Hitachi is known as the city where Hitachi Ltd. was founded. It’s located in the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, about 150 kilometers north of Tokyo. The origin of this city traces back to the Hitachi Copper Mine, which was discovered in the late 16th century. The area developed rapidly in the early 20th century after the introduction of machinery such as rock drills, but this historic mine was unfortunately closed in 1981 after its resources were exhausted.
The Hitachi Mining Railway played an important role in the modernization of the Hitachi Copper Mine. This railway opened in 1908 to transport passengers, materials, and ore. Connecting Sukegawa (present-day Hitachi) and Daiou-in, its total operating length was 5.4 kilometers, and its track gauge was 762 millimeters. In 1957, the line carried 6,500 passengers per day, but it was unfortunately abolished in 1981 as part of streamlining efforts.
Please look at the top photo. This is Electric Locomotive No. 13, which is preserved at the Nippon Mining Museum in the city. It was built by Hitachi in 1926 and was mainly used for freight trains. The locomotive weighs 8,000 kilograms and is equipped with two 33 kW direct current motors. Its wheel arrangement is Ao-Ao. After 34 years of operation, it was retired from service in 1960.
What impressed me most was its pantograph—it looks like a tower! I wondered how the engineers insulated it to prevent current leakage and short circuits. It remains a mystery to me. Anyway, I enjoyed observing this precious electric locomotive from the early days of Japanese industrial history.
Pantograph of Electric Locomotive No. 13
Official website, "Nippon Mining Museum": https://www.jx-nmm.com/english/museum/