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frequency, building a new station and selling naming rights have succeeded so that the proposal was subsequently withdrawn.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.

Nicchu Line and its ruins

On 1 April 1984, Nicchu Line in Northeastern Japan was closed. It was just 11.6 km (7.2 miles) long, a small rural railway operated by Japanese National Railways. 40 years have passed since then, but its ruins remain as a museum and a promenade. They are not well-known tourist spots but worth a visit.

Nicchu Line opened in 1938 between Kitakata and Atsushio stations in Fukushima Prefecture. It was supposed to be part of so-called Yagan-u Line connecting Imaichi in Tochigi Prefecture and Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture. The proposed Yagan-u Line was parallel to an old road called Shimotsuke Kaido that dates back to the mid-17th century. Shimotsuke Kaido was part of the shortest route between Edo (now Tokyo) and Aizu Province and thus heavily used for distribution of goods (e.g. salt, hemp) as well as transporting rice. Hence, the Japanese Government decided to construct a new railway in 1922.

The Yagan-u Line project was unsuccessful. A year after Nicchu Line opened, the Second Sino-Japanese War began. In addition, the Second World War devastated everything in the country so that the project was effectively abandoned by JNR.

The word Nicchu usually means daytime in Japanese, and it sometimes mean Japan-China relation. However, Nicchu Line was derived from a nearby hot spring called Nicchu Onsen. Due to the small number of services, it was often called "Nicchu Line that never runs in the daytime". In fact, there had only been three trains a day since 1958. The below timetables show how many trains ran in 1968, and there had only been a minimal change after that.

(Northbound)

Kitakata	6:12	16:01	18:35
Aizu-Muramatsu	6:20	16:09	18:43
Kamisanmiya	6:26	16:16	18:50
Aizu-Kano	6:40	16:31	18:59
Atsushio	6:49	16:39	19:08

(Southbound)

Atsushio	7:02	16:50	19:18
Aizu-Kano	7:15	17:04	19:30
Kamisanmiya	7:23	17:11	19:37
Aizu-Muramatsu	7:29	17:19	19:43
Kitakata	7:35	17:25	19:49

Atsushio station building had been well known as an adorable western-style one. It was about to fall into ruin, but fortunately JNR decided not to tear it down when the line was permanently closed. It was repaired and became Nicchu Line Museum in 1987, owned and managed by Kitakata City Board of Education.

The museum is free of charge, though donation is appreciated. There were quite a few photos, tickets and signboards of Nicchu Line as well as uniforms of staff. Tracks were removed by 1985, but the space is now used as a playground for children as well.

There are two static displays. This is 60 series coach (OHaFu 61-2752), converted in 1955 from an even older wooden carriage. Nicchu Line services were always loco-hauled and no diesel multiple unit was used until the very end. There is also Ki 100 series snow blower by the coach.

Outside the station building, there are disused level crossings and a turntable. The turntable, which is 200 yards south of the station itself, was abandoned by the early-1940s as Nicchu Line was so short and trains were so slow that there was no need to reverse a steam locomotive. The maximum speed of the line was set to 75 km/h (46 mph), but it is hard to believe that trains ran at such speed.

There is another ruin of Nicchu Line: a promenade often used by local residents. It now looks like an ordinary road for pedestrians and bicycles, but there was a train track until 40 years ago. Rails were mostly removed, but remain for a few metres with a steam locomotive Class C11 and an old shunter. The promenade is also known for having more than 1,000 cherry trees (weeping cherry trees), and it is one of the best cherry blossoms spot in Fukushima Prefecture.

Both the museum and the promenade are not close to the city centre of Kitakata. In fact, it is difficult to access to the museum without car. Even so, they are disused railway facilities that have successfully been managed by local governments, and thus anyone visiting the area are recommended adding them to their itinerary.

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

The steepest railway in Japan and autumn leaves

Unlike other past articles, this is a part of my diary though related to Japanese railways.

Yesterday, I went with a friend of mine to Mt Takao in Tokyo, roughly 30 miles west of Shinjuku station. Takao station is known for de facto terminal for Chuo Line (Rapid) commuter trains, but the mountain is a mile west of the station. Takaosanguchi station on Keio Takao line is the closest to the entrance of the mountain.

Mt Takao is best known for magnificent views in autumn, particularly tree leaves turning red. There is a funicular called Takaosan Cable Car, which starts from a station near Takaosanguchi. Trees have already been red, but this area is not high and cold enough so that the autumn foliage does not look impressive.

The funicular is the steepest railway in Japan with a 608 ‰ (60.8% or 1 in 1.645) slope. The line is just 0.63 miles long but climbs 889 ft. As the train climbs, the slope gets steeper. The train takes just six minutes but it was tough.

