Shinkansen, Steam, and Commuter Trains around Takasaki, Japan, October 2023 скачать в хорошем качестве

Shinkansen, Steam, and Commuter Trains around Takasaki, Japan, October 2023

I am sorry for all the shakiness, the platform was crowded with all the people lining up to board the steam excursion and shooting handheld was hard. Looking back, I definitely would have done things differently in terms of shooting the steam engine. Takasaki is a city north of Tokyo. An hour away by Shinkansen, it serves JR East's Joetsu, Shin'etsu, Ryomo, and Takasaki Lines to name a few, as well as the "shortline" Joshin Dentetsu (didn't catch any of these ones, though). JR East's lines in Gunma regularly use the 211 Series. These trains date back all the way to the days of the Japanese National Railways and show no sign of retiring anytime soon. Another thing to note, and the reason I came there, is that almost every weekend, a steam locomotive, either a D51 or C61, is fired up from Takasaki to lead an excursion down the Shin'etsu line to the railway museum in Yokokawa, usually helped by a DE 10 or EF 65. This special service is called "SL Gunma" by JR East and is extremely popular among railfans. Yokokawa is popular for its history as the end station for Usui Pass, a now abandoned section of the Shin-etsu Line that reached grades as steep as 6%. It is also famous as a course from Initial D. What lies at the base of Usui Pass used to be a locomotive maintenance facility but after the lines abandonment is now a railway museum. The steam engine takes you right there. As you can expect, the platform was crowded and I met others from America, Thailand, and all over. The train ride was fun, however I admit I am not completely satisfied with my catches here. UPDATE AS OF 2025: The vintage engines reserved for this train, including DD51 842, were retired from JR East in late 2024 and have been sent to Nagano for scrapping. The Yokokawa run is now supported by newer hybrid railcars. Train 1: E7 Shinkansen flies through Takasaki at speed, (0:15). Train 2: My Shinkansen departs Takasaki, (0:28). Train 3: 211 Series pulls into Takasaki, (1:05). Train 4: 211 Series, (1:26). Train 5: E231 Series departs for Tokyo, (1:57). Train 6: E231 Series arrives, (2:02). Train 7: E231 Series arrives, (2:30). Train 8: Two 211 Series coupled together pull up, (2:48). Train 9: 211 Series departs, (3:07). Train 10: E231 Series departs, (3:23). Train 11: The excursion train pulls up. I made the mistake of forgetting that the diesel locomotive was leading the train (usually the steam locomotive does) and got ready on the north side of the platform, (3:35). Train 12: At the Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, we see the park's steam engine, 3950, named Green Breeze, leading its coaches on the loop around the railway park. While a beautiful machine, 3950 is a new-build engine, built solely for the railway museum, thus to me it doesn't "count," but is still a fun catch regardless. Green Breeze leads her train over the viaduct at Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, (5:13). Train 13: The "Poppo Town" trolley train that goes up from the museum arrives back while the miniature gauge train passes by, (6:17). Train 14: 211 Series departs Isobe Station, I rode the train down a little bit here as I wanted a shot of the steam engine pulling into the station. I later wasn't sure if it stopped here or not so I rode it down further, (6:48). Train 15: 211 Series arrives at Isobe Station, (7:08). 211 Series pulls out of Annaka Station, (7:27). Train 16: 211 Series heads off from Annaka Station. I used my tripod here as I saw someone else doing it and figured that if I was told not to I would put it back. Interestingly enough, the stationmaster walked right by me and did not care that I was using the tripod, thus I had no trouble with it, (7:41). Train 17: Steam locomotive C61 20 leads her excursion train into Annaka Station. The locomotive was built in 1949 and retired in 1973. After sitting on display at a park for several decades, she was returned to steam in 2011 and now alternates this train with the D51. I really should have set up on the other side, but I did not know how long the train would stop and I didn't want to wait another 45 minutes for the next train. Sadly, the sun started to glare upon her arrival, and I didn't even get a whistle...sigh. The trade-off for a fun ride, (8:00). Train 18: Back in Takasaki, 211 Series arrives at the station, (9:00). Train 19: 211 Series leaves Takasaki, (9:23). The workers climb onto the C61 and she departs for a nice end to the day at the shed just a half mile down, (9:40). Train 20: Shinkansen departs Takasaki, (11:32). Train 21: My Shinkansen arrives in Takasaki to take me back to Tokyo, (11:54).