January–December 2015 · $20.00 / ERA Tour of Traction in headlights 2015

Headlights January–December 2015 Volume 72, Number 1–12 The Magazine of Electric Railways TRACTION IN Published since 1939 by the ERA R JAPAN Electric Railroaders’ Assoc., Inc. (Front and back covers) Welcome to Japan, a railfan’s paradise! Not much gets P.O. Box 3323 On the island of , Grand Central Station into print in English regularly on the traction scene in the northern city of New York, NY 10163-3323 in Japan. This special issue of Headlights provides a , a streetcar on loop line 2 waits patiently modern day pictorial survey of the surviving streetcar Staff for the passage of an inter- systems of Japan as seen by ERA members during a Editor and Designer urban on the Takayama comprehensive tour in May 2014. It is an essay of the Sandy Campbell Line at Otemachi Crossing. places visited and the systems seen and ridden. Associate Editor Both operations are part John Pappas of the same company, 6 Photographers , which undoubt­- 16 Other Electric Traction Around Tokyo John Pappas, Ron Yee, edly makes the coordina- Michael Glikin, tion at two level crossings 23 Enoshima Asahi Shimbun, Wikipedia much smoother than it 26 Mount Fuji and the Hakone Tozan Railway Printer would be otherwise. 32 Toyama Innovative Technologies in Print may 16, 2014 36 Fukui and Takaoka 41 Japanese Alps: Tateyama Tunnel Trolleybuses Membership (Right) Passengers on Headlights is sent free to all JR West’s Loop Line 42 Okayama ERA members. Join today stare at their electronics, 46 to get your copy of the next much as they do else- 52 Nagasaki issue at erausa.org/join where in the world. 56 Kumamoto may 19, 2014 Back Issues 58 Kagoshima Digital copies of Headlights 60 Matsuyama can be ordered at erausa.org/ 65 Kochi headlights/orderform 72 79 Osaka Contact Us 82 Wakayama Electric Railway To contact the ERA, visit erausa.org/contact 84 Hakodate Copyright © 2016 ERA 87 Sapporo All Rights Reserved 91 Japan Streetcar Systems Published February 2016

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TRACTION IN JAPAN

Text and Japan… Land of the Rising Sun. The Old Dragon. The Mysterious East. A place full of photography by surprises, incongruity and inscrutability. Also super high-speed trains, electric railways John Pappas and interurbans. And streetcars. Additional photos Despite the major move in the 1960s and 70s to rid its cities of streetcars, (readers are by Ron Yee referred to “Sayonara Streetcar” by Ralph Forty, Interurbans Special 70, published in 1978) where noted 20 Japanese systems still continue to operate and give every appearance of planning This is the view you’ll for at least a medium term future. In May 2014, the ERA organized a tour of 18 of those see when you exit just systems, along with cultural sites, commuter rail rides and long distance train travel about any streetcar with the aim of introducing this country of great contrasts to our members. Some 43 of any age in Japan. The Japanese traction of them came along. industry uses a “pay- This issue is not a railfan’s guide to Japanese traction. Such a work would be highly leave” system of fare collection like the one desirable, but will have to wait for an individual who has the time to do the enormous at left. The universal research required just to get each system’s roster correctly stated. Also “traction” should bright orange fare refer to the myriad of Japanese interurbans, light railways and subways, as well as machines seen here streetcars. As is true with Switzerland, the lines often blur between the three modes. collect coins and bills, make change, issue A word about the table and technical details at the end of the article. They were tickets and validate primarily gleaned from “Japanese Streetcars, An Active Roster,” a highly illustrated book smart cards. They also assure a queue published by the Japanese Tourist Bureau, but all in Japanese. Items such as number of people waiting to of cars and route mileage were checked against current figures as they were available pay and get off. on various websites. Otherwise, the figures reflect the 1999 conditions at the time the book was published. Low-floor cars have since been added to most of the systems, so the car totals have undoubtedly changed, although retirement of older equipment probably brings the figures close to what is shown. Consider the table a useful chart for comparison purposes.

