp/newdata/detail/2301021/68553.htm

[Sacto1985]

Interesting tidbit: note the train travels at a much more leisurely pace than the JR Central 383 Series EMU's running the Shinano limited express train on this route. It must be the lack of the tilting feature, which allows for much faster speeds through the curves on the Chūō Main Line between Shiojiri and Nagoya with the 383's.

 

Indeed, compare the videos you posted with the much faster speed of the Shinano train as shown by this zenmen tenbou video by YouTube member raraemondayo777:

 

Edited October 27, 2013 by Sacto1985