International Railroad Discussion > Very Odd Streetcar - Okayama, Japan

I passed through Okayama, Japan a few times recently and twice managed to catch the odd streetcar pictured here.  The car is used in special extra-fare service for kid's parties and family events, and seems to be styled after a British Rail Deltic, or a Class 42 Warship.  The interior has small tables and banquette seats, and the kids get toy treats and snacks on the ride.  There are special staff assigned to the car who manage the whole experience for the kids.   The blue end is named Brewster, and the red end is named Wilson, and it's branded as the Okaden Chuggington.  Okaden is a contraction of OKA(yama) and DEN(sha), which just means Okayama train.   All the other Okayama streetcars I saw were 2-truck non-articulated cars like the 3rd photo, so I'm curious how they got to an articulated car for this one.   But if you are in Okayama with your kids, take a ride on it!

The regular tram system consists of 2 lines that both terminate at the main railway station, and each runs on a 6-minute headway, with a combined 3-minute headway on the joint section.  Lots of service!  They are working to move the terminal to the front of the main station, as it now terminates across the street from the main terminal. 

Happy New Year from Japan, where we are a day ahead of most of you!

Duncan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/24 05:12 by dwatry.

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Love the report, and nice catch of the Chuggington Streetcar!

Chuggington is an animated TV series from Great Britain:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuggington

Like Thomas the Tank Engine, kids seem to love train characters, in Japan and around the world. Oigawa Railway near Shizuoka, known to be Japan's first railroad to run regular steam excursions after steam locomotives were retired from mainline service, run Thomas the Tank Engine looking steam regularly.

Streetcar system in the City of Kagoshima also has a streetcar with a Chuggington paint scheme, but not as "realistic" as the one you caught in Okayama. Life imitates art!

"Okaden" is a shorthand for Okayama Denki Kidou (phonetic) or Okayama Electric Tramway, translated. Hiroshima Streetcars have a similar nickname "Hiroden" from Hiroshima Dentetsu, or Hiroshima Electric Railway. It's common for the Japanese to shorthand two character kanji names, Oka (岡) from Okayama (岡山) and Hiro (広) from Hiroshima (広島).

Sorry for the nitpick, but to kids, "Densha" (電車) is as valid a root word for the shorthand "Okaden" as the official corporate names above. Romen Densha (路面電車) is the proper Japanese term for streetcar.
 

dwatry Wrote:
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> All the other Okayama streetcars I saw
> were 2-truck non-articulated cars like the 3rd
> photo, so I'm curious how they got to an
> articulated car for this one.   But if you are
> in Okayama with your kids, take a ride on it!

Did some quick research regarding Okaden's articulated streetcars.

Many of Japan's survivng (and thriving) streetcar systems have mixed use of classic 2 truck cars and modern articulated cars, most of them low-floored to meet accessibility needs. I have several not-yet-ready reports at Hiroshima, Kagoshima, Matsuyama and have documented the mixed use. Fortunately, Japan's rail systems tend to utilize older cars until they are really worn out, no cost wasting practice of buying new just to replace the old for the sake of "progress." As I have documented elsewhere, streetcars from the Steinzeit Era (1960s to 1970s) were still in service in 2015:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?6,3773952,3774975#3774975

Okaden's Chuggington is based on Class 9200 "MOMO2" articulated streetcar. #1011 is the unmodified version in Okaden's fleet, starting service in 2011. Including the Chuggington, Okaden has 3 sets of modern articulated streetcars in service. Here's a brief summary in the English wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okayama_Electric_Tramway

What's mentioned in the Japanese wikipedia page is that "MOMO2" design was licensed from Bombardier and refined/built in Japan by Niigata Transys Company. This was done as a cost saving measure as the first Class 9200 "MOMO" #9201 was built in Germany, imported and was quite expensive. #9201 started service in 2002.

> They are working to move the terminal
> to the front of the main station, as it now
> terminates across the street from the main
> terminal. 

There are major redevelopment projects happening all over Japan. Hiroshima streetcars will move closer to the main train station, and the plan is to run them elevated. Major makeovers are happening elsewhere, and I've personally witnessed the ones at Osaka, Nagasaki, Matsuyama, and several just in Tokyo.
 
> Happy New Year from Japan, where we are a day
> ahead of most of you!
>
> Duncan

Early Happy New Year wishes!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/24 22:13 by cchan006.

cchan006 - thank you for your correction on my Japanese translation. I’m a total novice in the language!

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