aeronmelon

Above: On the entrance level of Takanawa Gateway Station looking across the open area above the platform level as passengers board a Yamanote Line train.

Let's try something different.

In 2014, JR East announced that they would build a new station on an area of the existing Tamachi Depot in southern Tokyo that would service the Yamanote Line and the Keihin-Tohoku Line. It was the first new station to be built on the Yamanote Line since 1971 and the first to be built on the Keihin-Tohoku Line since 2000. Takanawa Gateway Station (高輪ゲートウェイ駅) began construction in 2017 and was to be opened in advance of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Even though the station opened on schedule, it began service 10 days prior the 2020 Olympics being postponed to 2021 due to the worsening COVID-19 situation worldwide.

An opposing view of tracks 1 & 2 on the platform level below. A counter-clockwise Yamanote Line train is departing (left) just as a clockwise Yamanote Line train arrives (right).

While the station opened to commuters in early 2020, facilities inside the station and adjoined buildings outside the station continued to be worked on all the way through to 2024. In 2025, the south ticket gate is scheduled to open to the public which will mark the completion of construction on the station.

The north ticket gate of Takanawa Gateway Station. Inside and to the left, shopping and dining. Inside and to the right, access to the platform level for the two lines. Directly behind, walkway to shopping centers and condominiums that were still being constructed at the time the photo was taken.

The majority of the station is built above ground, hovering over the tracks and their platforms. The center of the station's entrance level is open to the ground below which allows most people inside the ticket gate to see the trains on all four tracks coming and going with ease. The entire station is shielded from the weather by a steel latticework roof suspended high above the entrance level. Above the entrance is a smaller level with shops and restaurants.

If you look closely, you can see that wood has been integrated into the support beams of the roof. Takanawa Gateway Station is built in almost the same area that the Takanawa Great Wooden Gate once stood as the southern entrance to pre-Tokyo Edo. In a way, this station takes over the duty of ushering people from the south into the city, so the subtle woodwork seems to be a nod to that connection. Otherwise, the entire station is steel and glass.

Outside the station, the elevated entrance leads to additional elevated walkways that connect the station to nearby shopping centers, offices, and residential buildings. The land around the station, which was largely devoid of people, is being repurposed as dense inner-city living and commerce.

The rest of Tamachi Depot that continues to operate as a depot. The Tokaido Shinkansen passes beside Takanawa Gateway Station between Shinagawa and Tamachi Stations. That menacing Bond villain-looking building belongs to NTT docomo (a major Japanese telecom).

The name Takanawa Gateway was chosen by JR after holding a public poll in 2018 asking the people of Japan was the station should be called. The results of that poll showed the names Takanawa, Shibaura, and Shibahama winning the most votes. However, JR unilaterally chose the name Takanawa Gateway despite it being towards the bottom of the list of contenders. This caused public criticism over why the vote was held in the first place and an attempt to petition JR to use one of the winning names instead. JR did not alter their decision, defending their choice as a name that best reflected the future development of the area (Takanawa as the area, and Gateway as a "Gateway to Edo" referencing the Takanawa Great Wooden Gate which was the old southern entrance to the city of Edo).

A giant video wall on the far end of the entrance level. It plays a looping presentation of the history of this area of Tokyo, as well as the history of local rail transport. Additionally it shows the local weather and other information.

Considering this station is relatively small and only serves two lines with no connections (not even to very close by Sengakuji Station on the Toei Asakusa Line), it is unusually stylized and very expensive (the cost to build the station is unknown). Its high quality nature makes sense as the surrounding area is being completely redeveloped to bring in new residents and tourists to the tune of 500 billion yen. Useful if you live or work here, but most people are just going to see it from inside the train car while on their way to Shinagawa or Tokyo.

All pictures taken by me in 2020. Part of my Stations series of posts.

Above: A Toei 5500 series Rapid service train (left), inbound for Keisei-Asakusa Station meets a Keisei 3700 series Rapid service train (right), outbound for Keisei-Sakura Station @ Keisei-Funabashi Station on the Keisei Main Line in 2023.

...Keisei. :)

Picture taken by me, part of my random photos series.

Previous random photo posts:
JR Sobu Rapid Line Double Layover

Above: OM-N02, one of two 253-1000 series train sets, parked on standby at Shin-Tochigi Station on the Tobu Nikko Line in 2024.

