A central Japan local commuter train line is thought to have become the country's first to be converted into a reservation-only tourist train along its entire route.Despite backlash from the local community after prices were hiked significantly from a distance-based fare to a flat rate of 3,500 yen ($22), Oigawa Railway Co. managed to change its Ikawa Line in Shizuoka Prefecture to a reservation-only system in July.The 25.5-kilometer line, also known as the Minami-Alps Abt Line, runs through a mountainous area known for its scenery and uses Japan's only Abt rack-and-pinion locomotives desig…READ FULL ARTICLE
