Precious EL Preserved in Utsunomiya City

Electric locomotive Unit 7 of the Class EF57 is preserved in Utsunomiya City

Utsunomiya is the main city in Tochigi Prefecture, some 110 kilometers north of Tokyo. It is located in the northern part of Kanto Plain, and known as the machine and food industries city. With regard to railways, you may remember when I introduced you that Japan’s newest tramline was opened in Utsunomiya City last August. The number of cumulative passengers became 6 million on November 19th this year, which was four months earlier than expected. It is a great success.

Utsunomiya is an advanced railway city, but it's not all new. If you walk about the city, you will find a precious old locomotive. Please look at the photos. It is an electric locomotive (EL) Unit 7 of the Class EF57 preserved in Utsunomiya-higashi Park. The Class EF57 is a 1,500V direct current EL with an axis arrangement 2C+C2 (AAR wheel arangement). It was developed for pulling express trains on trunk lines by the Ministry of Railways in 1940. Its maximum speed was 95 kilometers per hour. A total of 15 units were built by Hitachi and Kawasaki Sharyo. Unit 7 was built by Hitachi in 1942, and retired from the Japanese National Railways (JNR) in 1978. It is the only survivor of the Class EF57, and has been preserved in this park since 1980.

Please look at the top photo again. The pantograph sticks out of the body. That’s really cool! A special deck in front of the cab is also unique. I was fascinated by this precious EL.

Front view of Unit 7, Class JNR EF57

Deja Vu on the Shin-Keisei Line

Set N838 of the EMU Shin-Keisei N800 series, Revival-colored train

You may remember my last year’s post, in which Keisei will absorb Shin-Keisei Electric Railway Company in April, 2025. How is the merger project going? I recently visited the Shin-Keisei line for the first time in two years, and saw it with my own eyes.

Let me review Keisei Electric Railway and Shin-Keisei Electric Railway. Keisei is one of the major private railway companies in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It owns a total of 152.3-kilometer-long railway network in the eastern part of Tokyo and northern Chiba Prefecture. On the other hand, Shin-Keisei is an affiliate firm of Keisei Electric Railway Company in Chiba of Prefecture. It owns a 26.5-kilometer-long railway route. Keisei has made Shin-Keisei a wholly-owned subsidiary last year through a share exchange. As the second step, Keisei will absorb Shin-Keisei next year to maximize synergies by making faster decisions and improving business efficiency. The new name of the Shin-Keisei line will be Keisei-Matsudo line after the merger.

Now, let's head to the main topic. I found that the body colors of two Shin-Keisei trainsets have been changed to their original colors. They are Set N838 of the EMU N800 series and Set 8808 of the EMU 8800 series. In my memory, they were changed from their original colors to new colors, which were two-toned of pink and white, only two years ago. Why Shin-Keisei put them back to the original colors now? This is to look back on Shin-Keisei’s past before reaching the end. I fully enjoyed the Deja Vu trains on the Shin-Keisei line.

Set 8808 of the EMU Shin-Keisei 8800 series, Revival-colored train

Official information about the N800 series revival colored train (in Japanese):

https://www.shinkeisei.co.jp/topics/2024/34002/

Official information about the 8800 series revival colored train (in Japanese):

https://www.shinkeisei.co.jp/topics/2024/34532/

"Magical Journey Shinkansen" Train

Set U6 of the EMU JR East E5 series, "Magical Journey Shinkansen"

On June 6th this year, Tokyo Disney Resort held its grand opening of Fantasy Springs. To promote tourism to this new theme park, the owner company of Tokyo Disney Resort, namely Oriental Land, started to operate a new poster train, named Magical Journey Shinkansen, on the Tohoku Shinkansen jointly with JR East.

Let's take a quick look at Fantasy Springs to start. This theme park is composed of Frozen Kingdom, Peter Pan's Never Land and Rapunzel's Forest. For example, visitors of Frozen Kingdom are invited to the kingdom of Arendelle from the film Frozen. Needless to say, a movie, Frozen, was a major hit in 2013. The film met with widespread acclaim from critics and audiences, winning two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, among numerous other accolades.

