The 273 Series: New Trans-Mountain Limited Express

EMU JR West 273 series, Limited Express “Yakumo,” stands at Matsue Station

Time really flies. On the day before returning home, I went to see the night view of Lake Shinji-ko in Matsue City. Unfortunately it was raining, but I could still enjoy the beautiful illuminations on the opposite shore (see the photo below).

Lake Shinji-ko is blessed with various aquatic products known as the “Delicacies of Lake Shinji-ko,” including shrimp, eel, whitebait, smelt, and shijimi clams. All of them taste wonderful, but shijimi is my personal favorite. It is a type of freshwater black clam commonly used in Japanese home cooking and widely available at grocery stores.

The day of departure finally came. I boarded the limited express “Yakumo (Overlapping Clouds)” at Matsue Station. A new model, the EMU JR West 273 series, has recently been introduced for the Yakumo service (see the top photo). The 273 series debuted on April 6 this year, replacing the old EMU 381 series. A total of 11 sets (44 cars) were built by Kinki Sharyo.

The highlight of this model is its remarkable curve-passing performance. By tilting its body using pendular technology, the 273 series can maintain higher speeds through the tight curves on the trans-mountain section penetrating the Chugoku Mountains. The ride is pleasantly smooth, even when running along the winding tracks. The light-brown body color also looks unique and vivid.

After enjoying the scenery of the mountains, I arrived at Okayama, which is the transfer station to Sanyo Shinkansen.

Night view of Lake Shinji-ko near Matsue Station

Related link:

・Official information about the new “Yakumo” limited express by JR West (Japanese only)

Holy Beach and Train in Shimane Prefecture

EMU Ichibata 5000 series stands at Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen Railyard

Continuing from my previous post, I would like to introduce one of the trains of the Ichibata Electric Railway. The EMU 5000 series is Ichibata’s high-end train (see the photo above). It has mainly been used as a limited express train connecting Dentetsu-Izumoshi and Izumotaisha-mae, transporting worshippers to the holy Izumotaisha Shrine. Each car is 18 meters long with a steel body, and one trainset consists of two motorcars. Unlike other trains, it has only four doors per unit.

As with the Ichibata 2100 series, which I introduced in an earlier post, the Ichibata 5000 series is also an ex-Keio 5000 series train. The Ichibata 2100 series still keeps the original design of the Keio 5000 series. On the other hand, the Ichibata 5000 series looks somewhat different. It was modified before moving from the Keio Line in 1998.

Many passengers take this “holy train” to visit Izumotaisha Shrine. Taking this opportunity, I would like to introduce a holy beach, “Inasanohama,” located near the shrine. According to a local legend, deities from all over Japan gather at Izumotaisha Shrine for an annual meeting held in October of the lunar calendar, and they are welcomed by local people here on this beach.

It is a beautiful bow-shaped sandy beach featuring a sacred rock named Benten-jima. It is said that the setting sun is especially stunning here, but the morning scenery was also beautiful (see the photo below).

I fully enjoyed both the holy beach and the train in Shimane Prefecture.

Inasanohama Beach near Izumotaisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Electric Railway

Related link:

・Official information about the trains of Ichibata Electric Railway (in Japanese)

Trains of the Ichibata Electric Railway

EMU 1000 series at Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen Station

Following my introduction of the EMU 2100 series, I’d like to show you some of the other trains operated by the Ichibata Electric Railway.

Before that, let me briefly review this railway. Ichibata is a local private railway company in Shimane Prefecture. It connects the cities of Matsue and Izumo, with a total operating length of 42.2 kilometers. The line is single-tracked, and the track gauge is 1,067 millimeters. Its electric system is 1,500 V DC.

The Kitamatsue Line serves as the main route between Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen and Dentetsu-Izumoshi (33.9 kilometers), while the Taisha Line branches off from Kawato to Izumotaisha-mae (8.3 kilometers).

