Kintetsu standard gauging of Nagoya Line

[bikkuri bahn]

Excellent documentary of the standard gauging of the Kintetsu Nagoya Line between Nakagawa and Nagoya.  All-color which is valuable for pre-1960.  Begins with the measured, gradual preparations for the gauge change, and then how the disastrous Ise Bay Typhoon of Sept. 1959 threw a wrench into the operations.  Fortunately the new double track bridges over the Kiso, Ibi, and Nagara Rivers had already been completed (the former 1067mm line was single track on this portion), so the president of Kintetsu, Mr. Saiki, decided, invoking the proverb wazawai wo tenjite fukutonasu or "make the best of a bad bargain", to augment the gauge change concurrently with full operational recovery of the line.  This was quite a challenge, as a portion of the Nagoya Line was completely wiped out by the typhoon, the area around Yatomi, which is located below sea level. The conversion was done in 10 days. At 14:08 is actual footage of the last 1067mm gauge train to leave Nakagawa, the 23:10 local for Shiroko. Once this train left, the operation began in earnest.

 

*I think I may have posted this film before, but that version had the very annoying, asinine niconico subtitles.  This version is quite superior.

Edited October 12, 2014 by bikkuri bahn