Toyama Inner City Tram Lines & LRT

[bc6]

[bill937ca]

 

 

When Toyama Light Rail was a JR line.

 

[bill937ca]

[bill937ca]

[bill937ca]

This is Manyosen.  It is about an hour out of Toyama on the same JR rail line from Osaka.  The Manyosen is largely single track and has about 3 new LRVs.  These are the same model as Portram.

 

These cars do not have rear view mirrors.  There are TV cameras that record what is going on around the car.  In the second video you can see a car pass the tram and show up on dash board screen (about 1:50-1:58)

 

 

[Martijn Meerts]

Been trying to figure out the lighting on the Portrams, but it's confusing..

 

In 1 video, they have the 4 top lights lit up (the ones in the black part of the front of the tram). In a different video, they have the same 4 lit up, but also the 2 further down in the white skirt part of the tram.

 

As for tail lights, they don't seem to have those, although I did notice they have a brake light...

 

I seem to remember the Kato one having the 4 lights in the black part lit up, and also having tail lights...

 

I got my first 3 Portrams today, and would love to eventually add lights to them, but I just can't figure it out =)

[to2leo]

Hi Martjin,

Why don't you wait for Rapido's magic interior LED lights.  No hookups required.

 

http://www.rapidotrains.com/light_n.html

[Guest ___]

I like those lights. I saw a demo on YT the other day on the them and was thinking they would be nice to install on my JR Kyushu 485 set.

[Martijn Meerts]

Well, those Rapido lights aren't exactly functional for head/tail lights =)

 

Don't much like battery driven light kits either to be honest.. Replacing the batteries in a 16 car shinkansen will take an entire day =)

[to2leo]

Oh you want directional lights!  Sorry couldn't help you there 

 

I am tempted to say just wait for the Kato but I will hold my tongue. :confused5:

[Martijn Meerts]

Well, already got the Tomytec ones, so the "just wait" won't work anymore ;)

[bill937ca]

A couple more videos just shot during Silver Week.

 

This is Portram in Toyama.  More info:  http://www.usrail.jp/er-japan-toyama2.htm

 

 

This is the Toyama city tram line of Toyama District Railway.

 

 

This is Manyo sen nearby at Takaoka.  It's a largely single track tram and light interurban line that has the same type of cars.

 

 

More info on Manyo sen:  http://www.usrail.jp/er-japan-toyama.htm

[Mudkip Orange]

So you've got a shiny new Portram, but you're wondering, where does it fit in?

 

First, a bit of Portram history. Toyama's private rail operators had all merged by the 1930s, creating the Toyama Chiho Railway, or Chitetsu. Chitetsu operated a network of lines in and around Toyama, but before WWII there was no tram system. Like many other private operators, Chitetsu was quasi-nationalized during the war. When it ended, Chitetsu got most of its system back, but JNR held onto a spur line that ran north from Toyama Station to the Port of Toyama, as the government felt it was of strategic importance.

 

It is this line that became the "Portram" in 2006 created by adding stations to the old port line (Portram=Port+Tram) and rerouting the downtown Toyama segment through a couple km of street running. In this respect the Portram bears some resemblance to US-style light rail development that makes use of abandoned railroad grades. Since switching from local JR service to Portram LRT, average daily ridership has more than doubled.

 

But whatever happened to Chitetsu? After the war they constructed a couple of tram lines to the south of Toyama Station, collectively known as the Toyama City Light Rail. They also spun off a separate company, Kaetsuno, to build and operate a similar tram line in the neighboring Takaoka region. In 2002, Kaetsuno's rail operations were spun off into Manyosen, which now operates the same articulated low-floor cars as the Toyama Portram. (why neither Kato or Tomix have offered Portrams in Manyosen livery is beyond me).

 

Chitetsu is also interesting in that it forms the far western leg of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, a crazy hodgepodge of cable cars, aerial trams, underground trolleybuses, and other miscellaneous transport modes that will get you across some of the highest mountains in Japan.

 

In the future, a tram link between the north and south sides of Toyama Station will be constructed, at which time Chitetsu will turn over operation of the Toyama City Light Rail to Portram, creating a single unified system. Until then, Toyama City Light Rail operates using a hodgepodge of ancient rolling stock, an interesting contrast to the modern Portram vehicles.

 

Picture index:

1) Toyama / Takaoka Region Map

2) Toyama City Light Rail - old-style vehicles

3) Toyama Portram - modern vehicles

4) Takaoka's "Manyosen" uses the same vehicles as Portram

5) Closeup of Toyama station showing route of future Portram-Toyama City Light Rail connection

6) Chitetsu (ex-Keihan) 10000-series at Takeyama station, jumping off point for Kurobe Dam

[Nozomi]

In 2002, Kaetsuno's rail operations were spun off into Manyosen, which now operates the same articulated low-floor cars as the Toyama Portram. (why neither Kato or Tomix have offered Portrams in Manyosen livery is beyond me).

 

Fantastic Post! ... and you're right about Manyosen livery. But I guess that Kato will release other liveries of this type and other models of trams in the future to keep the unitram business flowing.

[bill937ca]

Their is a review of all Japanese tramways in the 12.2009 issue of DJ (Tesudo Daiya Joho).

 

The Chitetsu is building a small extension linking two of the existing legs and will receive (or has received) three articulated trams of the Portram type.

 

http://jtrams.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/more-light-rail-cars-for-toyama/

[bill937ca]

In 2002, Kaetsuno's rail operations were spun off into Manyosen, which now operates the same articulated low-floor cars as the Toyama Portram. (why neither Kato or Tomix have offered Portrams in Manyosen livery is beyond me).

 

Fantastic Post! ... and you're right about Manyosen livery. But I guess that Kato will release other liveries of this type and other models of trams in the future to keep the unitram business flowing.

 

Tomytec beat Kato.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10104752

[Mudkip Orange]

Tomytec beat Kato.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10104752

Just came here to post this!

 

I'm assuming the unpowered shell can be powered using the same mechanism as the Portram?

[bill937ca]

Tomytec beat Kato.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10104752

Just came here to post this!

 

I'm assuming the unpowered shell can be powered using the same mechanism as the Portram?

 

I see no reason why that won't work.

[bill937ca]

Work is proceeding on the Toyama Chiho Centram line extension.  There are more details and links to photos on my Japanese Trams and Light Interurbans blog.

 

http://jtrams.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/toyama-chiho-railway-streetcar-extension/

[bill937ca]

New Centram car testing at Toyama in preparation for the December opening of the Toyama Chiho tram line extension.

 

[Mudkip Orange]

Love the all-black color scheme!

[bill937ca]

Another test run.

 

[bill937ca]

Latest Portram video.

 

[Mudkip Orange]

cool

[Kitayama]

Nice posting!

One small correction. The tram lines in Toyama are built in 1913-1916 and became a part of Chitetsu in 1943.

One exception is the 900 m line open 23 Dec last year - creating a loop line downtown Toyama.