"Chuo, Yamanote, & Toyoko Line Front Cab Views"

Several views out the front cab of trains - from the Chuo Line to the Yamanote Line and finally the Toyoko Line.

"Chuo Line New Elevated Tracks - Front Cab View" (100319-1400)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k54zlUUdHhc

Looking out the front cab window within an express Chuo Line train ("Tokubetsu-Kaisoku" or "Chuo-Tokkai"), running on recently elevated tracks. Construction is ongoing, proceeding in stages. First moving the rails over, then building an outbound elevated section, and then this section for inbound trains, which is the most recent improvement. Further improvements will enable more express trains to pass slower local trains during the rush periods.

上り中央線の特別快速（中央特快）が新しい線路で上に走る画面 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:00 p.m.)


"Front Cab Views on Chuo Line Between Mitaka and Nakano" (100319-1406)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUEjUlbWB8s

Looking around through the front cab of an express Chuo Line train ("Tokubetsu-Kaisoku" or "Chuo-Tokkai") - looking straight ahead, then angling the camera to the right, then to the left, back to a straight ahead view, etc.

中央線の特別快速（中央特快）が三鷹と中野の間に走る 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:06 p.m.)


"Approaching Shinjuku in Chuo Line (Front Cab View)" (100319-1416)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndMQ_GdfpNY

Looking out the front cab of a Chuo Line express ("Tokubetsu-Kaisoku" or "Chuo-Tokkai") as it approaches and pulls into Shinjuku Station.

中央線の特別快速（中央特快）が新宿駅に入る 運転士の見方 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:16 p.m.)


"Pulling into Harajuku - Yamanote Daytime Cab View" (100319-1426)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UWnvyUzjio

Looking out the front cab as a Yamanote Line train pulls into Harajuku Station. (At night, they put blinds in front of this section of glass to prevent reflections from the train interior lighting from interfering with the driver's view out the front glass.)

山手線の運転士の見方で原宿駅に入る 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:26 p.m.)


"Rolling Through Noontime Darkness Leaving Shinjuku" (100319-1422)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR4YRS911LI

Looking out the front cab of a 2:22 Yamanote Line train as it goes under the long stretch (as it leaves Shinjuku Station) under a road before getting back out to daylight again. In-between the lights of the station and the sunlight, it's almost like night on this stretch.

山手線で新宿駅から出発と、トンネルのように道路の下に走る 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:22 p.m.)


"Yamanote to Toyoko Line Transfer in Shibuya" (100319-1427)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OkRwVnQ9QE

Rolling into Shibuya on the Yamanote Line (looking forward through the front cab) - then walking back through the train a little before getting off when the train stops at Shibuya Station, where I walk down the platform to the stairs; go down to the ticket gates, and then walk over to the Toyoko Line, through the ticket gates there, and towards the stairs that lead up to the platform.

山手線で渋谷駅で降りて、ホームの散歩、階段を下りて、東横線に乗り換え 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:27 p.m.)


"Departing Shibuya on Toyoko Line Tokkyu Express" (100319-1431)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D22clzhzzXM

Front cab view of scenery ahead as a Toyoko Line express train (Tokkyu) departs Shibuya and begins its journey to Yokohama. The train goes through the curves just out of Shibuya slowly, but - as shown in a subsequent video: "Toyoko Tokkyu Line Run to Kikuna" - builds up some serious speed later.

東横線の特急で渋谷駅から、出発 前の風景を見ながら... 見る 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:31 p.m.)


"Toyoko Tokkyu Line Run to Musashi-Kosugi" (100319-1439)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNMQSK_4bWY

At this point, the train is starting to get some speed up, as it runs towards the next stop, Musashi-Kosugi Station. It's hard to pin it down exactly, but there's something exciting about the Toyoko Line - maybe because it goes between Shibuya and Yokohama. Most lines tend to go in and out of the city center, but the Toyoko Line goes from one lively spot to another - so there's no real inbound and outbound - just Yokohama-bound or Shibuya-bound.

The track being straighter in places than most of the stretch between Musashi-Kosugi and Kikuna (see next video for that: "Toyoko Tokkyu Line Run to Kikuna"), more serious speed is achieved there.

東横線の特急で武蔵小杉駅までの走れ（前の風景） 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:39 p.m.)


"Toyoko Tokkyu Line Run to Kikuna" (100319-1443)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpxmKoBz5sw

Part of the run between Musashi-Kosugi and Kikuna (shown in this video) seems to be the fastest stretch of the line. When I looked over at the speedometer, it was at over 100 kph. Maybe this is one of the reasons I always enjoy using the Toyoko Line. It goes to and through cool areas, and it gets to Yokohama pretty quickly (as does the Keikyu Line, come to think of it).

Comparing the Toyoko Line run to Yokohama (from Shibuya) to the Keikyu Line run to Yokohama (from Shinagawa), the Keikyu Line, with wider gauge rails, is actually faster I think, but I've heard that the Toyoko Line is one of (maybe *the*) fastest narrow gauge trains in Tokyo.

東横線の特急で武蔵小杉駅から菊名駅までの早い走れ（前の風景） 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:43 p.m.)


"Toyoko Line - Between Kikuna and Yokohama" (100319-1451)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sDG6qTkk4Y

Front cab view on a Yokohama-bound Toyoko Line Tokkyu Express train (Tokkyu) not long after leaving Kikuna, lasting until the train enters the tunnel that leads to the underground part of Yokohama Station.

I just realized another reason I like the Toyoko Line - they don't assault their passengers' ears with half-speed, over-pronounced, over-amplified unwanted, unneeded, irritating, inane announcements in English.

As a haven from that kind of horrible noise pollution, the Toyoko Line is very nice. But... will it last? At first, only JR assaulted the ears of it's passengers with HOOUUII announcements (for acronym definition, see above paragraph), and then other lines began following the bad new custom by also assaulting the ears of their passengers as well. Hopefully the Toyoko Line will resist this horrible trend.

Ah... wait a second. The last time I used the Tozai Line (I think it was the Tozai Line - I'll double-check the next time I use it), the English wasn't so horrible. It really isn't necessary at all I don't think - all anyone has to do is listen carefully for the station name they are headed to, but if they must use English announcements, at least they could show some consideration for their poor passengers who have to listen to the announcement over and over and over, and use a non-obnoxious voice that isn't half-speed, over-pronounced and too bloody loud. The JR one is really horrible. Maybe it was made that way by someone who wants to drive foreigners out of the country... (just kidding... maybe...).

東横線の特急で菊名駅から横浜駅途中まで、トンネル入るところまで（前の風景） 東京 (Recorded on Friday, March 19th, 2010, at 2:51 p.m.)

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://tokyoartmusic.blogspot.com/