2017 Summer Memories: Enoshima Lanterns

Set  number 1069 of the EMU Odakyu 1000 series passes through Kyodo Station

As I mentioned before, the weather had been unusual this mid-summer in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It was rainy every day, so that I had to find short sunny days for strolling, and visited only the nearby Tokyo Metropolis. Enoshima Island was one such place.

Enoshima Island is a famous sightseeing spot in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It is located about 60 km southwest of the city center. When I visited there in the middle of August, the Enoshima Lantern Festival was being held. It was one of the events during the "obon" period. "Obon" is a Buddhist festival to recognize ancestral spirits. The souls of the dead are believed to return to their families during the obon period in the middle of August. It is an occasion for people to visit their ancestors' graves, temples or shrines to pray. 

During evening of the obon period, Enoshima Island was decorated with many lanterns to repose the souls of the dead. For instance, I saw plenty of lanterns on the approach of Enoshima Shrine. It was beautiful and mysterious, and reminded me of my ancestors.

To visit Enoshima Island, Odakyu-Enoshima Line is convenient. The nearest station is Katase-Enoshima, which is the gateway to the island. When I headed to Enoshima, I came across the old EMU 1000 series with rollsigns (destination signs). Trains with rollsigns are currently quite rare on the Odakyu Line, as most of the rollsigns have been replaced by LED-type destination signs.

A visit to Enoshima Island offered rare experiences to me.

Lanterns are seen on the approach of Enoshima Shrine near Katase-Enoshima Station

New Revival Colored Train on the Tobu Line

Revival colored train, set 8575 of the EMU Tobu 8000 series, travels on the Kameido Line

Tobu Railway has launched a new "revival colored train". On July 13th, a new special colored train, set number 8575 (hereafter 8575F) of the EMU 8000 series, appeared on the Kameido Line. 8575F was originally built by Tokyu Sharyo in 1982. It consists of two cars named 8575 (Mc) and 8675 (Tc), but the color design of 8575F was changed on this occasion from white with blue colored stripes (Tobu's standard color design) to yellow with a vermillion colored stripe, which was one of the test paint color designs in the 1950's.

8575F is the third revival colored train for the Kameido and Daishi lines. As I posted before, Tobu had already launched two other revival colored trains. They are set number 8568 (hereafter 8568F) and set number 8577 (hereafter 8577F). 8568F has dark green colored bodies with a white stripe, which was also the test paint color design in the 1950's; meanwhile 8577F has orange colored bodies with a yellow stripe, which was used as the Tobu's standard color design from 1958 to 1964.

Tobu has been launching revival colored trains one after another. I sure would like to applaud this kind of service as a rail-fan, but I am alternating between joy and embarrassment, as I must visit the Tobu Line every time. Probably, that's Tobu's strategy. In fact, many rail-fans like me often flock to the Tobu Line to take pictures and ride the new revival colored trains.

Revival colored train, set 8575 of the EMU Tobu 8000 series, arrives at Omurai Station

Green Frog: The 90th Anniversary of the Toyoko Line

Set 5122 of the EMU Tokyu 5000 series, the revival colored train, "Green Frog"

The Tokyu-Toyoko Line is one of the main transportation arteries in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Connecting Shibuya and Yokohama, the operating length is 24.2 km. It carries an average of 1.2 million passengers per day. Shibuya is one of the sub-centers in the Tokyo Metropolis; meanwhile, Yokohama is the main city of Kanagawa Prefecture.

On August 28th this year, Tokyu Corporation celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Toyoko Line. It was opened between Shibuya and Maruko-Tamagawa (present Tamagawa) stations on August 28th, 1927. The gauge size is 1,067 mm and the electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead. Currently, 22 percent of the entire route is a double-double track. The trains on the Toyoko Line are directly operated onto the Tokyo Metro-Fukutoshin Line via Shibuya Station, and the Yokohama Minatomirai Railway via Yokohama Station.

In commemoration of the 90th anniversary, Tokyu launched a special revival colored poster train, "Aogaeru", on September 4th on the Toyoko Line. What is Aogaeru? It was a nickname of the green colored trains, the EMU 5000 series, which were operated on the Toyoko Line from 1954 to 1980. Because of its "face line" with lower parts of the face full-fleshed, they were called Aogaeru (green frog) among rail-fans.

The revival Aogaeru is also named the EMU 5000 series, but it is the 2nd generation one with a modern design. An 8-car train, set number 5122 is used as Aogaeru. The revival Aogaeru will be operated for a year until August, 2018.

Side view of the "Green Frog"

2017 Summer Memories: Ocean View and Kurofune Train

Set R-4 of the EMU Izukyu 2100 series, Kurofune Train, travels on the Izukyu Line

The weather has been unusual this summer in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It was very hot in the "rainy season"; meanwhile it was rainy every day in mid-summer. I was very busy at work, but could manage to take a 4-day holiday in the middle of August. I visited Izu Peninsula with my family.

Izu Peninsula is a major resort area in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Being located in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Izu is famous for the joys of its ocean view and mountains with hot springs. To get to this resort area, Izukyu Railway is convenient. Connecting Ito and Izukyu-Shimoda, the total operating length is 45.7 kilometers. The entire route is an electrified single track. The trains on the Izukyu Line are directly operated onto the JR East Ito Line to Atami and the Tokaido Main Line to Tokyo.

Kurofune Train is one of the popular trains on the Izukyu Line. It is an 7-car train, set R-4 of the EMU 2100 series built by Tokyu Sharyo in 1990. Kurofune Train was created based on the image of Kurofune, which abruptly visited Japan led by US Commodore Perry in 1853 to demand the Tokugawa Shogunate open the country to the world. Seeing that, the Japanese called them "Kurofune" (black ships). Accepting Perry's request, the Tokugawa Shogunate signed a treaty opening Shimoda Port to U.S. trade in 1854. As you noticed, Shimoda is the terminal of the Izukyu Line.

The black colored Kurofune Train suits the magnificent Pacific Ocean.

Ocean view near Izu-kogen Station on the Izukyu Line

Official information about the trains on the Izukyu Line (in Japanese):

http://www.izukyu.co.jp/dennsya/index.html

Good-bye, the EMU Toei 10-000 Series: Part 2

Set 10-270 of the EMU Toei 10-000 series arrives at Sasazuka Station on the Keio Line

Following my last post, I am going to continue to show you the EMU Toei 10-000 series, which will be retired soon.

Set 270 of the EMU Toei (the Transportation Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government) 10-000 series belongs to the 8th batch group of the 10-000 series. Its technical specification is the same as the other 10-000 series trains, but the design of the train bodies is different from that of the other ones. For instance, the 8th batch group has beads on the side of the stainless steel bodies; while the other 10-000 series has corrugations. The 8th batch group has a blue colored thin stripe on the front; while the other 10-000 series trains don't have it. Trainspotters like me perceive and enjoy these kinds of fine differences between the two groups of trains. You may be one of those people.

The 8th batch trains, including set 270, were launched in 1997. A total of 2 sets, 16 units have been built by Alna Kohki. This group of trains is known as the last model built with an armature chopper electric control system in Japan. As you may know, the armature chopper is an excellent electric control system, but it was high cost, and sometimes caused inductive interference, so that the trains with the armature chopper electric control system have been retired gradually.

Sayonara (good-bye) and arigato (thank you), the Toei 10-000 series, Japan's last model built with an armature chopper control system.

Set 10-270 of the EMU Toei 10-000 series stands at Sasazuka Station on the Keio Line