The Last Chapter of the 115 Series in Niigata: Part 2

"Shonan color" of the EMU 115 series in the Niigata area (June, 2014)

Subsequent to my last post, I am going to continue to show you the other color designs of the EMU 115 series in the Niigata area.

"Shonan color" of the 115 series used to be seen in many places in Japan. The Shonan color train has a beautiful two-tone orange and green painted body. Needless to say, Shonan is the zonal area along the Pacific Ocean coast in Kanagawa Prefecture. It is a residential area along the Tokaido main line. From the 1960s to 1980s, many "Shonan color" trains were operated on the Tokaido main line and the local lines throughout Japan, but they have been disappearing one after another. Niigata is currently a precious area to see the Shonan color trains.

"Nostalgic Niigata color" of the 115 series is also my favorite color design. It is a two-tone red and yellow. This color design was adopted specifically in the Niigata area, as it is very vivid backed by white snow. Niigata Prefecture is known as a snowy country. Trains with the nostalgic Niigata color was once abolished in 1978 but revived later upon requested by rail fans.

Incidentally, the EMU 115 series has already disappeared from the Chuo, Ryomo and the other lines. Certain sets are still operated in the western part of Japan such as the Hiroshima area, but it has continuously been decreasing. In the Niigata area, 7 sets of the 115 series are still operated having the attention to local people and rail fans.

"Nostalgic Niigata color" of the EMU 115 series in the Niigata area (left) (June, 2018)

Official information about color variation of the 115 series in the Niigata area (in Japanese):

http://www.jrniigata.co.jp/press/20180222115keinoomoide.pdf

The Last Chapter of the 115 Series in the Niigata Area

Set N35 of the EMU JR East 115 series before coloring change (June, 2018)

The EMU 115 series is a standard local train launched in 1963. Nearly 2,000 units had been built for 20 years, but most of them have already been scrapped. For instance, all the 115 series had already been replaced by the 211 series on the Chuo line in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The Niigata area is no exception. Many sets of the 115 series have already been replaced by the E129 series. Currently, only 7 sets of the 115 series are barely living; the 115 series is close to extinction in the Niigata area.

The JR East Niigata Branch Office has started action for rail fans under the above circumstances. On February 22nd this year, they started to ask the public to help the next color design for set N35 of the 115 series, since set N35 is going to be taken out of operation for inspection. It will be a good chance to change the body color for rail fans. Then, on July 24th, they announced the result. Set N35 will be backed from "the 3rd generation Niigata color" to "the 2nd generation Niigata color" upon many requests by rail fains. 

Eventually, on September 14th, the JR East Niigata Branch Office made a press release announcing that set N35 of the EMU 115 series with "the 2nd generation Niigata color" will be launched on September 15th.

By cooperation of the railway operator and the rail fans, the last chapter of the 115 series has just begun in the Niigata area.

"The 2nd generation Niigata color" of the EMU 115 series (June, 2014)

Official information about the EMU JR East 115 series (in Japanese):

http://www.jreast.co.jp/train/local/115.html

The Oldest Preserved Streetcar in Yokohama

Streetcar 523 of the 500 series is exhibited in Yokohama Tram Museum

Some time has passed since I reported about the Yokohama Tram Museum. Today, I am going to continue to show you the streetcar exhibited in the museum.

Unit number 523 of the 500 series is the oldest streetcar exhibited in the Yokohama Tram Museum. It was launched in 1928 and operated by the Transportation Bureau of the city of Yokohama until 1969. The 500 series was one of the major streetcar groups in Yokohama. A total of 60 units were built by Tokyo Gas Denki, Kamata Sharyo and Amemiya Seisakusho. The 500 series has classic four-wheel trucks named Brill 79-E made in the U.S.A. Two electric motors with 26 kW output were equipped. As it had a beautiful rounded roof and an elegant arch-shaped ceiling, the 500 series was the symbol of the recovery from the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. The car length is 9.144 meters. The maximum capacity was 75 passengers. The type of power contact is a bow collector.

