Mark Prior
LightNews LightNews
banner
markrprior.mrp.net
Mark Prior
@markrprior.mrp.net
890 followers 480 following 2.3K posts
Network architect and trainer, traveller, and photographer.

Mastodon: @[email protected]

Banner: Iguaçu Falls from the Brazilian side.

Pro Cycling tragic, runner of the #CouchPeloton #TrollTips game
Posts Replies Media Videos
markrprior.mrp.net
#SilentSunday #photography
The Oirase Gorge provides a stunning backdrop for autumnal leaves in Japan. A slow shutter speed turn the turbulent river milky white in contrast to yellows and oranges of the autumn foliage and the green moss covered rocks.
November 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and number 21 goes to a JR East 211 series local train returning me to Matsumoto
Single track line with a train approaching. Headlights below the front windows Trains don’t have IC card readers or ticket dispensers, these hide on the un staffed stations.
November 9, 2025 at 11:15 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and number 20 goes to the Alpico private railway on the Kamikochi Line. The train has just arrived and the driver has just sprinted up the platform to get to this end of the train. He seems flustered as we are a minute late!
Highland Kamikochi Line train. Drivers window surround is black and under it a white panel with a number of different coloured diagonal stripes.
November 9, 2025 at 2:35 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and the final train of the day, and number nineteen is JR Central’s 383 series Shinano. Sadly it was dark and the Green car was at the wrong end so no before photo and no great view.
The rear end but still displaying the wide panoramic window of the drivers compartment. We’re in JR Central’s territory so the body stripe is orange. Inside is 2x2 seating and the straight down the tracks view would be excellent if it wasn’t dark and we were going in the other direction.
November 8, 2025 at 9:29 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan is on train number eighteen, it’s a JR West W7 series Shinkansen Hakutaka and I’m on my way to Nagano.
My ride arrives in the station Car 12 is at the front. Brown, or is that gold, line beneath the window line and a thinner blue stripe below it. Just checking it’s a JR West one I’m in A but across the aisle is B and C.
November 8, 2025 at 7:03 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan not a new train as I’ve already counted a JR East E5 Shinkansen but I’m doing a longer trip today so …
The Gran Class Japanese meal with a beer. Just a relaxing way to travel even if there are a lot of tunnels so not much to see out of the window.
November 8, 2025 at 4:30 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan is at Aomori station at the correct time to see the luxury Shiki-Shima train turn up. Sadly not travelling on it so it doesn’t count but …
An outrageous looking grey green train with a panoramic window arrangement around the drivers compartment.
November 5, 2025 at 5:58 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan in another museum
November 5, 2025 at 1:58 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and number seventeen is a JR East 701 series train on the JR Ou Main Line back to Hirosaki.
An unpainted JR train set with a narrow violet stripe over a wider magenta one across the front and down the sides under the windows. Inside we have typical commuter style seating.
November 2, 2025 at 12:56 PM
markrprior.mrp.net
#SilentSunday #photography #aomori #japan
While Aoike might be the most famous of the "Twelve Lakes" (Jūniko Lake) in Aomori prefecture is you walk a little further, in the rain, you reach Wakitsubo no Ike. Even with angry clouds and falling rain the pond still looked a stunning turquoise which complemented the autumnal leaves of the trees surrounding it.
November 2, 2025 at 9:07 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan number sixteen is the Konan Apple Orchard railway which is scheduled to close in 2027.
All metal two car train with some apple motifs down the side Inside the station at the Hirosaki end of the line
November 2, 2025 at 4:37 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and a quick fire number fifteen is a Limited Express Tsugaru service. Decided to do the green car just because.
A train where the dark colour, a burnt orange, is below the window line and the upper part is possibly white or grey. Elevated driver compartment but unlike the JR Hokkaido LE trains there is no connecting door at the front.
October 31, 2025 at 8:20 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and number fourteen is a JR East E5 Shinkansen. I was videoing the arrival so here it is departing.
Bye bye Hayabusa 30, the long sleek nose (or is it tail if it’s leaving) of a E5 Shinkansen. Green on top with a pink stripe below the window line Still time to board carriage 7 via its open door.
October 31, 2025 at 8:14 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
