Dual-Gauge Tracks on the Hakone-Tozan Railway

Odakyu 60000 series EMU on the dual-gauge track

Do you have any dual-gauge tracks in your country? Here in Japan, we actually have a few, and every time I come across one, I feel a little spark of curiosity. Today, let me share one such spot with you — a charming dual-gauge section on the Hakone-Tozan Railway in Kanagawa Prefecture.

First, just a small introduction. The Hakone-Tozan Railway is a dependable mountain climber that makes its way up the slopes of Hakone Volcano. It connects Odawara on the Odakyu Line to the terminal at Gōra, covering about 15 kilometers. The entire line is a single electrified track, but what makes it interesting is that the lower half uses narrow gauge (1,067 mm), while the upper half switches to standard gauge (1,435 mm).

And that’s where the dual-gauge section comes in — connecting the lower and upper parts of the line.

If you look at the photo above, you’ll find a three-rail dual-gauge track — quite a sight if you enjoy the technical side of railways. Running on it is a narrow-gauge Odakyu Romancecar, the 60000-series EMU. This train travels directly from the Odakyu Line onto the Hakone-Tozan Line, following the left rail and the inner right rail as it climbs toward Hakone-Yumoto.

Then, in the next photo below, the view becomes even more fascinating. At Iryuda Station’s yard, you can see three types of tracks lined up together: a narrow-gauge track (right), a dual-gauge track (center), and a standard-gauge track (left). There’s also a red, standard-gauge Hakone-Tozan 2000-series EMU resting quietly in the shed.

So the purpose of this dual-gauge stretch is quite simple:

1. to let the narrow-gauge commercial trains pass through, and

2. to give standard-gauge trains a path in and out of the yard when they’re not in service.

For a rail fan like me, small scenes like these always feel like hidden treasures. I can’t help but stop and watch for a moment. Perhaps you feel a little of that excitement too?

Left: standard-gauge, Center: dual-gauge, Right: narrow-gauge

Tracing the Fate of an “Urban Secluded Station”

The special poster train, Yumegaoka SORATOS, arriving at Yumegaoka Station

Do you remember my post from three years ago about the urban secluded station, Yumegaoka? Today, I’d like to share a little update on how things have changed since then.

Let’s start with a quick look at Yumegaoka Station. It is located in Yokohama City on the Sotetsu (Sagami Railway) Izumino Line. When I visited in 2022, there were no shops or houses around the station at all. The daily ridership was only about 1,000 passengers. It really lived up to the name “urban secluded station.”

So, what does it look like three years later? Please take a look at the photo below. Yes — that’s a giant shopping mall, SORATOS, standing right in front of Yumegaoka Station. It was opened by the Sotetsu Group in July 2024. With more than 130 shops, restaurants, a theater, and much more, Yumegaoka now sees over 8,500 passengers per day.

Sotetsu is actively promoting shopping at SORATOS. In the top photo, you can see a special poster train called the Yumegaoka SORATOS, using Set 10707 of the EMU 10000 series. It commemorates the cumulative 3 million riders at Yumegaoka Station since SORATOS opened. The train features Sotetsu’s mascot character, Sounyan, on both the front and the sides — and it looks absolutely adorable!

I really enjoyed seeing the Yumegaoka SORATOS train and exploring the new mall. But at the same time, I felt a touch of sadness, because the once quiet, secluded station has transformed into a lively hub you might find anywhere in the city. Being a rail fan is a mixed bag, isn’t it?

Interior of the SORATOS shopping mall in front of Yumegaoka Station

Related link:

・Official information about the Yumegaoka SORATOS train by Sotetsu (in Japanese)

Autumn Visit to the Silent Tracks of the Ahina Line

An abandoned track of the former Seibu-Ahina Line

Are there any ruin enthusiasts in your country? In Japan, there are quite a few. They love exploring deserted towns, mines, factories, and things like that. I’m not exactly a ruin enthusiast, but I’m at least fond of abandoned railway tracks. Let me share one of my memorable abandoned tracks with you today. My thanks go to the Chairperson of the KuHa 703 Preservation Society, who kindly told me about this heartfelt ruin.

