International Railroad Discussion > Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum (Kyoto, Japan)

Typhoon #18 changed my travel plans when the Sunrise Limited Express sleeper I planned to hop on Monday night (10/6) was cancelled due to a major landslide in Shizuoka Prefecture, which put the Tokaido Line out of service. Furthermore, some of the freight trains I wanted to catch were cancelled or detoured, which would change my foaming plans for the rest of the week. As I type this, the line has not reopened yet, and the next typhoon (#19) should have just passed the area.

I think TO members from the Pacific Northwest certainly understand how that feels!

Fortunately, Shinkansens were still running, as the high speed ROW goes through series of tunnels in the landslide area, and was unaffected. I decided to stay in Tokyo on Monday to edit videos and post a report ("Main Line Steam Double Departure") and departed Tuesday morning when the travel traffic was less chaotic.

Since I was improvising anyway, I dropped by Kyoto to visit the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum, which I have not visited for at least 8 years. The museum is going through renovation to open a new exhibit area in 2016, to display some of the collection from the Osaka Transportation Museum which closed earlier this year.

- Entrance to the Umekoji Museum is the historic Nijo Depot on the San-in Line which used to be located about two station directly north from where it is now.

- The day's steam excursion was run by 8620 series steam locomotive #8630, without the smoke deflectors.

- Quick video of the #8630 in action, to be described next.

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#8630 is a sister to the "Hachiroku" I caught on SL Hitoyoshi in Kyushu last March:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?6,3369227

Unlike the #58654, #8630 is not certified for main line service, but it is well cared for at Umekoji. It was manufactured in 1914, so this year is its 100th anniversary. The excursion train backs into the end of track next to the adjacent Umekoji Park, then slowly runs back to the museum grounds.

In the first clip, you see the #8630 depart from the Umekoji Park area, then a San-in Line EMU heads to Kyoto Station for a meet.

In the second clip, the excursion train arrives into the museum grounds. Hundreds of school kids were there for field trips, so in both clips, you can see and hear them (some of them wearing yellow caps) everywhere. Thanks to them, the crew ran the train several times, which allowed me to "chase" the train to both locations in a short period of time.

- Model of C63, which was designed and ready for production, but never manufactured, due to electrification and dieselization. This one is 1/12th scale.

- HO scale of SP GS4 on display. I believe the museum staff has a Southern Pacific bias? (I'm totally OK with that)

- HO scale of "Cab Forward" AC-12. No Union Pacific Steam was found, model or otherwise! Perhaps, Bob Krieger and Steve Lee need to visit and have a chat with the museum director!

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Umekoji Museum is essentially a steam locomotive service facility that was converted into a museum right there on the spot. It was opened in October of 1972 to coincide with the 100th Anniversary of the start of railroading in Japan, and its main charter is to preserve and restore steam locomotives, and whenever possible, to operable condition.

- American made Porter 2-6-0, "Yoshitsune." These Porters (7100 series) were exported to Hokkaido, Japan, back in 1880 to start revenue service in the northernmost main island of Japan. It was not running when I visited, but it's supposed to be restored to operable condition this year, if not already.

- Turntable view of the museum.

- Museum's main exhibits rest inside the roundhouse.

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Japan's only 3 cylinder locomotive, 4-6-2 C53 (nicknamed "Shigosan") is displayed at Umekoji. They were manufactured between 1928 and 1929 and were not popular due to difficulty in maintenance compared to the conventional 2 cylinder steamers. C53 #45 is the last one remaining, not operable.

- Back view of C53-45.
- Viewed from the front, no smoke deflectors.
- Model of the C53 displayed nearby, with smoke deflectors.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/14 20:39 by cchan006.

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- I think that's the third cylinder of the C53 in the photo?

- 9633 and D51-200 displayed outside in an area off limits to visitors. 9633 is a 9600 series SL, the first type to be manufactured in Japan. 9633 was manufactured in 1914, and currently not operable. D51-200 is in operable condition. I caught it running last time I was here 8-9 years ago.

- Tiny tank engine B20-10 (0-4-0) and huge (in comparison) C62-1 on display. C62, nicknamed "Shirokuni" is a 4-6-4 ("Hudson"), and the last type of steam locomotive manufactured in Japan due to eletrification and dieselization.

While C62-1 is not operable, Umekoji Museum has C62-2, which IS operable, and I was hoping to catch that running on this visit. It is assigned to run on the museum grounds later in the winter season, oh well. There's PLENTY more on the C62, including the fact that it was the inspiration for the anime series "Ginga Tetsudo 999" or Galaxy Express 999, that space-bound steam locomotive:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3507425



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/14 14:26 by cchan006.

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Just found some photos I took at Umekoji back in October of 2006.

- Turntable and roundhouse view. Not much has changed in 8 years.

- D51-200 ("Degoichi") pulling the museum excursion train in 2006.

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I watched plenty of Galaxy Express as a kid (note my TO handle) thanks for posting. I did not make it to the museum in any of my visits, I hope to do so when / if I return someday. I did ride the Matsumoto-designed Suijobus / Riverbus. It looks good on the outside but the others are better for sightseeing as they have large decks on top.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/14 19:48 by Harlock.

Oh and Gaaah! Those excursion cars!

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

Is this "Coal shoveling practice machine" still there?

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Hartington Wrote:
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> Is this "Coal shoveling practice machine" still
> there?

Yup, I saw it. It's still there.

Harlock Wrote:
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> Oh and Gaaah! Those excursion cars!

Yeah, tacky and unchanged for at least 8 years!! Maybe Matsumoto Reiji should design one for the museum.

Great stuff, I'd love to visit that museum.

I plan to visit the museum my upcoming trip to Kyoto in November. Also going to ride the Kurobe Gorge Railway.