Aikan: Another Unique Railway in the Nagoya Urban Area

EMU Aikan 2000 series arrives at Homi Station on the Aichi Loop Line

Along with the Johoku Line of Tokai Transport Service Company, the Aichi Loop Line of Aichi Loop Line Company (Aikan) is another unique railway in the Nagoya Urban area.

Aikan Line was opened between Kozoji on the Chuo Main Line and Okazaki on the Tokaido Main Line in 1988. The total route length is 45.3 km. The western half section between Kozoji and Shin-Toyota (25.8 km) is the new construction line, while the eastern half section between Shin-Toyota and Okazaki (19.5km) is the JR Central's ex-Okata Line. The route is a mixture of single and double tracks. It is electrified with the 1,500 V DC overhead systems. The gauge size is 1,067 mm.

Aikan has two faces... one as a local railway in the countryside, and one as an urban commuter line. We can see beautiful paddies and green hills in the western section. On the other hand, there are crowded residential areas in the eastern section. More importantly, Toyota Motor Corporation has their headquarters near Mikawa-Toyota Station on the eastern section of the Aikan Line. Aikan is 4.89% owned by Toyota Motor Corporation.

The EMU 2000 series is the sole model on the Aikan Line. It was launched in 2002 to replace the old model, the 100 series. It is a 2-car train with one motor car. So far, a total of 20 sets, 40 units have been built by Nippon Sharyo. To save the manufacturing cost, its technical specifications are almost the same as JR Central's 313 series.

EMU Aikan 2000 series leaves Homi Station on the Aichi Loop Line

Official photo gallery of Aichi Loop Line Company (in Japanese):

http://www.aikanrailway.co.jp/photogallery/

Electric Car 900 Series for the 900th Post

Electric car, unit number 912 of the Hiroden 900 series

Thank you for visiting the Tokyo Railway Labyrinth. This is the 900th post in my blog. I hope that people all over the world will continue to enjoy Japanese railways and its related facilities, events and sightseeing spots in this blog. In commemoration of the "900th" post, I am going to show the "900" series electric car today.

Please look at the top photo. It is an electric car Hiroden (Hiroshima Electric Railway) 900 series. This model was launched in 1957 under the name of Osaka City Tram 2601 series. A total of 114 units have been built by Osaka Sharyo, but only 9 of the 114 units were escaped from scrap and moved to Hiroshima in 1969, since Osaka City Tram was abolished due to severe traffic congestion.

The 900 series has two 45 kW DC motors. Its technical specification is rather old such as the nose suspension drive and the direct electric control system, but even now, the 900 series continues to work actively. The two-toned body color of beige and maroon is definitely my favorite. The two large air conditioners on the roof look a bit heavy.

I got off the 900 series streetcar at the Gembaku Dome-mae Stop. My purpose was embarking a river boat. Hiroshima is known as a city of waterways. The downtown is a delta area surrounded by several rivers, so, the tourists can enjoy these waterways by river cruise. I enjoyed a special atmosphere in the breeze on the river boat.

Boat tour in Hiroshima City

Sayonara, Hamarin Poster Train on the Blue Line

EMU Yokohama MS 3321F, Hamarin, is exhibited in Nippa Rail Yard on the Blue Line

Railway festivals season has come again in Japan. As you may know, it originated from the opening of Japan's first railway that was completed on October 14th in 1872. In commemoration of this special day, the Japanese Government designated October 14th as Railway Day in 1994. Since then, many railway operators have started to hold special public events in the autumn, such as rail yard tours and special memorial train operations.

This year, I visited Nippa Rail Yard on the Blue Line of Yokohama Municipal Subway. It was opened to the public on October 30th as an event, named the 2016 Hamarin Festival. My purpose of the visit was to take pictures and to say good-bye to the Hamarin poster train, set 3321F of the EMU 3000N series. What is Hamarin? It is a mascot character of the Transportation Bureau of Yokohama City. Being ornamented with Hamarin and the other decoration stickers, this poster train has been used for municipal activities, such as children's painting exhibitions in the trains. The Hamarin poster train will soon revert to an ordinary commuter train. According to the Transportation Bureau, the last run of the Hamarin poster train will be on November 6th. Sayonara (good-bye) and Arigato (thank you), Hamarin poster train.