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Tokyo ranks 19th on the list of the world’s largest cities, but number one in terms of urban area population (37 million). It has the expected attendant crowds and high rise development, but somehow the Japanese seem to do it in a less hectic, less ugly fashion. There is also observ- able care and thinking in urban design and that includes balancing road space with railway and other rail transit expansion.

Two views of the Tokyo At right, the exterior of urban scene. At top is the beautifully maintained the famous Ginza at 19th Century architecture night. While still Tokyo’s of the main Tokyo railway version of Times Square, station. Incidently, this is newspaper articles speak NOT the biggest station of newer places that now in Tokyo. That distinction form the center of their belongs to Shinjuku, older teen and young located on the west adult night life. side near the center of government and several At left is a view from the corporate headquarters. Yurikomome Waterfront Line station showing a traffic flyunder as one of the methods to shoehorn more vehicle movement into heavily confined spaces. The fact that it was a holiday is probably the reason the streets are relatively empty.

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Tokyo once had a major line remains… the 7.6-mile terminal at Minowabashi. tram system, but it became Arakawa Line. Most of the One way running time is a victim of increasing route is on double-track 53 minutes. The line is an automobile traffic and private right-of-way, odd 4ʹ 6ʺ (1372 mm) gauge, the expanding subway including “back alley” as which is found on a couple network. Since 1965 one seen here near the outer of other systems in Japan.

8 headlights | january–december 2015 (Top) A little over ¼ mile (Bottom) There is a of route is in mixed traffic, surprising bountiful hence its official designa- supply of written English tion under Japanese everywhere in Japan regulations as a streetcar to help guide your way, line. This is the view of although you won’t find southbound 7031 passing many of the locals who under the Keihin Tohoku speak it. This sign provides line at Oji. The 7000s are an informative, geographi- the mainstay of the line cally correct overview of and were built in 1954 and the Arakawa line and its remodeled to one-man many connections with configuration in 1978. stations and intersecting lines labeled in English (Middle) An interior view below the Japanese of 7019 shows a layout characters. that is mostly standard across the Japanese trac- tion industry. Bench seats are the norm. The device by the motorman’s cab is a covered over fare machine, as illustrated on page 4. Smart cards are available on the vast majority of streetcar systems, but appear to have only moderate penetration with the riding public.

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10 headlights | january–december 2015 Newer cars can also be found, although unlike many other streetcar systems, the Arakawa Line has no articulateds. As a result, service is very frequent, from five to seven minutes throughout the day. The 10 8800 series cars are the newest on the line, built in 2009 by Alna.

Two PCCs made it to Japan, both went to Tokyo. One is preserved here on a plinth at the carhouse adjacent to the Arakawashakomae station. The car has been restored and features displays in the interior. There is no mistaking those three foot pedals, the classic “Johnson Bar” or the row of toggle style gang switches.

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The value of operating heri- The 8500s (top right) are Tokyo also has the Tokyo using articulated It is not affiliated with the tage cars has not been lost another primary class that Setagaya Line (bottom cars. It shares its 4ʹ 6ʺ Tokyu Car Corporation on the Japanese streetcar fills out the majority of the right), which is classified as gauge with the Arakawa which built the Buffalo, industry. Unfortunately, car requirements on the streetcar, but more prop- Line, but the two lines are New York LRVs, the there is not much of a line. They date from 1990. erly functions as light rail miles apart. A total of 10 Cleveland heavy rail supply remaining. Car 9002 Both sides of the Arakawa (all private right-of-way, cars are available for use, cars and the bodies for (above) is reminiscent of Line along its last mile high platform loading). built by Tokyu Car in 1999. the Boeing SLRVs. That New Orleans’ efforts to or so feature a bountiful This is a former branch The present owner, Tokyu company is now owned hide the air conditioning planting of roses, which line of the Tokyu Railway Corporation operates by JR East. condenser and other were in full bloom during empire and operates a railways, department roof-mounted equipment our visit. little over three miles on stores and has a majority behind a very false-looking the southwest side of interest in Japan Air Lines. deck roof. The car was actually constructed in the 2007.

