New NHK World show: Japan Railway Journal

[cteno4]

3 hours ago, Kansen Tsushin said:

It actually occurred to me that the programme on NHK isn't actually catered for transport enthusiasts, but rather tourists who either want to experience train journys in Japan. It then make sense to make content about trains stations that have art installations, packed lunches for trains, themed carriages, etc, rather than the technical aspects that you may expect from a train show. The same could be said about Train Cruise, since it's about the journey and not the train itself.

i think they split the difference some realizing they have a train culture like no where else and that is intrinsically interesting as well as ties in big to tourism with trains and just coming to japan to experience a culture with a lot of unique aspects.

 

interesting note, maybe once every month or two a friend who is not into trains at all but know I am will contact me about cool Japanese train show they saw (one of the nhk series) and they proceed to enthusiastically tell me about the unique aspects of the trains focused on and remember only small bits of the tourism back story. I think it’s the uniqueness of the trains that sticks and is different and new to them as most all are now steeped in tourism in media and personal travels. Always fun as they end up surprised having a little conversation about trains when it was something they never thought interesting. Love those moments. Just goes to show how curiosity can totally screw up what marketers take as gospel.

 

jeff

[Kansen Tsushin]

1 hour ago, cteno4 said:

In the 90s the film studio I was working with was starting to do more PBS natural history specials and the execs at pbs were screaming that their young adults now grew up on video games and had zero capacity for attention/focus and there was no way then to ever get it so everything had to be in 30 second bits. I would ask how can we tell any sort of a connecting story for the special if everything in 30 second bits. At that point they didn’t care about story, only micro drama in 30 seconds. I would also ask how do you expect anyone to have any attention span if you just feed then 30 second bits max and they would say well that’s what the numbers tell them so you just have to do it. Well it’s a self fulfilling loop as how can you test if there is attention span capability if none of the content you produce has anything past 30 seconds. If culture says only tiny bits are good and that’s all you are fed well that’s what you get. Social media looped into this following on video games and an increasingly frenetic technology culture.

 

thanks for discussing this, I’ve spent decades working on this sort of stuff professionally and discussing it with folks I work with, but these days it’s seen as heresy and sedition. I’ve actually had folks yell at me lately when I put forth we need to know what we want to say very clearly before we figure out how we are going to say it.

Weirdly, the trend is now towards short form content with the likes of TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, so the newer generation have come to embrace such a format.

Anyways, no worries! It's good to have a good discussion! Apologies for sending it a bit off-topic!

[cteno4]

Yes all makes sense if you are only fed little pieces everywhere it becomes the trend then culture, self fulfilling.

 

thanks, that’s ok we wander here now and then. In this case it’s germane for topic at hand, just expanded.

 

jeff

[Arctic]

Is this a new episode coming soon?

 

Tobu Railway: Restoring a Steam Locomotive

 

Tobu Railway operates 12 routes in the greater Tokyo area and runs a tourist train pulled by SL Taiju steam locomotives in Tochigi Prefecture. Until now, Tobu Railway ran 2 steam locomotives, however, to enhance the operation of the popular train, the company decided to restore a museum condition steam locomotive from Hokkaido Prefecture. The restoration was expected to take 2 years, but the body was more damaged than they had anticipated. Half of the parts, including the boiler, needed to be rebuilt, which in total took 3 years. See all the work that was done for the first time in 47 years to restore the old iron horse.

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/japanrailway/20220526/2049111/

[bobbodaclown]

New Episode!

 

Tobu Railway: Restoring a Steam Locomotive

May 27, 2022

 

Tobu Railway operates 12 routes in the greater Tokyo area and runs a tourist train pulled by SL Taiju steam locomotives in Tochigi Prefecture. Until now, Tobu Railway ran 2 steam locomotives, however, to enhance the operation of the popular train, the company decided to restore a museum condition steam locomotive from Hokkaido Prefecture. The restoration was expected to take 2 years, but the body was more damaged than they had anticipated. Half of the parts, including the boiler, needed to be rebuilt, which in total took 3 years. See all the work that was done for the first time in 47 years to restore the old iron horse.

