Hello (Konnichiwa) from Tokyo, Japan!

[Spydarman]

Hello everyone!

I'm a Canadian living in Tokyo, Japan for the past 10 years.
Before coming to live in Tokyo, I only road on a handful of trains in my life, and most of my exposure to them would have been from the Thomas the Tank Engine children's show.

Living in Japan, I've enjoyed the life of not having to drive (insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.). Don't get me wrong, I also love to drive, but I feel less burdened by being able to take a train.

I hope I can share some train stories from Japan in this forum! If you have any questions about Tokyo, Japan, or trains here, please let me know! Also it would be great to chat with anyone out there who lives or who has lived in Japan!

Also, I'm not sure how videos work here, but I've recorded a recent train video riding on the Yamanote line (central loop line) in downtown Tokyo. I'd like to share that here with everyone, so you can see the unbelievable love for trains here. You can see several trains in the video including a glimpse of the Japanese Bullet Train (Shinkansen).

Something about riding trains here is that it can be quite relaxing, and oftentimes, I've found myself falling asleep to miss my intended stop.

If you feel the same while watching this video, please let me know!

Audio Odyssey
https://youtu.be/jKUBYGwoW3A

Please take a look and share if you think it's worthy!
Also, please subscribe, if you would like me to take more train films from Japan.


Arrigatou gozaimasu!

[hereward]

Are you of Japanese origin, I heard it is not possible to just go and live in Japan - Thanks

[Spydarman]

No, I don't have any Japanese ancestry.
I have a full time job here.
There are many ex-pats who live here who are from different countries. My job alone has people who are from at least 30 different countries.

[hereward]

Thanks Spydarman, I was talking to a man in Australia, he wanted to marry a Japanese woman, he was told he would have to take her to Australia, they would not be allowed to live in Japan. She didn't want to leave Japan, that's what he said anyway.

[Spydarman]

Oh haha!
I don't think that man has the right information at all.
I have a lot of expat friends who married Japanese people, and it was ok for them all to stay in Japan.

[aussiesteve]

G'day Spydarman,
I have finally gotten around to viewing your Yamanote line video footage.
I normally download You Tube video clips while at the local library to view at home.
But, since the plague, going to the library has either not been possible or desirable.
My home www is very limited.
But, as it runs out of puff tomorrow, and I have some unused balance for this month, I decided to view your video.
I was born in narrow gauge territory down-under, suburban Brisbane in Queensland.
And, often rode behind soot belchers dragging wooden carriage suburban trains as a child.
I became interested in viewing Japanese railway video a while ago, primarily for the signal and safe working system.
I am now intrigued to know just how much of the JR commuter network has platform barricade doors.
I don't recall espying much of that existing in the video footage previously snavelled some years ago.
The stupid driverless Metro in smog hollow Sydney features platform barricade doors.
The heavy rail network in smog hollow only features the yellow line painted on platforms.
Your Yamanote line ride did seem to suffer some delays.
I noticed the driver jotting down details when held at various stations.
The glass partition drivers cab of most Japanese trains does afford shooting cab ride video.
While there is not a great deal of info available about Japanese signals, I did manage to scrounge some specifics.
I was especially interested in the Repeater type signals which are similar to Pennsy Position Light type.
Though, utilized differently.
The location of line side signals on the multi-track JR network does seem occasionally strange.
Some even plonked on the sides of buildings outside the rail corridor.
I constumble being to provide for distance visibility when approaching on curved track.
The white gloves and hand salutes for safe working aknowledgement also an intriguing facet of the JR etc.
I am still awaiting the JTSB publication for the 2019 level crossing prang report on the Keikyu line, Yokohama.
I delve into various global rail prang reports in an attempt to gain more understanding of the safe working etc.
The Japanese level crossing protection system becoming of interest to me prior to that prang.
There are not all that many level crossings on the smog hollow suburban network.
Though, one notorious one near Fairfield has had a 40 kph TSR (temporary speed restriction) on in for yonks.
Motorists will queue across the level crossing at an intersection and get trapped when the booms drop.
The JR laser detection system would be a handy implementation for that level crossing.
Though here, such a system would need to be incorporated into the running signals, to put main sticks back to stop.
Not as with the JR practice of being separate to the main running sticks.
How far into the rural regions of Japan have you travelled by train ?
Steve.

