Saturday 15 October 2016

Classic Ex-Tokyu Train in Atsumi Peninsula

Set 1805F of the EMU Toyohashi Railway 1800 series travels on the Atsumi Line

Atsumi Peninsula is famous for its mild climate. It is located about 300 km west of Tokyo, and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and Mikawa Bay. The influx of the Kuroshio Warm Current has influenced the temperate climate of Atsumi Peninsula. Using this climate, the production of flowers is one of the main industries in the area.

To visit Atsumi Peninsula, the Atsumi Line of Toyohashi Railway is convenient. Connecting Toyohashi on the JR Central Tokaido Shinkansen and Mikawa-Tahara, its route length is 18 km. The track is single and electrified. The gauge size is 1,067 mm. Its electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead.

The EMU 1800 series is a sole model on the Atsumi Line. It was launched in 2000 to replace the old model, the ex-Meitetsu 7300 series. The 1800 series was originally the Tokyu 7200 series, which was built by Tokyu Sharyo from the 1960s to 1970s. So far, a total of 32 units have been moved to Toyohashi Railway. Currently, 10 sets of 3-car trains have gone into commercial services.

The odd-shaped face (so-called diamond cut) of the 1800 series is definitely my favorite. Their body colors are also attractive, as each set has its own color. A total of 10 different colors such as purple, blue, red, yellow and green are used.

Now that their brother train, namely the EMU Tokyu 7600 series, was retired from the Ikegami Line, the EMU Toyohashi Railway 1800 series is a precious odd-shaped classic train in Atsumi Peninsula.

Set 1804F leaves Yagumadai Station on the Atsumi Line