The 40th Anniversary of 8039F Operation

EMU ex-Tokyu 8039F approaches Universitas Indonesia Station in Indonesia (May, 2008)

 

As I mentioned before, the EMU Tokyu 8000 series is something special for me. It is filled with memories.

The first memory is my school days. When I was a high school student, I took the Tokyu-Toyoko Line to go to school. It was only a 10-minute trip; but the 8000 series held good memories for me, as I used it every day. Unfortunately, all of the 8000 series trains have already retired from the Tokyu Line.

The second memory is my Jakarta days. I was stationed in Jakarta, Indonesia for 4 years from 2007 to 2011. When I was there, I often rode the trains. My favorite one was the EMU PT KAI (Indonesian National Railways) 8000 series, which was the ex-Tokyu 8000 series in Japan. Three sets were transferred to Indonesia in 2005 and 2007 to spend their second life after their retirement from Tokyu.

Among the three sets, number 39 (8039F) was special for me. 8039F debuted in 1973, when I was a high school student. It was just a train at that time; but its coloring design became more beautiful after it moved to Indonesia. Look at the photos. 8039F has thick dark blue colored stripes on the body. A second look confirms that thin light blue colored stripes are embedded in the thick stripes. These well designed stripes fit the shining stainless body and the tropical scenery in Indonesia.

8039F is pushing 40 this year.
 

EMU ex-Tokyu 8039F stands at Kramat Station in Indonesia (January, 2010)

Limestone Train and Autumn Color in Chichibu

Limestone train pulled by the EL type Chichibu DeKi 500 stands at Nagatoro Station

 

Viewing colorful autumn leaves is one of the indulgences that Japanese people have during fall. Leaves turn yellow, red and brown. A representative yellowish leaf is from the gingko tree.

Gingko are often planted as roadside trees. You can see gingko trees here and there in the Tokyo metropolitan area; but Chichibu Muse Park is something special. I saw that many people were enjoying a stroll on the gingko street over the entire length of 3km in the park last weekend (see the following picture). It has turned yellow and started defoliation.

To visit this long beautiful gingko street, take Chichibu Railway and get off at Chichibu Station. You can transfer to a bus to Chichibu Muse Park easily from the station. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the park.

On the way back home, I saw a limestone train at Nagatoro Station on the Chichibu Railway (see the top photo). Most private railway companies in Japan have abolished their freight transportation after being hard hit by the growing truckload transportation; but, Chichibu Railway still operates freight train, because a limestone mine on the line still needs it.

The limestone train was pulled by a classic electric locomotive (EL), unit number 503 of the type DeKi 500. Number 503 was manufactured by Hitachi Ltd in 1979. In the past, almost all Japanese ELs had decks like this; but, this design was faded out from an engineering viewpoint.

The DeKi 500 is a precious classic EL on the Chichibu Railway.

 

Gingko trees in Chichibu Muse Park near Chichibu Station, Chichibu Railway

DeHa 2410: the Oldest Survivor on the Keio Line

DeHa 2410 of the EMU Keio 2400 series is exhibited in Keio Rail Land

 

The eldest exhibited train in Keio Rail Land is the EMU 2400 series (see the top photo). It is the Keio's first control car with 6 doors. A total of 10 units were manufactured in 1941 by Nippon Sharyo. Unit number DeHa 2410 is the only survivor of the 2400 series. The other units have already been scrapped.

The car length is 14.1m, which was classified as a medium-sized car on the line. The frontal mask is slightly convex, and has three large windows. A single rounded light is attached on the top of the front. The light green colored riveted body with window sills, window headers and external guttering downpipes tell us the long history of this train. You can see the large "K.T.R." logo, which stands for the ex-company name, Keio-Teito Railway on the side of the body (see the following picture).

DeHa 2410 was once planned to be scrapped in 1963, when the voltage of the Keio Line was raised from 650 to 1,500 volts. But, it survived, and continued to be operated on the track. It was, then, retired from the track in 1969, when Automatic Train Stop (ATS) system was introduced to the Keio Line.

DeHa 2410 was preserved in front of Tama-dobutsu-koen Station in 1969. Then it was moved to Keio Training Center near Hirayama-joshi-koen Station. In 2013, DeHa 2410 came back to Tama-dobutsu-koen Station again to be exhibited in Keio Rail Land.

DeHa 2410, eventually, found its final home.
 

Side view of DeHa 2410 of the EMU Keio 2400 series

Visit to the New Railway Museum

EMU 6000, 3000, 5000, 2010 and 2400 series are exhibited in Keio Rail Land

 

Now rail fans have one more spot to visit. On October 10th, Keio Electric Railway Company opened a new railway museum, "Keio Rail Land".

Keio Rail Land was originally opened as an amusement facility for kids in 2000. It was a small facility to exhibit diorama (model railway) and to sell some souvenirs; meanwhile, the new Keio Rail Land has been opened as a railway museum, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Keio Line.

It has larger sized diorama and souvenir shops. Furthermore, it has train driving simulators and train instruments such as a pantograph. More importantly, five units of historical trains are exhibited in an outside covered facility. They are the EMU 6000, 3000, 5000, 2010, and 2400 series, which were retired from the tracks.

When I visited there last weekend, it was very crowded. There was a ten-minute wait to get in. Visitors were mostly families and rail fans. The entry fee was 250 yen ($2.50) for a day.

To get to this new railway museum, take the Keio Line or the Tama Monorail Line and get off at Tama-dobutsu-koen (Tama Zoological Park) Station. It takes about 40 minutes from Shinjuku on the Keio Line, and about 10 minutes from Tama Center on the Tama Monorail Line. You can visit both Keio Rail Land and Tama Zoological Park, which is a reputable sightseeing spot in Tokyo in one day. I am going to show you several exhibits next time.

To be continued...
 

Visitors "drive" miniture trains in Keio Rail Land near Tama-dobutsu-koen Station on the Keio Line

 

More information about Keio Rail Land (in Japanese): http://www.keio-rail-land.jp/ex/ 

The Dragon Palace Station

EMU Odakyu 3000 series stands at Katase-Enoshima Station on the Enoshima Line

 

When we visited Enoshima Island last week, we found that the nearest railway station was lit up beautifully. Katase-Enoshima, the terminal of Odakyu-Enoshima Line, was opened in 1929. It is quite a unique station, as the station building was constructed with the Dragon Palace in mind.

What is Dragon Palace?

Dragon Palace appears in Japanese folklore, "Urashima Taro". A fisherman, Urashima Taro, helped a turtle, who was tortured by children on a beach. The turtle expressed his (or her) thanks to Taro, and invited him to Dragon Palace, where the sea-god lived. Dragon Palace was located under the sea. It was built from red and white coral. Taro spent three days there, enjoying parties; but, time flew while he was having fun. One day in the palace was equal to a century outside the palace. So, when Taro returned his village, he became an old man.

Currently, Katase-Enoshima Station is lit up beautifully in the evenings. Special LED lights are used for the illuminations. Needless to say, it is one of the promotion activities by Odakyu Electric Railway Company to attract tourists to Enoshima Island. I saw that many families and couples were taking commemorative pictures in front of this unique station building.

In the meantime, I am going to show you platforms and a train standing at Katase-Enoshima Terminal. The EMU 3000 series is the latest standard commuter train on the Odakyu Line. Along with the 1000 series, it is a train for my everyday use.
 

Night view of Katase-Enoshima station building (constructed in 1929) on the Odakyu-Enoshima Line