New-colored Trains on the Daiyuzan Line

Set 5507 of the EMU Izu-Hakone 5000 series, Gentian Train

I can't take my eyes off the Daiyuzan line. New-colored trains were recently commissioned one after another. I am going to show you these beautiful trains today.

Let me quickly review the Dauyuzan line to start. The Daiyuzan line is operated by Izu-Hakone Railway, which is one of the Seibu Group companies. The route was opened in 1925 between Odawara and Daiyuzan stations to transport worshippers to the famous Saijo-ji Buddhist temple. Currently, the passengers are not only worshipers, but also local commuters and students going to Odawara, Yokohama, and other cities. The route length is 9.6 kilometers. The track is 1,067 mm-size single and electrified. The electric system is 1,500 V DC with an overhead line. Trains are operated every 12 minutes on average. 

Now, let's head to the main topic. Firstly, "Gentian Train" debuted on April 5th using Set 5507 of the EMU 5000 series. Gentian is the flower of Minami-Ashigara city on the Daiyuzan line. The purpose of Gentian Train is to promote tourism to this beautiful city. Its light-purple-colored body is gentle. "Orange Train" was then commissioned on August 29th using Set 5503 of the EMU 5000 series. Oranges are the specialty of Odawara City on the Daiyuzan line. The purpose of Orange Train is to promote tourism to this fruit city. Its body color is brilliant.

Incidentally, the EMU 5000 series is the main fleet of the Daiyuzan line. It was launched in 1984. A total of 7 sets, 21 units, are operated on the line.

Set 5503 of the EMU Izu-Hakone 5000 series, Orange Train

Official information about Gentian Train by Izu-Hakone Railway (in Japanesea):

https://www.izuhakone.co.jp/sunzudaiyu/sunzudaiyu-news/p010225_d/fil/railway_news_20240329.pdf

Official information about Orange Train by Izu-Hakone Railway (in Japanesea):

https://www.izuhakone.co.jp/izu-group/izu-news/railway_news_20240821_d/fil/railway_news_20240821.pdf

The 60th Anniversary of Tokyo Monorail

60th anniversary train, Set 10041 of the EMU Tokyo Monorail 10000 series

On September 17th, 2024, Tokyo Monorail Company celebrated the 60th anniversary of their Haneda Airport line. In commemoration, the company held several events.

Let me review the Haneda Airport line to start. It is an airport access monorail line from downtown Tokyo to Tokyo International Airport (Haneda). This route was opened in 1964 as the second oldest monorail line in Tokyo. There are 11 stations over a total operating length of 17.8 kilometers. The entire route is a double track. The electric system is 750V DC. The best thing about Tokyo Monorail is its high speed. The maximum train speed is 80 kilometers per hour. “Haneda Express” train connects Hamamatsu-cho in the downtown area and Haneda Airport International Terminal without stopping in only 13 minutes. This express train overtakes the local train at Showajima station.

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary, Tokyo Monorail has been operating a special-colored train since September 14th, using Set 10041 of the EMU 10000 series. The body color has been returned to the original state, which was adopted when the Haneda Airport line was opened. It is ivory-colored with light-blue and dark-blue-colored stripes. We can see the 60th anniversary sticker as well on the front of this train.

Incidentally, I still remember the 50th anniversary train on the Haneda Airport line in 2014. It was a special-colored EMU 1000 series train with red-colored stripes. That color design was taken from the EMU 500 series, which had already been retired from the track. Ten years have passed since then. Time really flies.

The 60th anniversary sticker of the Haneda Airport line, Tokyo Monorail

Official information about the 60th anniversary, Haneda Airport line, Tokyo Monorail (in Japanese):

https://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/news/campaign/60th_anniversary/

The 273 Series: New Trans-Mountain Limited Express

EMU JR West 273 series, Limited Express "Yakumo", stands at Matsue station

Time flies when I am having fun. The day before going back home, I enjoyed a night view of Lake Shinji-ko in Matsue City. It was unfortunately rainy, but I could see beautiful illuminations on the opposite shore (see the photo below). In this lake, we can get many aquatic products that are known as “Delicacies of Lake Shinji-ko”. They are shrimp, eel, whitebait, smelt, shijimi and so on. They are all delicious, but shijimi is specifically my favorite. It is a type of freshwater black clam that is a common ingredient in Japanese household cooking widely available in grocery stores.