[bobbodaclown]

1 minute ago, Arctic said:

Is this a new episode coming soon?

 

Snap! Yes it is.

Edited May 19, 2022 by bobbodaclown

[bobbodaclown]

New Episode!

 

Working on the Move by Rail

June 10, 2022

 

The pandemic has accelerated the trend of remote work and web conferences, but this has led to a decrease in commuting and business trips. To make a comeback, JR companies are offering share offices and spaces inside station facilities, and on the shinkansen (such as the Tokaido and Tohoku shinkansen), passengers can participate in online meetings and calls. Also, other railway companies are creating workspaces at stations located in residential areas. See how railway companies are coming up with unique ideas to meet the growing demand for new work styles and overcome these difficult times.

[Kansen Tsushin]

On 5/19/2022 at 11:00 AM, bobbodaclown said:

New Episode!

 

Tobu Railway: Restoring a Steam Locomotive

May 27, 2022

 

Tobu Railway operates 12 routes in the greater Tokyo area and runs a tourist train pulled by SL Taiju steam locomotives in Tochigi Prefecture. Until now, Tobu Railway ran 2 steam locomotives, however, to enhance the operation of the popular train, the company decided to restore a museum condition steam locomotive from Hokkaido Prefecture. The restoration was expected to take 2 years, but the body was more damaged than they had anticipated. Half of the parts, including the boiler, needed to be rebuilt, which in total took 3 years. See all the work that was done for the first time in 47 years to restore the old iron horse.

Nice to see both Cathy Cat and Ryo out on location for once...

[bobbodaclown]

New Episode!

 

Speeding Toward Carbon-Free Railways

June 17, 2022

 

Japan has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. To honor this commitment, Japan's railway companies have begun various initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. JR East is now testing a hydrogen hybrid train powered by fuel cells, and JR Central is working on a next-generation biodiesel fuel train. Other private railway companies have also begun using renewable energy sources to run their trains and stations. See how the railway industry is making things greener by researching and developing the latest technologies.

[katoftw]

I didn't know Tobu had gotten a second C11.

 

Pretty good getting some newbies in to learn from the Sappu Metalworks company in Osaka.  The 30 year age gap between the two group gave me an inturnal chuckle.  But those skills need to be past on, or else they are lost.

[Kansen Tsushin]

On 6/9/2022 at 11:00 PM, bobbodaclown said:

New Episode!

 

Speeding Toward Carbon-Free Railways

June 17, 2022

 

Japan has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. To honor this commitment, Japan's railway companies have begun various initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. JR East is now testing a hydrogen hybrid train powered by fuel cells, and JR Central is working on a next-generation biodiesel fuel train. Other private railway companies have also begun using renewable energy sources to run their trains and stations. See how the railway industry is making things greener by researching and developing the latest technologies.

 
Good episode. I guess the fuelcell trains can't be used in areas where these is snow for risk of making the tracks icy.
Also noticed that there is more and more voiceover in the episode and less visual appearences from the hosts.

[katoftw]

Probably more to do with those systems unable to operate in those low to freezing temps.

Edited June 16, 2022 by katoftw

[Kansen Tsushin]

On 6/16/2022 at 11:41 PM, katoftw said:

Probably more to do with those systems unable to operate in those low to freezing temps.

Then maybe Hydrogen in the Kyushu areas and biofuel in the northern parts like Hokkaido?

[bobbodaclown]

New Episode!

 

Must-see Railway News: The First Half of 2022

July 15, 2022

 

See railway-related news from across Japan, covered by NHK from January to June 2022. Join us as we look back at evolving railways, popular tourist and commemorative trains, the last run and a train given a second chance. For evolving railways, see the introduction of AI technology at Tokyu Railways's Jiyugaoka Station and automatic train operation on JR's Yamanote Line. Also, get a glimpse behind the scenes of railway operations and visit the unique 75-year-old salesperson at Yuri Kogen Railway's last stop - Yashima Station, who always brings a smile to visitors' faces.

