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Two 01 series cars have been transported all the way to Kumamoto Dentetsu to enter service in March. These were delivered in several generations over about 14(!) years, counting from the test formation built by Kawasaki in September 1983 to the single 6th generation formation built by Kinki in August 1997. These two were the end cars of the last 4th generation formation, built by Nippon Sharyo, in June 1992. I would not have thought that they were so old. http://railf.jp/news/2015/02/22/160000.html and Kumamoto Dentetsu is installing the Kawasaki EF-Wing trucks, video by Toshiyuki Saiba You're not getting me under that thing...

Just caught this on Ompuchaneru (http://rail-uploader.khz-net.com/index.php?id=37663)... Work will start this year to prepare for the inclusion of 2 bi-level green cars in Chuo Rapid Line and Ome Line train formations. Additionally, the trains will be lengthened to 12-car formations. Based on the pdf, the bi-level green cars will be the familiar cars we see now in other Tokyo-area JRE consists. The service is planned to begin in 2020. This involves more than just building the cars; they'll have to improve stations, lines, signalling, and depots. A little green car history from the pdf: May 1969 - First-class cars on the Tokaido and Yokosuka lines are changed to "green cars" October 1980 - Green cars appear on the Sobu Line when the line's connection to and direct services with the Yokosuka Line begin March 1989 - Bi-level cars are added to Tokaido Line trains March 1990 - Bi-level cars are added to Yokosuka/Sobu Line trains July 2004 - Bi-level cars are added to Utsunomiya/Takasaki Line trains (which operate as locals until October) October 2004 - Bi-level cars are added to Shonan-Shinjuku Line trains January 2007 - Bi-level cars are added to mid-distance Joban Line trains (which operate as locals until March) JR East pdf: http://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2014/20150203.pdf

I found this video of a direct limited express from Haneda to Narita through the Toei Asakusa line. It's from 2014 august, so realtively new. I wonder when did this service start. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXpCYgE3myE

Did anyone post this yet? http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/09/07/the-most-crowded-train-lines-during-rush-hour-in-tokyo-osaka-and-nagoya-are/ Pretty interesting, data is apparently from MLIT, so I think it's trustworthy. I never lived in Kanto, so the figures for those lines don't mean a lot to me, other than explaining why JR East buys so many new trains . The figures for Osaka and Nagoya, however, help me picture train interiors, platforms, and seas of people at the gates :). The private railways really take the prize in Osaka, and in Nagoya, the municipal subway system appears the most in the list. Also interesting to see how Meitetsu places. JR Central only appears once, at number 5, further reinforcing my impression that they probably don't want to worry about the zairai lines too much :).

Nice video, with some railway content, using tilt shift techniques. Apologies if posted previously.

Here's a nice video compilation of JR East Tokyo-area services that have changed with the March 15, 2014 schedule revision. Videos by tiyodarain (chiyoda line, I think).

This came up in Tetsudou Fan's newsfeed twice in the last few days: http://railf.jp/news/2014/03/15/194500.html http://railf.jp/news/2014/03/13/150000.html The functions served by this Nippon Paper Industries warehouse will be moved to Soka City in Saitama, and there are no other customers on the line. Official decommissioning will be July 1st, but it saw its last revenue train on March 14th around 2:45 PM. Fortunately the railfans were on site and have provided some nice YouTube videos: DE10 1666 on its way to Kita-Oji Station, by dd51de10 Arriving at Kita-Oji Station (basically Nippon Paper's loading dock, as far as I can tell) and then leaving with the last load, by tebure1 Back to Tabata yard, by dd51de10 A run-by at Oji passenger station, by Daisuke FUJII: Paper or printing operations at this site go back to May 1910. Japan's National Printing Bureau had a printshop near or on this site at that time, and the station was known as Shimo-Jujo. Oji Paper acquired this in 1916, and permission to operate a spur was obtained in August 1926. Transport began soon after, with chemical companies being providing other work for the line. In the early Showa period, Japan's armament industry was expanding, and as this line served an armory near Oji 6-chome, it was nationalized under the Ministry of Railways on December 20, 1927. The line was not electrified, but because of the munitions there was hesitation about using steam locomotives, so the battery-powered AB10 was developed for this application. It seems that it was electrified at some point; pantographs were added to the AB10s in 1931 and they were reclassified as type EB10. Factories and warehouses along the line continued to operate in peacetime, and at its peak in 1969, the line saw 5 trains daily. Recently, Nippon Paper's warehouse has had 3 services per day. In the second google map below, you can see the station's yard, which looks like good source of inspiration for a layout . There are 4 sidings plus the main track at the platform. There's a fair bit of switching, which appears to provide escape track for a locomotive toward the north end of any track in the yard. Kind of a shame about closing this down, I think these freight spurs (this was 4km long) add operational interest and a bit of mystery in that as a passenger, it's difficult to figure out what they're for and where they go, and they provide something for me to read about on Wikipedia . It's also unfortunate from a practical point of view; according to the station's wikipedia page (http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8C%97%E7%8E%8B%E5%AD%90%E9%A7%85 in Japanese) tonnage was going up from about 1998 to 2008, the last year that figures are provided on that page. Nippon Paper currently has a warehouse in Soka City Aoyagi 1-chome. It's not clear if this is the facility taking on the work of the Kita-Oji Warehouse, but if it is, it has no rail connection. The line starts somewhere in Tabata yard: http://goo.gl/maps/qizQJ And after passing Oji and Kami-Nakazato, it splits off and ends at the warehouse, here: http://goo.gl/maps/5lc5M

