Feature World Railway Museums

Transportation Museum in and Railway Heritage Conservation Michio Sato

Brief History of directly by the Secretariat’s Research old , but today’s Transportation Museum Institute of the Ministry of Railways and structure was built on the foundation of admission was free. This Secretariat’s the old station. However, a museum staff The history of the Transportation Museum Research Institute was a predecessor of member in charge of construction already at Tokyo dates back to 1911 when the current Railway Technical Institute recorded that the new building was Shimpei Goto (1857–1929), the Director- (RTRI). Soon after opening, the Museum imperfect as a museum facility owing to General of the Railway Agency (the was damaged by the 1923 Great Kanto budget limitations and location predecessor of Ministry of Railways and Earthquake, but it reopened about 2 years restrictions. During WWII, despite its Japanese National Railways), established later on 8 April 1925. Since space was central location, the Museum was the post of ‘officer in charge of railway limited because it was built under the miraculously lucky not be hit by bombs museum affairs’ with a view to elevated tracks, there were soon voices and its building and collections remained establishing a railway museum. What in favour of constructing a new building intact. However, it was closed prompted Goto to entertain such an idea elsewhere and moving the museum. At temporarily in March 1945 as air raids is unknown. However, the new post was about the same time, the size of became more intense. established just after many private Manseibashi Station in Kanda Suda-cho The Museum reopened on 25 January railways in Japan were nationalized and was cut and the freed grounds were 1946, soon after the war’s end when it new uniforms and badges had been made selected for the new museum site; this is was renamed the Museum of to give a sense of unity to the employees. where today’s Transportation Museum Transportation Culture to expand its field The idea of a railway museum was still stands. There was also an interesting to all areas of transportation, i.e., land, probably conceived as one such measure 1933 plan for a park city proposed by a sea, and air. Although the Museum had and, in view Goto’s involvement with the member of the Secretariat’s Research first been under the direct management Boy Scout movement in his later career, Institute. It included a big railway park of the Ministry of Railways and then the education of young people may have with sports facilities and zoological and Ministry of Transport (now Ministry of been another motive. botanical gardens arranged around the Land, Infrastructure and Transport), at that The Railway Museum finally opened on Railway Museum in a large park, as well time, its management was deputized to Railway Memorial Day (14 October 1921 as an airfield in the neighbourhood, the Japan Travel Bureau. The name was and now called Day of the Railway) as thereby creating a large park city as a changed again to the Transportation part of a project commemorating the 50th whole. If this plan had been realized, Museum on 1 September 1948 and has anniversary of the opening of the first today’s Japanese railway heritage would remained unchanged since then. railway in Japan. It was built under the be different. Subsequently, ownership of the Museum elevated tracks on the north side of Tokyo The move was completed on 24 April passed to the newly founded Japanese Station and had about 8000 objects and 1936. Some people mistakenly believe National Railways (JNR) on 1 June 1949. materials on display. It was managed that the present building is actually the The Transportation Culture Promotion

Entrance of Railway Museum reopened in 1925 after 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake Railway Museum at opening of new building in 1936 (Transportation Museum) (Transportation Museum)

6 Japan Railway & Transport Review 43/44 • March 2006 Foundation has managed the Museum since 1 February 1971 and the Museum is now owned by JR East following the JNR privatization in 1987.