There are usually four trains per hour but they run every 10 minutes during busy period. Even so, I had to wait in a queue for 30-40 minutes. There were aerial lifts called Echo Lift near the funicular but the queue was even longer.

The other funicular station is just the halfway to the peak of the mountain. There are a small museum, botanical garden and a monkey zoo, temples and shrines, but the best place for the autumn leaves is further away, which takes an hour on foot.

Most tourists stop at the peak and turn back, but there is a great place called Momijidai that is about 10 minutes more.

There are several walking trails that go further, but they are not recommended to those who just plan to visit the mountain with T-shirt and sandals during a day-trip. Otherwise, you may eventually end up in a rescue helicopter.

Takaosanguchi station is less than an hour from Shinjuku station by Keio line trains. The funicular is crowded during the high season, and we were told to wait for 70-90 minutes on the way home (4 pm on Friday) so that we gave up getting on a train and walked down the mountain, taking roughly 30 minutes. The queue must be even longer on Saturdays and Sundays.

"Tokyo King's Cross"

On 25 April, a refurbishment programme at Seibu Railway's Ikebukuro station in Tokyo has been completed. Platforms 1 and 2 now look like King's Cross station in London. Seibu carried out the construction as Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - The Making of Harry Potter opened at Toshimaen.

Signboards are replaced with new ones, some of which have a broomstick icon.

A brick pattern on the wall might attract Japanese tourists, even though it is clearly a fake and does not look real at all. There are several features at Ikebukuro station which King's Cross does not have, such as platform edge doors and obnoxiously vivid advertisements.

Seibu 20000 series with Harry Potter advertisements. Pictures of the three main characters must be taken in around 2002 when the film Chamber of Secret was released.

This is the genuine King's Cross, probably one of the most famous railway station in the world. Not only walls and pillars but also the high ceiling make the station magnificent.

Compared to London King's Cross, "Ikebukuro King's Cross" does not look majestic or glorious. Needless to say, imitation can never beat the original. However, it should not be forgotten that Ikebukuro station platforms are designed for children visiting Toshimaen. Even the imitation might be attractive enough for those are on a way to the amusement park and diving into the world of magic. Probably some children would be interested in British culture, and one day visit London to see the real King's Cross station.

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.

Shichirigahama, Kamakura

Enoden is a small private railway in the ancient capital of Kamakura, and the railway itself is recognised as a tourist spot. There are many places to visit, such as Hase-dera (temple), The Great Buddha and Enoshima. In these days, many Slam Dunk (a basketball manga) fans from other countries such as China and South Korea visit a level crossing near Kamakurakokomae station.

Trains run along a beach. Sadly, the Sagami Bay (also known as the sea of Shonan) has been infamous for being dirty mostly because of pollution. Even so, there are a few places where magnificent scenery is available. Shichirigahama Beach is one of them.

When it is sunny, you can see the sunset and the island of Enoshima. When it is clear and dry, you can even see Mt. Fuji as well.

As time passes, the colour of the sky changes dramatically. These photos were taken in less than an hour, but look very different. Which one is your favourite?

Shichirigahama station is approximately 16 minutes from Kamakura, seven minutes from Enoshima and 20 minutes from Fujisawa by an Enoden train. Trains run every 14 minutes except in the early morning and late at night. The beach is just 200 yds from the station.

On Kintetsu Aoniyoshi

On Monday 3 April, my parents and I enjoyed a 34-minute journey on Kintetsu Aoniyoshi, a sightseeing train in ancient capitals in Japan. Unlike other articles on this blog, I wrote my thoughts about this sightseeing train which is popular among tourists below.

Aoniyoshi was rebuilt in 2022 from an old intercity train called 12200 series New Snack Car, which dated back to the late-1960s. Aoniyoshi was renumbered to 19200 series, and there is only one unit. It was originally built in 1975, and it is known for being used by not only Emperor Hirohito but also Queen Elizabeth II.

Aoniyoshi is painted purple, the colour that aristocrats in Heian Period (794-1185) regarded as the noblest, with Raden patterns (the decorative technique using pearl shells). Seats were specifically designed by a furniture manufacturer. Windows became larger and the train became fully-accessible. The train capacity is 84 passengers, while it was originally 260.

There are two types of accommodation: "twin-seat" and "salon". Both classes charge the same special fares, but they are affordable enough for tourists. For example, the journey I took from Kyoto to Nara took 1,300 yen per person, of which 570 yen for a basic fare ticket and 730 yen for the special Aoniyoshi ticket.

This is the "twin-seat" for an individual or a group of two. Seats on coaches 1, 3 and 4 are all like this. It might be difficult to figure out from the photo above, but lights and walls have their own patterns. There is a designated seat for wheelchair users on coach 3.