While speaking with cteno4 at the JRM display in New York, he mentioned that the front-view videos posted here are useful as examples for layouts. Yesterday I happened upon the video below, which shows some very close-up detail, if covered with snow. This is a walking tour around the Yanaka neighborhood, which is on the inside of the Yamanote loop between Nippori and Nishi-Nippori stations. Uploaded by taoyakani, his text with the video indicates that the path of the walk is Miurasaka (slope) → cedars at temple town → Kan'eiji ( temple) → Yanaka cemetery → Nippori station. The recording was made starting at 1:47PM on February 14th, 2014. Start near the bottom of Miura Hill: http://goo.gl/maps/7kLZ9 Kan'ei Temple: http://goo.gl/maps/03O0A Nippori Station: http://goo.gl/maps/AnmqJ

There's a thread on Ompuchaneru about JRE's schedule revision that will take effect on March 15th of next year. The first poster (http://rail-uploader.khz-net.com/index.php?id=1128238) summarizes: E3s will be completely withdrawn from Komachi services, and the name Super Komachi will not be used. All services will operate at 320km/h and be called Komachi some Hayate services that are non-stop between Omiya and Sendai, and then stop at each station beyond Sendai, will be changed to Hayabusa. Several trains will be operated as 17-car formations E7s will be used on some Asama services on the Nagano Shinkansen, and the conversion to digital ATC will be expedited of all Akagi and Kusatsu roundtrip services departing Shinjuku, one will continue to run with 185 series trains while the rest will be the refurbished E651s. weekday Akagi services will be renamed Swallow Akagi, and the Homeliner Konosu will be changed to a limited express service and extended to Honjo there will be 6 midday locals per hour on the Joban Line between Ayase and Abiko, rather than 5. This is a train every 10 minutes instead of every 12 morning Chuo Liners starting at Hachioji will increase, using 351 series trains Nambu Line rapids will no longer stop at Nakanojima and Yanoguchi, and locals that now run between Kawasaki and Noborito will be extended to Inagi-Naganuma there will be consideration of increasing Musashino services, changing their schedule, and adding service at Kunitachi, Hino, and Toyoda stations two Homeliner Koga services will be removed, and they will no longer serve Ueno. Local services will be added. limited express Wakashio services will be reduced, and Odoriko #102 will no longer run on weekdays the Akebono will be discontinued and changed to a special service The extension of the Konosu to Honjo appears to be 35.7km, which seems substantial. The Akebono will be considered a rinji service, which I sometimes see translated as extra or temporary. Things are not looking good for the 185s, but it doesn't seem like this is the absolute end for them, while the 351s have a solid new role, at least until the next revision. pdf link here: http://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2013/20131217.pdf Japanese readers please feel free to post corrections :grin

Having had addresses in Japan that were not too far from unelectrified lines, this doesn't seem like such a big deal to me, but I guess Tokyo Station doesn't see a lot of diesel equipment. On November 2, a one-time revival(?) of the Amanokawa, once upon a time a sleeper service for Akita via the Joetsu Line, will run. It looks like the DD51 will provide traction only to Takasaki, where an EF81 will take over. Seems like a lot of effort to appeal to railfans, I'd be satisfied with just running the route and maybe a nice bento . So, break out your camera gear and look out of the kimoi tetsuota at Omiya! Here's a thread on Ompuchaneru with an image of the poster, plus a shot of DD51 842 (the Emperor's own DD51!) with 2 24-series (maybe) passenger cars parked at former Manseibashi Station, Tokyo's most mysterious siding: http://rail-uploader.khz-net.com/index.php?id=1119639

Today I went with a good friend (who also brought another pal) to the JNMA model train fair in Hamamatsuchō. There were a lot of small traders and manufacturers around, as well as a lot of sweaty and rude otaku. It was mostly about getting bargains, showing off ridiculously expensive hand made perfect models and sweating (it was REALLY hot). Anyway, I took pictures of the small T-Trak meeting that was also featured, with an RC N-scale bus, a boat running on a Tomytec moving bus motor over a 'water' surface (looked quite good) and lots of detailed and inspirational modules. Also, the trains on display were featured in magazines IIRC, like RM Models and so on. Some people will probably recognise some of the modules and trains in the pictures. I'm now very eager to start a T-Trak module as well and join these guys, but as I've currently hit rock-bottom financially, no income, and have a new family situation, this will have to wait for a little while. HNGGGGGGG!!!!1