You can see characters of Fantasy Springs on the side bodies of Magical Journey Shinkansen. They are Elsa and Anna of Frozen, Peter Pan and so on. You may remember when I introduced you to Magical “Dream” Shinkansen before. It was Set J69 of the EMU JR East E2-J series. On the other hand, Magical “Journey” Shinkansen is Set U6 of the JR East E5 series. The EMU E5 series is the fastest train in Japan. Its current maximum speed is 320 kilometers per hour (198.8 miles per hour). By tilting the train's body using advanced technology, the E5 series can keep a high speed on tight curves as well. JR Hokkaido's H5 series is a sister train of the E5 series.

Side view of "Magical Journey Shinkansen"

Official website, "Magical Journey Shinkansen" by JR East (in Japanese):

https://www.jreast.co.jp/mjshinkansen/

Final Chapter of the ex-Tokyo Metro 05 Series in Indonesia

05-110F of the EMU ex-Tokyo Metro 05 series in Jakarta, Inodonesia

(Photo: Faris Fadhli)

Sorry for jumping from one topic to another, but I am going to follow up the trains in Jakarta a little bit more. Following the EMU ex-Tokyu 8500 series, which I posted on November 14th, I am going to show you the other “endangered species” today. My thanks again go to Faris Fadhli, who kindly sent me the beautiful picture.

Please look at the top photo. It is 05-110F of the EMU ex-Tokyo Metro 05 series operated in Indonesia. The 05 series originally debuted on the Tokyo Metro Tozai line in 1988. 240 units in total were built by Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo and others. 130 units out of 240 units had already retired from the Tozai line. 12 units were then transferred to the Kita-Ayase branch line after modification; meanwhile, 80 units were exported to Indonesia as secondhand trains. According to Faris Fadhli, two sets (05-108F and 05-110F) are still operated by the local railway company.

I still clearly remember the time when the ex-Tokyo Metro 05 series arrived at Indonesia in 2010. I visited Port of Tanjung Priok near Jakarta with several enthusiastic Indonesian railfans, and welcomed the 05 series trains (see the photo below). Just like the ex-Tokyu 8500 series, ex-Tokyo Metro 05 series’ second life is coming to an end... but two sets still remain on the track. I would like to thank again the local railway engineers in Indonesia, and hope that the 05 series will be operated as long as possible.

05-107F of the EMU ex-Tokyo Metro 05 series has just arrived at Tanjung Priok port

(August 14th, 2010)

2024 Late Autumn Visit to Hakone

Gondola Number 2,"Komagatake", Hakone-Komagatake Ropeway

Autumn begins to deepen in Japan. The leaves have begun to turn red, brown and yellow in the Tokyo metropolitan area. One of the most famous places for enjoying autumn leaves is Hakone in a western suburb of Tokyo. I recently visited this resort area with my family. Our destination was Mt. Komagatake, which is one of the peaks of the central cone of Hakone Caldera. Its peak is 1,356 meters above sea level.

To visit Mt. Komagatake, Hakone Komagatake Ropeway is convenient. The route was originally opened by Izu-Hakone Railway in 1963, and currently operated by Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide Company. It's a four-cables cross type aerial tramway. Connecting Hakone-en on the shore of Lake Ashinoko and Komagatake-chojo station at the summit of Mt. Komagatake stations, its route length is 1,783 meters. The height difference between the two stations is 590.8 meters. Its maximum inclination is 30.3 degrees. The gondola is operated every 20 minutes. It takes about 7 minutes to go one way. The present gondolas, namely Ashinoko (Number 1) and Komagatake (Number 2), were built by CWA in 1986 as the 2nd generation ones. Each gondola can accommodate up to 101 passengers.

