“Shin-Keisei” Update: Merger with Keisei

Trainset 8807 of the former Shin-Keisei EMU 8800 series (now in Keisei colors)

On April 1st, Shin-Keisei Electric Railway Company was merged into Keisei Electric Railway Company. How are the former Shin-Keisei and Keisei lines doing now? I recently visited these lines to see for myself.

To start, let me review Shin-Keisei Electric Railway Company (hereafter Shin-Keisei). It was established in 1946 as an affiliate of Keisei Electric Railway Company (hereafter Keisei). In 1955, Shin-Keisei fully opened a 26.5-kilometer railway route between Matsudo and Keisei-Tsudanuma. Shin-Keisei then became a wholly owned subsidiary of Keisei in 2022 through a share exchange. This year, Keisei absorbed Shin-Keisei and became the larger Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd. The merger is expected to maximize synergies by enabling quicker decision-making. The former Shin-Keisei line has been renamed the “Keisei-Matsudo Line.”

Now, let’s move on to the main topic. I noticed that the train body colors on the Keisei-Matsudo Line have started to change. Please look at the top photo. This is trainset 8807 of the EMU 8800 series. During the Shin-Keisei era, it featured a pink-and-white two-toned design, but it is now light gray with red and blue stripes—the so-called “Keisei colors”. This color scheme will gradually be applied to all former Shin-Keisei trains.

On the other hand, changes on the Keisei lines themselves were relatively minor. New railway maps that include the “Matsudo Line” have been put up in trains and at stations. I also came across a train with a commemorative plate on the front (see the photo below). It was trainset 3030 of the EMU 3000 series, and the plate read, "Hello Matsudo Line".

Trainset 3030 of the Keisei EMU 3000 series with a commemorative plate

Official railway map by Keisei Electric Railway:

https://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/traffic/pdf/railmap.pdf

Takachiho Railway’s Preserved DMU TR-300 Series

Preserved Ex-Takachiho Railway DMU TR-300 Series in Takachiho Town

This is a continuation of my recent trip to Miyazaki Prefecture. After enjoying the train inn and the spectacular gorge, I headed to a shochu brewery near Takachiho Gorge. Why? Do I like shochu? Of course I do, but that wasn’t the only reason. I went there to see a preserved DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit). You may remember when I posted about the preserved steam locomotive at a shochu brewery last year. At that time, the beautiful photos were provided by Danish railfan Nicolai Okkels. After looking at his photos, I realized that another railway vehicle was preserved at the same site. That meant I had to go.

Please look at the top photo. These are units TR-301 and TR-302 of the former Takachiho Railway TR-300 series DMU. They were built by Niigata Engineering in 1991 and introduced as the reserved-seat sightseeing train Takachiho. Each unit was equipped with a 183 kW diesel engine and a fluid transmission system. At first glance, it looks like a fixed two-car trainset, but in fact it often operated coupled with the TR-100 series. To be precise, each TR-300 car could run independently and was usually connected to a TR-100 series car.

After only 12 years in service, the TR-300 series was retired in 2003. Today, it is preserved at the shochu brewery and used as a rest area (see the photo below). I stopped by there after shopping. I couldn’t drink shochu since I had to drive a rental car, but I was able to relax for a while sitting on the comfortable seats.

Interior of the DMU TR-300 series

Official information about the preserved DMU TR-300 series by the shochu brewery:

https://tonnerunoeki.com/en/train

The 100th Anniversary of the Setagaya Line

Tokyu 300 series Set 305 with the 100th anniversary sticker

On May 1st, Tokyu Railways celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Setagaya Line. To mark the occasion, Tokyu organized a variety of local events.

Let me review the Setagaya Line. It operates under the Tramways Act, connecting Sangenjaya on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line with Shimo-Takaido on the Keio Line. The line is 5.0 kilometers long, entirely double-tracked, electrified at 600 V DC, and built to a 1,372 mm gauge. The Setagaya Line originally opened in 1925 as a branch of the Tamagawa Line (hereafter Tamaden). The Tamaden main line, which opened in 1907, connected Shibuya with Futako-Tamagawa via Sangenjaya. Since the Tamaden was constructed as a streetcar line running along National Highway 246, it unfortunately had to be abolished in 1969 due to severe traffic congestion. The Setagaya Line, on the other hand, was built as a dedicated right-of-way, which is why only this branch line has survived.