Transportation Museum Holdings

The Museum’s total present holdings amount to about 240,000 objects. The permanent display in the indoor gallery is mainly technical objects, such as actual railway rolling stock, automobiles, and aeroplanes, as well as machinery, A train arriving at Tokyo’s Shimbashi terminal (Transportation Museum) appliances, and models, 70% of which are railway related. The Museum’s Conservation of Japanese Trains have been given due respect even collection of stored materials include Railway Heritage in recent years, explaining why they nishiki-e (colour wood-block prints) continue to be conserved. depicting railways and other artworks, Japan’s first railway opened in 1872. crafts, maps, travel guides, drawings, Conservation of railway heritage in Japan Opening of Railway Museum documents, postcards, tickets, uniforms, before the opening of the first Railway As I mentioned earlier, preparations for timetables, microfilms, books, and Museum focused mainly on preservation establishing the Railway Museum photographs. Historical materials of the vestiges of visits by the Meiji started in 1911 and the Museum finally account for about 99% of the total Emperor (1852–1912), such as carriages opened in 1921. It’s purpose then was holdings, but they are not well known he rode in and places he visited. to collect, conserve, and display by the public. These historical materials Passenger carriages, locomotives, and railway-related materials, fostering include archives from the start of the other objects used for the Emperor’s tours education of railway workers, and at the construction of Japanese railways until to various parts of the country as well as same time spreading railway knowledge the 1890s. They are key official at the formal opening ceremony of Japan’s to the general public. As such, it was the documents about railways in Japan and first railway were the first items to be pioneer in and the nucleus of the include manuscripts of speeches written preserved. Imperial carriages, the steam conservation of the railway heritage in by Kinmochi Saionji (1849–1940), who locomotive Yoshitsune and the passenger Japan. Materials were collected through was Prime Minister at the 1906–07 carriage Kaitakushi (the car for the Head the nationwide railway network. The nationalization of the main private of the Hokkaido Development Project) Museum’s display policy was like a railways. These are designated railway were also included. Similarly, the original science museum; many of the objects monuments, which I will refer to later. Shimbashi Station building—the were displayed in working condition or In addition, the Museum houses the birthplace of Japan’s railways—was also so that visitors could touch them. Actual historic Iwasaki and Watanabe regarded as something of a sacred place. locomotives, passenger carriages, and photographic collections of railways None of these items were preserved or other vehicles were also displayed using around Japan in the early 20th century, protected either for cultural purposes or elevated tracks. which are an important part of railway out of recognition that they were The 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake caused heritage. Clearly, the Museum’s holdings important railway artifacts or sites, great damage to the railway heritage too cover a wide range of objects and because such practices were not part of and many of the collections were transportation-related materials, ranging institutional activities in those days. destroyed by fire. The original Shimbashi from steam locomotives to railway tickets, However, such activities turned out to be Station building, which by then had but the rest of this article focuses only on a primary contributing factor in become part of Station Freight railway vehicles. conserving the railway heritage of the Yard, was burned to the ground along early Meiji Period (1868–1912). The with building and locomotives that hauled the Imperial building opened in 1833.

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Conservation of Locomotive No. 1 (Vulcan Foundry) Conservation of Locomotive No. 1 was a major event around the time that the museum moved. Tokyo Nichi Nichi Newspapers (now Mainichi Newspapers) reporter Mr Kaizo Aoki first proposed conserving Locomotive No. 1, which was the first of the 10 locomotives imported in 1871 from Great Britain for the opening of Japan’s first railway. It had already been sold in 1911 to the Shimabara Railway in Kyushu but negotiations to repurchase it as a railway artifact when the Railway Restored Benkei, American-built locomotive used in Hokkaido (Transportation Museum) Museum first opened were in vain. In a last-ditch effort to assure that this important locomotive in Japanese railway history was conserved, the government railways offered to exchange it for another modern locomotive, an offer that met with Shimabara Railway’s ready consent. Consequently, Locomotive No. 1 returned to the government railways in 1930. It was first kept at the Omiya Works but was displayed in the Railway Museum’s new building in 1936. This story later became part of the children’s novel Kikansha Yaemon (Steam Locomotive Yaemon) by Hiroyuki Agawa. The original Imperial Carriage No. 1, which is the oldest existing passenger carriage in Japan, and Imperial Carriage No. 2 were also acquired and displayed then. Around this time, investigations in Locomotive Benkei Today (Transportation Museum) Mallet-type locomotive (Transportation Museum) Freight Yard relocated Mile Marker Zero, indicating the start of However, almost all the earlier- the Museum for conservation in 1940. Japan’s first railway at the end of the old mentioned railway archives were rescued Both Yoshitsune and Benkei are Shimbashi Station platform that had barely by railway employees of the time. The American-built tender locomotives first survived. A monument marking the site earthquake had repercussions on a steam used in Hokkaido in 1880. as the Origin of Japan’s Railways was locomotive claimed to be Yoshitsune that Following the earthquake, the Museum erected in 1936. The exact point is now was being dispatched from Hokkaido to resumed collecting materials; a German- marked in the rebuilt Old Shimbashi the Railway Museum for conservation. It built Mallet-type Class 9850 locomotive Station museum (see JRTR 35, pp. 73–75) was forced to wait a long time at Kuroiso designed especially for running on steep but the original monument is removed. Station yard in Tochigi Prefecture due to grades was put on display in 1927 with In 1938, the government railways’ bus confusion after the earthquake. part of it cut open to show the internal No. 1 was conserved and displayed in Subsequent investigation showed it to be structure. Then the Museum moved to its the Museum. The government railways Benkei, another old locomotive of the present location in 1936. started bus services in Aichi Prefecture same type and it was finally brought to in 1930 when it was called the Ministry-

