The ironman of travel Yoshimasa Ikeuchi

Tymovskoe station yard

Load your luggage into a jeep in the dark

Nikolai's pet dog

Soviet Jeep "Gazou (1953 type)"

30 minutes stop

Arrive at Tymovskoe station 7:00 am

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Fruit Shop

Night view

Mr. Kokubo indulging in reading on the sleeper train

Me listening to music on a sleeper train

Take a break on the sleeper train

Sleeper train shelves

Japanese locomotive D-51

Night train ticket

Yuzhno-Sakhalin Station

Night train to Nogliki

Train slideshow

This-everyone knew the next morning one hour before the arrival station,
the conductor will knock each compartment to let you know, so you can rest in peace.

At 1:00 am,
I keep knocking without knowing that
the toilet is locked in the middle of the night.

The conductor doesn't get up easily either.
I couldn't stand it anymore and used the coal bucket
that was on the deck "sorry" arrived on time.

Alcohol is prohibited in the car,
smoking is prohibited, but I drank the alcohol I brought.

"I have to drink to sleep"
This time I'm hungry.
Take out the "apple"
I bought for breakfast from the bag and
in the middle of the night I bite so as not to make a noise.

Departure without a signal to depart.

Only coffee and tea are sold in the car. 　
Treat yourself to Chai (10p, 45 yen) in Russian.

When I was relieved, a sleeper attacked me.
At midnight, the outside air enters and the shoulders get cold.

I wake up saying "It's cold.
I wrapped my winter pants around my shoulders.

The heating inside the car is too strong.
Sweat drips and all the winter clothes are taken off.

My underwear is soaked with sweat and my body is exhausted.

Instead of the romantic journey of the night train,
I finally settle down through the hot and cloudy glass.

A night train that spits coal smoke and scatters snow.
Point the camera and the guard will rest in the palm of your hand.

"why".
It is still a remnant of the Soviet era, or photography is prohibited at airports and stations.

Mr.Kokubo has a private affair,
so please tell me first,
so I will head to the designated car 1.

He gave his passport and ticket to the beautiful conductor,
but pointing in the opposite direction.

It seems that the last car No.12 is wrong.
"That's a big issue".

Hurry to car 12 on a dimly frozen platform.
Push up the two bags with a steep entrance and full power.
The temperature is -10 degrees Celsius.

Sakhalin: Eastern Main Line, Northern Transversal Line,
No.1 20:40 to Nogliki North.

Arrival in Tymovskoe at 07:21am the next morning.

It's been 40 years since I got on a night train.
Kotetsu also feels nostalgic since his junior high school excursion,
and it will be a deep night train trip,
next to the hotel is Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk station,
which is a big help,
but since all the tickets are written in Russian,
I do not know the name,
seats, vehicles, etc, at all.

Even though it's 7:00 am,
it's still in the dark.

A stranger will carry your bag to a place
that looks like a platform.

Mr.Nikolai [58],
a guide and driver.

Heading to Nikolai's house with a Soviet Jeep [1953 model]
picked us up in the falling snow.

492km to Tymovsk by night train