[Spydarman]

Hi Steve,

Thanks a lot for taking the time to watch the video! I appreciate it a lot!
I'm glad that you can appreciate the the intricacies of the Japanese railway system!

As for the platform barricade doors, when I arrived in Tokyo 10 years ago, I didn't see them anywhere at all. They have been slowly and systematically been added to stations on many train lines (not just the Yamanote Line, and not just JR lines). I feel that when the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were announced, and as they got closer, there was more of a push to get these barricade doors functioning at most stations. Although there are still a few stations without a barricade, I would say a majority of stations have them in place, especially if it is a major station within Tokyo.

As for delays, it did seem that way as I rode on the train that day.
An interesting note is that on the following weekend, a large section of the Yamanote Line track was shut down for about 52 hours in order to widen a platform in Shibuya station (heavy construction renovations are happening in the area, as you might have noticed in the video).

I'm amazed at all of the insights you have regarding the system. I would never have noticed those things at all. You're extremely knowledgeable!

I am equally intrigued by the white gloves and hand salutes. I thought it strange at first, but over the years it is comforting to see them take their job very professionally.

If I can aid you in your research, please let me know of any other train line videos that you'd like to see. I'm hoping to ride the Yamanote Line again, but on the outer track this time. Since you mentioned the Keikyu Line, I could try to record that at some point as well. (I used to live on the Keikyu Line in Kawasaki.)

There are still many areas of the city with train tracks running on to streets and pedestrian areas with barriers coming down, which are usually accident-free. Although there was a recent incident where one lady got trapped between the barriers while being distracted looking at her phone, thinking she was on the outside of the barriers, unfortunately got hit and died.

As for traveling to other areas of Japan, I've made many trips to almost every section of the country. It's always nice to get away from Tokyo every now and then. For far away cities like Kyoto and Osaka, I always ride on the Shinkansen, but local trains to other rural areas are always charming to me.

Thanks again for the support, Steve!
Please let me know if there is anything more I can help out with, in terms of your research!

P.S. If you'd like to see another "train" video I posted (automated guideway transit) traveling through the downtown Bay area of Tokyo, called the Yurikamome Line, please take a look here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDgTwlQSzMM

Regards,

[aussiesteve]

G'day Spydarman,
I have not been to Japan, but it was a country on my To Do List, IF I won the lottery.
The language would be a bit daunting, but I believe that many Japanese also speak English.
The Shinkansen would be an impressive experience.
I did go fast when in Europe, Le TGV doing 300 kph and the DB ICE hitting 250 kph.
By comparison our fast train, The Rocket (XPT) only hits 160 kph, but not all that often.
I remember the PANIC at Transport House in smog hollow prior to the Sydney Olympics.
Fears that the smog hollow transport system would not cope.
I was one of three drivers seconded to Transport House to review the proposed safe working alterations.
So, I decided to go to the USA while the olympics was on.
Numerous almost empty silver birds flapping up yonder after depositing spectators down-under.
I returned home to discover that the system had coped fairly well.
Though freight trains were stuck in sidings for hours to avoid conflict with commuter trains.
Nonessential freight being curtailed.
And only permitted to traverse the metrop region during a very brief period overnite.
Crews being provided with tucker (food) so that they did not attempt to abandon ship.
As mentioned, the stupid driverless metro now percolating in smog hollow has platform barricade doors.
I know of a number of occasions when the thing has overshot a platform and needed to be set back.
Max speed being 90 kph, the thing shudders constantly as it powers and brakes alternatively.
The platform barricades being necessary to prevent cattle tumbling onto the track.
Nobody up the front, other than cattle, to espy somebody on the tracks, and hurl out the anchors.
So, stopping the thing in an emergency situation would be a delayed reaction.
I do wonder if the JR etc have suffered any platform overshoots since the barricades were installed.
Aligning the carriage doors with the barricade doors requiring some stopping prowess in wet weather.
We have an emu dubbed the Tangarbage (Tangara) and it is renown for not stopping in wet weather.
We naturally wore gloves to protect our hands when performing manual chores.
But NOT while swinging the banjo on a soot belcher, it was TRADITION to shovel bare handed.
Had our gloves been white, they would not have remained white for very long, with all of the oil, grease and rust.
The only hand salutation encountered here from railway employees is not complimentary.
Witnessing a Japanese soot belcher driver preparing his museum loco in a video clip did amuse me.
A wonder that his white gloved hand didn't fall off.
He saluting every object and facet of the prep as he walked around the 2-8-2.
But, yes, such salutations assisting in memory of performing of all necessary tasks.
I was also amused that in rural areas many level crossing booms were thin bamboo or wooden poles.
The Japanese obviously have more respect for road / rail safety that do other countries.
Though, yes, accidents can still occur anywhere when people get impatient or distracted.
My concern with that tragic collision on the Keikyu line being that management quickly accused the train driver.
He supposedly ignoring the three level crossing warning indications as he approached at full speed.
From the diagrams displayed, I would doubt that sufficient time at such speed to react was possible.
And, one indicator was positioned on the platform where it could become occluded from view.
Interlocking such indications with main running signals would create delays due to the plethora of crossings.
But, at least would result in less potential confusion for train crews.
I am a believer in standardization where possible.
From memory there are at least THREE different obstruction indication types to be found on different lines.
I forget now which type was involved on the Keikyu line.
And from some video clips, a driver can be confronted with a parade of such indicators en route.
Nothing is perfect, and never will be.
When I get the opportunity, I will take a gander at your other video clip.
As mentioned my home www is very limited.
I will be sneaking back to the local library (freebie www) at some stage.
But probably not until our plague infections reduce a tad more.
I am naturally double jabbed, but don't want to risk becoming a close contact and hurled into quarantine.
Steve.

