I'm only in Tokyo for work a couple weeks per year so it's highly likely this is common knowledge but it isn't for me so it's why I'm asking. I was cruising into Shimbashi station on the Yamanote line (from the direction of Ueno) on Wednesday morning and I saw this train pass us going in the opposite direction a couple tracks over. The bottom half was teal and the top half gray. The thing that made it look interesting was the windows seemed to stretch all the way to the center line of the roof. It gave it a very unusual look. I didn't see any JR markings on it or anything but I didn't have much time to look as it passed pretty quickly. Thanks.

Sounds like JR 251 series trainset.

Was this it?

http://kojirailway.hp.infoseek.co.jp/Railway/photo/jr/jre251.JPG

http://www.techweb.jp/RailRoad/photo/2xx/251-005.jpg

Yeah, that's definitely it! It sure is unusual looking. What line does it serve?

Its part of JR's Super View Odoriko service from Tokyo to Izukyu Shimoda, it runs on the Tokaido line up to Atami, where it makes a switch to the Ito Line, then finally runs on private Izukyu tracks to Shimoda. The route can be very scenic on the coastline so the windows are oversized.

Interesting. Big windows sound like a good idea for a route like that. Thanks for your help.

railroadtycoon,
here's (http://gracedavis.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/img_0420.JPG) my reponse.

Aren't your fingertips supposed to be together? :D

Aren't your fingertips supposed to be together? :D


fingers touch in supplication
hands apart in adoration

(sigh...) don't you know anything? :rolleyes:



:p :D

(sigh...) don't you know anything? :rolleyes:


Apparently not. ;)