After arriving at the Komagatake-sancho station, we enjoyed beautiful autumn leaves of Mt. Komagatake and adjacent Lake Ashinoko. In addition to that, we could clearly see Mt. Fuji (3,776 meters above sea level) in the northwest. There was less snowfall than average this year, so, we couldn’t see a snow-capped peak. Was it an effect of global warming?

A view of Mt. Fuji (3,776 meters above sea level) from Mt. Komagatake 

Final Chapter of the ex-Tokyu 8500 Series in Indonesia

8618F of the EMU KAI Commuter (ex-Tokyu) 8500 series in Jakarta, Indonesia

(Photo: Faris Fadhli)

I've received the latest picture from an Indonesian railfan. It's the last active set named 8618F of the EMU ex-Tokyu 8500 series being operated in Jakarta. My thanks go to Faris Fadhli, who kindly sent me the beautiful picture.

Let me quickly review the EMU Tokyu 8500 series. They were direct current commuter trains operated on the Tokyu lines in Japan from 1975 to 2023. 400 units in total were built by Tokyu Sharyo. After retirement from Tokyu Electric Railway, 29 units were transferred to Nagano Electric Railway, Chichibu Railway and Izukyu; meanwhile, 64 units were exported to Indonesia as secondhand trains. These exported trains have been used by a local railway company, PT. Kereta Commuter Indonesia.

Now, let's head to the main topic. Please look at the top photo. It’s 8618F… the last active set of the 8500 series in Indonesia. It’s kept in a good condition, isn’t it? When I lived in Jakarta from 2007 to 2011, I often used trains. I still clearly remember the time when 8618F arrived at Indonesia in 2008. I visited Bukit Duri Railyard on August 24th with several enthusiastic Indonesian railfans, and welcomed 8618F (see the photo below). 16 years have passed since then. Time really flies. The 8500 series' second life is coming to an end... but 8618F still remains on the track and carries lots of commuters every day. I would like to thank the local railway engineers in Indonesia, and hope it'll be operated as long as possible.

8618F has just arrived at Bukit Duri Railyard, Jakarta, Indonesia

(August 24th, 2008)

The 90th Anniversary of Hachiko Line: Part 2

JR East KiHa112-204 displays the 90th anniversary plate of the Hachiko line

You may remember that I posted about the 90th anniversary of Hachiko line last month. I am going to follow up this topic a little bit more today.

After observing the EMU E231-3000 series, which was displaying special memorial plates on the front and back of the train, I moved to the northern half section of the Hachiko line. As I posted before, the JR East Hachiko line is composed of two different sections. The southern section, between Hachioji and Komagawa (31 kilometers), is a commuter route in an urban area. It is electrified at 1,500 V DC. On the other hand, the northern section, between Komagawa and Kuragano (61 kilometers), is a local route in a suburban area. It is non-electrified. The DMU KiHa110 series is commissioned.

I found a train displaying the 90th anniversary plates on the northern half section of the Hachiko line as well. That was a 2-car train, KiHa111-204 and KiHa112-204 of the DMU KiHa110 series. Incidentally, KiHa110 series is composed of three types namely Type KiHa110, KiHa111 and KiHa112. What's the difference between three types? Type KiHa110 has two cabs, so, it is possible to be operated as a train with only one car. On the other hand, Type KiHa111 and KiHa112 have one cab only, so, they have to be operated as 2-car train or more. Type KiHa110 and KiHa111 have toilets; meanwhile, Type KiHa112 doesn’t have a toilet. Learning such subtle differences between trains is the pleasure for trainspotters like me.

Close up of the 90th anniversary plate

Tama Riverside Walking: Part 12, Minami-Tama

Set N24 of the EMU JR East E233-8000 series crosses Tama River

It’s November already. The weather has become cooler, so, it’s the best season for a stroll. I resumed walking along Tama River. My destination this time was Inagi City of Tokyo Metropolis. After getting off Minami-Tama station on the JR East Nambu line, I headed to Tama River.