Missed out on Mr Orange on part 2 of the journey too 😢
Another Southern Hokkaido Railway train, this time in a royal blue.
October 31, 2025 at 5:23 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and lucky thirteen sadly isn’t @thatjohn.bsky.social favourite orange one but I’m on the South Hokkaido single carriage train anyway. Down the coast a bit, visit a monastery and then onto the Shinkansen station.
This South Hokkaido train is white with maroon accents, connecting door and a low stripe down the body. Even claims to be South Hokkaido Railway on the side of the carriage. Inside the carriage Bit of a Halloween theme going on inside.
October 31, 2025 at 1:22 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and here is number twelve, a Hakodate Liner Rapid service to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto
The front of the train, nice purple stripes And down the side with an added secondary green stripe below it It’s going to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto according to it’s destination display but I’m getting off at the first stop Typical commuter style seats with green fabric on the regular seats and orange in the priority seats.
October 29, 2025 at 10:11 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan does a tram count? Why not! Here’s a Hakodate tram for the eleventh “train”
An articulated tram doing route 2 in Hakodate. I guess it’s a maroon colour with a thin yellow strip around the waistline and is quite boxy looking. Inside and it’s all commuter style seating with a typical blue public transport material and design.
October 29, 2025 at 5:16 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and the tenth train is another Limited Express, Hokuto. It started in Sapporo but I caught it in Oshamambe and this is a photo of it at its destination of Hakodate because I wasn’t quick enough in Oshamambe.
Limited Express Hokuto has a mostly white front end with a bright yellow connecting door, which includes its name in a blue panel. There is a purple strip that starts at the bottom of the train under its coupling and then rises up and narrows to run down the train just under the windows.
October 28, 2025 at 10:51 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan back to Kutchan to board the ninth train. A local train bound for Oshamambe. Mt Yotei still hiding in clouds.
Single carriage DMU arriving at the platform in Kutchan. Driver waiting while the passengers queue for doors one and two. Queuing waiting to get on the single unit local train bound for Oshamambe.
October 28, 2025 at 3:33 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan the eighth train is a local train from Otaru to Kutchan for a bit of a day trip. I wonder if the weather will play nice?
Local train bound for Kutchan. This one spots green and yellow stripes A combination of seat styles. Single front/back where I’m sitting. Opposite me (and not shown) are double front/back and there are also seats along the sides commuter style.
October 27, 2025 at 12:30 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#SilentSunday
A photograph of a landscape at the Blue Pond, Biei, Hokkaido, Japan. Across the top half of the frame are trees, the majority are displaying their autumnal colours, mainly yellow with some orange. Below them is a line of scrubs, also being autumnal, and then there is the pale teal of the pond itself. Superimposed over this scene is a light snow fall which defocuses the scene and makes it look more like a painting.
October 26, 2025 at 9:02 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
Life is short. #MarkDoesJapan
The quiche lunch set at a patisserie in Otaru, Japan, plus cake of course.
October 25, 2025 at 4:21 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan and now a seventh train, the Airport Rapid to Otaru, which was packed all the way from Sapporo. Glad my suitcase is making its own way to the next hotel.
The front of the Airport Rapid. I can see a theme developing here with the green stripe below the belt line. Orderly queuing but will they all fit?
October 25, 2025 at 3:10 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan OK that other local train back to Sapporo is different so I guess that makes it the sixth train. Also sadly no eki stamp at this station.
Another commuter style train, again largely unpainted except for green stripes below the windows. Regular circular headlines on this one.
October 25, 2025 at 1:35 AM
markrprior.mrp.net
#MarkDoesJapan The fifth train is a JR local train on the Hakodate Line. I actually had two different train sets, a 6 car commuter special with seating along the side of the carriage and a 3 car version with sets of 4 seats on either side of an aisle.
A suburban Sapporo train on the Hakodate Line heading to Ebetsu is mostly metallic with a horizontal green line down the side of the train under the windows as well as one across the front.
October 24, 2025 at 11:48 PM