Toyohashi Tetsudo

[bill937ca]

Toyohashi Tetsudo operates Japan`s smallest tram system. Its 1067mm gauge and 600v dc with pantographs. Modemo has issued several Toyohashi trams including versions of the ex-Toden 3500s and ex-Gifu 780s.

 

There are two branches along a single line.  Inner terminal is at the JR station. On the outer ends each branch has some single track operation. Most of the fleet is second hand cars from Nagoya City Transport Bureau, Tokyo Toden or the Nagoya Railway.

 

Single track operation with typical low scale Japanese structures.

 

 

 

In the center of Toyohashi the line is double tracked on center reservation.

 

 

 

 

Leaving the single end, stub terminal at the JR station.

 

 

Like most Japanese tram systems, the tram tracks in Toyohashi are reserved lanes with auto traffic restricted to the parallel asphalt lanes.

 

[Ken Ford]

Great stuff!  Two things stand out for me:

 

1. The variety in liveries on Japanese trams is endless - and wild.

 

2. The motormen take no prisoners when it comes to speed!

[Nick_Burman]

Great stuff!  Two things stand out for me:

 

2. The motormen take no prisoners when it comes to speed!

 

Gosh, do tram motormen ever get traffic fines for speeding? I'm sure those folks in the videos are going faster that the 25mph/40kph maximum prescribed by the Tramway Law...

 

Cheers NB

[bill937ca]

Great stuff!  Two things stand out for me:

 

2. The motormen take no prisoners when it comes to speed!

 

Gosh, do tram motormen ever get traffic fines for speeding? I'm sure those folks in the videos are going faster that the 25mph/40kph maximum prescribed by the Tramway Law...

 

Cheers NB

 

I don`t think most of those cars are capable of 40Kph.

[NYNE]

Those are nice videos thanks for posting. I checked out the line of Google maps but the resolution wasn't very good on the satellite view. At the other end of the line from the station there seems to be a small yard and storage area? How do operations work there. It looks like they have to back in? (I realize they are multi-directional, but does the motorman have to change ends when it comes time to put a car away or take one out onto the road?)

[westfalen]

I made a quick ride over the system, if you can call one line and a short branch a system, in 1998 and took a few shots in the failing light at the depot but I didn't see any cars coming in or out.

 

Myself, a mate from work and one of my model railway club members are planning a visit to Toyohashi during a trip to Japan in November, so hopefully I'll get a chance to get in some more tram rides.

[bill937ca]

The line seems to go to single tram just at the depot turnoff. A tram could drive right in. On leaving the operator would have to change ends. With double ended cars all movements would be forward, but from opposite ends of the tram.

 

[NYNE]

Thanks