Electric car Unit 7102 of the Okayama Electric Tramway 7100 series
Let me continue from where I left off my last post. After the departure of the low-floored modern tramcar named set 9202, two classic vehicles arrived at Okayama terminal one after another. They were unit 7102 and 8101 of Okayama Electric Tramway.
Unit 7102 was commissioned in 1981 as the second car of the 7100 series. It's a 12.2-meter-long car built by Alna Koki. The electric control system is classic direct rheostatic. On the other hand, unit 8101 was commissioned in 1991 as the second car of the 7900 series. The technical specifications of unit 8101 and 7102 are similar, but the outputs of their traction motors are different (37.5 kW and 45 kW). The front shape of unit 8101 is inclined; meanwhile, unit 7102 has a vertical front face.
Incidentally, did you find that both two tramcars have very unique pantographs? Their attaching tables are very tall. They are so-called Ishizu-type pantographs. As you know, commonly used pantographs are pushed up by air pressure or the power of springs. On the other hand, Ishizu-type pantographs are pushed up by the weights. It means that the Ishizu-type pantographs are very simply designed, and easily maintained; however, this type of pantograph easily gets pantograph bounce. The Ishizu-type pantograph was invented by the former president of Okayama Electric Tramway, Ishizu Ryusuke, in 1951. He was an uncle of Ishizu Kensuke, who was a founder of the famous Japanese fashion brand, "VAN", in the 1970s.
It's fun to learn the history of railways.
Electric car Unit 8101 of the Okayama Electric Tramway 7900 series