The Ahina Line was opened in 1925 as a branch line of what is now the Seibu-Shinjuku Line. The route originally functioned to transport gravel from the Iruma River riverbed to large cities for construction. Connecting Minami-Ōtsuka and Ahina, the route length was 3.2 kilometers. The track was single and electrified. After 38 years of operation, the Ahina Line was closed in 1963.

Please take a look at the photo above. This is the former Seibu-Ahina Line. The track has been left untouched for a long time, and in this season it was covered with fallen leaves. It would be impossible to revive it now. I felt sad as a rail fan, but at the same time, the abandoned track looked beautiful and somehow made me feel calm. It was different from other abolished tracks I have visited in urban areas, such as the Sagami Branch Line, parts of the Toyoko Line, and the Yokohama Harbor Line.

Finally, I have to say that ruin enthusiasts must follow rules when visiting abandoned tracks. Many dangerous spots lie in prohibited or private areas. Please be careful.

The former Ahina Line (left, a green area) and the Shinjuku Line (right) at Minami-Ōtsuka Sta.

Tobu 8000 Series: An Endangered Species

Set 8199 of the EMU Tobu 8000 series arriving at Shinrinkoen Station

I have to admit, being a rail fan is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, we get super excited about new trains. On the other, it’s really sad to see old ones retire. So, what do we really feel? Honestly… both. Today, I want to talk about the sad part.

On October 16, Tobu Railway announced that Set 8577 of the EMU Tobu 8000 series will retire soon. It’s going to be moved to Zao Ropeway, one of Tobu’s subsidiaries, and apparently it will be used as a waiting room for the ropeway line. I was really shocked when I heard this, especially since Set 8577 was just on display as an active train at the Railway Museum from April to May this year.

The 8000 series first came out in 1963 as Tobu’s commuter train for busy city routes. Over the next 21 years, a total of 712 cars were built by ALNA and others. But even trains can’t escape age. Their numbers have been slowly going down, and scrapping started back in the late 2000s. Now, only 167 cars are still running.

After reading the news, I went to Shinrinkoen Station on the Tobu-Tojo Line to catch a glimpse of the 8000 series. These days, all of them run in 4-car formations. The long 8000 series trains are gone, and they don’t even run into central Tokyo anymore.

The EMU Tobu 8000 series… I didn’t realize there were so few left. You really are an endangered species now.

Set 81107 (a special-colored train) of the EMU Tobu 8000 series

Class C10: A Super-Rare Working Steam Locomotive

Unit 8 of the Class C10 steam locomotive standing at Shin-Kanaya Station

I recently had a chance to visit the Tokai region with my family for the first time in six years. The Tokai area is relatively warm, allowing visitors to enjoy autumn colors for a long period. Since it was a family trip, I had been refraining from trainspotting. However, when I saw an extremely rare working steam locomotive at Shin-Kanaya Station on the Ōigawa (Ooigawa) Railway, I couldn’t help immersing myself in photographing it.

Please take a look at the top photo. Here it is — Unit 8 of the Class C10 steam locomotive (hereafter C10 8). It is neither preserved nor on display; it is still very much active on the tracks. How beautifully maintained it is!

The Class C10 debuted in 1930 to replace the Japanese Government Railways’ aging locomotives. It is a 2-6-4 tank locomotive (Whyte notation), and a total of 23 units were built. C10 8 was manufactured by Kawasaki Sharyō. The Class C10 looks similar to its younger colleague, the Class C11, but for example, the bottom of the driver’s cab door on the C10 is higher than that of the C11 (see the photo below). More importantly, the C10 has a larger axle load than the C11, so the Class C10 locomotives were mainly operated on trunk lines.

After 31 years of service, C10 8 was retired from the Japanese National Railways (formerly the Japanese Government Railways) in 1961 and was transferred to the Ōigawa Railway in 1997. Today, C10 8 is the only surviving Class C10 steam locomotive. None have been preserved or exhibited in museums or parks.

C10 8 filling up with water at Ieyama Station

Related link:

・Official information by Ōigawa (Ooigawa) Railway (in Japanese)