Electric car Izu-Hakone KoDe 165 (new color)
I recently visited the Daiyuzan line of Izu-Hakone Railway for the first time in two years. What was new with this local private railway?
I found that the coloring of the construction vehicle named KoDe 165 was changed from yellow to a chocolate color. KoDe 165 was built in 1928 as MoHa 30166 passenger electric car on the Japanese Government Railways. In 1960, it was moved to Sagami Railway and used as a passenger car known as KuHa 2510. In 1976, it was transferred again to Izu-Hakone Railway and used as a passenger car with a name change to MoHa 165. Eventually, it was modified to a construction vehicle known as KoDe 165 in 1997. For your information, "KoDe" stands for a "construction electric car" in Japanese.
One of the missions for KoDe 165 is to pull commuter trains as a freight train. It happens when the commuter train is to be inspected. As you may know, Izu-Hakone Railway doesn't have its own railway factory on the Daiyuzan line. Their sole railway factory named Daiba Factory is located only on the Sunzu line; therefore, the commuter trains on the Daiyuzan line have to be transported to their Sunzu line via JR East Tokaido main line. That's an important mission for KoDe 165.
In March 2018, KoDe 165 got a change in its body color and appeared before rail-fans. Its new color is my favorite, as it is what I saw many commuter trains in my childhood. It is so nostalgic.
I found that the coloring of the construction vehicle named KoDe 165 was changed from yellow to a chocolate color. KoDe 165 was built in 1928 as MoHa 30166 passenger electric car on the Japanese Government Railways. In 1960, it was moved to Sagami Railway and used as a passenger car known as KuHa 2510. In 1976, it was transferred again to Izu-Hakone Railway and used as a passenger car with a name change to MoHa 165. Eventually, it was modified to a construction vehicle known as KoDe 165 in 1997. For your information, "KoDe" stands for a "construction electric car" in Japanese.
One of the missions for KoDe 165 is to pull commuter trains as a freight train. It happens when the commuter train is to be inspected. As you may know, Izu-Hakone Railway doesn't have its own railway factory on the Daiyuzan line. Their sole railway factory named Daiba Factory is located only on the Sunzu line; therefore, the commuter trains on the Daiyuzan line have to be transported to their Sunzu line via JR East Tokaido main line. That's an important mission for KoDe 165.
In March 2018, KoDe 165 got a change in its body color and appeared before rail-fans. Its new color is my favorite, as it is what I saw many commuter trains in my childhood. It is so nostalgic.
KoDe 165 (left) and 5501F of the EMU Izu-Hakone 5000 series (right)