Two JR East Series 253 sold to Nagano Electric Railway

[bill937ca]

The Nagano Electric Railway has purchased two ex-JR Series 253 trains which will be cut down to 3-car trains and operated as one man trains.  Below is a Nagaden news item on the acquisition.

 

http://www.nagaden-net.co.jp/webstation/news_index.html

 

These trains are expected to enter service in the Spring of Fiscal Year 2011 on the Nagano Electric Railway.

 

The last Series 253 operation to Narita is expected to be sometime this month according to a source cited by Wikipedia.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/253_series

[CaptOblivious]

Very interesting. I wonder what the new paintschemes will look like?

[bill937ca]

Very interesting. I wonder what the new paintschemes will look like?

 

Some smaller Japanese properties like to keep their used equipment in the original owner's paint scheme. Nagaden has done this with their cut down ex-Odakyu Romancecar trains and ex-Tokyu 8500s.

 

 

 

[Guest ___]

It's good to hear the 253's won;t all go to the cutting torch afterall.

[Kabutoni]

Hahaha! I knew it! I already had this feeling that a private company would be interested in these sets. Nagaden in particular. Hmm... As seen by the recent stream of Nagaden releases in the modelling world (MicroAce, TomyTec), Nagaden is really popular!

[CaptOblivious]

That's an interesting touch, not repainting them. I think I might like that policy.

[Guest ___]

I would assume that they wouldn't be painted due to the costs. Look at Wakayama Eletric, who bought rolling stock from Nankai after Nankai split the line off to a private firm. WERR only has three painted trains, the rest still wear blue-orange over silver. As I had heard while in Idakiso, the cost to repaint the fleet would be a third of their mnt budget for the year. One would assume the case would be the same for any of the small lines.

[Kabutoni]

I would assume that they wouldn't be painted due to the costs. Look at Wakayama Eletric, who bought rolling stock from Nankai after Nankai split the line off to a private firm. WERR only has three painted trains, the rest still wear blue-orange over silver. As I had heard while in Idakiso, the cost to repaint the fleet would be a third of their mnt budget for the year. One would assume the case would be the same for any of the small lines.

 

Well, the Choshi RR have had their new ex-Iyo-ex-Keiyo repainted in a new green livery and well... The Choshi RR isn't known for their large budget. Maybe it has more to do with the budget made available for it -due to interest for a new livery- then the general cost problem, which varies per company.

[bill937ca]

I think the work was done before the cars left the Iyo Railway and included in the purchase price so cars won't be running in the Iyo Railway paint scheme forever without any paint maintenance.

[Kabutoni]

I think the work was done before the cars left the Iyo Railway and included in the purchase price so cars won't be running in the Iyo Railway paint scheme forever without any paint maintenance.

 

Could very well be, as these cars were in a quite bad state regarding the paint IIRC. Besides that, grass-green is a quite cheap, but attractive colour to boost.

[miyakoji]

Nagaden has decided to call their former JRE 253s "Snow Monkey" :confused2:

 

http://www.nagaden-net.co.jp/webstation/nickname253_2.html

 

I have no words.

[bikkuri bahn]

Nagaden has decided to call their former JRE 253s "Snow Monkey" :confused2:

 

http://www.nagaden-net.co.jp/webstation/nickname253_2.html

 

I have no words.

 

OMG.  Upon seeing miyakoji' post, I thought, maybe they're calling it "yukizaru" (雪猿), which at least has a poetic connotation (plus the kanji is cool looking), but "スノーモンキー"?? Yikes! I would be embarrassed to ride that train.  The Tama-chan effect is starting to have negative influences...