Tuesday 16 June 2015

2015 Tram Day: Sayonara Toei 7026

Unit number 8505 (left) and 7026 (right) are exhibited in Arakawa Depot on the Toei Arakawa Line
 
It is Tram Day again. I don't know the origin of this anniversary on June 10th, but it was enacted in the meeting of the 2nd National Tram Summit in 1995. The Transportation Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Toei) recently held a memorial event in their Arakawa depot before Tram Day. Seibu Railway's "Seibu Electric Car Fiesta" conflicted with the Tram Day event, but I chose the latter, as Arakawa Depot was nearer than the site of Seibu Electric Car Fiesta.

The main exhibition was streetcar number 7026 of the 7000 series. This old vehicle is scheduled to retire by the end of this month. It was beautifully decorated with a special plate, "Arakawa Line Tram Day" on the front. Toei 7026 was built in 1956 by Alna Koki. He (She) had 92 brothers (sisters), but only 19 units are currently operated. It is a 600V DC streetcar on the 1,372mm gauge track. The control system is a classic rheostatic and the drive system is also nostalgic... nose-suspension.

The other exhibition was the unveiling of Toaran poster train. Using the 8505 of the electric car 8500 series, Toaran poster train will debut soon. What is Toaran? It is a mascot character of the Toei Arakawa Line selected by a contest. The role of Toaran is to promote passengers on the Toei Arakawa Line. The single arm pantograph on the head of Toaran character is lovely.

Sayonara (good-bye) Toei 7026 and welcome Toaran poster train.

 
Unit number 8505, Toaran poster train