The JR East 253 series of express trains were constructed in 1991, and are best known for their service as the Narita Express between 1991 and 2010. From 2009, all 253s were gradually replaced with E259s. Two of the retired 253s were refurbished as the 253-1000 series, repainted, and moved to the Tobu Nikko and Kinugawa lines to serve as Limited Express liners from 2011 to the present day.

OM-N02 speeding towards Tokyo, just outside of Shin-Tochigi Station.

The two trains are a rare sight to see in motion. They run from Shinjuku Station to Tobu-Nikko Station and Kinugawa-Onsen Station, respectively. They were refurbished to have more passenger seating and more windows per car. The Green Cars, which served as business class seating on the Narita Express, were converted to regular seating. While the trains used to have a bright red and white livery, they now have a moodier color scheme with darker reds and other colors that represent the shrines and flora along those two lines. The trains still retain the unique air horn siren that is ubiquitous on the Narita Express (sound on):

A 253-1000 passing through Kassemba Station on its way to Tochigi Station.

The 253-1000s replaced the older 189 series & 485 series trains that had been running the Limited Express service on those lines (more about those bad boys another time). The Tobu 100 series "Spacia" trains are now the only other model on those lines. Although the 253-1000s began service in June 2011, they were suppose to start running earlier in the year. Their inaugural runs were postponed due to power outages caused by the Tohoku Earthquake. The 485s continued to operate on a reduced schedule until full power could be restored to the lines.

Above: The Izukyu 2100 series R-4 "The Black Ship Train" or "Kurofune", in a rare public appearance at Tokyo Station in 2015.

The Izukyu 2100 series, also known as the "Resort 21" resort liners, were purpose built to reinvigorate tourism in Shizuoka. All 2100 series sets run on the Izu Kyoku Line. Each train features a different theme, some which feature elaborate interiors.

The Black Ship Train was first introduced in 2004, on the 150th anniversary of the opening of Shimoda port in Shimoda City, Shizuoka. The train was themed around the Japanese perception of Western sailing ships of that time. The first 2100 series to be themed as The Black Ship Train was the R-1. In 2006, R-1 was retired from service and R-4 was rethemed The Black Ship Train as its successor. R-4 is in active service to this day.

Toei 6000 series streetcar No. 6152, nicknamed Ichikyu-san (193 or One-eye), being displayed in a preserved state at Arakawa Amusement Park in 2015. This is not a random car that was chosen to be displayed instead of scrapped, 6152 is something of a celebrity in Tokyo.

The 6000 series was built between 1947 and 1952. These streetcars were among the first new trains built by Japan after World War II. They were used on tram lines throughout Tokyo, primarily replacing pre-war 3000 series streetcars that were either lost to bombings or overworked until they literally fell apart. The few remaining 3000 series streetcars that still ran were refurbished to resemble the 6000 series and kept in service until repairs became impractical.

Almost 300 of the 6000 series were produced and, by 1970, they represented the bulk of Tokyo's commercial streetcars in operation. However, it was in the 1970s that tram lines across the entire city were suddenly abolished. All tram lines were shutdown except for the Arakawa Line in northern Tokyo. Shortly after the shift away from streetcars, the entire 6000 series fleet was pulled from service and scrapped.

...With the exception of 13 cars. These cars were sent to the Arakawa City Depot for storage. One car (6152) was kept in service as a temporary vehicle that could be put on the line when needed. This is how "Ichikyu-san" started its journey.

Ichikyu-san was immediately refurbished with newer parts cannibalized from more-recent 6000 series cars that had been dismantled in anticipation of being put back into limited service. However, Ichikyu-san remained in depot. It became a glorified tool shed for the workers there. But in 1986 it was refurbished again with new safety and electronic equipment and put back into full-time service on the Arakawa Line.

In 1988 its power system and doors were updated and it was repainted in the original deep green and pale yellow livery it began life with (as seen in the photo) and was used for special events.

In 1993, Ichikyu-san was removed from service. Its condition had deteriorated and was given an emergency inspection, repainted in a lighter shade of green, refurbished once again, and sent back into service.

In 1994, additional upgrades were made to the car, including giving it a radio with the callsign "ninety-three". This is when car 6152 got its nickname "Ichikyu-san". Kyu-san for its callsign and Ichi for its singular headlight. Literally, it translated to 193, but also means One-eye (Cyclops). The train became a favorite among those that frequented the Arakawa Line.