8 Japan Railway & Transport Review 43/44 • March 2006 Locomotive No. 1 (Transportation Museum) Government Railways’ Bus No. 1 (Transportation Museum) run automobile. Self-sufficient domestic Wardle in Great Britain in 1881 and as well as a bronze statue of Masaru Inoue manufacturing was government policy in landed from a ship near Zenko Temple (1843–1910), former Head of the Railway these prewar days and the government in Kawaguchi City, Prefecture, Directorate and known as the ‘father of railways’ first bus was conserved against from where it took its name. Japanese railways.’ The red-brick Tokyo such a background. As mentioned Station building went up in flames in an earlier, the American-built 2-6-0 tender Losses from WWII air raid in 1945, completely destroying its locomotive Benkei was conserved in At the 1941 outbreak of the Pacific theatre interior. Japan’s first electric tramcar, 1940, followed by Zenko in 1942. Zenko of WWII, a number of objects were which had been preserved in a shed was the first locomotive used for delivered to the government and melted belonging to the Tokyo Metropolitan construction work by Nippon Railway, down for reuse in armaments. They Government Transport Bureau was also the company that built today’s Tohoku included classic locomotives such as lost to fire. It had run in the grounds of main line, , , Japan’s first tender locomotive No. 5000 the Third Industrial Exposition held in and other lines. It was built by Manning and a Class 3950 Abt-system locomotive, Ueno Park in 1890. However, the Imperial carriages had been moved to several different safe places, and the railway archives had also been sent to the Otsuki Track Maintenance Depot in Yamanashi Prefecture where they were

Locomotive Zenko (Transportation Museum) Locomotive Zenko today (Transportation Museum)

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at Shiodome, were designated first with several pieces following every subsequent year. These regulations do not carry the force of law, but are Japan’s first public nationwide system for conserving railway heritage. The location of Mile Marker Zero was designated by the government 7 years later in 1965 as a historic site. The railway quasi-monument system was also introduced in 1963 to allow designation at a regional level. The railway monument system has been accepted by every company in the JR group after the Special passenger carriage of Kaitakushi (Transportation Museum) JNR privatization. Following JNR’s example, Tobu Railway saved from damage. The Railway solely from a nationwide perspective. To Co., Ltd., a private railway company in Museum building and its collections qualify as such monuments, the objects the Kanto region, formulated Regulations remained intact, but two Imperial must have great historical and cultural Concerning the Protection of Monuments carriages suffered considerable damage value in the history of railway in 1963 and began designating company- on their outside sheathing due to moisture development in Japan or must be related railway heritage as monuments. filling the Museum building while it was indispensable to understanding the Chiba Prefecture designated three steam closed. On a sidetrack, Locomotive changes in the Japanese railway system locomotives of Kominato Railway as No. 7, which was one of the first 10 and related institutions, or must be sites prefectural cultural property in 1980. locomotives imported to Japan, was that are closely linked to railways in The 90th anniversary project dispatched to Taiwan before WWII and is Japan. Five objects, including commemorating the opening of Japan’s now conserved in a Taipei park. Locomotive No. 1 and Mile Marker Zero first railway was in 1962. As a main pillar After the Railway Museum reopened in 1946 as the Museum of Transportation Culture, passenger carriage Kaitakushi that used to run in Hokkaido were conserved in 1948. They had been sent to Tokyo in 1923 as objects for the Railway Museum when Benkei was dispatched to Tokyo, but were left unattended and stored in the Imperial carriage shed at the government railways’ Oi Works for many years. When a scrapping order was issued after the war’s end, they were resurveyed and found to be valuable.

