Re: A little something different-Japan

This video reminds me of the immaculate condition that the Japanese National Railways kept it's 42-inch gauge steam power, especially for passenger service. At the end of a 10-day steam steam chase (chasing on foot and by train that is) in Hokkaido in 1973, my railfan friend Mineo Kawasaki and I were offered a cab ride on the last operating C62 4-6-4 then making a daily roundtrip from Hakodate to Sapporo. My friend was extremely reluctant, because Japanese railfan etiquette did not endorse such actions. I persuaded him to accept. The cab ride cost me two one-way plane tickets to Tokyo
as it would not allow us enough time to get back on our 10-day Hokkaido rail pass. The cab ride was a revelation. The cab interior was absolutely spotless. The engineer wore a clean blue uniform
with a peaked cab like those from WWll, and WHITE Gloves. And there was constant communication between the engineer and fireman, everything professional and coordinated. A most memorable experience. Attached is a shot of the engine, C62 3, at the Sapporo engine facilities in the company of two D51 2-8-2s. I am also attaching a memorable shot by Mineo of a JNR triple header he took on a separate trip.