Incidentally, the city of Yokohama once had an extensive tram network. The first route was opened in 1904 by Yokohama Electric Railway Company. Although the tram was a very useful transportation means for local people, it was unfortunately abolished in 1972 due to heavy traffic congestion in the urban area. Most of the streetcars were then scrapped; however, several units are still preserved in museums, public parks, and schools. The Yokohama Tram Museum is the largest preserved facility of streetcars in the city of Yokohama.

Side view of streetcar 523, close up

Official information about theYokohama Tram Museum (in Japanese):

http://www.shiden.yokohama/

Sayonara to the Tokyo Metro 6000 Series

Set 30 of the EMU Tokyo Metro 6000 series stands at Yoyogi-Uehara station (June, 2014) 

One of the greatest trains in Tokyo will soon disappear from the track. On September 28th, Tokyo Metro made a press release announcing that their commuter train, the EMU 6000 series, will be retired from the Chiyoda line on November 11th this year.

The 6000 series was launched in 1968. A total of 36 sets, 353 units were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and the other four brands. The specification of the 6000 series was futuristic, as it was equipped with an armature chopper electric control device together with a regeneration brake system. Its asymmetric frontal design and shining aluminum body with green colored stripes were also "futuristic", even half a century after its debut. The 6000 series was elected as a winner of the Laurel Prize by the Japan Rail Fan Club in 1972.

Currently, the electric system of the 6000 series has been renovated to the VVVF control (variable-frequency drive) with induction motors. The scrapping of the old sets also started in 2010, since the brand new EMU 16000 series was launched to replace the 6000 series. The EMU 16000 series will become the sole model on the Chiyoda line after November 12th. The good news is that many sets of the 6000 series have been moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, because the Indonesian railway operator has been pursuing modernization of the railways in their capital city.

Sayonara (good-bye) and arigatou (thank you) to the Tokyo Metro 6000 series.

Set 35 of the EMU Tokyo Metro 6000 series (January, 2010)

Official information about the EMU Tokyo Metro 6000 series (in Japanese):

https://www.tokyometro.jp/corporate/enterprise/passenger_rail/cars/working/chiyoda_6000/index.html

Bernina II: Hakone-tozan's Special Colored Train

Set B2 (KuMoHa1003 + KuMoHa1004), Bernina II, of the EMU Hakone-tozan 1000 series

After writing about Hakone-tozan's new model in my recent post, I found that I haven't shown you a train named Bernina II on the same railway yet. Today, I am going to show you Bernina II, whose formal name is set B2 (KuMoHa1003 + KuMoHa1004) of the EMU 1000 series. The introduction of trains in the Tokyo metropolitan area is indeed endless.

Bernina II is a 3-car train built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. It was launched in 1984 as a 2-car train. One car, namely MoHa2202, was, then, added in 2001 for enhancing transportation capacity. Bernina II is composed of all motorcars. Different from Bernina I (set B1 of the EMU 1000 series), Bernina II has vermilion colored bodies with gray and white colored stripes. It is same as the traditional color design for Odakyu Romance Car. As you may know, Hakone-tozan is a subsidiary of Odakyu Electric Railway.

Incidentally, Bernina is a name of the mountain rising between Switzerland and Italy. Hakone-tozan Railway has tied up with Ratische Railway in Switzerland, which operates the Bernina line. It is said that the scenery on the Bernina line is very beautiful. Now that Bernina has become a famous mountain in Japan, I wish to visit the Bernina mountain and Bernina line someday in the future.

I recently saw plenty of foreign tourists boarding Bernina II at Hakone-Yumoto station. Compared with sometime ago, the number of inbound tourists has been soaring. Hakone mountain has become an international sightseeing spot.

Set B2, Bernina II, of the EMU Hakone-tozan1000 series heads to Hakone-yumoto

Official information about the EMU Hakone-tozan 1000 series (in Japanese):

http://www.hakone-tozan.co.jp/train/train03.html

Official information about Hakone-tozan Railway:

http://www.hakone-tozan.co.jp/en/

Official movie about Hakone-tozan Railway:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zF81YfeWso