Reunion with TOQi

Inspection train, "TOQi", travels on the Tokyu-Toyoko line

I recently took the Tokyu-Toyoko line, and met "TOQi" again for the first time in four years. TOQi... what's that? It's an inspection train whose formal name is the EMU Tokyu 7500 series. TOQi can inspect all Tokyu lines except the Setagaya line. The targets of the inspection are overhead wires, signal safety facilities and train radio systems.

TOQi is a 2-car train consisting of DeYa 7500 and DeYa 7550, but I found one more colorful car this time. It was coupled between the two cars, and operated as a 3-car train. What's this additional car? It's SaYa 7590. The mission of SaYa 7590 is the track inspection, so this special 3-car TOQi train was inspecting not only overhead wires and related systems but also railway tracks.

For your information, DeYa 7500 and DeYa 7550 of the EMU Tokyu 7500 series was built in 2012 by Tokyu Sharyo to replace the old inspection train named the EMU 7200 series. They are motorcars. Each car has an 18 meter-long body. Its travelling devices are similar with those of the commuter train, the EMU 7000 series. On the other hand, SaYa 7590 is a trailer without a motor. It was built in 1998 as one of the EMU 7200 series. Although most of the 7200 series had already been scrapped, only SaYa 7590 has been surviving. Teaming up with the newly built 7500 series, it still works as an inspection car.

I hope that you understand the history of Tokyu Railway's inspection train.

Interior of TOQi inspection train (November, 2019 at Tokyu Nagatsuta Railyard)

Preserved Subway Train in Hachioji City

Unit 652 of the EMU ex-Eidan 500 series

I recently visited Hachioji Science Dome in the western suburb of Tokyo Metropolis. It's a science museum for local children. Along with many interesting exhibits, visitors can observe an old electric car in front of the museum. That's unit 652 of the EMU ex-Eidan 500 series. Before introducing this precious car, I must explain about "Eidan". Eidan, also known as Teito Rapid Transit Authority, used to be a subway operator in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It was privatized in 2004, and taken over by newly established Tokyo Metro Company. Eidan owned many trains, but most of them had already been retired from the track.

Unit 652 of the EMU 500 series is one such electric car. It was built in 1960 by Nippon Sharyo. After travelling 3.1 million kilometers on the subway Marunouchi line, it was retired from the track in 1992. Unit 652 currently spends its second life as a precious study material for children. You may think that the 500 series is similar with the 300 series, which was exhibited in the Subway Museum. Yes, but the details are different. For example, the 300 series has both sides driver's cab; while, the 500 series has one side driver's cab. The 300 series is a double roof car; while; the 500 series is a single roof car, so you can see many ventilation ducts at the upper part of the side body of the 500 series.

It's fun to observe a train. I hope that children also enjoy it.

Side view of unit 652

Serving a Double Purpose on the Tobu and JR East Lines

Set 81107 of the EMU Tobu 8000 series approaches the 2nd Kubo railway crossing

Here we're in the middle of winter in Tokyo. It's clear every day in the regions here on the Pacific Ocean. Winter is one of the best seasons to take railway pictures in the Pacific Ocean side including the Tokyo metropolitan area. The blue sky gives railway photographers many beautiful subjects.

One day, I headed to the northern suburb. My destination was "the 2nd Kubo railway crossing", where we can take photos of the Tobu Ogose line trains. The Ogose line is a local branch route of the Tobu-Tojo line. A 4-car train, EMU 8000 series, is operated every 15 minutes. After arriving at the railway crossing, the southbound train soon approached. That's a special-colored train, trainset 81107 of the 8000 series. The orange and dark beige colored bodies are a revival of the Tobu trains in the 1960s. It was very beautiful under the winter sunlight.

Is that the end of today's post? No, I'm still in the middle of it. Five minutes later, the other train approached the railway crossing... a diesel railcar, JR East KiHa 110 series, not a Tobu train. What was going on there? The gimmick is as follows. The 2nd Kubo railway crossing is used by two companies, namely Tobu Railway and JR East. Tobu uses one track as the Ogose line, while JR East uses another track as the Hachiko line. The latter is not electrified, so we can see the diesel railcar.

I served a double purpose at the 2nd Kubo railway crossing.

Diesel railcar JR East 110 series approaches the 2nd Kubo railway crossing

The Keio-Inokashia Line: Update

Trainset 1757 (1757F) of the EMU Keio 1000 series arrives at Takaido station

I often take the Keio-Inokashira line, but I haven't seen the tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog) family at Shindaita station lately. I wonder where they are now. They may have moved, or staying inside the drain beside the track due to the cold winter. You may have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? If so, please review my post in September last year.

Instead of the topic of the animals, I'm going to show you a railway topic as usual. Keio Electric Railway recently operates trains on the Inokashira line with special round plates celebrating New Year on the front. They're trainset 1757 and 1773 of the EMU 1000 series. The first sunrise of the year and the kadomatsu (the New Year's decorative pine trees) are depicted on the plate. It's Keio's annual event, but I again realized that the new year has begun after looking the celebrating plates. The meaning of the word on the plate is "New Year's greetings".

Incidentally, Keio recently announced a new timetable on the Inokashira line starting March 18th. According to the news release, less trains will be running than the present timetable specifically in the night. As you may know, the number of the railway passengers has been decreasing since the spreading of COVID-19. Many office workers and students use the online meeting systems at home instead of going to their offices and schools. Although it's getting back to normal, the period of hardship continues for railway companies even in the urban areas.

A special round plate celebrating New Year

Class 8620: Masterpiece Locomotive in the 1910's

Unit 8620 of the SL Class 8620 is exhibited in the Ome Railway Park

Following the steam locomotive (hereafter SL) Class E10, I'm going to show you the other impressive exhibit in the Ome Railway Park today.

The Class 8620 was one of Japan's masterpiece SLs. It was developed by the Ministry of Railways in the early 1910's. In those days, the Japanese government made plans to strengthen its railway industries by domestically manufacturing its standard SLs, all of which were previously manufactured abroad. Although the large SLs for limited express trains on the trunk lines continued to be imported from U.K., U.S. and Prussia, the middle-sized SLs for express trains on the semi-trunk lines started being manufactured in Japan. The Class 8620 is the example of the latter.

Let's take a look at the specifications. The Class 8620 is a 2-6-0 (Whyte notation) type SL that has a tender attached. It's 16.765 meters long, and weighs 83.33 tons. The driving wheel diameter is 1,600 millimeters. It produces an output of 558kW and a maximum speed of 95 kilometers per hour. A total of 672 units were built by Kisha Seizo, Kawasaki Zosenjo and the others. The most important feature was its high curve passage performance by connecting the leading and the first driving wheels.

The exhibit in the Ome Railway Park is the top number unit, namely unit 8620. It was built by Kisha Seizo in 1914. After operating for 44 years on the semi-trunk lines on Kyushu and Shikoku islands, it was retired from the track in 1958.

Tender of the SL Class 8620

Official website, Ome Railway Park: https://www.ejrcf.or.jp/ome/english/index.html