One of the anniversary events was the addition of special memorial stickers on the trams. Please look at the top photo. This is Set 305 of the Tokyu 300 series tramcars, carrying a special round memorial sticker on the front. It looks beautiful, but wait a moment—something is missing. Speaking of the 300 series, why not also capture Set 301 in Tamaden colors? As I mentioned before, Set 301 is the representative tramcar of the Setagaya Line. That’s why I returned to Yamashita stop on another day to photograph Set 301 (see the photo below). Railfans are sticklers for detail when it comes to their photo subjects, aren’t they?

Set 301 in Tamaden colors arriving at Yamashita stop on the Setagaya Line

Official information about the 100th anniversary of the Setagaya Line (Japanese only):

https://www.tokyu.co.jp/company/information/pdf/20250416_setagayasen100_d.pdf

Train Inn and Spectacular Gorge in Miyazaki Prefecture

Unit TR-105 of the diesel railcar TR-100 series reused as a train inn

This is a continuation of my post from June 6th. After observing JR Freight’s mini locomotive at Nobeoka Station, I headed to Takachiho Town in the northwestern part of Miyazaki Prefecture. Takachiho is famous for its stunning natural scenery.

On the way to Takachiho, I noticed some trains along the roadside. What were they? It turned out to be a train inn. This area was once served by the Takachiho Line, which operated until 2005. The line, run by the local Takachiho Railway Company, was unfortunately abolished in 2008 after severe damage caused by Typhoon No. 14. One of the nearby municipalities, Hinokage Town, acquired two diesel railcars and opened a train inn named “TR Train Inn” along the former track. (For reference, “TR” stands for Takachiho Railway.) These railcars are Units TR-104 and 105 of the TR-100 series, built by Niigata Engineering in 1989. The TR-100 series is a 15.8-meter-long railcar equipped with a 183 kW diesel engine and a fluid transmission system. For more details about this unique train inn, please see the link at the bottom of this post.

After visiting the charming train inn, I went to Takachiho Gorge, a deep canyon carved by the Gokase River. The gorge is lined with picturesque columnar joints. At first glance, these formations look like rapidly cooled basalt or andesite lava, but in fact, the host rock is welded tuff erupted from Mt. Aso about 130,000 years ago—a very rare occurrence. I thoroughly enjoyed both the train inn and the spectacular gorge in Miyazaki Prefecture.

Beautiful columnar joints within the welded tuff at Takachiho Gorge

Official website of the TR Train Inn (Japanese only):

https://hinokagecho.com/hinokageonsen-inn.html

EMU 80000 Series: New Model on the Urban Park Line

EMU Tobu 80000 series on the Urban Park line

You may remember when I posted about the name change of the Tobu-Noda Line before. Japan’s population has entered a declining phase, and railway companies are competing to attract passengers while improving the value of their lines. For that reason, Tobu Railway gave the nickname “Urban Park Line” to the Noda Line in 2014. What do you think of the new name, “Urban Park Line”? Does it sound sophisticated? To be honest, I sometimes wonder why Japanese people are so eager to use English words for the names of shops, restaurants, companies, and even railway stations and lines.

Enough with the preamble—let’s get down to the main topic. I recently realized that Tobu is taking the task of improving the value of their lines very seriously, not only by renaming them but also by upgrading the trains themselves. As proof of that, Tobu launched a new, sophisticated commuter train—the EMU 80000 series—on the Urban Park Line this year. It’s been 12 years since the previous model, the EMU 60000 series, was introduced.

What’s special about the 80000 series? It features a dedicated area for families with children. There is a unique seating space with a baby stroller parking area, called “Tanoseat” (see the photo below). The word “Tanoseat” is a blend of Tanoshii (meaning “fun” in Japanese) and “seat” in English. When a family gathers at the Tanoseat, it really makes the trip more enjoyable.

I’m running out of space here, so I’ll save the technical specifications of the 80000 series for a future post.