[arkh]

Thanks for the heads-up on the new episode. I try to check these on my own but I always miss them since it seems a bit random when they decide to air a new one. Curious to see which trains are going to be featured exactly in that first half. 

Edited July 9, 2022 by arkh

[Kansen Tsushin]

Another new episode!

Kosaka Railroad: A Second Chance for a Discontinued Railway
July 28 & 29 2022

In recent years, there's been a move to utilize discontinued railways as tourism resources. Kosaka Railroad in Akita Prefecture (which connected Kosaka Town and Odate City) was used to transport ore and carry passengers before it was discontinued in 2009. Now, the 22km line is being used as rail park and playground facilities. See Kosaka Town and Odate City's efforts to turn the discontinued railway into fun tourist attractions.

[arkh]

I love these sorts of episodes. It'll be cool to see what they've done to give that line some new life. 

[Kansen Tsushin]

On 7/25/2022 at 3:54 AM, arkh said:

I love these sorts of episodes. It'll be cool to see what they've done to give that line some new life. 

They turned a out of service sleeper train into a hotel that still runs on the tracks. It was a good watch!

[bobbodaclown]

New Episode!

 

Running a Luxury Tourist Train in Hokkaido

August 26, 2022

 

 

Since JR Kyushu's "Seven Stars in Kyushu" debuted in 2013, railway companies have seen trains as tourism resources and begun running luxury tourist trains. With their close ties to the region, tourist trains also help revitalize the areas in which they run. In 2020, Tokyu Corporation's "THE ROYAL EXPRESS" started operating on JR Hokkaido. See why and how Tokyu's luxury tourist train started running in Hokkaido Prefecture.

[arkh]

Finally! I've been wanting some more Hokkaido-specific episodes. Tourist trains tend to make for some pretty interesting episodes too, especially with the ones that really focus on bringing in and helping the locals. So hopefully this will be a fun watch. 

[bobbodaclown]

New Episode!

 

JR Okayama Branch: Using Old Trains to Attract Tourists

September 23, 2022

 

The Okayama Destination Campaign - one of Japan's most extensive tourism campaigns, ran in Okayama Prefecture from July to September 2022. During the campaign, there were many interactive events, but the highlight was the revival and operation of diesel trains owned by the Okayama Branch of JR West that originally ran on Japanese National Railways back in the day. In addition, a new tourist train created especially for the campaign made its debut. With the demand for travel on the rise, the local governments and tourism industry had high expectations for JR's Okayama Branch. See how the company used its old trains to attract visitors and the efforts of the mechanics who supported the campaign.

[Tony Galiani]

Finally had a chance to watch the Okayama Branch show.  I really liked it and thought it offered great modeling potential as well.  Perfect excuse to run a mix of trains under the guise of a tourism program.

Or are the model manufacturers in league with the train companies for new addictive products?  I could see some special edition KiHa 40s being good sellers.  I would be tempted by some of them for sure.

Ciao,

Tony

[katoftw]

I haven't watched the episode yet as the VOD wasn't available last I checked.

 

But in reference to JR West dmus in colourful liveries. Tomix and Microwave have done many already.

[katoftw]

Just watched the episode. Very surprised considering the content that the Tsuyama Train museum didn't get a mention. It was just in the background in one interview.

 

http://www.tsuyamakan.jp/manabi/

[bobbodaclown]

New Episode! (Number 118)

 

Yagan Railway: Surviving as a Connecting Line

October 7, 2022

 

Yagan Railway is a third-sector railway that started service in 1986, operating between Shin-fujiwara Station in Tochigi Prefecture and Aizukogen-ozeguchi Station in Fukushima Prefecture. Yagan Railway is located between Tobu Railway and Aizu Railway and is an essential connecting line for both railways to connect the Tokyo and the Aizu regions in Fukushima. However, Yagan Railway's sales have declined significantly due to the pandemic. See how the railway is trying to transform itself from a connecting line to a sightseeing route post-pandemic.

Edited September 29, 2022 by bobbodaclown