Farewell, Enkobashicho Tram Stop

On Saturday 2nd August, the Main Line of Hiroshima Electric Railway between Hiroshima Station and Matobacho tram stop will be permanently closed. Instead, a new, shorter route connecting them will open on the following day. As a result, Enkobashicho, the only intermediate tram stop on the current route, will be permanently closed as well.

Enkobashicho is the tram stop adjacent to Hiroshima Station, the de facto central station of the city. It opened in 1912, and it was named after a nearby bridge called Enkobashi. The tram stop has very narrow platforms with no step-free access. There were no platforms until 1974, and they do not look safe even with them today.

Who uses Enkobashicho tram stop, which is less than 200 yards from the central station? Some passengers heading towards the central station alight at Enkobashicho, because services often come to a standstill due to traffic congestion. In that case, it is better to walk two minutes than to wait on a tram for 3-5 minutes. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, nearly 2,000 people on average used the tram stop daily.

There is not much to see around the tram stop, but three rusted hand pumps on the pavement are striking. According to a small handmade sign, these pumps date back to the early 1940s or even before that, and they supplied water to those burnt by the atomic bomb on the Day 80 years ago. Whilst they are not officially designated as "atomic bomb heritage" by the authorities, Nippon Television concluded that they are genuine historical remains.

The rerouting of the Main Line constitutes the essential part of a redevelopment plan initiated by the city. As the new route is less likely to be affected by traffic jams, and the new Hiroshima Station platforms are larger than the current ones, passengers will be able to access the central station faster. Enkobashicho tram stop will have fulfilled its purpose, and will be demolished later this year for road widening.

Related: The Tram, another stark reminder from the past

The Red List of Trains in Japan (Jun-2025 update)

The Red List of Trains in Japan is now up to date! No new article this time, but many existing articles have got the latest figures. Important changes include:

• Rolled back the status of JR East 255 series from EXTINCT to CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, as the company decided to retain one for a while despite its farewell tour being conducted last year
• Changed the status of Isumi Railway 300 and 350 series as the line itself has been "temporarily" closed for years

I stumbled across a master's dissertation from Spain that cited my website. While I am honoured to be seen as such a credible source, I feel a little bit awkward about it. The site was never intended to be academic, so why their supervisor approved the use of an anonymous hobby website?

— Hiroshi Deng Luma (He/him) (@networker-365.bsky.social) June 7, 2025 at 2:33 PM

I also recently discovered that my website has been used for academic purposes. While I am truly grateful for it, I would like to emphasise that this website is just a personal, unofficial one. I always endeavour to provide accurate and up-to-date information as much as possible, but you should always consider very carefully before you cite anything on my website and this blog.

The Tram, another stark reminder from the past

Hiroshima is known for having the most extensive tram network in Japan. Most tourists to here visit the the Peace Memorial Museum and Genbaku Dome (also known as the Atomic Bomb Dome) just like G7 leaders did in 2023. Many people believe that the Dome is the only survivor of the very first nuclear attack in history, but as BBC reported back in 2015, it is not true. This is No. 651 of Hiroshima's tram, one of few vehicles that survived the day.

This is Hiroshima Electric Railway 650 series, a tram type developed in 1942. Five trams were introduced, and all of them were damaged at quarter past eight on 6th August 1945, some of them destroyed. Yet, the company repaired all of them and thus they were all eventually reinstated. All 650 series trams were supposed to be withdrawn by 2006, but the company decided to preserve some of them. Today, three trams are still registered for mainline use, and they are often used as charter trains including school trips for teenagers. In addition, nos. 651 and 652 sometimes run during morning rush hours on weekdays.

No. 651 was about to depart Fukuromachi tram stop towards Senda depot, presumably after being used for a charter train on Saturday afternoon. The grey building on the left is the former Hiroshima Branch of the Bank of Japan, another building that withstood the bomb. Together with modern buildings nearby, they highlight how much the city has developed since then, and how important it is to preserve such heritage to remember that day.

It should be noted that the heritage sites in Hiroshima have been preserved not to emphasise the "atrocities committed by the United States", but rather to serve as a memorial, reminding us that regardless of views on nuclear weapons, they should never be used again under any circumstances. As the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War (commonly known outside Japan as the VJ Day) is approaching, and given that the substantial risk of another nuclear attack amidst conflicts including those in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Asia, the 650 series trams are not just cute and retro vehicles, but they present us a stark warning.

