Back in Japan Again

[westfalen]

Matsuyama station.

 

 

[miyakoji]

Why are those ex-Keio trains so popular with the small private railways?  Were they inexpensive, retired early with plenty of life left, etc?

[bikkuri bahn]

Why are those ex-Keio trains so popular with the small private railways?  Were they inexpensive, retired early with plenty of life left, etc?

They have the Tokyu-built Budd-license shotwelded corrugated stainless steel bodies, which are extremely durable and sturdy platforms, new running gear and electricals can be easily added, giving an almost new trainset to the new owners.

[katoftw]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7nILXnslaE

 

Botchan Ressha in action switching.  I love the bit where the driver of the tram behind runs out to help them hand shunt the cars.  That is teamwork.

 

Thanks for sharing your photos.  I wont make it this trip.  But it is on the list to do.  you are making me realize my future trip is too short. haha

 

You hearing a Ipswich modellers shirt that day?

Edited May 31, 2014 by katoftw

[Sacto1985]

It was a bit crowded at times with one lot of seats removed to make way for the model train display but a group of 22 Australians didn't help much.  The trains did appear to be stuck to the track but I couldn't see how.  Included in the case were a Tenshodo C58 and C11, a rough calculation I made wouldn't give much change out of $10,000 for the trains in the case.

 

That must have been a bit startling to the locals to see 22 Westerners riding that special train....

[westfalen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7nILXnslaE

 

Botchan Ressha in action switching.  I love the bit where the driver of the tram behind runs out to help them hand shunt the cars.  That is teamwork.

 

Thanks for sharing your photos.  I wont make it this trip.  But it is on the list to do.  you are making me realize my future trip is too short. haha

 

You hearing a Ipswich modellers shirt that day?

I got video of the shunting, it was interesting watching them getting it done in between the regular tram services.

 

No trip to Japan is long enough.

 

I usually wear the club shirts, they are a good ice breaker if I meat any local modellers, and they have two big pockets for carrying rail passes and all the other junk I seem to collect.

[westfalen]

Travelled from Matsuyama to Toyama today with a stop in Okayama to ride the trams there.

 

 

[miyakoji]

Okayama is a great place with great food.  Did you get any?  :)

 

Also: presumably your journey to Toyama was by shinkansen and Thunderbird limited express.  Where did you transfer?

Edited June 1, 2014 by miyakoji

[westfalen]

Okayama is a great place with great food.  Did you get any?  :)

 

Also: presumably your journey to Toyama was by shinkansen and Thunderbird limited express.  Where did you transfer?

We only had a couple of hours in Okayama and spent most of that riding trams so just had some sandwiches from a station kiosk.

 

Hikari 427/Thunderbird 23.  My room mate on the trip and I made the 8 minute change at Shin-Osaka but the rest of the group changed at Kyoto where they had 15 minutes.

[Sacto1985]

Speaking of which, how is the seating comfort of the Thunderbird train with its 2+2 seating? Don't forget as of March 2015 the Thunderbird train will terminate at Kanazawa, though the extended services to Wakura Onsen will obviously continue.

[katoftw]

Are you reserving seats, or just hitting the unreserved and doing your thing around japan?

[Kitayama]

With a Japan Rail Pass there is no reason for travelling unreserved. I and two friends have just done a two weeks trip in Japan. We reserved all Shinkansen and Limited Express, sometimes just 15 minutes before departure. However, on one train only six rows were reserved (almost every seat occupied) and the unreserved area empty. With a Rail Pass, you can move to the unreserved area and "forget" to show the reservation ticket.

[westfalen]

Speaking of which, how is the seating comfort of the Thunderbird train with its 2+2 seating? Don't forget as of March 2015 the Thunderbird train will terminate at Kanazawa, though the extended services to Wakura Onsen will obviously continue.

We've put in a few hundred kilometers on Thunderbirds over the last two days as well as previous trips and they are a nice train to ride, JR Kyushu could take lessons.

 

One thing I think they should do is make the on-train melody the "Thunderbirds are Go" theme from the TV show. :)

[westfalen]

Are you reserving seats, or just hitting the unreserved and doing your thing around japan?

A bit of each depending on the situation, like how long we have for connections or the length of the journey. We've had no trouble with the 22 of us finding unreserved seats on the Sanyo Shinkansens.  Yesterday for example we had reservations from Matsuyama to Okayama, unreserved on the Hikari from Okayama to Kyoto (started from Okayama so plenty of seats) and reserved on the Thunderbird from there to Toyama because we only had 15 minutes connection time and wanted to be sure of getting seats.

 

When I'm here on my own I usually only reserve seats where it is necessary such as the Narita Express.

[westfalen]

Rode the Fukutetsu and Manyo lines today with an evening trip by me on the JR Johanna Line to colour in another line I hadn't done.  Caught the Twilight Express arriving at Fukui this morning, there were lots of railfans along the line to photograph its passing.

 

 

[Bernard]

Looks like you're having a great time...what is the 4th photo on the top of the "pink engine with the platform"?

[bikkuri bahn]

Catenary maintenance vehicle?

[Densha]

One thing I think they should do is make the on-train melody the "Thunderbirds are Go" theme from the TV show. :)

Lol. The name is actually derived from this bird: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%81%E3%83%A7%E3%82%A6

It's called raichou in Japan which literally means 'thunderbird'.

[westfalen]

Catenary maintenance vehicle?

Yes, on the Fukutetsu. It is one of the centre cab diesel shunters you see everywhere with tower mounted on it for overhead maintenance.

[westfalen]

Lol. The name is actually derived from this bird: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%81%E3%83%A7%E3%82%A6

It's called raichou in Japan which literally means 'thunderbird'.

I know that. :)   I just think it would be nice, the Japanese do stranger things.

[Guest ___]

With a Japan Rail Pass there is no reason for travelling unreserved. I and two friends have just done a two weeks trip in Japan. We reserved all Shinkansen and Limited Express, sometimes just 15 minutes before departure. However, on one train only six rows were reserved (almost every seat occupied) and the unreserved area empty. With a Rail Pass, you can move to the unreserved area and "forget" to show the reservation ticket.

 

I see little reason to reserve seats with the railpass. Both on my recent trip to Matsuyama last month and six months back to Sapporo, I reserved tickets for all segments and in almost every occassion found I was returning or heading off to other points without using my reserve return ticket. I have litterally a stack of a dozen plus reserved tickets unused that came back home with me.

[JR 500系]

I see little reason to reserve seats with the railpass.

 

Sorry but there certainly is. Some train are reservation only, and some trains like the Railstar you'll get stuck with a 3+2 sitting configuration if you go un-reserved, while the reservation gets you more comfortable seats in the 2+2 sitting configuration. Most drastic will be the E4, if you don't reserve seat you'll get the nasty 3+3 seating configuration, and if it's pack, you'll even need to sit on the lower deck which sucks quite big time cause most of the time you'll be looking at people's beautiful feet and shoes, or the parapet wall...

 

Anyhow, it's free to reserve seats with the Railpass so why not? You'll ensure you get the seats, plus a lovely ticket to bring home memories. I have a stack of reserved tickets too, but stamped upon and sign after checking by the conductor. Some stamps do look very good!  

[westfalen]

Kurobe Gorge and Toyama Chiho Railway today.

Edited June 3, 2014 by westfalen

[Densha]

The cabs of those locos must be horrible to work in: so little space!

[westfalen]

It might be ok for a Japanese person but I don't think I could even fit through the cab door.