Designation of Railway Monuments In 1958, JNR formulated the Regulations Concerning the Protection of Railway Monuments by which head office would designate important railway-related objects and sites as railway monuments C57135 Locomotive (Transportation Museum)

10 Japan Railway & Transport Review 43/44 • March 2006 Locomotive No. 1 today (Transportation Museum) Tokaido Series 0 (right) and D51426 SL exhibited in front yard (Transportation Museum) of this project, JNR established the Some tram companies, including Engineers, and other railway-related Modern Transportation Museum in Osaka, Hiroshima Dentetsu in Hiroshima organizations and societies started Ome Railway Park in Ome City, Tokyo, Prefecture, purchased out-of-service trams campaigns to conserve railway heritage and Hokkaido Railway Memorial Hall in from other companies and operated them as a whole, including not just rolling stock Otaru City, Hokkaido—all facilities for under the ‘Moving Transportation but also documentary records and civil conserving railway heritage. Museum’ catchphrase, thereby engineering structures. accomplishing the double objective of Steam locomotive boom and conserving old trams in working Modern industrial heritage as conservation efforts condition, while simultaneously seeking cultural property With JNR’s complete abolition of steam commercial profit. There was also an In the wake of such ongoing movements, locomotives (SLs) through the early 1970s increase in the number of private railway the government reviewed its cultural as part of its traction modernization companies establishing their own property policy to focus more attention programme, an SL boom started museums based on discontinued railway on the value of modern industrial heritage. nationwide with loud cries for SL facilities. Good examples are The As a result, JR Kyushu’s Mojiko Station was conservation. JNR had already been Museum of Electric Trains and Buses of designated as an important cultural thinking about constructing facilities for Tokyu Corp., the Subway Museum, the property. This was the first designation of these purposes since around 1960. After Tobu Museum of Tobu Railway Co., Ltd., a station building still in actual use and the planning and preparatory stages, JNR the Igasa Railway Museum, and the was an epoch-making event for railway opened the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Zenkoji Railway Museum. heritage and the government’s cultural Museum in in 1972 to mark the Attempts at conserving railways in property administration. Subsequently, centennial of Japan’s railways and started working condition also spread among the old brick Usui Viaduct on the Shin’etsu conserving locomotives in mainly interested people who mounted Line was also designated. working condition. In addition, many campaigns to buy some sections of Then, Locomotive No. 1 conserved by the local public bodies voiced their desire to discontinued lines or old vehicles for Transportation Museum was designated as conserve steam locomotives in their parks conservation or to recruit volunteers for an important cultural property in 1997. and public facilities, resulting in statically expanded conservation activities, This was the first designation of a modern conserved SLs at various places. including conservation of railways in historical object. Subsequently, facilities In May 1976, the Transportation Museum working condition. In 1991, the Japan and mechanisms still in use, which began to conserve and display the class National Trust formed the Railway inevitably tend to lose their original shapes C57 Locomotive No. 135 as the last SL in Conservation Society of Japan in and integrity, also came to be designated actual service in Japan after it had hauled cooperation with other groups and those as important cultural property at the its final passenger carriages in Hokkaido railway companies conserving railway government level. A Cultural Properties in December 1975. vehicles in working condition. In Registration System was also started and In addition to the JNR-related museums, addition, the Japan Railfan Club, the the old Hagi Station building in Oigawa Railway started running SLs on a Society of Railway History of Japan, the Yamaguchi Prefecture was the first site commercial basis, taking the lead in Society of Industrial Archaeology of Japan, registered under this system. conserving them in working condition. the Japan Society of Mechanical