Little Dancer

Little Dancer is a brand of low-floor tram developed by Alna, a manufacturer whose parent company is Hankyu. Trams in Japan are generally known for being old simply because tram business is not profitable, but Little Dancer trams are new, as they have been manufactured since 2001. The brand is popular across the country, as 11 out of 19 tram and light rail operators in Japan have used at least one.

The first Little Dancer, also the very first low-floor tram made in Japan, is Kagoshima Tram 1000 series. People in Kagoshima heavily use the tram network when they go to the city centre, but older trams are small and have a large gap between a tram stop and train floor, which is hard for elderly passengers. The introduction of Little Dancer made them easier to use the tram services, and even wheelchair users are now able to get on and off (except five out of 37 stops due to extremely narrow platforms). Other tram operators in the country followed Kagoshima city.

Some Little Dancer trams in the early days were not always successful because there were still steps inside a tram and thus not fully accessible, and capacity was small so that fewer passengers than older trams could be transported. For example, Iyotetsu 2100 series has been notorious for having very small standing space. As the technology advances, newer types introduced after the late-2000s have been dramatically improved.

Little Dancer is also known for its unique name. The Japanese word "dansa", which is pronounced very similarly to "dancer", means "step". The brand stemmed from a dad joke, as Litttle Dancer also means "little step(s)". It is not surprising given that the manufacturer locates near Osaka, where people thereof have been known for having a great sense of humour.

When "Shin-Keisei" becomes "Keisei"

Shin-Keisei Electric Railway will be dissolved and merged with Keisei on 1 April 2025. The companies have announced that Shin-Keisei line, connecting Matsudo and Tsudanuma stations in Chiba Prefecture, will be renamed Keisei Matsudo line on the same day. This article summarises relevant documents published by those two companies and describe what will happen in less than less than three months.

The Shin-Keisei line opened in 1947, reusing facilities of the Railway and Shipping Section of the Imperial Japanese Army. Since the line was initially constructed as part of a military exercise, the route is winding. In fact, the railway is 26.5 km (16.5 miles) long while it is less than 16 km (10 miles) as the crow flies. The entire train journey takes 42 minutes while driving a car takes around 30 minutes (even without using a motorway, but when there is no heavy traffic jam). As the name suggests, Shin-Keisei has been part of the Keisei group for decades though Shin-Keisei had not been Keisei's subsidiary until 2022.

According to a document, Keisei's board of directors officially decided in October 2023 to take Shin-Keisei and relevant subsidiaries over to make their businesses more efficient, and it was approved by the authorities in June 2024.

Passengers are likely to find a few changes. As mentioned above, the railway will be rebranded. Station numbers will be changed from SL01 (Matsudo) - SL24 (Keisei-Tsudanuma) to KS66 (Shin-Tsudanuma) - KS88 (Matsudo). Note that not only will alphabets be changed but also the order of the number will be reversed.

Timetables will be mostly unchanged including through-services to and from Keisei Chiba line. Fares will also remain unchanged, meaning that those using both Shin-Keisei and Keisei lines at the same time might feel it expensive (as always).

The other good news is that trains will gradually be repainted red and blue like other Keisei trains. Shin-Keisei has been notorious for painting its trains obnoxiously vivid, but probably a few daily users will one day miss the pink trains.

Preserved Tokyu 8500 series – does it really last long?

On 2 August, Tokyu made a surprising announcement: an old train would be preserved and run mainline. Unlike the United Kingdom, preserving old trains for passenger service is rare in Japan so that the decision was welcomed by many railway enthusiasts. However, strict safety requirements are likely to prevent it from keeping the old train operational in the near future.

Tokyu 8500 series had been used mainly for Den-en-toshi Line including through-services towards Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line and Tobu lines until last year. When the last unit retired on 23 January 2023, there were large groups of people sending off the old commuter train. Two days later, the unit was sent for scrap with hundreds of overexcited enthusiasts gathered at stations. Everyone thought that history of the 8500 series was over except a few units resold to small private operators in other parts of the country.

