The Setting of the Big Dipper: Part 2

Overnight sleeper train, Hokutosei (the DD51 and the 24 series) stands at Hakodate Station 

 

Following my previous post, I am going to show you the operation of Hokutosei after arriving at Hakodate Station.

Hakodate was opened as a trading port by Tokugawa Shogunate in 1859. Hakodate Station has four bay platforms (dead-end platforms) in front of Hakodate Port, which is located near the head of Hakodate Peninsula. Thanks to its structure, the passengers, who came from Honshu (the main island of Japan) by a railway ferry boat, could transfer to a train in Hokkaido Island smoothly at this station. Today, the ferry is no longer operated, as the Seikan Submarine Tunnel was opened, but the scenery of the Hakodate Station is still the same as it was.

After arriving at the historical platform, Hokutosei releases the electric locomotive, Type ED79, from the dead-end side. It, then, receives the diesel locomotive (DL), Type DD51, on the other end of the train. This is because the track from Hakodate to the Sapporo Terminal is mainly non-electrified.

The DL, Type DD51, was launched in 1962 to replace steam locomotives on the trunk lines of Japanese National Railways (JNR). A total of 649 units were manufactured over 16 years. Currently, JR Hokkaido, which has taken over the role of JNR in Hokkaido Island, owns 13 units of Type DD51. The vigorous double-heading operation of the Hokutosei train is seen in the northern steep track between Hakodate and Sapporo.

The Big Dipper will go below the horizon soon. Ride it while you still can.

 

Hokutosei (the Big Dipper) leaves Hakodate Station, and heads to Sapporo Terminal

The Setting of the Big Dipper

Over night sleeper train "Hokutosei" pulled by the EL, Type  EF510, stands at Ueno Station

 

On December 19th last year, JR East made a press release, announcing that the regular operation of the overnight sleeper train, "Hokutosei (the Big Dipper)" will be discontinued after March 15th this year.

Hokutosei is operated between Ueno in Tokyo Metropolis and Sapporo in Hokkaido Prefecture, passing through the Seikan Submarine Tunnel. It covers a distance of 1214.7 km in about 16 hours. This train was launched in 1988, when the Seikan Submarine Tunnel was opened. Although the luxury of the interior doesn't come up to that of Cassiopeia, Hokutosei is also very popular among tourists.

JR East's electric locomotive (EL), the Type EF510 pulls the blue-colored passenger cars (the 24 series), between Ueno and Aomori. The EF510 is, then, switched to the special EL, Type ED79, at Aomori Station to pass through the Seikan Submarine Tunnel because it is a steep track with a unique signal system.

JR East explains that the operation of Hokutosei train stands in the way of the test run train for the Hokkaido Shinkansen in the Seikan Submarine Tunnel. As you may know, commercial trains of Hokkaido Shinkansen will also use the Seikan Submarine Tunnel (1,067 and 1,435mm-size dual gauge) from March, 2016.

According to JR East, Hokutosei will continue to run as a special train during the peak season; however, many rail fans believe that it will be abolished before the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen.

The Big Dipper will go below the horizon soon.

 

Side view of the electric locomotive (EL), JR East EF510-508

Urban Seaside Station on the Tsurumi Line: Revisit

EMU JR East 205-1100 series arrives at Umishibaura Station on the Tsurumi Line

I visited Umishibaura Station 3 years and a half to the day since 2011. It still keeps a fantastic surrounding in the urban area.

Umishibaura... where is it? It is a small terminal on the Umishibaura Branch Line of the JR East Tsurumi Line. It is just a local line in the Tokyo metropolitan area, but what this station makes famous is its location. The platform is situated on the coast. So, you can get a fine view of Tokyo Bay including the elegantly styled Tsurumi Tsubasa Bridge on the Tokyo Bay Highway.

