International Railroad Discussion > A few from Tokamachi

Tokamachi is a town in Japan where the Iiyama Line and the Hokuhoku Line meet. It's not far from where my son lives, in Tsunan. Enjoy.
1-3: Iiyama Line trains meet. This line is single-track except at some bigger stations.

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4-5 On the upper platform, a Hokuhoku Line train approaches.
6. On the other side, a wildly painted Hokuhoku Line train arrives from the other direction.

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7, same trasin, other end
8, 9 Iiyama Line trains from above

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A nicely painted Iiyama Line train.

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And a couple simpler Iiyama Line trains. Thanks for looking.

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It is called "Oykot" ("Oh-E-cot") train.  It is a single unit RDC, Kiha 110 used in many of secondary lines.
It was uniquely designed by JR East to welcome people to this region, especially people from cities including Tokyo to spend a few days of relaxing vacation in this area.

Some how you can do an educated guess why I am describing this train's unique name Oykot.  It is from Tokyo.  JR East puts it in backward and put it back into Japaneses characters, and let us read "Oh-E-cot."

Now you know the rest of the story.

Hiroshi


symph1 Wrote:
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> A nicely painted Iiyama Line train.

Anyone know why they wrap the front couplers?

stevelv Wrote:
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> Anyone know why they wrap the front couplers?

keeps snow out of coupler and associated air and electrical connections.

Thank you.

nm2320 Wrote:
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> stevelv Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
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> > Anyone know why they wrap the front couplers?
>
> keeps snow out of coupler and associated air and
> electrical connections.

Are the grills on the ends of the Hokuhoku cars placed there because of icicles in the tunnels ?

SZ

Steinzeit2-san

Yes, Sir.

Steinzeit2 Wrote:
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> Are the grills on the ends of the Hokuhoku cars
> placed there because of icicles in the tunnels ?
>
> SZ

Hiroshi Wrote:
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> Steinzeit2-san
>
> Yes, Sir.
>
> Steinzeit2 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Are the grills on the ends of the Hokuhoku cars
> > placed there because of icicles in the tunnels


Thank you very much -- this is quite interesting, as I cannot immediately recall any other railways with catenary having this problem.   Are the grills there primarily to protect the windshields / occupants of a trailing car when the pantograph of the leading car has broken them, or do the the icicles grow downwards long enough at night that the leading cab might strike them  ?  Are the pantographs specially reinforced for striking icicles ?  Are there any other electric railways in Japan that have this problem with icicles ?

With best regards, SZ

Steinzeit2-san

Icicles do not grow so big or long, just a measurement for falling particles or snowfall rather.
Talking about the catenary protection, some EMUs have an extra pantograph on the rood used as an ice breaker.  Of course, it is not used for electric pickup, but to remove ice or snow. For the first train of the day or even throughout the day, if it is heavy fall, the car uses both pantographs to remove ice or snow from the catenary. But Hokuriki Rail's class HK 100 is not the case though.

Hope this help.

Hirohsi







Steinzeit2 Wrote:
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> Hiroshi Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Steinzeit2-san
> >
> > Yes, Sir.
> >
> > Steinzeit2 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Are the grills on the ends of the Hokuhoku
> cars
> > > placed there because of icicles in the
> tunnels
>
>
> Thank you very much -- this is quite interesting,
> as I cannot immediately recall any other railways
> with catenary having this problem.   Are the
> grills there primarily to protect the windshields
> / occupants of a trailing car when the pantograph
> of the leading car has broken them, or do the the
> icicles grow downwards long enough at night that
> the leading cab might strike them  ?  Are the
> pantographs specially reinforced for striking
> icicles ?  Are there any other electric railways
> in Japan that have this problem with icicles ?
>
> With best regards, SZ