Coach 2 has Salon seats, which are effectively compartments though there is no door between the seats and the corridor. It is for a group of 3-4 people, and there are only three rooms. Salon is very popular and thus difficult to make a reservation, so I had to purchase tickets online seconds after they were available (i.e. 10 am on the day a month before).

There is a little shop selling refreshments on coach 2, but there was a long queue. Since the journey only takes half an hour, it might not be wise to spend too much time here.

It is worth noting that a partition has several patterns, and I presume that both of them are related to something traditional. Such features can be seen everywhere on the train including carpets.

There is a card available only on this train, and it can be collected at the shop on coach 2. It proves that you have actually been on Aoniyoshi. It is free of charge, so you should never miss it.

There was only one thing that was regrettable. The noise and vibrations clearly showed that the train was, despite its appearance, nearly 50 years old. I am afraid that Aoniyoshi was far less comfortable than newer trains. Had the journey lasted more than an hour, it would have been a little exhausting.

Even so, the train journey was fun and the time has passed quickly. Since the fares were not ridiculously expensive, I felt it was absolutely good value for money. I was glad to see that both my parents enjoyed the trip.

Aoniyoshi runs between Osaka-Namba or Kyoto and Kintetsu-Nara daily except Thursdays, but schedules might be revised. Those who wish to take the train are advised to check official websites in advance and book tickets online wherever possible.

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

The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with 8 new articles. More importantly, many existing articles have the latest information reflecting the annual timetable revision that took place on Saturday 18th March. For instance:

In Hokkaido, KiHa 283 series has been reinstated as Limited Express Okhotsk and Taisetsu, replacing KiHa 183 series of Japanese National Railways;

JR East 651 series, once known as Super Hitachi and until recently used for Limited Express Akagi and Kusatsu, retired;

JR Central KiHa 85 series was withdrawn from Limited Express Hida;

And the biggest railway project in a decade, Sotetsu and Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Lines finally opened and the new through-services to and from Tokyo were launched.

In addition, there were many more minor changes on train allocation and future prospects of certain trains.

Finally, the new eight articles are as follows:

• Hankai Mo 161 series
• Hankai Mo 351 series
• Hankai Mo 501 series
• Hankai Mo 601 series
• Hankai Mo 701 series
• Hankai 1001 series Sakai Tram
• Hankai 1101 series
• Yokohama Subway 4000 series

Keikyu Once More...or Three Times More

In June 2010, Keikyu 1000 series retired after being in service for more than 50 years. The 1000 series was known as the most numerous "type" (but not "series") among all private railways’ trains, and it was the most well-known Keikyu train.

Meanwhile in Kagawa Prefecture (western Japan), a small private railway called Takamatsu-Kotohira Electric Railroad (hereinafter referred to as Kotoden) has been using resold-1000 series since 1988, but the company had never shown interest in the former owner of the trains. In 2018-21, a unit was covered with an advertisement of Keikyu services to and from Haneda Airport in Tokyo, but it obviously looked very different from the original livery of Keikyu 1000 series.

Therefore, Kotoden Charter Association, a group of Keikyu enthusiasts, decided to initiate a crowdfunding programme to restore a train to the original style. Since it was regarded by Kotoden as a train advertisement, it costed 15m yen (approx. 136k USD) for a two-year contract. This train ran Kotohira Line from 2019 to 2021.

The group carried out another crowdfunding in 2020 to repaint 1200 series (ex-Keikyu 700 series), and it was successful with a donation of 12m JPY (approx. 112k USD) in total. It ran Kotohira Line as well in 2020-21, and it sometimes joined to the other Keikyu-coloured train to be formed of four coaches, which reminded railway enthusiasts of what the old trains were used to be until the 2000s.

Moreover, the group successfully conducted the third crowdfunding to repaint another train on Nagao Line, which has been in service since 2022. This time there was a donation of roughly 9.7m JPY (approx. 84k USD). This unit No. 1305 was the last Keikyu 1000 series and its number is, as it happened, unchanged even today. This red train is scheduled to be operational until April.

Unlike in the United Kingdom, train preservation is not common in Japan due to various reasons including strict safety rules so that there had been very few cases that railway enthusiasts involved in restoring old trains for passenger services. However, things are gradually changing: thanks to crowdfunding services, railway enthusiasts have been more active than before to preserve their favourite trains since the late-2010s as companies cannot always maintain trains without trainspotters' help. Even if not like those in Britain, Japanese railway enthusiasts can contribute to railway companies than before not to allow trains just disappearing. The three successful projects by Kotoden Charter Association was probably one of the impetuses to change nerds' attitude.