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Present Conservation of and discolouring show up, so coatings are tank locomotive during use. It was then Railway Heritage and Problems renewed once every 5 to 10 years along restored by JNR to working condition in with minor restoration treatments. We 1952 when a considerable number of In addition to the cultural properties have no special staff engaged exclusively parts were replaced with new ones. designated by the government and local in lubrication, cleaning, and other daily Actual restoration and repairs are public bodies, the current total number maintenance and care of vehicles. The entrusted to professionals including retired of railway monuments and quasi-railway Museum building itself is already more railway employees. Needless to say, monuments is 35 and 49, respectively. than 60-years old, and with limited overall Museum staff members are also on-site The Museum has 12 railway monuments space, there is no room for exhibiting site to watch the work. However, since and one quasi-railway monument. In more of the larger objects, explaining why the railway vehicles in our holdings were addition, there are many other railway only part of a Series 0 shinkansen (Bullet all fixed or well repaired in JNR workshops objects and sites at various places Train) is exhibited in the front yard. before they were housed in the Museum, including those conserved at Tobu Since many objects are exposed to visitors, large-scale restoration is not often Museum, Sakuma Railway Park, Meitetsu they sometimes suffer intentional damage conducted by the Museum. Nevertheless, Museum of Railroad, other or ‘mischief,’ which often results in or the outside sheathing of the Imperial railway company museums, Otaru leads to breakage or loss of parts. carriages and passenger carriages of Transportation Museum, the Museum of Therefore, preventive measures and Kaitakushi have been restored once on a Transportation Science and Technology in monitoring are a great problem. For this comparatively large scale to their original Kita Kyushu City, other museums reason, we are forced to put some objects state. Unfortunately, the interior panels established by local public bodies. There under glass. Occasionally, objects are and silk fabrics of the sofas in both of are also properties conserved by mistaken for playthings and treated Imperial carriages have deteriorated companies, organizations, and parks. Of roughly, resulting in their becoming considerably, but cannot be restored course, many others are left without damaged more quickly. because of the extremely high cost, which adequate protection. Consequently, we When restoring or repairing objects, we is estimated at far more than ¥100 million have a great treasury of railway artifacts first investigate the objects and collect (US$1 = ¥115). and sites across the country, but their data on them and then determine the An area where we are failing is in conservation condition varies greatly. range and policy for their repair. transferring old skills to the new Reference data and literature, such as generation. We need both people Condition of conservation various printed data, articles, drawings, familiar with conservation and vehicles and photographs relating to their restoration techniques as well as people The general condition of railway vehicles mechanisms, operation methods, and who are versed in the mechanisms and conserved indoors at the Transportation manufacturing methods are driving principles of machines and Museum is quite good. Dusting is indispensable and important for this vehicles or in their operation conducted several times each year. When purpose. When necessary, we seek techniques, but the number of such possible, driving wheels and rods are left cooperation from specialists and skilled technicians has decreased in all unpainted to expose their luster and researchers outside the Museum. these fields. Many of the materials used provide a powerful impression. However, Restoration always poses the difficult for the old stock are also difficult to since they are often touched by visitors question of how much should be done. obtain because they are no longer and are consequently prone to rust, For example, Locomotive No. 1 is manufactured. For example, green seat descaling and lubricating are done once different from its original form due to cloth is now very scarce. every 1 to 2 months. Anti-corrosive modifications. Some opinions call for The Museum also cooperates from time- treatments are also used when possible restoration to the original form, but this to-time with repairs and restoration of to protect invisible parts such as smoke involves a risk of further loss of original vehicles conserved at other museums or tubes in locomotives and the inside of the parts about which the Museum cannot companies, by providing necessary water tanks in coal tenders. make decisions lightly. For example, the records and information. However, the vehicles exhibited outside locomotive Yoshitsune, which is now are covered only by a roof and are conserved at the Modern Transportation The Railway Monument System exposed to harm from wind, rain, and Museum, was originally a tender The JNR/JR Railway Monument System dust. Consequently, rusting, peeling paint, locomotive but was remodelled into a is the first of its kind for conserving

