The 30th Anniversary of the Yukarigaoka Line

EMU Yamaman 1000 series arrives at Yukarigaoka Station on the Yukarigaoka Line

 

November 2nd, 2012 marked the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Yukarigaoka Line in Chiba Prefecture. Yukarigaoka is a typical new town in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It has been developed since the 1970s as a commuter town of Tokyo. The current population is about 16,000.

To get to this new town from downtown Tokyo, take the Keisei Line and get off at Yukarigaoka Station. You should then transfer to the Yukarigaoka Line owned by Yamaman Company.

The Yukarigaoka Line was opened in 1982 as a rubber-tyred automated guide-way transit system (AGT). The operating line length is only 4.1km. Unlike the other leading-edge AGT lines in the Tokyo metropolitan area, a driver operates each train. It is not a driver-less operation.

The main fleet of the Yukarigaoka Line is the 3 car train, EMU 1000 series. A total of 3 sets, 9 units were manufactured by Nihon Sharyo in 1982. Three sets of trains are fondly referred to as "Koala 1, 2 and 3" each. Of course, Koalas are native to Australia, not Japan; but they are very popular among Japanese children. For your information, the name of the new town "Yukarigaoka" means a hill of eucalyptus, which is also an Australian tree. As you know, Koalas usually spend almost their entire life, even while sleeping, in eucalyptus trees.

I visited the Yukarigaoka Line last weekend. It was a relaxing Sunday afternoon. Most of the passengers were families with small children. It was like a theme-park ride.

 

EMU Yamaman 1000 series heads to Yukarigaoka Terminal on the Yukarigaoka Line

 

More information about the Yukarigaoka Line (in Japanese):

http://town.yukarigaoka.jp/yukariline/

Movie of the 30th anniversary of the Yukarigaoka Line and the EMU Yamaman 1000 series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDmslwDzhlU

KiHa 52 125, Classic Rail Car on the Isumi Railway

Classic diesel rail car, KiHa 52 125, Express "Isumi", stands at Kuniyoshi Station, Isumi Railway

Following the standard diesel rail car, Type 200' (see my blog on January 4th, 2013), I am going to show you the other car, Type KiHa 52, on the Isumi Railway today.

Isumi, which is a local railway company in Chiba Prefecture, is well known for drawing sightseers. The operation of a classic diesel rail car is one of the major events on weekends to attract passengers.

Isumi Railway introduced a classic rail car, No. 125 of Type KiHa 52 to the Track in 2011. KiHa 52 125 was manufactured in 1965 by Niigata Tekko. It had been operated on the JR West Ooito Line, but was retired to be replaced with new DMUs in 2010. Isumi then purchased this classic rail car to promote sightseers.

The body of KiHa 52 125 is frequently called "JNR color". JNR, which stands for Japanese National Railways, was Japan's largest railway network. It was split into seven railway companies and privatized as the JR Group in 1987, due to financial difficulties. Although JNR has been abolished, many rail fans are still boosterish about this coloring, as it fits into any kind of scenery in Japan.

I got on this classic rail car recently. It was beautifully maintained. The plate of "Express, Isumi" on the front of the rail car was very cool and nostalgic. The sound of two DMH17H diesel engines was still powerful. During the operation, the rattling sound from the track was like sweet music to my ears.

 

Frontal face of the classic diesel rail car KiHa 52 125 on the Isumi Railway

TX-2000, AC-DC EMU on the Tsukuba Express Line

EMU Tsukuba Express TX-2000 series arrives at Kita-Senju Station

Tsukuba Express (TX) is a new commuter railway in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Following the TX-1000 series (see my blog on September 1st, 2011), I am going to show you the other type of train, EMU TX-2000 series, on this route.

The TX-2000 is an AC-DC dual system train, which is composed of 6 cars (see the top photo). Its maximum speed is 130 kilometers per hour. The gleaming stainless steel body with a V-shaped front mask and red colored stripes is an outward characteristic of this train.