As I introduced previously, the function of Umishibaura Station is to commute people who work for Toshiba Keihin Factory. So, we see trains frequently during rush hour; however, trains are operated only once every two hours in the weekend. Passengers, who aren't Toshiba employees, cannot exit the station, because it is located within the Toshiba private site. Instead of this restriction, Toshiba kindly provides the public with a lovely small park adjacent to the platform.

I stayed two hours on the platform to shoot an incoming train, the EMU 205-1100 series with blue water. It was a sunny afternoon, but very cold as the strong north wind passed through this scenic platform. I saw two more rail fans on the platform like me. Rail fans are indeed curiosity seekers, aren't they?

For your information, the Umishibaura Branch Line is a 1.7 km long single track route connecting Asano on the Tsurumi (main) Line and Umishibaura Terminal.
 

EMU JR East 205-1100 series stands at Umishibaura Station on the Tsurumi Line

National Treasure on the Seibuen Line

Set number 2019F of the EMU Seibu 2000 series arrives at Seibuen Station on the Seibuen Line

 

Although Tokyo is a modernized city, many historical constructions are still preserved. For instance, the five-story stupa in Ikegami-Honmonji temple is famous for a medieval buiding in the downtown area. Today, I am going to show you the other old wooden building, which is a unique National Treasure in Tokyo Metropolis.

Jizodo Hall was constructed in 1407 as a main building of Shofukuji Temple in Higashi-Murayama City of Tokyo Metropolis. The East Asian hip-and-gable styled roof is very beautiful. This precious building was designated as a National Treasure in 1952. Strange to say, it is less-famous among Tokyoites. Perhaps, it is famous only among local people. It is sitting on a gold mine, isn't it?

To see this wooden building, please take the Seibuen Line of Seibu Railway, and get off at Seibuen Terminal. The Seibuen Line is a feeder route of the Seibu-Shinjuku Line. Connecting Higashi-Murayama and Seibuen stations, its operating length is only 2.4 km. The entire route is an electrified single track. The track is 1,067 mm-size and the electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead.

6-car trains, the EMU 2000 series, are operated every 20 minutes during the daytime. The EMU 2000 series was launched in 1977 to reinforce Seibu Railway's transportation capacity. A total of 102 units (except the New 2000 series) had been manufactured by Seibu-Tokorozawa Factory for three years. Its specification is rather old (DC motors with field chopper control system); however, the 2000 series still keeps a beautiful figure like the National Treasure building, Jizodo Hall, near the track.
 

Jizodo Hall (Natioal Treasure) in Shofukuji Temple near Seibuen Station on the Seibuen Line

 

More information about the EMU Seibu 2000 series (in Japanese):

http://www.seibu-group.co.jp/railways/smile/zukan/2000/

EMU 205-500 Series: Enigma of the Gangway

EMU JR East 205-00 s5eries arrives at Shimomizo Station on the Sagami Line



Three years and a half has passed since I have started this blog. In this period, I have received many questions from foreign rail fans. Sorry it has taken me so long to reply in almost all cases, as I am continually busying myself with my affairs, but I will reply to you without fail.

Looking at the recent characteristics, I have received very advanced or detailed questions about Japanese railways. For instance, I received a question about a "gangway" on the front of the EMU JR East 205-500 series last year. The blog reader asked whether "the black colored rectangle" on the left hand side of the front is a gangway or just a decoration. What a detailed question it is! This questioner's sense of curiosity is higher than those of Japanese rail fans!

Well, in answer to the question... the black colored rectangle is just a decoration. It is NOT a gangway. As you know, subway trains have to have a gangway on the front for emergency evacuation in Japan by the ordinance of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT), but the 205-500 series is NOT a subway train. So, it doesn't need to have a gangway on the front.

For your information, the 205-500 series is operated on the Sagami Line. The Sagami Line is a local route, connecting Chigasaki on the Tokaido Main Line and Hashimoto on the Yokohama and Keio-Sagamihara lines.

 

EMU JR East 205-500 series with a black colored "gangway" on the front stands at Ebina Station