Let me quickly review Inagi City to start. It’s located in the midstream of Tama River, and a new residential area developed in the 1970s. When I was a child, I sometimes came here with my school teacher and classmates for picking pears in autumn. My teacher told us that Inagi City is suitable for pear cultivation, because the land is well-drained. The main part of the city is situated on the Tama riverbed.

As soon as I started walking on the embankment, a 6-car train crossed the railway bridge. It was a northbound train, Set N24 of the EMU JR East E233-8000 series, on the Nambu line. All the trains on the Nambu line have stain-less steel bodies with yellow, orange and black-colored stripes. This train is familiar to me, but the figure of crossing Tama River is refreshing. I continued walking upstream. Three minutes later, a container train pulled by a blue-colored electric locomotive (EL) passed through another bridge for freight trains. It was Unit 337 of the Class EF210-300, "Momotaro", operated by JR Freight. I tried to shoot the whole train, but I was too optimistic. The train was longer than the railway bridge, so I couldn’t. Instead, I shot a close-up of the EL.

A container train pulled by a EL, Unit 137 of the Class JR Freight E210

New-colored Trains on the Daiyuzan Line

Set 5507 of the EMU Izu-Hakone 5000 series, Gentian Train

I can't take my eyes off the Daiyuzan line. New-colored trains were recently commissioned one after another. I am going to show you these beautiful trains today.

Let me quickly review the Dauyuzan line to start. The Daiyuzan line is operated by Izu-Hakone Railway, which is one of the Seibu Group companies. The route was opened in 1925 between Odawara and Daiyuzan stations to transport worshippers to the famous Saijo-ji Buddhist temple. Currently, the passengers are not only worshipers, but also local commuters and students going to Odawara, Yokohama, and other cities. The route length is 9.6 kilometers. The track is 1,067 mm-size single and electrified. The electric system is 1,500 V DC with an overhead line. Trains are operated every 12 minutes on average. 

Now, let's head to the main topic. Firstly, "Gentian Train" debuted on April 5th using Set 5507 of the EMU 5000 series. Gentian is the flower of Minami-Ashigara city on the Daiyuzan line. The purpose of Gentian Train is to promote tourism to this beautiful city. Its light-purple-colored body is gentle. "Orange Train" was then commissioned on August 29th using Set 5503 of the EMU 5000 series. Oranges are the specialty of Odawara City on the Daiyuzan line. The purpose of Orange Train is to promote tourism to this fruit city. Its body color is brilliant.

Incidentally, the EMU 5000 series is the main fleet of the Daiyuzan line. It was launched in 1984. A total of 7 sets, 21 units, are operated on the line.

Set 5503 of the EMU Izu-Hakone 5000 series, Orange Train

Official information about Gentian Train by Izu-Hakone Railway (in Japanesea):

https://www.izuhakone.co.jp/sunzudaiyu/sunzudaiyu-news/p010225_d/fil/railway_news_20240329.pdf

Official information about Orange Train by Izu-Hakone Railway (in Japanesea):

https://www.izuhakone.co.jp/izu-group/izu-news/railway_news_20240821_d/fil/railway_news_20240821.pdf

The 60th Anniversary of Tokyo Monorail

60th anniversary train, Set 10041 of the EMU Tokyo Monorail 10000 series

On September 17th, 2024, Tokyo Monorail Company celebrated the 60th anniversary of their Haneda Airport line. In commemoration, the company held several events.

Let me review the Haneda Airport line to start. It is an airport access monorail line from downtown Tokyo to Tokyo International Airport (Haneda). This route was opened in 1964 as the second oldest monorail line in Tokyo. There are 11 stations over a total operating length of 17.8 kilometers. The entire route is a double track. The electric system is 750V DC. The best thing about Tokyo Monorail is its high speed. The maximum train speed is 80 kilometers per hour. “Haneda Express” train connects Hamamatsu-cho in the downtown area and Haneda Airport International Terminal without stopping in only 13 minutes. This express train overtakes the local train at Showajima station.