The EMU 1000 series consists of former Tokyu 1000 series trains. A total of three sets—six units—were transferred to Ichibata in 2014 and 2015 after being rebuilt from intermediate cars into driving cars. Each set is composed of one motor car and one trailer car (1M1T). The motor car is equipped with four 130 kW induction motors. The propulsion system uses an IGBT–VVVF inverter. The front design is similar to that of the Fukushima Kotsu 1000 series EMU.

The 7000 series is Ichibata’s first newly built model in 86 years. Four cars were manufactured by Kinki Sharyo and Goto Kogyo between 2016 and 2018. Each car is a large 20-meter-long stainless-steel vehicle equipped with two 270 kW induction motors (0.5M) and an IGBT–VVVF control system. Both longitudinal and transverse seating are provided. The front design resembles that of the JR West 225 series EMU.

7000 series electric car at the Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen rail yard

Related link:

・Official information about the trains of the Ichibata Electric Railway (in Japanese)

Beautiful Garden and Train in Shimane Prefecture

Set 2104 of the Ichibata EMU 2100 series standing at Kawato Station

Continuing from what I covered last time, I would like to introduce a beautiful Japanese garden and a charming local train in Shimane Prefecture.

After spending a night on the Sunrise Express, I got off the train at Yasugi Station on the San-in Main Line the next morning. My destination was the Adachi Museum of Art in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture. The museum was founded by Adachi Zenko, a businessman born in the area. It is well known for its seamless harmony between modern Japanese-style paintings inside and the traditional gardens outside. These gardens have been ranked Number One among Japanese-style gardens by The Journal of Japanese Gardening, published in the United States.

After enjoying both the paintings and the gardens, I took the Ichibata Electric Railway and headed toward Izumotaisha-mae. On the way, I came across an orange-colored train—Set 2104 of the EMU 2100 series—at Kawato Station. This nostalgic train was transferred from the Keio Electric Railway in 1995. Its former name was the Keio EMU 5000 series, a well-regarded commuter train that served from the 1960s through the 1990s. It even won the 1964 Laurel Prize from the Japan Railfan Club as the most outstanding newly introduced train of the previous year. The curved front windows and double rounded headlights of this more-than-50-year-old train felt nostalgic, yet still very stylish. Incidentally, the body color of Set 2104 is inspired by Ichibata’s old baggage car, the DeHaNi 50 series.

(To be continued…)

Japanese-style garden at the Adachi Museum of Art

Related link:

・Official information about the EMU, Ichibata Electric Railway (in Japanese)

Short Trip to Shimane Prefecture by Sunrise Express

EMU 285 series, Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto, standing at Tokyo Station

I recently took the Sunrise Express for the first time in my life and visited Shimane Prefecture. Today, I’d like to share some photos of this train with you.

Let me start by briefly reviewing Shimane Prefecture and the Sunrise Express. Shimane is located in the western part of Japan, facing the Sea of Japan. Its population is about 0.7 million, making it the second least populous prefecture in the country. To travel from Tokyo to Shimane, one of the most convenient means of transportation is the Sunrise Express. It is an overnight sleeper train with comfortable berths. Connecting Tokyo and Izumo-shi, the train travels across three JR companies: JR East, JR Central, and JR West.

The 14-car EMU 285 series operates as both Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto from Tokyo to Okayama. After arriving at Okayama station, the train is split in two. The Sunrise Izumo (a 7-car set) continues to Izumoshi in Shimane Prefecture, while the other 7-car set heads to Takamatsu as the Sunrise Seto.

The EMU 285 series is owned by JR West and JR Central. A total of five sets—35 cars—were built in 1998 by Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. I think that sleeper EMUs like this are quite unique. I used a B-class (standard-class) single room. Its window was very large, allowing me to fully enjoy the night view of downtown Tokyo before I eventually drifted off to sleep.

