Book recommendation- Kojaku Rlwy

[bikkuri bahn]

The latest issue of "The Rail" (note, not Rail Magazine by Neko Publishing) published by Presse Eisenbahn has devoted its entire contents to the Kojaku Railway of Shiga Prefecture. The line was noted for its extensive and eclectic fleet of diesel railcars and the bucolic nature of its route on the western shores of Lake Biwa. It was closed in 1969 due to the opening of the JNR Kosei Line, which ran parallel. I must say it's an excellent monograph, with a full rolling stock roster, a station by station profile (with pictures of not just the station building, but also often of the trackage behind), and most impressively, a track diagram of the complete route, from Hama-Otsu to Oumi-Imazu．I found out that up until closure, the Kojaku ran one daily freight round trip, with freight cars both from Kojaku and interchange cars off JNR, hauled by a dd13 type diesel loco.  There are a couple of pictures of this train.

 

A rather good (given the conditions) 8mm film of the line, most of the major stations are filmed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLFzyTRooOs

[Densha]

The last part of the video is sad.:crybaby2:

[miyakoji]

Interesting post, Bikkuri.  That magazine (the publication, present and past issues) looks really interesting.  I'd like to see Fan/Journal/RM have some main features on more historical, obscure topics.  There isn't really any lack of such material in Japanese railway history.  But wait--3750 yen? wow.

 

Lots of the station names shown are the same as the Kosei Line.  Here's part 2 of 5 about JRW's Raicho service (which uses the Kosei Line) by angelspringsTavio.  He makes some excellent videos, and in this one he travels significant portions of the former Kojaku right of way.