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary, Tokyo Monorail has been operating a special-colored train since September 14th, using Set 10041 of the EMU 10000 series. The body color has been returned to the original state, which was adopted when the Haneda Airport line was opened. It is ivory-colored with light-blue and dark-blue-colored stripes. We can see the 60th anniversary sticker as well on the front of this train.

Incidentally, I still remember the 50th anniversary train on the Haneda Airport line in 2014. It was a special-colored EMU 1000 series train with red-colored stripes. That color design was taken from the EMU 500 series, which had already been retired from the track. Ten years have passed since then. Time really flies.

The 60th anniversary sticker of the Haneda Airport line, Tokyo Monorail

Official information about the 60th anniversary, Haneda Airport line, Tokyo Monorail (in Japanese):

https://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/news/campaign/60th_anniversary/

The 273 Series: New Trans-Mountain Limited Express

EMU JR West 273 series, Limited Express "Yakumo", stands at Matsue station

Time flies when I am having fun. The day before going back home, I enjoyed a night view of Lake Shinji-ko in Matsue City. It was unfortunately rainy, but I could see beautiful illuminations on the opposite shore (see the photo below). In this lake, we can get many aquatic products that are known as “Delicacies of Lake Shinji-ko”. They are shrimp, eel, whitebait, smelt, shijimi and so on. They are all delicious, but shijimi is specifically my favorite. It is a type of freshwater black clam that is a common ingredient in Japanese household cooking widely available in grocery stores.

The day has come to go back home. I got on a limited express train, “Yakumo (overlapping clouds)”, at Matsue station. A new model, EMU JR West 273 series, is commissioned as Yakumo (see the top photo). The 273 series debuted on April 6th this year to replace the old model, EMU 381 series. A total of 11 sets, 44 units, were built by Kinki Sharyo. The most outstanding feature of this model is its curve passage performance. By tilting the train's body using pendular technology, the 273 series can keep a high speed on tight curves of the trans-mountain section penetrating the Chugoku Mountains. It has a very nice ride. It feels good even when the train is passing through the tight curves. The light-brown-colored bodies are also unique and vivid. Enjoying the mountain sceneries, I arrived at Okayama terminal, which is the transfer station to Sanyo Shinkansen.

Night view of Lake Shinji-ko near Matsue station

Official information about the new "Yakumo" limited expresss by JR West (in Japanese):

https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/yakumo/

Holy Beach and Train in Shimane Prefecture

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

Continuing with what I covered last time, I am going to introduce a train of Ichibata Electric Railway to start. EMU 5000 series is Ichibata’s high-end train (see the top photo). It has mainly been used as a limited express train connecting Dentetsu-Izumoshi and Izumotaisha-mae to transport worshippers to the holy Izumotaisha Shrine. It's an 18-meters-long car with a steel body. One trainset is composed of two motorcars. Different from the other trains, it has only 4 doors per unit. As with the Ichibata 2100 series, which I showed in my past post, the Ichibata 5000 series is also the ex-Keio 5000 series. The Ichibata 2100 series still keeps its original design of the Keio 5000 series. On the other hand, Ichibata 5000 series looks different from that of the Keio 5000 series. Actually, it was modified before moving from the Keio line in 1998.

Taking the holy train, many passengers head to Izumotaisha Shrine. Taking this opportunity, I am going to introduce a holy beach, “Inasanohama”, near the shrine. According to a local legend, deities from all over Japan gather at Izumotaisha Shrine for an annual meeting in October of the lunar calendar. They are welcomed by local people here on this beach. It’s a beautiful bow-shaped sand beach with a holy rock named Benten-jima. It is said that the setting sun here is so pretty, but the morning scenery was also beautiful (see the photo below). 

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

Inasanohama Beach near Izumotaisha-mae station, Ichibata Electric Railway

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

https://railway.ichibata.co.jp/operate/trains/

Trains of Ichibata Electric Railway

EMU Ichibata 1000 series stands at Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen station

Following the EMU 2100 series, I’m going to show you the other trains of Ichibata Electric Railway.