In the meantime, the Transportation Bureau announced at the event site that a new model, the EMU 3000V series, will debut onto the Blue Line in 2017. It will replace the old model such as the EMU 3000A series in the near future.

EMU Yokohama Municipal Subway 3000A (left) and 3000N (Hamarin=right) series

Official information about the rolling stock of Yokohama Municipal Subway (in Japanese):

http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/koutuu/sub/sharyo/
Official announcement about the new EMU 3000V series (in Japanese):
http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/koutuu/kigyo/newstopics/2016/news/n20161017-8815-01.html

Hana-densha: Flower Electric Car in the Local City

Electric car Mo3203 of the 3200 series, hana-densha, travels on the Azumada Main Line

Hana-densha (Flower Electric Car) is a special event train in Japan. As its name suggests, trains are ornamented with a numerous number of fresh or artificial flowers. Generally speaking, hana-densha is operated on tram routes, because it should be operated with low speed.

Typical hana-densha is seen on the Azumada Main Line of Toyohashi Railway (Toyotetsu). Toyohashi is a local city in Aichi Prefecture, some 290 km west of Tokyo. From October 10th to 16th, Toyotetsu operated a hana-densha in commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the municipal system of Toyohashi City. It was lucky for me that I shot beautiful photos of a hana-densha, decorated with 5,000 colorful artificial flowers.

Toyotetsu is a local private railway company, which operates the Atsumi Line and the Azumada Main Line. The latter of these is a tram route in the downtown area of Toyohashi City. Its route length is 5.4 km. The track is mainly double with some single sections. The electric system is 600 V DC overhead. The gauge size is 1,067 mm.

The streetcar, decorated as the hana-densha, was built by Nippon Sharyo in 1955, under the name of Unit Mo582 of the Meitetsu Mo580 series. After being operated on the Meitetsu lines, it was moved to Toyotetsu in 1980. Unit Mo582 then debuted on the Toyotetsu Azumada Main Line under the new name of Mo3203 of the electric car Mo3200 series in 1981.

Toyotetsu' s hana-densha... it was a beautiful event star in the local city.

Electric car Mo3203 of the 3200 series, hana-densha, leaves Shinkawa Stop

EMU 8000 Series: Owl on the Shin-Keisei Line

EMU Shin-Keisei 8000 series arrives at Kita-Narashino Station

It is a cliché of this blog, but the railway business in Japan is by no means easy. Many companies are involved in tough competition. Rivals are not only the industry peers, but also private cars, bus services and airlines.

With that kind of background, many railway companies have recently introduced common design commuter trains to reduce the initial cost. For instance, the EMU Sotetsu 10000 series has the same design and the technical specifications as those of the JR East E231 series. Differences between the two models are only the faces, body colors and interiors. As a result, we often see the same kinds of trains here and there. It is not favorable for rail-fans, as the variations decrease. Rail-fans are bizarre lovers.

One of the unique commuter trains in the Tokyo metropolitan area is the EMU Shin-Keisei 8000 series. This model was launched in 1978 as Japan's first adjustable voltage and adjustable frequency (VVVF) train, but the uniqueness is not only its technical specifications but also its face. It looks like an owl. It is definitely my favorite.

The 8000 series is a 6-car train, built by Nippon Sharyo. So far, a total of 9 sets, 54 units have been introduced and 6 sets of these are still operated on the track. Each unit is 18 meter-long with 6 doors. The gauge size is 1,435 mm and its electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead.

The EMU 8000 series... it is a unique owl train on the Shin-Keisei Line

EMU Shin-Keisei 8000 series stands at Takifudo Station