Following my previous post, I am going to continue to show you the rolling stock on the Gakunan Railway. After arriving at Gakunan-Fujioka, I enjoyed taking photographs of old electric locomotives (ELs), which were preserved in the station yard.
The EL Class ED 40 was my target to shoot. It was built by Nippon Sharyo in 1965 for Matsumoto Electric Railway (present Alpico Kotsu). After using it for material transportation of hydroelectric power plant construction, two units of the Class ED 40 were moved to Gakunan Railway in 1971. The Class ED 40 is a direct current EL with an axis arrangement of Bo-Bo (UIC notation). It has four DC motors with rheostatic control system. Its total rating power is 512 kW (one hour). It is quite unique that the door is equipped on the front, which means that the crew has to climb up the deck on the front at first. He (or she) then enters the cockpit from the front door. Unfortunately, the freight transportation of Gakunan Railway has been suspended since 2012, so, the Class ED 40 sleeps in the rail yard every day.
For your information, Gakunan Railway was partially opened between Yoshihara and Yoshihara-honcho in 1949 using a freight line of Nissan Heavy Industries. The route was then fully inaugurated in 1953 between Yoshihara and Gakunan-Enoo stations. The track is electrified and single. The gauge is 1,067 mm. The electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead.
The EL Class ED 40 was my target to shoot. It was built by Nippon Sharyo in 1965 for Matsumoto Electric Railway (present Alpico Kotsu). After using it for material transportation of hydroelectric power plant construction, two units of the Class ED 40 were moved to Gakunan Railway in 1971. The Class ED 40 is a direct current EL with an axis arrangement of Bo-Bo (UIC notation). It has four DC motors with rheostatic control system. Its total rating power is 512 kW (one hour). It is quite unique that the door is equipped on the front, which means that the crew has to climb up the deck on the front at first. He (or she) then enters the cockpit from the front door. Unfortunately, the freight transportation of Gakunan Railway has been suspended since 2012, so, the Class ED 40 sleeps in the rail yard every day.
For your information, Gakunan Railway was partially opened between Yoshihara and Yoshihara-honcho in 1949 using a freight line of Nissan Heavy Industries. The route was then fully inaugurated in 1953 between Yoshihara and Gakunan-Enoo stations. The track is electrified and single. The gauge is 1,067 mm. The electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead.