Before that, let me quickly review this railway. Ichibata is a local private railway company in Shimane Prefecture. Connecting Matsue and Izumo cities, its total operating length is 42.2 kilometers. The track is single and the gauge size is 1,067 millimeters. Its electric system is 1,500 V DC. The Kitamatsue line is the main route between Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen and Dentetsu-Izumoshi (33.9 kilometers). On the other hands, the Taisha line is a branch route extending from Kawato to Izumotaisha-mae (8.3 kilometers).

The EMU 1000 series is the ex-Tokyu 1000 series. A total of 3 sets, 6 units, were moved to Ichibata in 2014 and 2015 after modification from intermediate cars to lead cars. One set is composed of a motorcar and a trailer (1M1T). The motorcar has four 130 kW induction motors. The electric control system is an IGBT-VVVF (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor-variable frequency drive). The front design is similar with that of the EMU Fukushima Kotsu 1000 series.

Electric car 7000 series is Ichibata’s new model car for the first time in 86 years. A total of 4 cars were built by Kinki Sharyo and Goto Kogyo from 2016 to 2018. It's a 20-meters-long large car with a stainless-steel body. It has two 270 kW induction motors (0.5M). The electric control system is an IGBT-VVVF. Both long and cross seats are equipped. The front design is similar with that of the EMU JR West 225 series.

Electric car Ichibata 7000 series stands at Matsue-Shinjiko-onsen rail yard

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

https://railway.ichibata.co.jp/operate/trains/

Great Garden and Train in Shimane Prefecture

Set 2104 of the EMU Ichibata 2100 series stands at Kawato station

Continuing with what I covered last time, I would like to introduce a great Japanese-style garden and train in Shimane Prefecture today.

After spending a night on Sunrise Express, I got off the train at Yasugi station on the San-in main line next morning. My destination was Adachi Museum of Art in Yasugi City of Shimane Prefecture. This museum was founded by Adachi Zenko, who was a businessman born in the city. The museum realizes the artful juxtaposition of modern Japanese-style paintings inside and traditional gardens outside. These gardens are ranked as Number One among the Japanese-style gardens according to “The Journal of Japanese Gardening” published in the USA.

After enjoying the paintings and gardens, I took a local line, Ichibata Electric Railway, and headed to 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 moved from Keio Electric Railway in 1995. The former name was the EMU Keio 5000 series, which was a reputable commuter train in the 1960s through the 1990s. It was the winner of Japan Railfan Club's 1964 Laurel Prize as the most outstanding technical and designed train which debuted in the previous year. Its curved front windows and double rounded front lights of this over 50-year-old train was nostalgic, but still very cool. Incidentally, the body color of Set 2104 was taken from Ichibata’s old baggage car, named DeHaNi 50 series.

To be continued more...

Japanese-style garden, Adachi Museum of Art

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

https://railway.ichibata.co.jp/operate/trains/

Short Trip to Shimane Prefecture by Sunrise Express

EMU 285 series, Sunrize Izumo and Sunrize Seto, stands at Tokyo station

I recently took Sunrise Express for the first time in my life, and visited Shimane Prefecture. I’m going to show you photos of this train today.

Let me review Shimane Prefecture and Sunrise Express to start. Shimane Prefecture is located in the western part of Japan, facing the Sea of Japan. The population of the prefecture is about 0.7 million, which is the second least populous prefecture in Japan. To get to Shimane Prefecture from Tokyo, a convenient transportation mean is Sunrise Express. It is an overnight sleeper train that has comfortable berthing. Connecting Tokyo and Izumo-shi, it travels on three JR group railways, namely JR East, JR Central and JR West. A 14-car train, the EMU 285 series is operated as "Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto" from Tokyo to Okayama. This train is detached after arriving at Okayama station. "Sunrise Izumo (a 7-car train)" then runs to Izumoshi in Shimane Prefecture; meanwhile, another 7-car train is operated to Takamatsu as "Sunrise Seto".