"Tanoseat" of the EMU Tobu 80000 series

Official information about the EMU 80000 series by Tobu Railway (in Japanese):

https://www.tobu.co.jp/cms-pdf/releases/202404161247115gFjCdYsG3H5MfjtzUEqxQ.pdf

2025 Hydrangea Season on the Keio-Inokashira Line

Hydrangea flowers and the EMU Keio 1000 series near Hamadayama station

On June 10th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that this year’s rainy season had begun in the metropolitan area. As I post every year, we experience hot and humid days from early June to mid-July. At times like that, the only thing that lifts my gloomy feelings before midsummer is viewing hydrangeas, which bloom in this season. This year, I visited two beautiful spots along the Keio-Inokashira line.

First, I got off the train at Hamadayama Station. Full-bloom hydrangeas could be seen here and there along the railway tracks near the station. I also saw many photo enthusiasts taking pictures of the flowers and trains. We gave each other space and took our shots. Please look at the top photo. In addition to the classic purple flowers, the pink ones are so vivid, aren’t they? The passing train is Set 1771 of the EMU Keio 1000 series, which displays a special hydrangea plate on the front. It’s truly picturesque.

After enjoying the scenery around Hamadayama Station, I stopped by Meidaimae Station to photograph the hydrangeas in full bloom on the trackside embankments. Please look at the photo below. Since 1991, Keio has been planting hydrangeas on railway embankments to prevent slope failure and protect the environment. This is one of my favorite spots, which I also visited in 2012 and 2015. My recent visit was the first in ten years, and I was glad to find that the embankments are still beautifully maintained.

Hydrangea flowers and the EMU Keio 1000 series near Meidaimae Station

News from Indonesia: Revival of "JALITA"

8618F of the ex-Tokyu 8500 series EMU, "JALITA" in Indonesia

(Photo: Faris Fadhli)

This is a continuation of my post on June 3rd. My thanks once again go to Faris Fadhli, who kindly sent me the recent photo.

On April 22nd, a ceremony was held in Jakarta to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Indonesia’s electric railways. Many special trains, such as the old electric locomotive “Bonbon,” were operated in the Jakarta area. Along with Bonbon, “JALITA” also stood out that day.

So, what is JALITA? It’s a special commuter trainset named by Indonesia’s Minister of Transport in 2009 to mark the establishment of the new commuter railway company in the Jakarta metropolitan area. It had a unique tri-toned front design (red, black, and silver; see the top photo). There are differing opinions on the origin of the name JALITA. One explanation is that it stands for “Jalur Lingkar Jakarta” in Indonesian, which means “Jakarta Loop Line.” Another is that it stands for “Jalan Jalan Lintas Jakarta” in Indonesian, which means “strolling on the Jakarta line.” According to a Japanese railfan blogger living in Jakarta, “Pakuan Kyuko (Pakuan Express),” the latter explanation is correct.

Incidentally, the original JALITA was Trainset 8613 of the ex-Tokyu 8500 series EMU (hereafter 8613F). 8613F was transferred from Japan to Indonesia as a second-hand train in 2009 and was repainted in 2013. It has already been retired from service in Indonesia, but this time the last surviving set of the ex-Tokyu 8500 series, namely Trainset 8618 (hereafter 8618F), was repainted in JALITA colors. You can also see what 8618F looked like 16 years ago in the photo below.

JALITA… welcome back.

8618F arriving at Jakarta Kota Station (February 21, 2009)

Disney Resort Line: 2025 Update

Side view of the Duffy and Friends Colorful Happiness Liner, Set 104 of Type-C

I visited the Disney Resort Line for the first time in a year and a half. What’s new with this monorail in the kingdom of dreams and magic?

Let’s start with a quick look at the Disney Resort Line. It is a straddle-beam monorail that opened in 2001. The route is a single-track loop connecting Disney’s amusement facilities, official hotels, and JR East’s Maihama Station. The line is electrified at 1,500V DC. There are four stations along its 5.0-kilometer length, and 6-car trains run counterclockwise throughout the day.

Now, let’s get down to the main topic. Which would you prefer—the good news first or the sad news?