To be continued…

Interior of the single room in the B-class (standard-class) sleeping car

Related link:

・Official information about Sunrise Express by JR West (in Japanese)

The 90th Anniversary of Hachiko Line

Set 42 of JR East’s E231-3000 series arriving at Komiya Station

On October 6th, East Japan Railway Company (hereafter JR East) celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Hachiko Line. To commemorate the milestone, the JR East Hachioji Branch Office held several events along the line.

Let me start with a brief overview of the Hachiko Line. This JR East line runs through the northwestern part of the Tokyo metropolitan area from south to north. Stretching 92 kilometers, it connects Hachioji in western Tokyo with Kuragano in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture. Most of the route consists of a single track, and the gauge is 1,067 millimeters. The entire line was opened on October 6th, 1934 by the former Ministry of Railways.

The southern section, between Hachioji and Komagawa, serves as a commuter route in an urban area. It is electrified at 1,500 V DC with overhead catenaries and operated by EMU sets of the EMU 209-3500 and E231-3000 series.

In contrast, the northern section, between Komagawa and Kuragano, is a more rural local route. It is non-electrified and operated by DMU sets of the DMU KiHa110 series.

During my visit, I spotted special memorial plates mounted on the front and back of Set 42 of the E231-3000 series. These plates were designed by JR East employees. I especially liked the one that cleverly uses the number “90” to form a smiling face—so cute! According to JR East, the same plates are also displayed on Set 204 of the KiHa 110 series running in the northern section.

Congratulations to the Hachiko Line on its 90th anniversary!

90th anniversary plate of the Hachiko Line

Related link:

・Official 90th anniversary website by JR East Hachioji Branch Office (in Japanese)

Extra Rare Steam Locomotive Preserved in Sendai City

Steam Locomotive Unit No. 1 of the Class C60 preserved in Sendai West Park

After observing trains on the Namboku Line of the Sendai City Subway, I visited Sendai West Park in the city center. My objective was to see Steam Locomotive Unit No. 1 of the Class C60 (hereafter referred to as C60 1), which is preserved in the park.

Let us take a brief look at the Class C60. It is a 4-6-4 (Whyte notation) steam locomotive with a tender. The C60 was originally developed as the Class C59 by the Ministry of Railways in 1941 and was later converted into the Class C60. What was the background behind the appearance of the C60?

The Class C59 originally designed to haul express trains on trunk lines. However, many of these trunk lines were electrified during the 1950s. As a result, the C59 locomotives had to be reassigned to local lines. The problem was that local lines had weaker load-bearing capacity. Therefore, the heavy axle load of the C59 needed to be reduced to allow operation on these lines. To achieve this, the wheel arrangement was changed from the 4-6-2 configuration of the C59 to the 4-6-4 configuration of the C60 by adding one trailing axle.

C60 1 was originally built in 1941 at the Hitachi Kasado Works as C59 27. It was later converted into C60 1 at the Japanese National Railways Hamamatsu Works in 1953. After operating for 15 years as C60 1, it was retired from service in 1968 and moved to Sendai West Park. It is an extremely rare steam locomotive, as it is the only preserved Class C60 in Japan. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to everyone involved in preserving C60 1 in Sendai City.

Rear view of C60 1

Related link:

・Official website of the Preservation Society of Steam Locomotive C60 1 in Sendai City (in Japanese)

I Got Here a Little Too Early

EMU Sendai Subway 1000 series and the Funagata mountain range

Continuing from what I covered last time, I’d like to introduce trains in Sendai City today. First, let’s take a quick look at Sendai City. Located about 350 kilometers north of Tokyo, Sendai is the political and economic center of the Tohoku Region. As of October 2024, it has a population of 1,096,168. Sendai is densely populated, yet nationwide it’s known as a modern city in harmony with nature. The city offers beautiful scenery, such as the Hirose River running through central Sendai and the lush zelkova trees lining its streets. Rairai-kyo Gorge, which I introduced in my last post, is another must-see spot in the city.

