The Late Great Gakunan Railway Blue Frog

[bill937ca]

I believe only one of Tokyu blue frog survives in operation and that is in Kumamoto.  Micro Ace still sells there version.  The units being scrapped once ran on the Gakunan Railway

 

http://heppoko.blog.hobidas.com/archives/article/50255.html

[westfalen]

Some shots I took in Kumamoto in 1990. I remember sharing a MacDonalds cheeseburger with the station masters dog.

 

[bill937ca]

Great photos Westfalen!

[Triplex]

The livery reminds me of Amtrak AEM7s:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aem7_916.jpg

[bill937ca]

The remaining Green Frogs in operation are on the Kumamoto Electric Railway.  This single ended EMU has been converted to double end operation. It operates on a short shuttle line. I'm not sure how many of these cars are in operation but it looks like at least 5101 and 5102.  Some of them seen in the yards may be retired.

 

These cars were once the mainstay of the Tokyu lines.  I believe Tokyu has a preserved set.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A terminal tour and then a  ride along the line.

 

 

A cab ride.  These stations are about as primitive as they can get.  Just a bare patch of paving usually without shelter.

 

[westfalen]

When I was there in 1990 the old orange and white car in my photos was on the branch line shuttle having been bumped from the mainline runs by the 'new' blue frogs. By 1998 the blue/green frogs were relegated to the branchline and 'newer' second hand stainless steel cars were on the mainline. Progress marches on. In 1990 the downtown terminal was a ramshackle old wooden affair that hadn't seen a paint brush since it was built, in 1998 they had a shiny new station in a shopping centre.

 

Although a lot have disappeared or changed beyond recognition since my first visit in 1990 lines like this, often with a collection of second hand equipment that makes them look like a model railroad, are one of the reasons I keep going back to Japan. It's more than bullet trains. There's not many places you can get a 'cab ride' for the price of a ticket.

[scott]

I had a very small Red Frog...

 

a collection of second hand equipment that makes them look like a model railroad

 

Have you been in my basement?!?  ;-)