The day has come to go back home. I got on a limited express train, “Yakumo (overlapping clouds)”, at Matsue station. A new model, EMU JR West 273 series, is commissioned as Yakumo (see the top photo). The 273 series debuted on April 6th this year to replace the old model, EMU 381 series. A total of 11 sets, 44 units, were built by Kinki Sharyo. The most outstanding feature of this model is its curve passage performance. By tilting the train's body using pendular technology, the 273 series can keep a high speed on tight curves of the trans-mountain section penetrating the Chugoku Mountains. It has a very nice ride. It feels good even when the train is passing through the tight curves. The light-brown-colored bodies are also unique and vivid. Enjoying the mountain sceneries, I arrived at Okayama terminal, which is the transfer station to Sanyo Shinkansen.

Night view of Lake Shinji-ko near Matsue station

Official information about the new "Yakumo" limited expresss by JR West (in Japanese):

https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/yakumo/

Holy Beach and Train in Shimane Prefecture

EMU Ichibata 5000 series stands at Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen railyard

Continuing with what I covered last time, I am going to introduce a train of Ichibata Electric Railway to start. EMU 5000 series is Ichibata’s high-end train (see the top photo). It has mainly been used as a limited express train connecting Dentetsu-Izumoshi and Izumotaisha-mae to transport worshippers to the holy Izumotaisha Shrine. It's an 18-meters-long car with a steel body. One trainset is composed of two motorcars. Different from the other trains, it has only 4 doors per unit. As with the Ichibata 2100 series, which I showed in my past post, the Ichibata 5000 series is also the ex-Keio 5000 series. The Ichibata 2100 series still keeps its original design of the Keio 5000 series. On the other hand, Ichibata 5000 series looks different from that of the Keio 5000 series. Actually, it was modified before moving from the Keio line in 1998.

Taking the holy train, many passengers head to Izumotaisha Shrine. Taking this opportunity, I am going to introduce a holy beach, “Inasanohama”, near the shrine. According to a local legend, deities from all over Japan gather at Izumotaisha Shrine for an annual meeting in October of the lunar calendar. They are welcomed by local people here on this beach. It’s a beautiful bow-shaped sand beach with a holy rock named Benten-jima. It is said that the setting sun here is so pretty, but the morning scenery was also beautiful (see the photo below). 

I fully enjoyed the holy beach and train in Shimane Prefecture.

Inasanohama Beach near Izumotaisha-mae station, Ichibata Electric Railway

Official information about the trains of Ichibata Electric Railway (in Japanese):

https://railway.ichibata.co.jp/operate/trains/

Trains of Ichibata Electric Railway

EMU Ichibata 1000 series stands at Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen station

Following the EMU 2100 series, I’m going to show you the other trains of Ichibata Electric Railway.

Before that, let me quickly review this railway. Ichibata is a local private railway company in Shimane Prefecture. Connecting Matsue and Izumo cities, its total operating length is 42.2 kilometers. The track is single and the gauge size is 1,067 millimeters. Its electric system is 1,500 V DC. The Kitamatsue line is the main route between Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen and Dentetsu-Izumoshi (33.9 kilometers). On the other hands, the Taisha line is a branch route extending from Kawato to Izumotaisha-mae (8.3 kilometers).

The EMU 1000 series is the ex-Tokyu 1000 series. A total of 3 sets, 6 units, were moved to Ichibata in 2014 and 2015 after modification from intermediate cars to lead cars. One set is composed of a motorcar and a trailer (1M1T). The motorcar has four 130 kW induction motors. The electric control system is an IGBT-VVVF (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor-variable frequency drive). The front design is similar with that of the EMU Fukushima Kotsu 1000 series.

Electric car 7000 series is Ichibata’s new model car for the first time in 86 years. A total of 4 cars were built by Kinki Sharyo and Goto Kogyo from 2016 to 2018. It's a 20-meters-long large car with a stainless-steel body. It has two 270 kW induction motors (0.5M). The electric control system is an IGBT-VVVF. Both long and cross seats are equipped. The front design is similar with that of the EMU JR West 225 series.

Electric car Ichibata 7000 series stands at Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen rail yard

Official information about the trains of Ichibata Electric Railway (in Japanese):

https://railway.ichibata.co.jp/operate/trains/