In December 2000 and just six months later in June 2001, Ichikyu-san was involved in two separate collisions with trains on neighboring lines. Both accidents could be traced to the fact that the aging 6000 series streetcar had only one brake and no redundancy system when it could not slow the car fast enough. Additional refurbishments which would now require a new braking system became financially impractical. In December 2001, 6152 was formally retired from service.

Due to the unusual popularity that particular car had with the people of Tokyo, public calls for the preservation of Ichikyu-san were answered. Instead of being dismantled, 6152 was scheduled for preservation to the tune of 50 million yen, 20 million yen more than it would have cost to refurbish it so it could continue operating. Because of this, 6152 sat untouched for years as it was put towards the bottom of a list of other trains scheduled for preservation. A public call for support was placed on the internet, and in 2003, Ichikyu-san was put on display at Arakawa Amusement Park.

In 2007, the train received extensive repair as it had been rotting in place with no real work done to it since the 1990s. This repair work included restoring the original dark green and pale yellow livery that it was given back in the 1950s. It continued to sit exposed to the elements until 2022. After the entire park has been temporarily closed for remodeling, Ichikyu-san was completely renovated and reintroduced as a restaurant called Cafe 193. It now sits under a canopy and its interior is open to the public for the first time in over 20 years.

Today, only six other 6000 series streetcars remain, most are on public display in different areas around Tokyo, and with different liveries. But none of them are as long-served or as loved as Ichikyu-san.

“WHO IS IN HERE??”

Parent image: East iE parked at Nishi-Funabashi Station in 2017, at the terminal of the Musashino & Keiyo Lines.

The JR East E491 series, nicknamed the East iE, is a non-revenue train specially designed to inspect the tracks and electrical connections to the trains. Only one set was made in 2002 to replace multiple older trains built for the same task. It services electrified lines under the authority of JR East (hence the nickname) and is housed in Ibaraki.

Floodlights built into a special window on the side of the one of the cars:

Other cars built for inspection purposes can be coupled with the East iE. For example, cars designed to test tunnel clearances or to carry additional testing equipment.

East iE with its lights on:

East iE has two sister trains. The East i, which is an inspector train built for the high-speed JR East Shinkansen lines, and the East iD, which is an inspector train built for the non-electrified JR East lines. The D stands for its diesel engine. All three trains are different models built at different times, but have the same white with red band livery.

The East iE logo painted on the side of the train:

!tokyodisney@lemmy.world

c/tokyodisney is all about the unique theme parks in Japan, but it’s also about Disney in Japan in general.

Anything from discussion about Disney’s cultural impact on Japan (and visa versa) to videos and photos and whatever else. Ask questions about vacationing at the resort or talk about the weird history of Disney breaking into the Japanese market.

I created this community because I missed the Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea subreddits, so I thought why not bundle them together and expand the scope to include all of Disney as it relates to Japan and Japanese culture?

I hope to see others contribute, or at least pay a visit.

Another of my favorite jet liner-style trains. They were developed to allow the cars to tilt side-to-side while in transit, so that they could lean into corners and take them at higher speeds. The E351 was effectively built to fly on the ground.

These trains went into service in 1993 on the Oito Line as the Azusa and on the Chuo Main Line as the Chuo Liner. One year later, they became the Super Azusa on the Oito Line when the tilting feature first went into use.

Every set had the same purple band on a white body livery. Two types of sets were built. Four-car sets and eight-car sets. Each set had one conductor cab with a lit plaque on the nose that displayed the service that train was running, and another conductor cab with a retractable gangway that allowed coupling with other E351s.

All E351s were retired in 2018 and replaced with E353s. Sadly, none of the E351s were preserved.

A 10-car Odoriko 185-0 Series limited express liner, sitting out of service at Tokyo Station in 2017. The 185 Series looks like a regular liner train, but has the trademark flair of a late 20th century Japanese express train with the distinctive triangular "hood ornament" and the backlit name plaque at both ends of the train.

These particular sets were built in 1980 and originally designed to replace the 153 Series on the Izu express service between Tokyo and Shizuoka. In 1981, the Izu express was converted to the Odoriko limited express. These longer A-series sets included Green Car seats - business-class seating with food cart service which require a second ticket to use.

Over the years, the sets were refurbished multiple times, The 185-0 Series sets were repainted in a "Shonan" green and yellow color scheme. In 2011, the A-series sets were refurbished one last time and their livery restored to the original diagonal green lines they began service with.

As of 2022, all 185 Series trains have been retired from service, with the exception of two refurbished sets which are still in use for special events as touring trains.