However, it was not over. Tokyu has decided to retain a unit (no. 8637), shortened from ten to four coaches. According to the official document, it will run Den-en-toshi and Oimachi Lines between Nagatsuta and Oimachi as well as Kodomonokuni Line. A four-car unit may sound short, but it is how the 8500 series looked like nearly 50 years ago. In fact, when it was introduced, Den-en-toshi Line services were not as extremely crowded as they are today.

The unit 8637 was introduced on 4 September 1986 (except the carriage 8980, which was introduced on 19 August 1987) so that it is quite different to the original 8500 series. Even so, quite a few railway enthusiasts asked Tokyu for the preservation. According to the company, the unit will run Kodomonokuni Line during high season, and it will also be used for rail tours.

The front end of carriage no. 8637 and right side of the train have blue bands, while the other side is the original style (only the front end of no. 8537 has a red band).

However, the preservation of the 8500 series is unlikely to last long. Tokyu plans to introduce CBTC (communications-based train control) to Den-en-toshi Line in 2028. The new signalling system requires a new device, but the cost is high. The unit will be unable to run when the CBTC is wholly implemented, meaning that it will only be able to run Kodomonokuni Line (which is just two miles long).

Furthermore, the overhaul certificate of the unit 8637 will expire in 2028. In Japan, a major overhaul is carried out once every four years (excluding those introduced recently as well as locomotives and bullet trains) unless an odometer records certain level of distance. Thus, it is highly uncertain if the unit can be operational on Kodomonokuni Line.

Japanese train operators are generally reluctant to preserve old trains, but this is mostly due to safety requirements. Unlike Britain, train companies and the authorities in Japan are highly dependent on computer-based safety systems rather than drivers' attention. The improvement that has taken place particularly since the mid-2000s have made the Japanese railways even safer, but it also made the train preservation even more difficult.

Isumi Railway: the safety crisis

Last month, an Isumi Railway train derailed in Chiba Prefecture due to poor track maintenance. The railway has been closed for more than a month, raising concerns about the safety and the future of the railway, but local governments would not allow it just to be abandoned.

NHK reported that a westbound train formed of two coaches derailed between Kuniyoshi and Kazusa-Nakagawa stations at around 8:10 am on 4th October. There were 104 passengers (mostly high school students) and a driver onboard, but nobody injured. The line has been closed since then and replaced by bus. The Japan Transport Safety Board has carried out an investigation and its report is expected to be published within weeks.

According to Asahi Shimbun, decayed sleepers made of wood could not fix the rail. The train company acknowledged the situation and thus planned repair work that would take place in late November, but the accident happened before that. The company initially envisaged reopening the line within four weeks, but according to Nikkei, too many decayed sleepers were found on the entire line so that it would not reopen until March 2025.

Isumi Railway is a 26.8 km (16.6 miles) long railway in Chiba Prefecture, roughly 60 km (38 miles) southeast of Tokyo. It opened in 1930 as Kihara Line, and renamed Isumi Line when the entire line was transferred from JR East to Isumi Railway in 1988. The line and the company have been funded almost fully by local governments since then.

It was anticipated that there would be very low ridership even before the line was constructed, as the area has always been sparsely populated. The Transport Ministry and local governments discussed about "alternative transport" (i.e. road transport) several times since the 1980s. The latest proposal for the permanent closure was made in 2007, but increasing service frequency, building a new station and selling naming rights have succeeded so that the proposal was subsequently withdrawn. In the 2010s, then-president of the company and a railway enthusiast Akira Torizuka introduced old diesel trains, attracting many other railfans that contributed to not only the train operator itself but also the local economy. Isumi Railway looked somewhat a successful rural railway even amid the decline in demand triggered by the depopulation.

However, the company has spent little on track maintenance. The above photograph clearly shows how deteriorated the rail is (click the photo for a larger image). Despite the low speed of just 30-50 km/h (20-30 mph), trains have always been bumpy. The company concentrated on replacing old bus-like rolling stock 200 series, but it has not invested enough in other part of the railway. When there was an almost identical derailment in 2013, the company has decided to replace wooden sleepers with concrete ones, but it has been advancing at a glacial pace due to financial difficulties. There are many rural railways across the country which train operators have been struggling to maintain, but Isumi Railway seems to have been particularly unsuccessful in securing track safety.

