Japanese Vacation No.9 (week 2)

[The_Ghan]

West,

Once again, top post mate.  I’m really appreciating the variety of photos you’re posting – especially those interiors. 
I sometimes completely fail to understand Japanese reasoning.  Inside the dirty old diesels you find linen curtains hung just like in a prairie house.  Then I look at the interior of the 800 series Shinkansen and I’m sorely disappointed.  Those seats look terrible.  Do they even recline?  There are no curtains although it looks like there are aircraft-style blinds and the floor tiles look like those in the men’s toilet at Sydney Central Station.

My favourite photo though is the one of the sidings with the industrial plant and hills in the background.  I’ve seen a similar scene in so many regional centres in Japan.
 
Cheers

The_Ghan

[bikkuri bahn]

I sometimes completely fail to understand Japanese reasoning.

Maybe different railway companies have different philosophies, budgets and, ah, different interior designers.  There is no allmighty "(insert nationality)" reasoning here.

[westfalen]

I sometimes completely fail to understand Japanese reasoning.

Maybe different railway companies have different philosophies, budgets and, ah, different interior designers.  There is no allmighty "(insert nationality)" reasoning here.

In the old JNR and early JR days before they decided they had to 'improve' things there was.

[westfalen]

I decided to have two video stops videoing expresses at Asa and Shin-Iwakuni on my way from Hakata to Hiroshima this morning traveling via Kodamas 736, 738 and 740 which gave me rides on 500, Hikari Railstar and my favorite, the 100 series. The end car of the 500 has a setup so kids can pretend they are Shinkansen drivers.

[westfalen]

Check out the interior of the 100, real seats, big windows (and my suitcase in the luggage rack).

After I stashed my bag at the hotel I headed to Tenjingawa to see what was at the loco depot and also test my interpretaion of the freight timetable and the loco roster diagrams for the EF67 pusher locos contained therein. As the second hand of my Seiko pocket watch hit 12 there was a toot of a whistle from the yard followed by one from the pusher and 2072 freight got underway on time at 1356 with EF66 106 as train engine and EF67 104 on the rear. There were several of both types of EF67 at the shed, I noticed they appear to have the drawgear on the pushing end beefed up.

[westfalen]

While I was out I headed to Seno, (which I believe was the former depot for the pusher locos at the bottom of the grade), to ride the Skyrail Midorizaka Line, a cross between a monorail and a cable car that runs between the station and a housing development on the mountain side every 15 minutes for 150 yen.

[westfalen]

On the way back to town I stopped at Nakanohigashi to video 6732 freight going up the hill which came through on time with an EF210 on the lead and EF67 101 pushing. Two freights went down the hill while I was waiting.

I finished the day's railanning with some shots of trams in the street from the station to the hotel. (Actually there is another street that is a shorter walk but it doesn't have trams in it. ) The tram junction in the last photo is something I'd like to see Kato do in the Unitram range.

[Nick_Burman]

I decided to have two video stops videoing expresses at Asa and Shin-Iwakuni on my way from Hakata to Hiroshima this morning traveling via Kodamas 736, 738 and 740 which gave me rides on 500, Hikari Railstar and my favorite, the 100 series. The end car of the 500 has a setup so kids can pretend they are Shinkansen drivers.

The "motorman's seat" for children rocks! Superb idea!


Abs NB

[The_Ghan]

Hey West,

Geez.  The lines on the Rail Star look much better than the model.  I think it is hard to appreciate sweeping lines in miniature.  You’ve just ridden on two of my favourite shinkansens – the 500 and the 100 – the only thing better is the original 0 Series IMHO.  That setup for the kids looks tempting but in reality, I would probably choose to travel in a green car for such a rare opportunity. 

The 500 interior looks good but the luggage rack looks almost useless because of the curved ceiling.  I note from looking at the windows that these photos were taken while the train was under cover at the station.  I’ll bet it looks even better in full daylight – just like the 100 interiors below it.

Like many of you, I have the model of the 100 series fresh green.  It’s a great train.  It’s a pity these things pick up the dirt but I guess the wind probably causes a bit of static electricity or something because the roofs are often as dirty as a diesel loco. The big windows in the 100 series are certainly tourist orientated.

That skyrail looks pretty unique.  The Japanese appear to have managed to combine the most expensive aspects of the two technologies (monorail and cable car)  to create this rare form of transport.  The structure appears to be so over-engineered for such a small car.

Who are you travelling with, BTW.  In an earlier post you mentioned "we". Have you got Mrs 'Falen riding the rails with you?

Cheers

The_Ghan

[westfalen]

Hey West,

Who are you travelling with, BTW.  In an earlier post you mentioned "we". Have you got Mrs 'Falen riding the rails with you?

Cheers

The_Ghan

I'm travelling on my own, if there was a Mrs 'Falen I don't think she'd appreciate doing things like standing on the roof of a shopping centre car park for an hour waiting to video a freight train.