[Spydarman]

こんにちは！Hello again, everyone!

Here is a new train video I recorded of the Tokyu Ikegami Line in Tokyo.

The Tokyu Ikegami Line is a railway line that runs from Gotanda Station to Kamata Station in Tokyo. There are currently 15 stations on the train line and it takes about 30 minutes to travel from the track's beginning to the end of the line. The 2 rolling stock types on this line are the 1000 series EMU and 7000 series EMU. This video showcases a cabin-view as the train travels from Gotanda Station to the final stop at Kamata Station.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhG0wT-etBk

ありがとう！Thank you!

[aussiesteve]

G'day Spidarman,
I finally got around to taking a very brief squiz at your Yurikamome guideway video.
Plus also just a brief glimpse of the Tokyu Ikegami rail line.
My el cheapo home www runs out of puff today, and I had a small amount of credit balance remaining.
I was curious as to how the guideway dingus steered through curves and turnouts.
I have managed to scrounge a document detailing the self steering bogie under those cars.
I now wonder just how long the tyres endure before needing replacement.
I can constumble the reduced noise benefit of rubber tyres on commuter trains.
The French have had a system for some time that runs on rubber tyres.
But, I do wonder what occurs if a tyre ruptures, or goes flat while in transit.
Does the train immediately stop, or can it continue at reduced speed ?
I have previously squizzed video at the library of the Chiba dangling railway that also utilizes rubber tyres.
There is a guided busway in Adelaide city South Oz.
But, I have not been over there to take a gander since it was implemented.
Interestingly, there was a guideway for horse drawn carts in smog hollow Sydney back prior to motor vehicles.
Channels embedded in a main road into which the carriages and carts could proceed and be directed along.
A driver taking a snooze except for the threat of running into a cart ahead.
Though, the horse / s probably stopped if encountering another carriage ahead of them.
There is a lot for the Tokyu Ikegami railway hogger to occupy himself with while rattling along.
I noticed three different types of levelcrossing obstruction warning lights.
I presume that the blue flashing lamp is a worksite protection light, or TSR lamp.
Temporary door barricades installed on platforms I presume in preparation for automatic platform barricades.
Plus, the platform CCTV monitors in the cab for cattle getting on and off while stationary.
Lots of things for the hogger to salute with his white gloves.
Had my eye surgery gone ahead two days ago, then I would have been more enthused to visit the local library.
But, it was suddenly cancelled due to the queue of plaguers waiting to get into the hospital.
So, I will need to continue to HIDE at home to avoid copping the plague for when the surgery is rescheduled.
I have been waiting 12 months for this surgery, and definitely do not want to jeopardize it when rescheduled.
In the meantime, I will continue with me el cheapo home www but not be able to view any video.
hooroo,
Cabin fever Steve.