JR East Sagami Line, Chigasaki to Hachiōji

[Sacto1985]

This is a recent zenmen tenbou video of a full trip on the the JR East Sagami Line (plus through running on the JR East Yokohama Line to Hachiōji). This is taken from a four-car 205-500 Series EMU.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB5Tj83iFKk

 

Note that the majority of trains going north on the Sagami Line usually terminate at Hashimoto Station, the north end of the Sagami Line. This video shows one of the small number of trains that continue all the way to Hachiōji.

[ToniBabelony]

Despite having this line pretty nearby, I have never ridden it... Maybe it's the weird front design and livery of the 205s that don't really attract me. These trains are in fact the first EMU to have ever ridden on the line, since it was electrified only in 1991. If only plans would have gone through to return the line back to Sōtetsu... It would have been so much better off.

[bikkuri bahn]

I rode this line back when it was operated with kiha 35's. Used an Olympus 35mm rangefinder to take pics.  Haven't returned since.

[bikkuri bahn]

Sintosya's video from 1993, electrification already evident.

[Sacto1985]

Despite having this line pretty nearby, I have never ridden it... Maybe it's the weird front design and livery of the 205s that don't really attract me. These trains are in fact the first EMU to have ever ridden on the line, since it was electrified only in 1991. If only plans would have gone through to return the line back to Sōtetsu... It would have been so much better off.

 

If Sotetsu had gotten the line back, Hashimoto Station would end up with a different layout than what we got now. And would JR East allow Sotetsu trains from Hashimoto to run all the way to Hachiōji like the Sagami Line trains do every now and then?

 

By the way, that video of the KiHa 30/35's running on the line show those DMU's were getting old and in desperate need of replacement, especially when you can see the rusting body panels. The video was taken just after the overhead wires were installed but before the full replacement by the then-new 205-500 Series EMU's on the line.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Sacto1985

[ToniBabelony]

If Sotetsu had gotten the line back, Hashimoto Station would end up with a different layout than what we got now. And would JR East allow Sotetsu trains from Hashimoto to run all the way to Hachiōji like the Sagami Line trains do every now and then?

Hachioji would probably have looked the same actually. The Sagami line tracks are still separated from the Yokohama line tracks and they could still be operated like a private railway company. I'm not sure if the relationship between JR and Sotetsu would be good enough to allow for this kind of operation. However, they have no directly competing lines, so the issue of of having bad relations in that regard would be moot.

 

I would more be interested in how Ebina and Atsugi would look. Ebina station aroud Odakyu developed quite a bit after Sotetsu decided this would be their terminus, rather than Atsugi.

[Densha]

It's really strange seeing those KiHa 30/35's running on electrified tracks with modern stations that really makes you think 'Where are the boring stainless steel commuters?'.

[Sacto1985]

What I find interesting is that when I posted that zenmen tenbou video of the JR East Nambu Line trip, I essentially got "crickets" in terms of responses. Posting that JR East Sagami Line video got the opposite response, of all things.

 

Meanwhile, I'm looking for a modern (e.g., in HD and done within the last year) zenmen tenbou full length video of a train trip on the JR East Musashino Line from Tokyo to Fuchū-Hommachi Station (or the other way around).

Edited August 25, 2014 by Sacto1985

[ToniBabelony]

What I find interesting is that when I posted that zenmen tenbou video of the JR East Nambu Line trip, I essentially got "crickets" in terms of responses. Posting that JR East Sagami Line video got the opposite response, of all things.

 

Does posting things have to do with getting replies now? I've been posting stuff in my model train thread and haven't received any replies on very lengthy and elaborate posts. The same with sales on some product's I've made in the past. Those who I've invested relatively little time in sell better than those I spend a lot of energy and time in. Not each investment is worth its revenue.

 

Meanwhile, I'm looking for a modern (e.g., in HD and done within the last year) zenmen tenbou full length video of a train trip on the JR East Musashino Line from Tokyo to Fuchū-Hommachi Station (or the other way around).

 

So far, none have been uploaded to YouTube. It would be a 2 hour movie though... This guy has however a playlist that includes nine videos with the whole line: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCBj1el6ykiUb9J2GBF07cqhufUOicx-0

[miyakoji]

Does posting things have to do with getting replies now? I've been posting stuff in my model train thread and haven't received any replies on very lengthy and elaborate posts. The same with sales on some product's I've made in the past. Those who I've invested relatively little time in sell better than those I spend a lot of energy and time in. Not each investment is worth its revenue.

I didn't understand Sacto's comment to be a complaint that the rest of us didn't comment, just that it's been quiet here. I've been thinking the same thing myself, maybe everyone is on summer vacation. Those of us in the northern hemisphere anyway; apparently it's 60F and rainy in Sydney.

[Densha]

And sometimes people just don't have anything they can think of to reply. I also don't reply on every single thread, only when it interests me. Not getting any replies doesn't mean that people didn't see your post. It sounds a bit like a 'social media-syndrome' where some people are getting angry over getting less 'likes' and replies than others and such shit.

[Sacto1985]

What I find interesting about the JR East Sagami Line is that it feels like one of those older JNR "out in the country" lines with shorter trains, single track operation and even single-track platforms. I think even if the Sagami Railway was able to take over the Sagami LIne, the line would be not much different than now, though there would have been thought of double-tracking the whole line from Chigasaki to Hashimoto in order to attract more housing and business development along the line.

[ToniBabelony]

What I find interesting about the JR East Sagami Line is that it feels like one of those older JNR "out in the country" lines with shorter trains, single track operation and even single-track platforms. I think even if the Sagami Railway was able to take over the Sagami LIne, the line would be not much different than now, though there would have been thought of double-tracking the whole line from Chigasaki to Hashimoto in order to attract more housing and business development along the line.