Why is it a dual system train? It is because the Tsukuba Express Line consists of two parts. The southern part of the line has adopted the direct current (DC) system, meanwhile the alternate current (AC) system is applied on the north side of Moriya Station. It means that the trains passing through Moriya should have both AC and DC systems. For your information, the TX-1000 series (see my blog on September 1st, 2011) is a DC train, which can be operated only in the southern part, between Akihabara and Moriya stations.

The other feature of the TX-2000 is its pantographs. You can see a lot of white colored insulators by the pantographs for the high voltage AC system (see the following picture). Needless to say, the function of the insulators is to isolate the train body from the electric circuit.

The EMU TX-2000 series, it is a brand sparkling new train in Tokyo.

Pantograph of the AC-DC dual system train, EMU TX-2000 series

 

More information about Tsukuba Express (TX): http://www.mir.co.jp/en/about_tx/ 

Fujikyu 1000 "Keio Color", Revival of the Great Train

EMU Fujikyu 1000 series "Keio Color" arrives at Otsuki Station

The railway business in the Tokyo metropolitan area is very competitive. Many companies are fighting for survival. Specifically, private railway companies in the countryside are suffering profound damage due to a decreasing population on the railway lines and competition with automobiles.

One of the saviors are enthusiastic rail fans. They visit the local railways regardless of the expense, if newsworthy trains are operated on the lines. So, many local railway companies are launching special trains to promote rail fans.

One such train is the revival of the colored EMU on the Fujikyu Railway. Connecting Otsuki on the JR East Chuo Line and Kawaguchi-ko (Lake Kawaguchi), Fujikyu is a local private railway at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Recently, Fujikyu launched a new train, EMU 1000 series "Keio color". This model is an ex-Keio 5000 series, which was a very reputable commuter train in Tokyo from the 1960s through the 1990s. Curved front windows and double rounded front lights of this 43-year-old train are nostalgic, but still very cool.

Fujikyu has revived its body color to that of the Keio era. It is ivory white with a burgundy stripe (see the photos). It has a strong appeal to the rail fans, who know the gallant appearance of the Keio 5000 series from the 1960s through the 1990s. As a consequence, many rail fans are flocking to the Fujikyu Railway.

I thought Fujikyu's maneuver was simply glorious.

EMU Fujikyu 1000 series "Keio Color" stands at Otsuki Station

SL Express on the Mooka Railway

SL Express "Mooka" (C12 66 and passenger coaches, OHa 50 series) stands at Nishidai Station
 

In Japan, several railway companies operate steam locomotives (SLs) to promote sightseers. They vary from giant companies, such as JR East, to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

One such SME is Mooka Railway in Ibaraki Prefecture in the northern part of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Connecting Shimodate and Motegi stations, the total operating length is 41.9 kilometers. The whole route is an unelectrified single track.

Mooka has two units of SLs, namely C11 325 and C12 66. Pulling classic passenger coaches, the C11 and the C12 are operated as "SL Express, Mooka" on weekends and holidays.

I got on this SL train from Shimodate to Nishidai station last week. The SL on duty was a lovely C12 66, manufactured in 1933 by Hitachi, Ltd. (see the top photo). It had been preserved in Fukushima Prefecture for long time; however, it came back into operation in 1994 to pull the SL Express train. The body is a beautiful shiny black, and the piercing whistle doesn't seem old at all.

Despite it being a very cold wintertime, a lot of passengers were boarding this special train. They were families with small children, couples and rail fans. The passengers were waving to the local people along the track. At the same time, the local people were also waving back and smiling to the passengers. It is the latest railway culture on this route.

SL Express on the Mooka Railway... it is a heartwarming train in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Classic passenger coach, OHaFu 50 33 stands at Nishidai Station on the Mooka Railway

 

More pictures of SLs on the Mooka Railway: http://www.moka-railway.co.jp/gyarary01.php