Even so, there is also a sign of hope. The Nikkei article refers to local governments willing to support the company, suggesting that they consider keeping the railway open as essential for local communities. The cost of the work could be substantial even if not all wooden sleepers are replaced with concrete ones at once, but they have been positively discussing about subsidies. It implies taxpayers in the area would agree with not just the expenditure this time but also funding other costs that may be necessary in the near future.

Keikyu Akafuda Train

In May 2014, a red train ran Keikyu Daishi line. Keikyu trains have always been red, but this one was completely red. Unit no. 1501 of 1500 series was fully painted red without any white band, which was named "Akafuda Train". It was designed to celebrate once-a-decade religious event at Heiken-ji temple, commonly known as Kawasaki Daishi.

Kawasaki Daishi is one of the most important temple in the Greater Tokyo Area, established in 1128. It is said to be the origin of hatsumode, the first temple or shrine visit of each year. On average, three million people visit Kawasaki Daishi on 1-3 January every year and pray for their good fortune, health and being free from traffic accidents.

Like most temples, the principal object of worship is not usually open to the public, but it is available for everyone once every ten years. It is a statue of Kukai, one of the most important monk in the history of Japanese Buddhism.

During the visit, a talisman called akafuda is given to each visitor. The letters on a small piece of paper are said to be written initially by Kukai himself, and each charm is handcrafted by monks with blessing.

This event has been celebrated by Keikyu several times. Given the history of Keikyu that the line opened in 1899 to transport passengers to and from Kawasaki Daishi, it is not surprising that Keikyu did something special last time in 2014. The Akafuda Train ran only Daishi line during the event (excluding a few empty coaching stock movements). It was also displayed at Kurihama Factory on 25 May when it was opened to the public.

The Akafuda Train next to an ordinary 1500 series train. Keikyu staff just obscured white bands, but the fully-red train looked very different to what was supposed to be. The Train was restored to its original style on the first day of June, and the signboard under the windscreen was dedicated to Kawasaki Daishi, and it is still saved there.

Ten years have passed since then, and the event is scheduled in May 2024. Daishi line is no longer served by the 1500 series, and the oldest rolling stock for the branch line is now 600 series. A few trains will be decorated with stickers during the period, which is not as impressive as the Akafuda Train back in 2014, but still better than nothing.

Tokyu Q Seat, the empty express

"Q Seat" is a service that has been provided by Tokyu since 2018. It is a seat reservation scheme during evening rush hour for commuters fed up with extremely packed trains. It was first introduced to Oimachi and Den-en-toshi lines, and there are nine Express services leaving Oimachi station between 5:00 pm and 9:40 pm on weekdays. Each service is formed of seven coaches, and one of them is designated as Q Seat that requires a 500-yen additional fare. Since Den-en-toshi line has been infamous for congestion, many passengers choose the all-reserved coach on the way home for up to 40 minutes.

* The seats will be turned to transverse ones when used in the evening

In August 2023, Tokyu introduced the scheme to Toyoko line with the same price. Two out of ten coaches of express services leaving Shibuya between 7:35 pm and 9:35 pm (precisely every 30 minutes) are Q Seat. As Q Seat is designed for commuters living near Tokyu stations, the trains have to stop at more stations than the fastest limited express services.

However, Toyoko line Q Seat has obviously been unsuccessful. The company must have imagined that the ridership would be as good as those on Oimachi and Den-en-toshi line, but there are only a handful passengers per Q Seat coach.

Tokyu has been desperate to promote the Q Seat on Toyoko line. It has offered a 50% off deal from 13 November to 29 December and again from 9 to 31 January. Furthermore, a bottle of green tea or yoghurt-based beverage (which roughly cost 160 yen) will be given without charge from 5 to 29 February. Despite these efforts, Toyoko line users seem to believe that it is not reasonable or useful enough.

Why Toyoko line Q Seat suffers from low ridership?

The start of the services

All Q Seat trains start from Shibuya station, but not a few Toyoko line passengers commute to even farther such as Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. They use direct services towards Shinjuku and Ikebukuro in the morning, but they have to alight a train at Shibuya if they wish to use Q Seat in the evening. This is simply inconvenient, and it must be the main reason for low usage.

Rivals

Unlike Den-en-toshi line, Toyoko line has a major competitor: Shonan-Shinjuku line. Both lines run between Shibuya and Yokohama and call at Musashi-Kosugi. JR East's Green Car is more expensive than Q Seat, but given the extensive network, JR can be more convenient than Q Seat trains.