After visiting Rairai-kyo, I returned to the city center and visited the Sendai Subway Namboku Line. My target was a new model named the EMU 3000 series, recently introduced by the Sendai City Transportation Bureau. How was the 3000 series? Oh, please refrain from asking this question—the 3000 series hadn’t debuted yet. According to the Transportation Bureau, the 3000 series was still in Tomizawa Depot and would debut on the 24th of this month. I got here a little too early. Never mind. I got off at Yaotome Station, a railfans’ spot where we can photograph subway trains on the elevated track during the daytime. I enjoyed shooting the existing 1000 series trains backed by the Funagata mountain range. I could also photograph the dark underground section at Kotodai-Koen Station. That’s quite all right too.

EMU 1000 series leaves Kotodai-Koen Station on the Namboku Line

Related link:

・Official information about the new model, EMU 3000 series, by the Sendai City Transportation Bureau (in Japanese)

Preserved Tramcar above Rairai-kyo Gorge

Unit 119 of the former Sendai City Tram MoHa 100 series

I recently visited Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture on business. After finishing my meeting, I went to the Akiu area of the city and enjoyed a walk along a beautiful gorge.

Rairai-kyo is a deep gorge formed in pumice tuff deposited about eight million years ago. This rock is relatively soft but does not crumble easily, so it has been used for buildings and fences in Sendai City. If you look down into Rairai-kyo from a bridge crossing the gorge, you can find a heart-shaped groove in the rock (see the photo below). This is a so-called tafoni, a cavity created by chemical erosion, and it has become a popular spot for couples.

Well, I cannot end the story here, as this is a railway blog. Just above the gorge, I found a preserved tramcar (see the top photo). What is it? It is Unit 119 of the former Sendai City Tram MoHa 100 series. The MoHa 100 series is a medium-sized (11.9-meter-long) double-axle bogie car. It is equipped with two 38 kW DC series motors, and its rated speed is 21 kilometers per hour. A traditional nose-suspension drive system is adopted.

Unit 119 was built by Niigata Tekko in 1952. After operating for 48 years in Sendai and Nagasaki, it was withdrawn from service in 2000 and relocated to Rairai-kyo Gorge in 2002. Unit 119 is known as a “brother” of the unnamed tramcar at Seibu-en Amusement Park (see my post from February 15, 2023).

Unit 119—thank you for your long service. Have a good rest.

A heart-shaped groove in the rock at Rairai-kyo Gorge

EMU 1800 Series for the 1,800th Post

Set 1806 of the EMU Toyohashi Railway 1800 series (September, 2016)

This is the 1,800th post in my blog. It has been about thirteen and a half years since I started posting. I hope rail-fans all over the world continue to enjoy my blog. In commemoration of the "1,800th" post, I am going to show you a train with the number "1,800" in the name today. Is it a bit of a stretch?

The EMU Toyohashi Railway 1800 series is a sole model on the Atsumi line. It was commissioned in 2000 to replace the old model, the ex-Meitetsu 7300 series. The 1800 series was originally the Tokyu 7200 series. It was built by Tokyu Sharyo in the 1960s and 1970s. After operating for about 30 years, a total of 32 units were moved to Toyohashi Railway. Currently, 10 sets of 3-car trains have gone into commercial services. One trainset is composed of two motorcars and one trailer (2M1T). One car is 18-meters long. The odd-shaped face (so-called diamond cut) of the 1800 series is definitely my favorite. Their body colors are also attractive, as each set has its own color. A total of 10 different colors such as light green (the top photo) and brown (the photo below) are used.

Incidentally, the Atsumi line of Toyohashi Railway is a local route in Aichi Prefecture. about 300 kilometers west of Tokyo. Connecting Shin-Toyohashi and Mikawa-Tahara, its route length is 18 kilometers. The track is single and the gauge size is 1,067 millimeters. Its electric system is 1,500 V DC with overhead catenaries.

Set 1802 of the EMU Toyohashi Railway 1800 series (September, 2016)

Official information about the colorful trains on the Atsumi line of Toyohashi Railway (in Japanese):

https://www.toyotetsu.com/atsumisen/colorfultrain.html