As you've noticed, I failed to update for a long time already! I hope you didn't forget that I was moving, but now working on my BA thesis has also inflicted we with a loss of spare time. Please forgive me for that, but it's just how things are now. This update I would like to talk about a railway company in Japan of which I have some very fond memories. I haven't had the time for a new website review and I didn't feel like another. I'll have one in the next update! I promise!
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| Full 8-car 3300 Type to Ueno. |
As I said, this time the theme is a railway company. Namely the Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd. from the summer of 2003. It's already some years ago, but still. This is because I found some old pictures during the move. I scanned the best few of 'em for this blog post, because some trains I've photographed have been downgraded in service or already put out of service! Just like this 3300 Series which is slowly being put out of service.
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| 3600 Type for Nishimagome and a 3700 Type for Narita. |
During that summer I was on an exchange program, funded by Mitsui Banking and carried out by YFU Netherlands. My homestay was 4 weeks in Takasago near Tokyo and all pictures are thus taken at or around Keisei-Takasago (Google Maps link). A very interesting station, as a lot of lines pass this station. The station was only 4 tracks during that time and saw almost all trains halt there. Except for the Skyliner that connects Ueno to Narita Airport almost non-stop. Nowadays, the station has a 2nd level where almost all trains to Kanamachi terminate. Back then, all trains to Kanamachi halted at track 1.
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| An AE100 in Skyline service for Narita Airport. |
Trains like the AE100 Type were still running Skyliner services back then. Now, these types are only in use for the new Cityliner, Morning Liner and Evening Liner services on the Keisei Main Line. The new 2nd edition AE Types have taken over the Skyline service, which is now directed over the new 160km/h Narita Sky Access Line. Other trains on the new Narita Sky Access Line have a maximum speed of 120km/h. I think higher speeds are possible still, as here in Europe we have regular trains running at 160km/h and over on normal standard gauge tracks (1,435mm), but the Japanese rolling stock may be too light to be able to pursue high speeds without compromising axle loading weight ratios.
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| Signals at Keisei-Takasago facing the depot side. |
The Signals at Takasago were a mystery for me in the beginning, but a bit later I found out that each signal depicts a certain route. The left three signals in this picture are for the Kanamachi (金町), Narita (Main Line) (成田) and the Hokusô Line (北総). Same with the two right signals, but without the Kanamachi branch. Very simple and easy to understand indeed! The square displays under the signals are indicating the kind of service the train is in (local, rapid, express, etc.). The Kanamachi Line is by the way one of my favourite lines, as here older rolling stock is used in 4-car formation and has a very local character with its single track use. I've been on this line a few times, since I needed to go to Kanamachi sta. for a transfer on the JR East Jôban Line.
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| Keikyu 1500 Type terminating at track 3. |
As I said before, Keisei-Takasago is a station where many lines connect, but not only Keisei lines! The Keisei has access to some more railway companies, such as the Shin-Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd., Hokusō Railway Co.,Ltd., Chiba Newtown Railway Co., Ltd., Shibayama Railway Co., Ltd, Keikyû Corporation and the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). All these companies have trains running on each other's tracks and are subsidiaries (3rd Sector-class) from the Keisei Group (except for Keikyû and Toei, which are totally independent from Keisei). A very wide variety of trains can be seen here from the various companies. Almost all trains from Keikyû are allowed to run on the Keisei lines as well. Apart from the 800 and 2100 Types, as they have different door configurations. The 2000 Type isn't allowed as well, as it doesn't have opening head doors. Trains without opening front doors aren't allowed to pass the Toei Asakusa Line, for emergency and security reasons. The same goes for all the streamlined AE Types from Keisei. You won't find these on any Keikyû line as well.
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| Hokuso Tetsudou 7000 Type bound for Haneda-Airport. |
A quite rare train I've photographed was the Hokusô 7000 Series. This train is now completely out of service, which is a shame I think. The front design isn't to anyone's liking, but I'm rather fond of it. It's something completely different from all the other trains and it gives off that kind of typical careless and experimental eighties feeling. I didn't know it was rare at all at that time, I just liked the design and all. The ride was pretty good, but the loud engines made it a bit dreary for the regular passengers I presume. I only applaud loud engines. *laughs* The train on the picture is a Inba-Nihon-Idai to Haneda-Airport service, which passes through the very centre of Tokyo on the Toei Asakusa Line and continues on several Keikyû lines to Haneda-Airport. Back then, the Narita Airport Access wasn't built yet, so airport expresses (connecting Narita and Haneda) were directed over the overcrowded Main Line. Nowadays a special dedicated Airport Access Rapid Express service from Haneda to Narita and back is (partially) ran over the new Narita Airport Access Line. Some rare services connect to the Shibayama Railway Line (the shortest private railway in Japan) to Shibayama Chiyoda sta. as well.
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| Another AE100 Skyliner for Ueno. |
Keisei-Takasago is a very busy station indeed where the tracks cross two railway crossings which are almost always closed. I think this has been reduced since the opening of the elevated section of the Kanamachi line, but it's probably still very congested there. The lines that pass Keisei-Takasago are the Keisei Main Line (connecting to the Oshiage Line at Aoto, the Toei Asakusa Line to Shinagawa and eventually the Keikyû network), the Kanamachi Line and the Hokusô Line (connecting to the Narita Airport Line and the Narita Sky Access Line). I really would love to visit Keisei-Takasago once again. Now with more knowledge on trains, Japan and the Japanese language, this could turn out to be a very interesting day once it is there.
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| My last train in Japan. A 3600 Type for Narita Airport. |
But for now, it's all about waiting for that day when I'm able to go to Japan again. The problem is mostly money, which I'm saving at the moment, and in the future it will be time that will play the part. However, there is also that plan to move there to live together with that special someone I know... It'll be a difficult decision for me to make, as I'll leave lots of friends and family behind. But then again, I also have the prospect of one day returning to Europe again. I'll let you know in about a year what I'm going to do. Do you have a suggestion for what I should do?
UPDATE! On the JNS Forum I found a small topic on the remodelling of Keisei-Takasago. (ed. 06.07.2011)
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Beer of the post: Tsingtao (Pilsner);
Place of consumption: Asia2Go Leiden, Netherlands. A place owned by a friend where another good friend works and does delivery runs. The atmosphere is always good, the food is great and prices very reasonable. Whenever I'm in Leiden -which I will visit more often now that I'm in the area- I need to visit the place for a bite, a chat up and of course a beer.;
Tsingtao is a great beer to go with Asian food. Well, what do you expect from a beer brewed in China? It's brewed together with rice added in the mash, which gives this beer it's distinct sweet flavour. This is very refreshing when served cold on a damp summers evening with some spicy foods. The menu I had were spicy stir-fried chicken-strips with vegetables and rice. Very down to earth, but very tasty. Unfortunately it was a bit too much for me that day, as I didn't burn much energy, so I wasn't in dire need of calories (yeah, I'm trying to cut down on calories a bit).
Anyway, the beer is a refreshing one that can be consumed at all times I think. The sweet rice flavour may get dreary after a while I think, but for me this isn't the case. The danger with this beer however is that when it gets less cold, it tends to lose its fine taste. So, it's kind of a rule that one consumes it in a rather quick fashion. It's a good thing the beer is only sold in 0,33 bottles and not in 0,5 containers over here... Hahaha! :D
Cheers!
Toni
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