A trip to Mitaka

[railsquid]

So the other day I had some time to kill and it was a nice day and I thought I'd go and poke around Mitaka, which I've never done on foot before.

 

So starting off half-way to Musashi-sakai, here a street name I imagine many people might like to live on:

 

 

True to its name, there are some densha to be seen, enjoying a mid-afternoon nap in the sun:

 

 

Quintessentially Japanese: bicycles, trains and Safety First.

 

 

Old sleepers don't die, but get turned into retaining walls:

 

 

Rails meet a similar fate:

 

 

This old rusty communications cabinet however is living out an ungraceful retirement.

 

 

Hmm, a wide open gate? But better not go in...

 

 

But this bridge is open to the public:

 

 

Built in 1929...

 

 

it is still popular with the younger members of the community and their long-suffering mothers:

 

 

 

What could they be looking at?

Edited February 11, 2016 by railsquid

[railsquid]

Yes, trains...

 

 

more trains...

 

 

 

even more trains...

 

 

Chuo Line trains...

 

 

and no more trains.

 

 

 

And thus ended my little excursion to Mitaka.

Edited February 11, 2016 by railsquid

[splifdfx]

Thanks for the virtual stroll !
Keep them coming ! :)

[the_weird_one]

All the times I've been to Mitaka and I've never found this - though admit usually I just go to Inokashira Park and have lunch there so don't really explore the area properly

 

But thank you for the photo tour its brilliant for me to grab ideas from :)

[kvp]

Thanks for the pictures!

[SuRoNeFu 25-501]

Even you caught an 05N is sleeping inside the depot, waiting for it's next duties before returning back to Fukagawa! 

[cteno4]

Excellent squid! Great virtual tour and also just wonderful little details to use!

 

Please sir, can I have some more?!

 

Jeff

[JR 500系]

Amazing post! Would love to do this on foot, especially on that bridge!

[ToniBabelony]

Darnit. This makes me want to hop on my bicycle and explore the Tōkyū Nagatsuta Depot again! This time we have an electric motor support bike, so negating the crazy inclines on the way might make the trip a bit less tedious.

[tossedman]

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

[Sacto1985]

I'd like to know why Mitaka was chosen as the west end of Chūō-Sōbu local service between Mitaka and Chiba Stations.

[railsquid]

I would guess it's because the yard happened to be there already at a convenient location just beyond the border of the 23-ku area.

 

Anyway I'll see if I can do some more of these when I get the chance. If anyone has any particular locations in/near Tokyo they're interested in, let me know. I guarantee nothing, however.

[bikkuri bahn]

I'd like to know why Mitaka was chosen as the west end of Chūō-Sōbu local service between Mitaka and Chiba Stations.

As railsquid said, the yard was there, established back in 1929. Also, Mitaka is the end of the four track section (of which the stretch from Ogikubo to Mitaka was completed in 1969) of the Chuo Line, which is the most congested portion of the whole route.

[Sacto1985]

As railsquid said, the yard was there, established back in 1929. Also, Mitaka is the end of the four track section (of which the stretch from Ogikubo to Mitaka was completed in 1969) of the Chuo Line, which is the most congested portion of the whole route.

 

Of course, back in 1929 the area around Mitaka Station was likely quite rural, so putting the railyard west of the station made sense.

[IST]

Thanks for the short story and the pictures, it's good to see photos not just about the trains but the surrounding area.