Thursday 25 December 2014

Histric Street on the Nagareyama Line

EMU Ryutetsu 5000 series arrives at Heiwadai Station
 
Along with the old artificial river, I am going to introduce the other picturesque spot in Nagareyama City.

Nagareyama has been developed as a center of an inland water transportation system since the 18th Century. Thanks to the water transportation, Nagareyama has prospered for a long time. It has gorgeous shopping streets such as Dozo-dukuri, which are made of timbers, but the walls were coated with stucco for resistance to fire. The photo below was built as a draper's shop in 1890. It is a kaleidoscope shop now.

Currently, Nagareyama, which has a population of about 170,000, became a commuter city rather than the center of the inland water transportation. Many people go to their offices and schools in Tokyo by train. One of the must-be-remembered railways for rail-fans is the Ryutetsu Nagareyama Line. It is a small local railway, connecting Mabashi on the JR East Joban Line and Nagareyama (5.7 km). The entire route is an electrified single track. The electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead and the gauge size is 1,067 mm.

The rolling stock on the Nagareyama Line is the EMU ex-Seibu 101 series. It was moved to Ryutetsu in 2009 and named the 5000 series. A total of five sets are operated on the track. They are light blue, red, yellow, orange and green. The 2-car trains are operated every 15 minutes on average.

A visit to Nagareyama is interesting all the way through.

 
The old shop near Heiwadai Station on the Ryutetsu Line