The good news is the launch of the “Duffy and Friends Colorful Happiness Liner.” This year marks the 20th anniversary of Duffy and Friends at Tokyo Disney Resort. To commemorate the milestone, a specially decorated train called the Duffy and Friends Colorful Happiness Liner debuted on April 8th, using Set 101 of the EMU 100 series (Type-C). The characters of Duffy and Friends are featured on the train’s sides.

The sad news is the retirement of the EMU 10 series (Type-X). Type-X was the very first model on the Disney Resort Line, introduced in 2001. Nineteen years later, a new model, the Type-C, debuted in 2020 and gradually replaced Type-X. The final surviving Type-X train, Set 4, was retired in September last year, much to the regret of rail fans. Thank you and farewell to the beloved Type-X trains.

The Duffy and Friends Colorful Happiness Liner arriving at Tokyo Disneyland

Official website of the Disney Resort line:

https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdr/resortline.html

Mini Locomotive on Kyushu Island

JR Freight’s diesel locomotive Unit 51 of the Class DB500 (DB500-51)

Sorry for jumping from one topic to another, but today I’d like to share a follow-up about my recent visit to Miyazaki Prefecture.

I took JR Kyushu’s limited express train Hyuga from Miyazaki Airport Station and headed north. My destination was Nobeoka City in the northern part of Miyazaki Prefecture. When I got off the train at Nobeoka Station, I spotted an unfamiliar locomotive in the station yard. What was that? The answer turned out to be JR Freight’s diesel locomotive, Class DB500. JR Freight (JRF) is one of the JR Group railway companies. Unlike the others, JRF operates its freight trains nationwide using tracks owned by the other JR companies.

The Class DB500 was introduced in 2016 as a switcher for freight stations. As I mentioned in a previous post, JRF launched a hybrid switcher, Class HD300, in 2011. It’s a quiet and eco-friendly locomotive, but too large for small freight stations. To solve this, JRF developed the compact Class DB500. It’s only 7.65 meters long and weighs 26,900 kilograms. A total of four units were built by Hokuriku Heavy Industries, two of which are assigned to freight stations on Kyushu Island. In terms of technical specifications, the Class DB500 is classified as a diesel-hydraulic locomotive with an axle arrangement of A-A (JNR notation). Unit 51 (see photos) is equipped with a Volvo diesel engine and can haul up to 500,000 kilograms of container wagons within freight yards.

The Class DB500… a mini locomotive, but quite a hard worker, isn’t it?

Diesel locomotive DB500-51 with container cars at Nobeoka Freight Station 

News from Indonesia: The 100th Anniversary of "Bonbon"

Electric locomotive Unit 3201 “Bonbon” of Class ESS 3200 in Indonesia

(Photo: Faris Fadhli)

I’m temporarily shelving the topic of Japanese trains to share some pictures from Indonesia today. I recently received news from an Indonesian railfan. Indonesia has just celebrated the 100th anniversary of its electric railways. My thanks go to Faris Fadhli, who kindly sent me the recent photo.

To start, let me quickly review the history of Indonesian railways. The country’s first railway opened in 1867 under a Dutch railway company. Fifty-eight years later, in 1925, the first electric railway was completed in Jakarta. This year marks its 100th anniversary. I was stationed in Jakarta from 2007 to 2011 as an exploration geologist for a petroleum and natural gas company. Back then, nothing made me happier than enjoying the railways with local railfans on weekends.

Now to the main topic. On April 22, a centennial celebration was held in Jakarta, and many special trains were operated. Among the historical rolling stock was electric locomotive (EL) Unit 3201 of Class ESS 3200 (see the top photo). The ESS 3200 is a '(1B)(B1)' type EL (UIC notation) for 1,500 V DC tracks. Locally, it is nicknamed “Bonbon.” A total of six units were built by Werkspoor from 1925 to 1927, but only Unit 3201 has been preserved.

I still remember coming across Unit 3201 in April 2009 (see the photo below). It was shortly after the reopening of Tanjung Priok Station. I was fascinated by this elegant EL. With its white-colored body, it matched beautifully with the gleaming white platform. Congratulations to Indonesian electric railways—and to Bonbon—on their 100th birthday!

Unit 3201 on display on Track 6 at Tanjung Priok Station, Indonesia (April 18, 2009)