Speed and duration

Unlike similar services that other train operators provide, Toyoko's Q Seat is not the fastest service of the line as mentioned above. Express trains on Toyoko line is notorious for stopping too many stations, calling at 14 out of 26 stations (excluding Shibuya). This is simply too slow, but Tokyu might have been in a dilemma: if Q Seat had been available on limited express services, even fewer people would use it as it only calls at major interchange stations and thus lose in battle against JR.

What is worse, exhausted commuters do not necessarily have to rely on Q Seat to secure a seat. There are "local" services calling at all stations start from Shibuya roughly every 10 minutes. A table below shows how different their duration from Shibuya is.

	Express	Local
Den-en-chofu	13 mins	17 mins
Tamagawa	15 mins	19 mins
Musashi-kosugi	17 mins	22 mins
Hiyoshi	21 mins	27 mins
Tsunashima	23 mins	29 mins
Kikuna	27 mins	34 mins
Yokohama	33 mins	48 mins

Local trains take more than express trains, but the differences are not significant. When everyone has a chance to have a seat on the local train, how many people think of paying 500 yen more?

To make the service more attractive, Tokyu has to do something other than providing a bottle. First, Q Seat should start from Fukutoshin line stations such as Ikebukuro and Shinjuku-sanchome. However, it must be a hard work for Tokyu as it has to negotiate with Tokyo Metro. Tokyo Metro has already had similar services (namely Odakyu Romancecar on Chiyoda line and TH Liner on Hibiya line), and it will certainly apply a similar fare. Thus, the Q Seat ticket is likely to be around 710 yen, which would be too expensive.

Second, Tokyu should consider providing the service during morning rush hour as well. Generally speaking, train congestion is worse in the morning than in the evening so that there might be a demand for seat reservation.

Third, Tokyu should also consider providing the service at the weekend. Parents with infants or babies and elderly people have struggled with packed trains on Saturday and Sunday. It might be a good promotion of Q Seat, and some of the parents may use it on weekdays as well.

The aforementioned options must have been on table, and the company will hopefully sort the problem out. Otherwise, the brand new Q Seat coaches would just be a waste of money.

The Red List of Trains in Japan (Dec-2023 update)

The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with four new articles, namely:

• JR West KiHa 126 series
• JR Kyushu KiHa 200 series
• 800 series bullet train
• Jomo Electric Railway 100 series

This update contains more significant feature: lager fonts for smartphone version. I have been struggling with small letters on my smartphone screen but it took months to redress the issue. Now the website is easier for smartphone users to read (hopefully) with no major trouble

Farewell, Airport Express

On Saturday 25 November, annual timetable revision will be taken place on the entire Keikyu network. On this day, all Airport Express services will be renamed simply as Express. This article focuses on Airport Express on the southern part of Keikyu Main Line (i.e. to and from Zushi).

Keikyu introduced Airport Express when it dramatically revised its timetables on 16 May 2010. To meet demand for services between Haneda Airport and Yokohama, the company decided to provide a new service on the southern part of Keikyu Main Line. There had been Express services in the area until 1999, but they were completely different from Airport Express.

At first, Airport Express ran every 20 minutes, most of which were formed of eight coaches and connecting Haneda Airport and Shin-Zushi (now Zushi Hayama) stations. Railway enthusiasts welcomed the timetable revision as 2000 series returned to daytime services for the first time since 2002. Some people using small stations were dissatisfied with Airport Express as the number of stopping services was halved.

As Haneda Airport International Terminal station (now Terminal 3 station) opened in 2012 and ridership increased, Airport Express was doubled to every 10 minutes. There have been some six-car trains since then. The Airport Express was heavily used not only by businesspeople and tourists but also local residents such as those going to school or for shopping.

Literally all types of rolling stock have been used for Airport Express except one. 800 series could not enter Keikyu Airport Line as it was not compatible with platform edge doors at Haneda Airport International Terminal station. Hence, 800 series was used only between Kanagawa-Shimmachi and Shin-Zushi in case of severe service disruption and when there was absolutely no other option.

Airport Express suddenly suffered from low ridership in the 2020s. Just like all other businesses across the country and the world, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic was immense. As international travels to and from Japan had been restricted for two years, the ridership drastically dropped.