The EMU 285 series is owned by JR West and JR Central. A total of 5 sets, 35 units, were built in 1998 by Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. I think that the "sleeper EMU (Electric Multiple-Unit)" is quite unique. I used a B-class (standard class) sleeping car, which has single rooms. Its window is very large, so, I could fully enjoy night views of downtown Tokyo, and fell asleep without realizing it.

To be continued…

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

Official information about Sunrize Express by JR West (in Japanese):

https://www.jr-odekake.net/train/sunriseseto_izumo/

The 90th Anniversary of Hachiko Line

Set 42 of the EMU JR East E231-3000 series arrives at Komiya station

On October 6th, East Japan Railway Company (hereafter JR East) cerebrated the 90th anniversary of their Hachiko line. In commemoration, JR East Hachioji Branch Office holds many events on the line.

Let me review the Hachiko line to start. The JR East Hachiko line penetrates the northwestern part of the metropolitan area from south to north. Connecting Hachioji in the western part of Tokyo Metropolis and Kuragano in Takasaki City of Gumma Prefecture, its route length is 92 kilometers. The track is mostly single. The gauge size is 1,067 millimeters. The entire line was opened on October 6th, 1934 by Ministry of Railways. The southern section, between Hachioji and Komagawa, is a commuter route in an urban area. It is electrified at 1,500 V DC with overhead catenaries. The EMU 209-3500 and E231-3000 series are commissioned. On the other hand, the northern section, between Komagawa and Kuragano, is a local route in a suburban area. It is non-electrified. The DMU KiHa110 series is commissioned.

I found special memorial plates displayed on the front and back of the Hachiko line train, Set 42 of the EMU E231-3000 series. These plates were designed by JR East employees. I am specifically fond of a plate, on which a smiling face is designed using number “90”. It is so cute! According to JR East, we can see the same plates on Set 204 of the DMU KiHa110 series, which is operated on the northern section.

Congratulations on the 90th anniversary of the Hachiko line!

90th anniversary plate of the Hachiko line

Official website on the 90th anniversary of the Hachiko line by JR East Hachioji Branch Office (in Japanese):

https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2024/hachioji/20240920_hc03.pdf

Extra Rare Steam Locomotive Preserved in Sendai City

Steam locomotive Unit 1 of the Class C60 is preserved in Sendai West Park

After observing trains on the Namboku line of Sendai City Subway, I visited Sendai West Park in the city center. My target was a steam locomotive Unit 1 of the Class C60 (hereafter C60 1) preserved in the park.

Let's take a quick look at the Class C60. It is a 4-6-4 (Whyte notation) type steam locomotive that has a tender attached. The C60 was originally developed as the Class C59 by the Ministry of Railways in 1941, but converted to the Class C60 later. What was the background of C60’s appearance? The Class C59 was originally developed for pulling express trains on trunk lines; however, many trunk lines were electrified in 1950’s. So, they had to move to local lines, but problem of the local lines was their weak load bearing. The heavy axle load of the C59 had to be decreased for operation on the local lines. For that purpose, 4-6-2 axis arrangement on the C59 was converted to 4-6-4 on the C60… one trailing axle was added.

C60 1 was originally built in 1941 at Hitachi Kasado Factory under the name of C59 27. It was then converted to C60 1 by the Japanese National Railways Hamamatsu Factory in 1953. After operating for 15 years as C60 1, it was retired from the track in 1968, and moved to Sendai West Park. It’s an extra rare SL, because it is the only preserved C60 in Japan. I would like to thank everyone involved in preserving C60 1 in Sendai City.

