Freight trains running in street trackage?

[enodenlover]

My current kitchen table layout has a stretch of Tomix street track that's primarily for tram usage but I'm also running a short freight train on that track, even though I'm not aware of anyplace in Japan where this is/was done. Freight trains coming down the street is not all that unusual in the U.S. but does anyone know of anyplace in Japan where this was or is currently being done? Also, is there any third rail-powered line in Japan that has grade crossings? That's something else that I have on this temporary layout that might not be at all prototypical.

[Kabutoni]

My current kitchen table layout has a stretch of Tomix street track that's primarily for tram usage but I'm also running a short freight train on that track, even though I'm not aware of anyplace in Japan where this is/was done. Freight trains coming down the street is not all that unusual in the U.S. but does anyone know of anyplace in Japan where this was or is currently being done? Also, is there any third rail-powered line in Japan that has grade crossings? That's something else that I have on this temporary layout that might not be at all prototypical.

 

Freight is not ran nowadays on street tracks and wasn't commonplace as well. I only know of four examples that ran extensively on street tracks:

- Tōbu Nikko Tram (Tochigi);

- Asahikawa Electric Railway (Hokkaidō);

- Fukushima Transport (Fukushima);

- Wakamatsu Municipal Railway (Kitakyūshū), no passenger transport.

Very short freights, simple and light electric locomotives, usually with a lot of switching involved.

 

The only public accessible 3rd rail road crossing I know in Japan of is the crossing at the Tōkyō Metro Ginza line depot in Ueno. Just in front of the Ueno Gakuen University.

[marknewton]

Thanks for that list Tony. I knew of three you mentioned, but I didn't know that the Asahikawa Electric Railway did as well. 

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

[Kabutoni]

Thanks for that list Tony. I knew of three you mentioned, but I didn't know that the Asahikawa Electric Railway did as well. 

 

Very minimal and crudely though:

 

 

Flatbeds, tankers and the occasional van. Not much activity, but street running freight nonetheless!

[enodenlover]

Thanks Toni for the information. The freight train that I'm running is just an ED459 boxcab electric loco and four cement tank cars so it doesn't take up too much space on my town's main street.

[Nick_Burman]

Freight is not ran nowadays on street tracks and wasn't commonplace as well. I only know of four examples that ran extensively on street tracks:

- Tōbu Nikko Tram (Tochigi);

- Asahikawa Electric Railway (Hokkaidō);

- Fukushima Transport (Fukushima);

- Wakamatsu Municipal Railway (Kitakyūshū), no passenger transport.

Very short freights, simple and light electric locomotives, usually with a lot of switching involved.

 

The only public accessible 3rd rail road crossing I know in Japan of is the crossing at the Tōkyō Metro Ginza line depot in Ueno. Just in front of the Ueno Gakuen University.

 

 - Nishitetsu Hakata (? - or was it Fukuoka?) docks operation, electric and 3-rail with town trams.

 - Kumaden (Kumamoto Dentetsu) before the opening of the direct connection to JNR Kumamoto station. Trains ran on 3-rail track shared with town trams and backed into Kami-Kumamoto Fujisakingu-mae station, before running around and proceeding north to Kikuchi Onsen. Also the short street section N. of Kami-Kumamoto Fujisakingu-mae.

 

 

Cheers NB

 

 

 

 

Edit: corrected locations. Serves me right for relying on my mind at 2AM after an evening playing World of Warcraft... :-)

 

 

Cheers NB

Edited May 21, 2015 by Nick_Burman

[velotrain]

The northern approach to the Inuyama Bridge, and the bridge itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also found this image, with an unknown location.

 

 

[marknewton]

That last one is Wakamatsu I think.

 

Mark.

[railsquid]

Looks like Kita-Kyushu; more info and another picture in Japanese here: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hideki_kobayakawa/archive/2007/09/17

[enodenlover]

Thanks to everyone for the info and photos, very interesting stuff.

[Nick_Burman]

Speaking of Fukushima...

 

 

 

Cheers NB

Edited May 22, 2015 by Nick_Burman