On February 19th, 2023, Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo Metropolis reopened its Shinmei Toden-shakoato Park after renovation. Accordingly, the preserved tramcar named Toei 6063 was also opened to the public again.
Let me review the tram lines in Tokyo to start. Tokyo once had a 181-kilometer-long extensive tram network, which functioned as commuter transportation arteries in the mega-city. Time has passed and most routes have already been abolished due to heavy traffic jams. Today, only the Toei-Arakawa line (12.2 kilometers) and the Tokyu-Setagaya line (5.0 kilometers) survive, as those lines were constructed as exclusive tracks.
To learn the history of trams in Tokyo, the best way is to observe the preserved tramcars. For instance, the Toei (the Transportation Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government) 6000 series is a good example. The 6000 series was launched in 1947 as a 12-meter-long street car for the 600 V DC electric system. A total of 290 cars were built by several manufacturers, but only six cars are currently preserved in several public parks.
Shinmei Toden-shakoato Park, where unit 6053 is preserved, was once a depot of the Toei tramcars. Unit 6063 was built in 1949 by Fuji Sangyo (present SUBARU). After operating for 29 years, it was retired from the track in 1978. This year, it was perfectly renovated, and reopened to the public as if it's a new car. The body and windows of unit 6063 are shiny in the park. I would like to thank everyone involved in this renovation project.