Furthermore, staff shortages triggered by poor working conditions amid inflation struck Airport Express: significant reduction of services was carried out last year and Airport Express became every 20 minutes again. Since many services have been consisted of six coaches, the capacity is smaller than back in 2010.

Then, the 13-year history of Airport Express ends on 24 November, a day before the timetable revision. After that day, Express services calling at the same stations will run, a few of which do not start from or terminate at Haneda Airport (that is why the company decided to remove the word Airport). The frequency remains unchanged (every 20 minutes) but it will surely be changed along with other services soon as Keikyu lacks will or capability to deal with pay rises and reduce overworking of station staff and train crews.

The Red List of Trains in Japan (Oct-2023 update)

The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with six new articles, namely:

• JNR 50 series
• JR West 207 series
• JR West 321 series
• JR East GV-E400 series
• JGR Class 8620
• Tobu N100 series SPACIA X

Moreover, some new articles have been up to date, such as 211 series in Nagoya and Tokyu 9000 series in Tokyo.

Second-hand Trains

Introduction

On 26 September, Seibu revealed its detailed plan to purchase and introduce second-hand trains to its branch lines. It is uncommon if not unprecedented for a major railway company to reintroduce used trains of other railway operators. What we know so far?

Background

Seibu has been known for having many environmentally unfriendly trains. A quarter of its fleets are outdated while other major private railways in the Greater Tokyo Area has mostly completed replacing old-fashioned ones. Seibu has been introducing 40000 series since 2016, but the company estimated that the replacement would not finish until 2036 at the current pace.

Therefore, Seibu concluded that reintroducing second-hand but energy-saving trains would contribute to achieve its sustainability goals by 2030, six years earlier than the initial plan. The first official announcement regarding the reintroduction was made in December 2022, and there had been various speculation about possible rolling stock since then.

Which trains to be replaced with?

101 series, 2000 series and 4000 series trains. Remaining units were built in the 1980s or early-90s, though not a few components of the 4000 series were reused from trains developed in the late-60s. The 101 series is used for Sayama and Tamagawa Lines, and the 4000 series runs Chichibu Line. The 2000 series is still widely used across the network including Ikebukuro and Shinjuku Lines. There are approximately 300 carriages in total.

There is one more train type with eco-unfriendly features called 10000 series New Red Arrow, but Seibu has not referred to its fate at all.

What trains replace them?

Odakyu 8000 series and Tokyu 9000 series trains (including Tokyu 9020 series). They are commuter trains built in the 1980s and early-90s, just as old as the Seibu trains in question. NHK reported that Seibu plans to introduce 40 and 60 carriages respectively. The Odakyu 8000 series will be for Kokubunji Line and the Tokyu 9000 series will be for Chichibu, Sayama, Tamagawa and Tamako Lines. Each unit of the 9000 series is formed of five coaches at the moment but it will be shortened to four.

According to the official document, the 8000 series will enter service in 2024 while the 9000 series will be in "2025 or after that". Many of them are likely to be compatible with driver-only operation.

Is it really a sensible idea?

Seibu had been looking for eco-friendly trains with stainless-steel bodies. Odakyu 8000 series has been its traction and motors refurbished with new ones in 2003-13, but its body is made of ordinary carbon-steel. In other words, it does not meet one of two requirements. Hence, it is not certain whether the body is durable enough for the next 10-20 years.

Tokyu 9000 series meets with both criteria though Tokyu has not classified it as environmentally friendly in the last ten years. It will run Chichibu Line which has many steep slopes and tight curves so that there should be enhanced braking systems to deal with them.

Even so, Seibu estimates that 5,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide will be reduced a year, as the second-hand trains require 50% less energy than the old trains. Needless to say, it financially help the company as well.

Wasn't there other choices?

Speculation by railway enthusiasts included JR 209 series and Tokyo Waterfront Railway 70-000 series since not a few carriages are due to be withdrawn by 2030 and they meet the two elements on Seibu's wishlist. However, the 209 series has been notorious for not being sturdy enough as JR East designed it to have half the lifespan of other trains. The 70-000 series is based on the 209 series. Probably that is why Seibu decided not to purchase them.

Are there any examples of second-hand trains?

