Unique Funicular at Miyagase Dam

Unit 2 of the Miyagase Dam Incline

I am going to show you a unique funicular today. I recently visited Miyagase Dam in Kanagawa Prefecture. The purpose of my visit was to see and ride "Miyagase Dam Incline".

Miyagase Dam Incline is a means of transport for visitors to climb up the dam crest. It was originally used for constructing the dam but was modified to a funicular for sightseeing later. Connecting Dam-shita and Dam-ue stations, its route length is 216 meters. The height difference between the two stations is 121 meters and the maximum inclination of the route is 35 degrees.

It is a bucket-type funicular and operated by an inverter electric system. Different from the standard funiculars, the track is double. It means that there is no station in the middle of a single-track for train meet. The operation interval is 6 to 10 minutes. The operation speed is 60 meters/minute. It takes about 4 minutes to get from Dam-shita to Dam-ue station. The present vehicles, named car number 1 and 2, were built by Tokyo Sakudo in 1998. Each car has a 5.1 meter-long and a 2.6 meter-wide body and can accommodate 46 passengers. The operation is driver-less. To be exact, this transportation system is NOT classified as a funicular under the Railway Business Act.

Incidentally, Miyagase Dam is one of the major dams in the region. It is a multipurpose concrete gravity dam of 156 meters in height. The water is supplied to many cities and towns in Kanagawa Prefecture including Yokohama.

Entrance of Miyagase Dam

Seven Crossroads on the Keikyu Line

EMU Keikyu 1500 series arrives at Kohjiya station on the Kuko (airport) line

Do you know any five crossroads in your city or area? Maybe yes. Then, do you have six crossroads in your city or area? If yes, then, do you have seven crossroads in your city or area?

In Tokyo, there is a seven crossroads in Ohta Ward. It is a scarcely known spot among Tokyoites, but famous for local people named "Nanatsuji (seven crossroads)". I visited this local spot on New Year's Eve as I could make time. Surprisingly, there was no traffic light at the crossroads, although cars and bicycles continuously passed through. According to the local people, they haven't seen a traffic accident, because drivers try to pass through safely, and give way to others on the crossroads. It is a good story, isn't it?

To see this rare spot, the nearest railway station was Kohjiya on the Keikyu-kuko (Keikyu-airport) line. Connecting Keikyu-Kamata and Haneda Airport Domestic Terminal, its total length is 6.5 kilometers. The track is double. The gauge size is 1,435 millimeters. On the way back home, I enjoyed shooting trains at the end of the platform. Many kinds of trains bound for Haneda Airport frequently came into Kohjiya station.

My favorite one was the old model EMU Keikyu 1500 series from Shin-Zushi station. It has vivid red colored bodies with a white colored stripe. It was beautiful in the sunlight. The seven crossroads and taking a photograph of the old train, it was a good New Year's Eve in 2018.

Nanatsuji (seven crossroads) near Kohjiya station on the Keikyu-kuko (airport) line

2019 New Year Scene on the Keio-Inokashira Line

1753F of the EMU Keio 1000 series arrives at Eifukucho station on the Inokashira line

On New Year's Day, I visited my mother, who lives on the Keio-Inokashira line. On the way to her home, I came across a train that had a special round plate celebrating New Year on the front. It was 1753F of the EMU 1000 series. The 1000 series is the sole model on the Inokashira line. Replacing the old EMU 3000 series, the 1000 series was launched as the first long (20 meters) body train on the line. It is composed of 5 cars with a VVVF (Variable Voltage and Variable Frequency) electric control system. Each train set has different colors for the front mask and the lines on the side.

What was the new with this model? This is the first renewal of the first batch of trains since they began operation over twenty years ago. In particular, car number 3 was modified from a trailer to a motorcar to prevent racing on a snow day, which has thus changed the composition of these first batch sets from 2 motorcars and 3 trailers (2M3T) to 3 motorcars and 2 trailers (3M2T). In addition, traction motors and the VVVF inverter system have also been changed to high efficiency ones. Currently, 8 of these 10 first batch sets have completed their renewal.

In the meantime, I received news about the Izukyu electric car 103, which I posted on December 29th in this blog. According to Izukyu, electric car 103 will be retired in July this year due to its deterioration. That's a shame.

A special round plate celebrating New Year

Happy Yellow Train on the Keikyu Line: Update

Set 1057 of the EMU Keikyu 1000 series, "Happy Yellow Train", travels on the Hokuso line

Happy New Year! The year 2019 has begun. At the opening of New Year, I am going to show you a train, which brings us happiness.

Keikyu, which is one of the major private railways in Tokyo, recently decided to continue operating their "Happy Yellow Train" for an additional three years. What is the Happy Yellow Train? In Tokyo, it is said that a person who rides a yellow colored train will obtain happiness. It's probably because yellow colored trains are rare in this city.

In 2011, Toei (Tokyo Metropolitan Government) and Tokyu jointly launched a special campaign to boost passenger numbers by using their rare yellow colored rolling stock. These two operators recommended riding yellow colored trains to obtain happiness. Keikyu then launched the Happy Yellow Train using their EMU, set 1057 of the 1000 series. Set 1057 was built by Tokyu Sharyo in 2005. Its original body color was red, but Keikyu changed it to yellow in 2014. As you know, Keikyu's corporate color is red. Most of the Keikyu trains are known to be red, so the Happy Yellow Train is rare and became popular among passengers. Keikyu had planned to terminate the operation of Happy Yellow Train in 2017, but they decided to extend it until 2020.

By the way, Keikyu slightly changed the coloring design of the Happy Yellow Train in 2017. All the doors were painted yellow, whereas they were a silver color before. Although I am very busy working, my trainspotting activity will continue this year.

New coloring design of the Keikyu Happy Yellow Train, DeHa 1057 of the EMU 1000 series

Winter Illumination on the Izukyu Line

Electric car Izukyu 103 of the 100 series stands at Izu-kogen rail yard

Winter is known as a season of illumination. Urban streets are nicely decorated with millions of LED lights. Recently, winter illuminations are more than just street events. Many amusement parks also hold winter illumination events to attract holiday makers.

This winter, I visited Izu Granpal Amusement Park to see its popular illumination event named "Granillumi". The park was ornamented with a total of 6 million LED lights. The most distinctive feature is the zip line passing above the illumination. Visitors can take a 400-meter trip glide above the illumination site. They can become a "meteor" during traveling this zip line. 

To visit Izu Granpal Amusement Park, the nearest station is Izu-kogen on the Izukyu line. Before visiting the event site, I stopped by the Izu-kogen rail yard to take a photo of the old electric car, KuMoHa 103 of the 100 series. The 100 series was launched in 1961 when the Izukyu line was inaugurated. Since then, the 100 series had been functioned as the main fleet of this sightseeing railway on Izu Peninsula, but it was retired from the track by 2002. Only one unit, namely KuMoHa 103, survived as a yard-track shunting car. KuMoHa 103 once faced extinction because it became deteriorated, but Izukyu eventually preserved KuMoHa 103 as a special event car in 2012. Currently, we can rent it as a special train on the main track.

I enjoyed both beautiful illuminations and a historic electric car on Izu Peninsula.

Winter illumination event is held at Izu Granpal Park near Izu-kogen station on the Izukyu line