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Car 306, above, leaves five minutes during suburban line. Car 308 around Japan to squeeze the typical intermediate peak hours. has dropped passengers a bit more efficiency out station at Miyanosaka. off on the right side of operations at termini. At right, the northern Cars are painted in platform and is now The south end of the line terminal is at Shimo- different all over colors. loading on the left. This connects with Tokyu takaido, where the Service is offered every separated passenger Railway’s Den-en-toshi line shares a covered six minutes during the arrangement appears to Line at Sangen-jaya connection with the Keiô day and every four to be used to a great extent Station.

14 headlights | january–december 2015 Serving as a permanent display at Miyanosaka Station, 601 (above) shows off the design of the previous generation of cars. The EER stands for Enoshima Electric Railway, its owner from build year 1970, which followed the line’s takeover from Tokyu, to 1999 when the new LRVs began arriving.

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The busy pace of the tour did not allow for consistent scheme which official exploration of Tokyo’s extensive subway aids tremendously in navigating the system and system, nor its even larger suburban network all stations are labeled in English in addition to operated by different Japan Railways (JR) the Japanese characters. The Japanese are also companies and private railways. But there was consistent in naming rail lines and that practice free time to do some exploring and at least gain extends to long distance train lines and the an insight as to how much information there is high speed network. to try and absorb. It would take another issue to fully do justice There are 13 subway lines operated by two to the subway and commuter rail system and companies. , which despite its that will have to wait until another time and name is privatized, operates nine lines, while probably another visit. But to just give a feel of the metropolitan government-owned Toei the enormity of the system and its ridership, Subway operates four (as well as the Arakawa consider that the 13 lines carry upwards of 8.7 Streetcar and bus lines). All are identified by million daily riders on 188.4 miles of route. letters, usually corresponding to the name Compare that to the 5.5 million of New York’s of the line, and a distinctive color. There is a subway system… no slouch in its own right.

16 headlights | january–december 2015 The (Sasazuka on the Keiô New The Tokyo Metro operates these handsome, Line). Such coordination Marunouchi Line (right) stainless steel cars in would be unthinkable is the second oldest of sets of eight, which were in many parts of the the subway routes (1954, manufactured by several world, including the U.S. after the 1927 Ginza Line). builders, including Hitachi, Control trailer 10-270 was It is 17 miles long and Kawasaki and Kinki Sharyo. delivered by Alna Koki in standard gauge, making it The 4ʹ 6ʺ gauge line is December 1997. incompatible for through 14.6 miles long, opened running with any of the The interior of the in 1978 and extended suburban railways, as Shinjuku cars (above) several times since then. is also the case with is typical of all subway In common with six other the Ginza Line. Yotsuya fleets: perimeter seating subway lines, it features Station, shown here, is with plush cushions and inter-working with a located along one of four open vestibules between suburban line, in this case stretches of above ground cars. Although not seen the private Keiô network. running. The 02 series here, the Shinjuku Line The subway operator gets six-car trains were intro- is reportedly operating replaced by a Keiô train duced in 1988 and feature at 157 percent of its operator (at Shinjuku Automatic Train Control. designed loading standard station in this instance) The half-height platform at present during peak and the train continues to doors were added in 2009 periods. That is despite a suburban destination and their use is spreading a 1-minute 50-second across the subway system. headway, the most frequent on the subway network.

