Streetcar 523 of the 500 series is exhibited in Yokohama Tram Museum
Some time has passed since I reported about the Yokohama Tram Museum. Today, I am going to continue to show you the streetcar exhibited in the museum.
Unit number 523 of the 500 series is the oldest streetcar exhibited in the Yokohama Tram Museum. It was launched in 1928 and operated by the Transportation Bureau of the city of Yokohama until 1969. The 500 series was one of the major streetcar groups in Yokohama. A total of 60 units were built by Tokyo Gas Denki, Kamata Sharyo and Amemiya Seisakusho. The 500 series has classic four-wheel trucks named Brill 79-E made in the U.S.A. Two electric motors with 26 kW output were equipped. As it had a beautiful rounded roof and an elegant arch-shaped ceiling, the 500 series was the symbol of the recovery from the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. The car length is 9.144 meters. The maximum capacity was 75 passengers. The type of power contact is a bow collector.
Incidentally, the city of Yokohama once had an extensive tram network. The first route was opened in 1904 by Yokohama Electric Railway Company. Although the tram was a very useful transportation means for local people, it was unfortunately abolished in 1972 due to heavy traffic congestion in the urban area. Most of the streetcars were then scrapped; however, several units are still preserved in museums, public parks, and schools. The Yokohama Tram Museum is the largest preserved facility of streetcars in the city of Yokohama.
Side view of streetcar 523, close up
Official information about theYokohama Tram Museum (in Japanese):