Small private railways often use second-hand trains, but it is rare to see major railway companies purchase used trains. One of the most well-known case in Japan is Meitetsu 3880 series, which was originally Tokyu 3700 series. Introduced to Toyoko Line in 1948, the 3700 series was used by Tokyu until 1980. Meitetsu purchased all them in 1975 and 1980 to deal with skyrocketing demand. The 3880 series was mainly used on Inuyama and Kakamigahara Lines until 1985.

Since the 21st century began, there were two such cases. In 2004, JR East purchased six carriages of TWR 70-000 series, which were operational until 2022. At that time, TWR had been rearranging the series from six to ten coaches, and JR East took redundant carriages over.

The other case was Semboku Rapid Railway 3000 series, 14 carriages of which were purchased by Nanai in 2013. Nankai had to replace 7000 series trains as soon as possible but it was impractical to replace them with brand new trains. Hence, Nankai decided to reuse the 3000 series. Today, all 14 carriages are used on Nankai Main Line their car numbers unchanged.

The level crossing scandal in western Japan

Kotoden (Takamatsu Kotohira Railroad) is a small private railway in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan. There are three lines: Kotohira line (the longest and busiest), Nagao line and Shido line. The network is precisely 60 km (37.3 miles) long with 53 stations in total. There are 80 train carriages for passenger use, all of which are second-hand trains of Keikyu, Keio or Nagoya City Subway. This company has been accused of poor maintenance of facilities especially level crossings.

According to the local media, Shikoku Transport Bureau, a part of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism ordered investigation on 30th June of a broken down level crossing on Nagao line. On 11th April at around 4 pm, the level crossing did not activate when a train entered it, which could have caused a serious accident. Kotoden later conceded that a deteriorated fuse prevented the level crossing from working. The fuse, which was supposed to be replaced with a new one every 10-15 years, had been in use for nearly 40 years. The company replaced 454 old fuses in accordance with the order.

On 13 July at 11:30 am, less than two weeks after the order was issued, a Kotohira line level crossing did not respond when a train was approaching. The train stopped just in front of the level crossing, but TBS reported that another train passed the crossing a few minutes earlier despite barriers and bells were not working. It meant that the driver failed to check if the track was securely cleared. The company later acknowledged that the level crossing controller was somehow shut down at that time.

Furthermore, a similar incident took place at another Kotohira line level crossing on 19 August. In this case, two trains passed the crossing at a speed of 50-60 km/h and drivers failed to respond a signal warning them of abnormality. In spite of instructions by managers, the drivers did not take them seriously.

It was the seventeenth critical incident since 2015, and resulted in resignation of the president. Even after that, multiple videos of level crossings with bells and barriers not working in spite of an approaching train have been viral, indicating that the company has failed to deal with repeated troubles.

Why have there been so many serious incidents? In the August case, the barrier was 20 years old despite its manufacturer recommended replacing it in 10 years, though the president insisted in a press conference that it must not have been an issue. His statement clearly shows the lack of will to observe safety rules, and it is also evident that train crews and maintenance workers do not recognise how serious the cases are.

Some people argue that Kotoden's financial difficulties have led to those troubles. It is true that Kotoden once went bankrupt in 2001 after unsuccessful investment in a redevelopment project with a department store. However, Kotoden has been doing quite well in recent years (with significant amount of subsidies), as its railway sector recorded a profit of 13 million yen even with the aftermath of COVID. The company estimated in June that there would be much more profit in the next term. These facts show that Kotoden is not a company on the verge of bankruptcy, and it could have been able to do far better than what we see today.

It would take weeks or months for the things to be fixed even if Kotoden decides to deal with the poorly maintained facilities. In the meantime, it is essential for everyone in the area, both car drivers and pedestrians, to exercise increased caution. It is reminded that Article 33 paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Act provides as follows:

"Before going over a railroad crossing, the driver of a vehicle or streetcar must stop immediately in front of the railroad crossing (or immediately in front of any stop line established by road signs or markings; the same applies hereinafter in this paragraph) and must not proceed until after checking that it is safe to do so..."

There is a good reason why driving schools in Japan instruct that the driver should open a window to hear if a train is approaching in addition to look both sides of the track. Not everyone observe them in these days, but it is important to exercise them especially when level crossings are not reliable.