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The is as serves 29 stations and Japan rail system, it is 3ʹ The design of the (First Class) amenities, much a part of the Tokyo operates service as close 6ʺ gauge. The view at top commuter train further including forward facing commuting scene as the as 2.5 minutes at peak is at the key station on morphs into regional and seats and commodious subway system, but is times, in the process the line, Shinjuku, which longer distance trains. seat spacing. The ERA owned and operated by serving 3.7 million people is Tokyo’s heaviest in This Tokaido Line set tour used this train to East Japan Railway (JR a day. This is a good terms of train movements above also uses the E231 travel to Kamakura for East). It forms a rail belt example of how lines blur and people served. This series, but in addition our visit to the Enoshima around the metropolis’ between subways and E231-500 series train dates to the commuter cars, Electric Railway. central area. The 21.4-mile commuter rail. As with the from 2002. it features two double bi-directional loop line majority of the traditional deck cars with Green Car

18 headlights | january–december 2015 The Toyo Rapid Railway offers an example of a private company operating a Tokyo area rail line and one who hosts through-running with the Tokyo Metro Tozai subway line. This 10 car set was built by Hitachi in 2006 and is near identical in design to a series in use on the Tozai Line. Here it has run through to the west end of the Tozai Line at Nakano Station.

Typically in Japan, private railways often also own department stores. The Odakyu Railway operates from a surface area of the sprawling , which causes it to encounter several grade crossings until it reaches an elevated right-of-way some distance away. But its department store occupies prime multi-floor space in the west side of the station where passing railway riders can be easily enticed into combining travel with shopping.

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Besides rail, the Tokyo area is home to no less than four monorail lines. One of the oldest and most used is the , which operates from a connection with the TOEI Subway’s OEDO and the JR Yamanote Lines at Hamamatsucho to ’s multiple terminals. It is Tokyo’s second and primarily domestic air facility. The line is 11.1 miles long and

20 headlights | january–december 2015 ron yee features local, “Rapid” The line dates back to the and “Haneda Express” 1964 Olympics and the service uniquely and deftly cars are reminiscent of scheduled on the same Seattle Monorail’s Alweg beam without benefit straddle beam design, of passing facilities. It although the original is an example of how equipment was replaced precise operation of a well by this 1000 series train designed schedule can starting in 1989. They also provide an optimum use operate at faster speeds, of a fixed facility. Service up to 50 miles per hour. averages every four The ride is surprisingly minutes for much of the good at that speed. day (as represented by the various trip colors on the schedule shown at left).

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There is also an automated, rubber-tired guideway line that serves the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. One of the key scenic features of the Yurikomome Waterfront Line is a 270 degree circular climb onto the lower deck of the Rainbow Bridge, seen in the top background. The line has grown to 9.1 miles with 16 stations. The trains have expanded to six cars, the newest of which was introduced in 2009 (as shown) and a newer series this year. It is a must for the railfan for the scenery, the architecture (the Fuji TV headquarters building is enveloped by the guideway in the lower photo), the mix of develop- ment and the study of how the Japanese have restored human scale to the sea front. A return to central Tokyo can be via a transfer to the Yurakucho Line subway.

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The Enoshima Electric Railway (also referred to Enoshima Electric Railway arriving at the Fujisawa as Enoden) is another Japanese private railway, is also into the old-timey terminal. Face masks but has the look and feel of an interurban. It look with the faux roof are popular throughout operates 6.2 miles from Kamakura Station on applied. Set 50+10 was Japan and are considered the main Tokaido Line of JR to the small city built in 1997 to commemo- proper for people who are of Fujisawa. Most of the line is single track on rate the 95th Anniversary experiencing some form private right-of-way, with one short section of of the line and is seen of communicable disease. street running near Enoshima, but that doesn’t mean it’s a sleepy operation. The operators manage to squeeze a 12 minute headway out of the limitations of the plant, with the help of five passing sidings and often carry standing loads, especially on weekends and holidays. The ERA group arrived during the so-called Golden Week celebrations and experienced the heavy riding on our first weekend.

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