JNR "Asama" Limited Express, Takasaki to Nagano

[Sacto1985]

Here is something that is truly a rare find, posted by YouTuber member noahzo2:

 

 

This is the JNR Asama limited express from Takasaki to Nagano Stations, a zenmen tenbou video taken from the cab of a 189 Series EMU trainset in 1984. Though the video is of very poor quality by today's standards (given the quality of video cameras back then!), you can easily see the various stations along the way along with a trip (geographic westbound) through Usui Pass, which closed in 1997 when the current Nagano (soon to be Hokuriku) Shinkansen line opened.

 

By the way, given that 115 Series EMU's went through Usui Pass on "local" service, I'm actually a tad surprised I haven't seen anyone record a zenmen tenbou video between 1994 and 1997 between Karuizawa and Yokokawa Stations from a 115 going through Usui Pass.

[Guest keio6000]

 

very cool. just a reminder folks, you can save such videos for offline viewer using "YTD Video downloader."  it works well and is free (i have no relation to this company). 

 

(the image i used above is an asama 189, but i didn't check to see if asama ran in this livery or traditional jnr livery at the time of this video)

Edited December 21, 2014 by keio6000

[E6系]

Hello Mr keio6000,

 

Ochanomizu started a thread on downloading YouTube and other videos here: http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/7923-downloading-youtube-video/?hl=ssyoutube

 

The way he does it is very simple and easy to follow.

 

Others have shared their methods in the same thread.  Perhaps you could add the YTD Video Downloader to the thread?

[Davo Dentetsu]

I must say that was an incredible bit of foresight to record such a trip back then for posterity.  Can't have been a cheap hobby back then!

[westfalen]

I started shooting video in 1986 with a Sony 8mm camcorder, while not up to today's HD cameras the results were much better than the above video. It looks like it may have be copied and recopied a few times, in those pre-digital days every time you copied a video the copy lost a bit of quality.

[Sacto1985]

keio6000, I think given the video was originally recorded in 1984, it's more than likely the 189 Series EMU was using the red-and-light tan colors used by JNR limited express trains since the early 1960's. It was only after the JNR breakup in 1987 that the 189 Series EMU on the Asama run was painted into the colors you showed.

[kvp]

The biggest problem with the video is not the analog quality, but the digitalization. It has been sampled to 360p, while the original had a 480i vertical quality. (only the horizontal quality was half with analog camcorders) Also it looks to be compressed with a video cd encoder, in a low bitrate format. If someone has the original, it is possible to encode it to full vga (480p) or better with variable bitrate mpeg2 or 4 with proper deinterlacing. That would give a very similar quality as a low end mobile phone nowdays. Hi8 even has the better quality, so no horizontal data loss either. Sampling it in the native data format without mpeg compresson, then doing the deinterlacing and then converting up to a higher resolution format before compressing could result in very good quality movies. (If someone has an analog recording of the same video please try to upload it.)

[bikkuri bahn]

I'm actually a tad surprised I haven't seen anyone record a zenmen tenbou video between 1994 and 1997 between Karuizawa and Yokokawa Stations from a 115 going through Usui Pass.

 

That's because 113/115 are crap for videoing out the front- first of all, the interior and exterior windows are small. and often the center door window has the blinds down (especially back in JNR/early JR days- this is from experience).

[Guest keio6000]

 

now that is a cool video  (although it starts mid-stream and it rains at some point).

 

what is truly amazing is that we don't really have such videos for, say, the tokaido shinkansen.

[bikkuri bahn]

JR Tokai rarely gives permission for filming from the cab on the Tokaido Shinkansen.  Other companies are more accommodating.

Edited December 23, 2014 by bikkuri bahn

[kvp]

 

what is truly amazing is that we don't really have such videos for, say, the tokaido shinkansen.

The main reason could be that shinkansen rarely have front doors with glass in them. Afaik this was recorded on one of the high cab emus (imho the same type we see going the other direction) when it was still allowed for passengers to stand there during the trip. The tunnel has since been reconfigured for dual gauge shinkansen operation, so it would be interesting to see the new entry and exit routes from the viewpoint of the trains.

[Guest keio6000]

The main reason could be that shinkansen rarely have front doors with glass in them. Afaik this was recorded on one of the high cab emus (imho the same type we see going the other direction) when it was still allowed for passengers to stand there during the trip. The tunnel has since been reconfigured for dual gauge shinkansen operation, so it would be interesting to see the new entry and exit routes from the viewpoint of the trains.

 

well sure, of course i anticipate this being done 'officially' by JR central/west.

[Sacto1985]

Reviving this old message thread, here's a vastly higher-quality zenmen tenbou video of the trip over Usui Pass, taken from the cab of a 189 Series EMU from Yokokawa to Karuizawa Stations:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLC_kEQKTzg

 

Note the very steep grade through Usui Pass once you leave Yokokawa Station all the way to Karuizawa Station. Small wonder why when they decided on the Shinkansen route through the that elevated plain south of Mount Asama to Nagano, the original route considered was far south of Karuizawa, since it would need far lower grades to enter the east end of that plain. It was the availability of Shinkansen trainsets that could handle steeper grades that made it possible to route the Shinkansen line through Karuizawa itself.

Edited June 7, 2016 by Sacto1985

[Densha]

Thanks! At 13:00 the remains of Kumanotaira Station (熊ノ平駅) can be seen. I had no idea there had been a station in the middle of the Usui Pass. According to Wikipedia, it was degraded to a signal station already in 1966.

[HantuBlauLOL]

Reviving this old message thread, here's a vastly higher-quality zenmen tenbou video of the trip over Usui Pass, taken from the cab of a 189 Series EMU from Yokokawa to Karuizawa Stations:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLC_kEQKTzg

 

Note the very steep grade through Usui Pass once you leave Yokokawa Station all the way to Karuizawa Station. Small wonder why when they decided on the Shinkansen route through the that elevated plain south of Mount Asama to Nagano, the original route considered was far south of Karuizawa, since it would need far lower grades to enter the east end of that plain. It was the availability of Shinkansen trainsets that could handle steeper grades that made it possible to route the Shinkansen line through Karuizawa itself.

 

 

have someone downloaded this video yet? it's down now, i wanted to see it

 

haven't seen any good quality zenmen tenbou videos for this line..