Back view of C60 1

Official website, Preservation Society of C60 1 Steam Locomotive in Sendai City (in Japanese):

https://sendaic601.com/

I Got Here a Little Too Early

EMU Sendai Subway 1000 series and the Funagata mountain range

Continuing with what I covered last time, I would 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 a densely populated city, but it is known nationwide as a modern city in harmony with nature. The city possesses beautiful scenery, such as the Hirose River that runs through central Sendai, and the lush zelkova trees that line its streets. Rairai-kyo Gorge, which I introduced in my last post, is also 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. Sendai City Transportation Bureau recently introduced this model. How was the 3000 series? Oh, please refrain from asking this question. The 3000 series had not debuted yet. According to the Transportation Bureau, the 3000 series was still in Tomizawa Depo, and will debut on 24th of this month. I got here little too early.

Never mind. I got off at Yaotome station. That’s rail-fans’ spot, where we can shoot subway trains on the elevated track during the daytime. I enjoyed shooting of the existing 1000 series trains backed by the Funagata mountain range. I could shoot on the dark underground section at Kotodai-koen as well. That's quite alright too.

EMU 1000 series leaves Kotodai-koen station on the subway Namboku line

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

https://www.kotsu.city.sendai.jp/subway/namboku_sharyou_p2.html

Preserved Tramcar just above Rairai-kyo Gorge

Unit 119 of the ex-Sendai City Tram MoHa 100 series

I have recently visited Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture, on an errand. After finishing my meeting, I went to the Akiu area in the city, and enjoyed walking along a beautiful gorge.

Rairai-kyo is a deep gorge generated within pumice tuff deposited about 8 million years ago. This rock is relatively soft, but it doesn’t crumble easily, so it has been used for buildings and fences in Sendai City. If you look at Rairai-kyo from a bridge across the gorge, you can find a heart-shaped groove in the rock (see the photo below). It’s so-called Tafoni, which is a hole generated by chemical erosion, and a popular spot for lovebirds.

Well, I can't be written off here as this is a railway blog. Just above the deep valley, I could find a preserved tramcar (see the top photo). What’s that? It’s Unit 119 of the ex-Sendai City Tram MoHa 100 series. The MoHa 100 series is a middle-sized (11.9-meter-long) double-axle bogie car. It has two 38 kW direct current series motors, and its rated speed is 21 kilometers per hour. The 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 cities, it was retired from the track in 2000, and moved to Rairai-kyo Gorge in 2002. Unit 119 is known as a “brother” of the nameless tramcar in Seibu-en Amusement Park (see my post on 15/2/2023). Unit 119… thank you for your hard work. Have a good rest.

A heart-shaped groove within a rock of 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

EMU Seibu 6000 Series: Variations, Part 3

Set 6158 of the EMU Seibu 6000 series without door pocket windows

Sorry for jumping from one topic to another, but I am going to follow up and explain variation of the EMU Seibu 6000 series a little bit more.

Please look at the photos. This train, Set 6158 of the 6000 series, doesn’t have windows on the door pockets. It belongs to the late 3 sets. As I showed you before, the 6000 series is composed of a total of 25 sets, 250 units. They are famous for having great variety (see my post on 31/1/2020 and 23/9/2024). For example, the early 17 sets have stainless-steel bodies; meanwhile, the late 8 sets have aluminum alloy bodies. The early 2 sets have silver-colored front faces; meanwhile, the late 23 sets have white-colored front faces. The early 22 sets have windows on the door pockets; meanwhile, the late 3 sets don’t have windows on the door pockets. In short, Set 6158 has aluminum alloy bodies, white-colored front faces, and no windows on the door pockets.

Finally, let me explain a little about the technical specifications. One set of the 6000 series is composed of 6 motorcars and 4 trailers. It’s known as Seibu’s first variable frequency drive trains with induction motors. GTO (Gate Turn-Off thyristor)-VVVF (Variable frequency drive) was initially adopted, but later changed to SiC (silicon carbide)-VVVF. It’s also first time to adopt bolster-less bogies. More importantly, the 6000 series had changed the image of the Seibu trains from the somewhat dowdy yellow trains to the urban sophisticated ones.

Close up of Unit 6058 of Set 6158