 

The Sagami line was property of Sōtetsu until the WW2 and was nationalised into JNR in 1944 and first only electrified in 1991, hence the look of the line. The surroundings aren't much to write home about either. For example, Sagamihara city consists of three wards (Midori (green), Chūō (central) and Minami (south)). It's a very big city, the biggest in Japan in fact. However, the population density is very sparse relative to other cities and surrounding areas. There are a few dense population concentrations around big stations on the Yokohama and Odakyū line, but not the Sagami line. The rest of the city is mostly big houses, fields, forests and not much commuter worthy stuff.

 

Most passengers on the Sagami line travel short distances to get to the transfer stations on the Tōkaidō (Chigasaki), Odakyū (Ebina and Atsugi), Sōtetsu (Ebina) and Yokohama line (Hashimoto). It would actually have looked very different if Sōtetsu would have been able to take the line back. Now the line is just a peripheral spur of JR East, just like the Hachikō line.

 

If Sōtetsu would have been able to take back the line, trains would have seen through running all the way from Chigasaki to Yokohama in full 10-car formation on double tracks. Possibly, the Sōtetsu Izumino line would have been extended to the Sagami line to create a faster connection from Yokohama to Chigasaki to be able to better compete with the Tōkaido line. Sōtetsu would probably have evolved to an equivalent of what the Tōkyū corporation is now.

[Jcarlton]

Looking at the stations with empty trackage I have wonder if it would be a good idea for JR East to tear up that track near the station and build parking lots.  That would increase the station's reach and access.

[ToniBabelony]

Looking at the stations with empty trackage I have wonder if it would be a good idea for JR East to tear up that track near the station and build parking lots.  That would increase the station's reach and access.

 

That wouldn't make much of a difference. People with cars wanting to go into the metropolitan area, but without their car, would ride to a line directly connecting to the place they want to go (Odakyū Odawara line, Tōkaidō line for Tokyo and the Sōtetsu lines and Yokohama City Subway Blue line for Yokohama). Using your car for commuting is a very expensive undertaking in Japan. Most private cars are used for occasional trips and leisure if public transport is an option for commuting.

 

These secondary lines are mainly used for local traffic, e.g. school children, local workers and commuters going from home either on foot, bicycle and/or bus. The area is flat, so bicycles are pretty popular amongst all age groups here.

[ToniBabelony]

Reviving this topic to bring you a blog where the potential of the Sagami line has been reflected if it were returned to Sōtetsu after the war: http://www38.atwiki.jp/lengthen-tsukui/m/pages/56.html

 

On this page are given:

- Double trackage between (Shin-)Atsugi/Ebina and Chigasaki;

- The continuation of the Samukawa line (closed for passenger traffic by JNR in 1946 and dissolved in 1954);

- A possible connection to the Odakyū Odawara line;

- Extension to Tsukui from Hashimoto (extra stations: Shin-Aihara, Sagamikawashiri and Tsukuiko).

[ToniBabelony]

Bump from the grave!

 

This morning, I decided to finally hop to Atsugi and ride the Sagami line from there to Chigasaki and back to Ebina. The Ebina - Hashimoto part is for a later date, as I want to see this a bit more relaxed and make some lineside pictures on my bicycle.

 

When riding the line, apart from the signs, trains and other typical JR East details, the Sagami line doesn't 'feel' to have any JR/JNR pedigree. Lots of curves with relatively high speeds, quite a lot of level crossings, buildings and fields close to the tracks, and a very very relaxed interaction between the staff. Apart from Chigasaki being pretty boring this morning (maybe I'm getting tired of all the E231s and E233s), the line itself is surprisingly interesting. It's also the last line where 205s are the overlords and masters (although being retooled and so on).

 

Attached are some snapshots of the trains and atmosphere.

[kvp]

Good photos, thanks! Maybe it's not too JNR-ish because it was originally built by the Sagami Railway as a freight only route.

[bikkuri bahn]

Use these keywords for a google image search, guaranteed to produce results that produce smiles:

相模線昭和

Edited June 25, 2015 by bikkuri bahn

[miyakoji]

I still like these 209-500 trains. I can picture them in service in an east coast city, with red and blue stripes :).

[Sacto1985]

It'll be interesting to see if there are any plans to replace the 205's in the next few years, since the trainsets are circa 20 years old. But given the relatively light usage of these trainsets, I wouldn't be surprised they're still around by the time of the 2020 Summer Olympics, though they may get refreshed interiors with LED flat panel displays and bilingual (Japanese and English) train announcements.

[ToniBabelony]

The 205-500s all have been rebuilt with single-arm pantographs in 2009, but I wouldn't be surprised either if these stick around a bit more. They have been around since 1991 though, so they're getting old slowly (24 years now).

 

There are plans for rebuilding the line to a double tracked line, at least from Hashimoto to Ebina. This is because of the coming of the Linear Shinkansen in Hashimoto and the extension of the Odakyu Tama line to Harataima and the Sagamihara Tana area, which probably means new rolling stock as well to assist the 205-500s. It's a bit of a local political issue a lot of people and parties are pushing to get through at the moment (which I totally support of course xD).

[kvp]

 

This is because of the coming of the Linear Shinkansen in Hashimoto

The big question is: When? Because if the 205-s will be 35 or 40 years old by then, then replacing them will be a good idea anyway.

[Densha]

What was the unused platform at Hashimoto in your second photo used for, Toni?

[kvp]

corrected by Toni...

Edited June 26, 2015 by kvp