12 Japan Railway & Transport Review 43/44 • March 2006 Imperial Carriage No. 1 (Transportation Museum) Imperial Carriage No. 2 (Transportation Museum) railway heritage, but its designation Another example of inconsistency in the Problems of current system of standard has not been clear in all cases. conservation standard is railway forests. railway heritage protection A major problem is that since quasi- Two railway forests are designated, but A major problem with the conservation railway monuments can be designated at trees have been felled to build a national of railway objects in general is that a local branch level, inconsistency and highway though them. There is also a selection priority tends to be given to imbalance has arisen between railway question of whether the designation of rolling stock. Locomotives are an monuments, quasi-railway monuments, these forests includes both the land and especially good example and a large and railway heritage that has not been trees, or only the land. Since this is not number of SLs were selected for designated. A simple example is the clear, people in charge of the forests don’t conservation during the SL boom earlier-mentioned Class 9850 Mallet know what to do with old trees—should mentioned earlier. However, we have locomotive conserved at the they be replanted with new trees or not? seen many cases where the care of these Transportation Museum. It was In addition, there is no budget for conserved SLs has been neglected as the manufactured in 1912 and, although protecting railway monuments. In fact, boom subsided. Among rolling stock, partly cut open, is the only existing expenses are paid by raising funds passenger carriages and freight wagons Mallet-type locomotive in Japan, but it somehow at the respective sites when have less chance of conservation, has not been designated. On the other necessary. There has been no designation probably due to their less distinctive hand, some of the mass-produced of railway monuments since 1972, and character. The age balance of conserved locomotives from the Showa Period only a few quasi-railway monuments have vehicles is poor as well, with some period (1926–89) are designated quasi-railway been designated. blanks. Obviously rolling stock from the monuments. There is also a case in I am fully aware that there are questions Showa Period outnumbers stock from which a locomotive designated as a and criticisms about the ambiguity of the previous periods, but the number of pieces quasi-railway monument was placed railway monuments selection standard. I from the late Meiji Period to the early under the management of an external also question some points of the standard, Taisho Period (1912–26) is much smaller organization and consequently ceased to but wish to positively consider that those than expected. Conserved railway objects be a designated object. We should revise involved in formulating the railway other than vehicles, as well as conserved the relationship between these two monument system had in mind the idea railway-related civil engineering systems to something like that between of creating a precedent by keeping the structures are also few in number. Even designated cultural properties and range of objects wide and diversified in the Old Shimbashi Station site at registered cultural properties. the hope that the system will last long. Shiodome, which is undoubtedly a first-

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Interior of First Imperial Carriage No. 1 (Transportation Museum)

cultural properties and that expenses for conservation of cultural properties be made tax deductible. From the technical viewpoint, Imperial carriage during restoration (Transportation Museum) transmission of conservation and restoration techniques is important, both rate historic site, is conserved only in part. ruin when swimming against the tide of in railway heritage and other fields. The problems with the conservation economic priority. Perhaps this can be Many old machines and manufacturing system overlap the present state of the ascribed partly to the general trend to very techniques have been lost, and many Transportation Museum, but I would like quick renewal of things arising from the previous raw materials and parts are now to reiterate them here. It seems that public accelerated progress of science and unavailable due to suspension of their awareness of conservation of modern technology. But this is exactly why we production. For example, I am told that cultural heritage is still backward in Japan should pay sufficient attention even to Japan now has only one driving wheel where there is a tendency to consider pre- recent railway objects, including those truing machine for locomotives. The modern objects and works more from the current Heisei Period (1989–). outside sheathings of the Imperial important than modern and contemporary On a similar vein, almost no tax carriages are lacquered, but now there is ones. In particular, scientific and exemptions are granted to private no urushi lacquer craftsman in the technological objects tend to receive museums and conservation activities. railway world. Facilities for training much less attention than they deserve. There have even been cases where technicians and conserving techniques However, designation of modern objects donated objects are taxed and museum and machines are required for under the Law for the Protection of collections and fixed assets are also taxed. transferring techniques just as in the case Cultural Properties is now possible, and For this reason, donations or collections of intangible cultural properties. In this the situation has improved considerably. sometime decline and some objects are sense, we really appreciate what the Funds are insufficient as a whole for discarded rather than being conserved. Nippon Institute of Technology has been conservation of cultural property. As I Now that the Law for the Protection of doing but funds are necessary for these have mentioned, modern objects are not Cultural Properties itself has been purposes too. Transfer of operating fully recognized as cultural property improved considerably, radical techniques is also necessary to keep because they are comparatively new. As amendment of the tax system is required objects in working condition. Unlike in a result, it is often difficult to appropriate to promote protection of our cultural foreign countries, due to severe health funds for conservation expenses or to heritage. I would like to suggest that and safety regulations in Japan, it is secure conservation space due to land donations to registered museums or difficult for citizen volunteers to problems. In fact, many railway objects institutions equivalent to museums be participate in operation of vehicles and have been scrapped, discarded, or lost by exempted from taxation just as designated other conservation activities. This is