I probably meant 'we' in the sense of the other passengers on the train and myself.

[westfalen]

Today I went to the end of the line on the Nishikigawa Railway. We rode it on my first tour to Japan in 1990 but only had time to go as far as Kitagoochi where the trains cross, it's taken 21 years but I finally did the whole line. The upper end of the line is quite scenic as it hugs the side of the gorge on a series of ledges and bridges.

[westfalen]

A couple of interior shots of a Nishikigawa railcar.

I then kept going west on the JR Gantoku Line to Tokuyama and returned to Hiroshima via the Sanyo Main Line. I stopped for a while at Kudamatsu and Yuu to see if I could catch some freight trains.

While I was at Kudamatsu a couple of deadhead railcars sets passed through, one in each direction, both stopped in the middle track at the station for a couple of minutes before heading on their way.

[westfalen]

The eastbound railcar set was headed by freshly painted red kiha 40-2075, could they be moving cars to and from the workshops.

Some of the freight shots are a bit blurred, they are stills taken while videoing and they were moving at a good speed.

The sign with the different types of Shinkansen was at Kudamatsu station.

[westfalen]

I decided to finish today's journey by tram, so for the interior shot fans here's what the inside of a Green Mover looks like.

I had a look in the Sogo department store when I got back to town because in 1994 their toy department had a well stocked model train section, I bought my Tomix Thomas there, but alas I searched the store from top to bottom and no trains were to be found.

[westfalen]

I decided to have two video stops videoing expresses at Asa and Shin-Iwakuni on my way from Hakata to Hiroshima this morning traveling via Kodamas 736, 738 and 740 which gave me rides on 500, Hikari Railstar and my favorite, the 100 series. The end car of the 500 has a setup so kids can pretend they are Shinkansen drivers.

The "motorman's seat" for children rocks! Superb idea!


Abs NB

Except that car 8 where it's located is the smoking car.

[scott]

Today I went to the end of the line on the Nishikigawa Railway.

I'd be very tempted to buy a model of that firefly-painted railcar.

The upper end of the line is quite scenic as it hugs the side of the gorge on a series of ledges and bridges.

Once you're home and have more, it'd be nice to see any pictures you have of that part of the line.

[westfalen]

Today I went to the end of the line on the Nishikigawa Railway.

I'd be very tempted to buy a model of that firefly-painted railcar.

The upper end of the line is quite scenic as it hugs the side of the gorge on a series of ledges and bridges.

Once you're home and have more, it'd be nice to see any pictures you have of that part of the line.

Here you go.

[scott]

Very nice--thanks!

[bikkuri bahn]

I had a look in the Sogo department store when I got back to town because in 1994 their toy department had a well stocked model train section, I bought my Tomix Thomas there, but alas I searched the store from top to bottom and no trains were to be found.

Pretty much all traditional department stores ceased stocking hobby items in their toy departments (and do little boys even assemble plastic kits anymore?- I remember my grandmother buying me a ship model, the IJN battleship/carrier Hyuga, at the Toyoko Dept. Store in Shibuya around 1980), and the toy departments (if they still exist), concentrate on the toddler/infant market. Among mass retailers, it's to the big electronics discount chains you go for hobby items, otherwise, it's the shrinking number of independent hobby shops, or the internet. Whenever I see elementary school age boys with their families, out in public, they are usually engrossed in playing a handheld computer game.  Once, at a baseball game, two boys were doing the same, not paying any attention to the activity on the field. Sad...

[linkey]

Whenever I see elementary school age boys with their families, out in public, they are usually engrossed in playing a handheld computer game.  Once, at a baseball game, two boys were doing the same, not paying any attention to the activity on the field. Sad...

Hey they might be playing Pokèmon :P But yes kids these days are happy to play computer games via handheld or playing on their mobile phones. The days of where kids go out and enjoy playing games such as soccer (european football), football (Aussie Rules), baseball are pretty much dying out. So like toys being in department stores are being a dying breed :(

[The_Ghan]

Hi West,

Ahh … the royal “we”!

Love the look of Kitagochi and surrounding landscape.  Might put that on my list. 

Thanks for indulging me with the interior shots, BTW.  Classy stuff, that Nishikigawa railcar!  Compliments the scenery quite nicely.

Sadly, the toy department seems long gone from quality department stores.  You’ll find a section in K-Mart, Tesco-Lotus, Target and other bottom end variety stores, but they won’t be stocking for the hobbyist.  Even specialty toy chains like Toys-R-Us and World For Kids ignore the hobby scene.  It seems young people don’t have the patience to be rewarded by their own creations. 

Take a moment to pity the poor electronics enthusiast.  In Australia, 25 years ago Tandy and Dick Smith did a roaring trade on components and kits.  I went to my local Dick Smith store a couple of years ago for some components only to find they don’t stock components anymore.  Tandy, I think, has gone altogether.  How will I ever teach my future offspring to build a crystal radio that runs off a lemon?

