Nagano Dentetsu- Yashiro Line Matsushiro Station

[bikkuri bahn]

 

The Yashiro Line will be closed in less than a month.  I plan to visit on its last week, I especially like this station, Matsushiro, for its very old-fashioned atmosphere.  It symbolizes everything I love about the rural railway scene in Japan.

[miyakoji]

Bikkuri, have you read anything about the financial status of the line?  Is it loss-making, or just not making enough?  I wonder what the railway's situation will be with the remaining line.  The timetable for departures from Nagano Station (http://ekikara.jp/newdata/ekijikoku/2003011/down1_20201011.htm) shows 3 or 4 trains per hour almost all day, the passenger levels must be reasonably good.

[bikkuri bahn]

In 2009 the line had a deficit of 174 million yen, and a cumulative deficit of 50 billion yen.  Apparently road construction and improvements in preparation for the Nagano Olympics in 1998 resulted in plummeting ridership figures.  Nagaden appealed to local governments for help, and proposals such as establishing park and rides at stations, as well as touristic promotion were floated.  But in Feb. of 2010 a council formed to oversee this line voted by secret ballot for closure and replacement by bus services.  There have been appeals by residents near the line in Matsushiro for conversion to a LRT line, but Nagano City apparently has 8 large building projects currently underway (including a new city hall), and will look into the proposals after those projects are finished.

 

I don't know the demographic patterns of this area (I assume likely rural, with an aging population), but running a local rail line profitably or at least break-even is problematic.  However, I do get the feeling that local governments lean more towards building roads than supporting rail transport.

 

*one idea I thought of is to convert this line or a portion of it into a tourist line, with an emphasis on preservation and education.  The JR East Railway Museum once was looking at purchasing the Kurihara Den-en Rlwy in Miyagi Pref. as a living museum, but an earthquake that killed staff members visiting ended that venture.  Imagine JR East coming in, buying the line, convert the line back to semaphore signaling, and establish it as a line where old preserved rolling stock can stretch their legs.  With a thoughtful working timetable, it could still serve as public transport for local residents.

[WuZhuiQiu]

That's sad. Since you're in the area, is there any chance that you might post pictures from the site of the Battle of Kawanakajima, e.g. the fords? I've seen them in B+W in certain books, but there's nothing like colour pictures.

[bikkuri bahn]

That's sad. Since you're in the area, is there any chance that you might post pictures from the site of the Battle of Kawanakajima, e.g. the fords? I've seen them in B+W in certain books, but there's nothing like colour pictures.

 

Sorry, my foray is strictly an in-and-out mission, with no time for sightseeing.  However, located some websites that have pictures of the monument and the area, I hope it helps:

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B7%9D%E4%B8%AD%E5%B3%B6%E5%8F%A4%E6%88%A6%E5%A0%B4

 

http://4travel.jp/traveler/draken/album/10350168/

 

http://ameblo.jp/youresort/theme-10007806648.html

 

http://f.hatena.ne.jp/zhangshi/20080720110352