14 Japan Railway & Transport Review 43/44 • March 2006 probably one reason hindering the Making better use of existing systems, like warehouse at the JR Hokkaido Naebo progress of citizens’ participation in the Railway Monument System, would Works and a steam engine of the conservation of railway heritage. also be rewarding. Maruseppu Forest Railway were designated Simply conserving an object in not the I think the most fundamental and Hokkaido Heritage. The municipal completion of conservation but is the start important force in conserving cultural government of Osaka City designated four of conservation. Long-term daily heritage is creating a strong will ‘to tramcars and one subway carriage as the maintenance and regular care are conserve.’ Unfortunately, the situation city’s cultural properties in 2003. necessary. There are cases in which surrounding the Transportation Museum In museum facilities, 1999 saw the locomotives, after having been used for is severe and our activities have been far establishment of the Usui Pass Railway other purposes—in one instance as a from satisfactory, although we are making Monument Park (Matsuida Town, Gunma nursery school library—have been our best efforts to hand on our railway Prefecture, see JRTR 21 p.2) to damaged because of incomplete heritage to the next generation. commemorate the closed Usui Pass maintenance to be scrapped finally. In section on the Shin’etsu Line, and the another case, a railway was conserved Kyushu Railway History Museum (Kita in working condition, but was Recent Update Kyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, see discontinued due to poor business p. 105) opened in 2003. In addition, performance. This shows that everything There have been several important a full-size replica of the old Shimbashi can go well while the business and changes since this article was first written Station, Tokyo’s first railway terminal, was conservation are compatible, but there in 1998. opened in 2003, exactly on the site of the is a risk of conservation being suspended The railway-related cultural asset remains, with an exhibition hall for railway when the business fails to pay. Corporate designation has been updated and the history, although it is not a museum. philanthropy was once common among government designated Imperial Carriage Conversely, some conserved stock has industrial circles, but has died down. So No. 1 and the oldest railway policy been scrapped under various can we be secure in relying just on public documents as important cultural circumstances, and the Museum of bodies? Even already started properties in 2003. Both are also the Transportation Science and Technology in conservation plans are sometimes railway monuments. Moreover, JR West’s Kita Kyushu City and the Otaru changed or suspended when the heads four quasi-railway-monument Transportation Memorial Hall have been of local public bodies change. For locomotives, including Yoshitsune, two closed or are scheduled to close. example, a plan in progress to build a other SLs, and a Class EF52 electric Finally—and perhaps most importantly— railway museum in one city was locomotive, were promoted to railway the Transportation Museum is scheduled abandoned when a new mayor was monuments in 2004 . to close in 2006 and will be reborn in late elected. Conservation of cultural heritage At the local government level, the stock 2007 as the new railway museum in the requires recognizing and continually in the Kaya Steam Locomotive Square in old Omiya Yard in .I supporting the importance of conservation Kyoto Prefecture was designated an activities, including that of museums. important cultural property in 2004. In Acknowledgment addition, the government railways’ British- Part of this article was originally published in Japanese built No. 123 locomotive (1873, later and English in Conservation of Industrial Collections, Future Tasks and Conclusion Kaya Railway’s No. 2 locomotive) was a collection of articles presented at the International designated an important cultural property Symposium on Conservation and Restoration of As we have seen, the problems in Japan in 2005. Moreover, an old brick Cultural Property in November 1998. involve various interrelated factors that are consequently difficult to solve. However, Michio Sato in the final count, it all seems to boil down to a matter of money. In my opinion, Mr Sato is Senior Curator at the Transportation Museum. Joined the Transportation Museum after giving some kind of financial privileges graduating in history from Chuo University in 1971. He obtained degree for curator in 1974. He is author of Tetsudo monogatari—Hajimete kasha ni notta ano hi (Railway Story—First Train Ride) to the conservation of cultural property published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha and Nihonshi shohyakka—Kotsu (Japanese History Mini would be a realistic and effective step Encyclopedia—Transportation) published by Tokyo Do Shuppan. towards a solution although this may be difficult in the present economic situation.

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