Kids these days need an instant fix, which is why the hobby and craft industries are shrinking.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[CaptOblivious]

Hi West,

Ahh … the royal “we”!

Love the look of Kitagochi and surrounding landscape.  Might put that on my list. 

Thanks for indulging me with the interior shots, BTW.  Classy stuff, that Nishikigawa railcar!  Compliments the scenery quite nicely.

Sadly, the toy department seems long gone from quality department stores.  You’ll find a section in K-Mart, Tesco-Lotus, Target and other bottom end variety stores, but they won’t be stocking for the hobbyist.  Even specialty toy chains like Toys-R-Us and World For Kids ignore the hobby scene.  It seems young people don’t have the patience to be rewarded by their own creations. 

Take a moment to pity the poor electronics enthusiast.  In Australia, 25 years ago Tandy and Dick Smith did a roaring trade on components and kits.  I went to my local Dick Smith store a couple of years ago for some components only to find they don’t stock components anymore.  Tandy, I think, has gone altogether.  How will I ever teach my future offspring to build a crystal radio that runs off a lemon?

Kids these days need an instant fix, which is why the hobby and craft industries are shrinking.

Cheers

The_Ghan

This trend is, thankfully, changing in America. Radio Shack announced earlier this year that they are re-committing themselves to the hobbyist/DIY market, and just this week has begun carrying Arduino. Maybe stores in AU will follow suit soon too…

But, man, finding model trains anywhere these days can be tough!

[angusmclean]

Take a moment to pity the poor electronics enthusiast.  In Australia, 25 years ago Tandy and Dick Smith did a roaring trade on components and kits.  I went to my local Dick Smith store a couple of years ago for some components only to find they don’t stock components anymore.  Tandy, I think, has gone altogether.  How will I ever teach my future offspring to build a crystal radio that runs off a lemon?

You haven't spent a couple of hours in Jaycar lately then

Angus

[westfalen]

Just activated global roaming for a minute so I can make a post from a Shinkansen. On Hikari Railstar 526 about 15 min from Hiroshima.

[Mr Frosty]

That skyrail looks pretty unique.  The Japanese appear to have managed to combine the most expensive aspects of the two technologies (monorail and cable car)  to create this rare form of transport.  The structure appears to be so over-engineered for such a small car.
The_Ghan

It does look unusual, but I guess the "over engineering" is a measure of making it earthquake proof.
Having a cable snap when suspended a couple of hundred feet up doesnt do much good for ones underwear!!

[bikkuri bahn]

That skyrail looks pretty unique.  The Japanese appear to have managed to combine the most expensive aspects of the two technologies (monorail and cable car)  to create this rare form of transport.  The structure appears to be so over-engineered for such a small car.
The_Ghan

It does look unusual, but I guess the "over engineering" is a measure of making it earthquake proof.
Having a cable snap when suspended a couple of hundred feet up doesnt do much good for ones underwear!!

Yes indeed.  Apparently it is used as public transport, rather than merely leisure- reliability and extra safety would be important in that case.

[The_Ghan]

You haven't spent a couple of hours in Jaycar lately then

Angus

Yuh, I have.  I only know of two in the whole of Sydney.  The one is York St is small and pokey with a limited range of stuff.  I do buy my wiring and soldering equipment there though, but not electrical components or switches.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[westfalen]

You haven't spent a couple of hours in Jaycar lately then

Angus

Yuh, I have.  I only know of two in the whole of Sydney.  The one is York St is small and pokey with a limited range of stuff.  I do buy my wiring and soldering equipment there though, but not electrical components or switches.

Cheers

The_Ghan

Jaycar's owners should hang their heads in shame if they saw even a small electronics store in Japan, as should any store owner in Australia if they saw their Japanese counterpart. I think the ones in Brisbane at least, have gone downhill in recent times. I can never take Harvey Norman seriously for a while after coming back from Japan either, and then there's Tokyu Hands, I can't even imagine us ever having a store like them in Australia.

The department stores in Japan might have dropped model trains, and now that someone mentioned it, a lot of them toys altogether, you can see where they make their money as you still have to go through six floors of lady's handbags before you get to anything else.

On a bright note though, as I was walking down the street from the Sogo store last night I noticed a sign that said "Hobbies B1", so I went down stairs knowing that in Japan "hobbies" could mean practically anything, but it turned out to be a good old fashioned hobby shop, 1/3 trains, 1/3 plastic kits and 1/3 other stuff with a pretty good selection of trains and most price stickers showing discount prices.

[The_Ghan]

Hi West,

I agree with you.  I remember spending hours in Akihabara strolling through a mall full of little electronics shops.  Fabulous stuff.

Cheers

The_Ghan