JRS members who participated in the excursion in front of the historic roundhouse.

By Hiroshi Naito

On October 28th Saturday, gathered at Shinjohara on the Tokaido Main Line were nine Japan-based JRS members, who were from the Tokyo and Nagoya areas, to participate in one of the Society's regular activities.

Our destination was Tenryu-Futamata engine depot on the Tenryu Hamanako Railway (Tenhama Line), a third sector operator, where we visited a historic wooden roundhouse still in service. We traveled to Tenryu-Futamata along the Tenhama Line, which takes an altanative route to the Tokaido Line between Kakegawa and Shinjohara. Another of our aim was to ride a semi-open coach train, dubbed 'Torokko Soyokaze', from Mikkabi on the way to Tenryu-Futamata. We were greeted by Yuichi Nagabuchi, an employee of the railway. He was kindly escorting us to Tenryu Futamata. Unfortunately, the weather was not favorable, with a thickly overcast sky.

At a short platform adjoining the tracks of the Tokaido Main Line, we boarded a single unit diesel railcar, type TH1, typical rolling stock of the railway's fleet. The car was in its four-colour livery, green, orange, blue and white, from which one could be given a somewhat strong impression in colouring. The car was smaller in size light in weight in contrast to equipment for ordinary heavy railways. This kind of light railcar is so designed as to meet the requirements of less-busy light lines, pursuing low cost in production and cost-effectiveness in maintenance. It utilizes bus technology in every possible aspect. The railway introduced this type of rolling stock when it originated in 1987, taking over the ex-national railway's (JNR's) Futamata Line, which was discontinued as a result of the JNR privatization. The introduction of this type of rolling stock was one of the key strategies for the railway in reducing operation cost, and thus enabled the start of a new rail service reviving the pitiful rural line abandoned by the old JNR.

Our single unit train started fairly well loaded with passengers. We took seats in a section just behind the front vestibule. Behind the cab was the passenger interface equipment for one-man operation, a ticket machine with an electric fare indication board on it. Our guide, Yuichi Nagabuchi made announcements at station stops, acting as a temporary guard. The train proceeded along the single track route with repetitive rail joint sounds typical of a single unit train. However, riding was smooth enough, probably because of the well maintained track bed. Outside of the windows it immediately turned to off-the-main-line scenery, with rice paddies, low hills and small woods alongside. At Chibata, the first loop, we met a railcar going down in the opposite direction. Enjoying a twenty-minute railbus ride, we arrived at Mikkabi, where the semi-open coach train, 'Torokko Soyokaze' meaning 'a trolley in a gentle breeze', was awaiting us. The weather grew worse, and finally it started raining.

The formation of the Torokko Soyokaze was two semi-open coaches, which were converted from open wagons, behind a type TH1 diesel railcar. The other end of the semi-open coach was a control cab, which allows push-pull operation in multiple-unit control mode. The train is in a nice brown and cream livery. Inside the coach was wooden interior, with wooden chairs and tables, which gave a really warm ambiance. On-board attendants were a guard and a female guide along with Yuichi Nagabuchi. The train started and we finally set out for a one hour and twenty minutes journey, feeling gentle breezes. Soon, a beautiful waterside sight of the Hamana Lake came into view, although visibility was not very good because of the dark weather. The train proceeds along the lake shore, and we sometimes found ourselves close to the lake itself. The water front we were seeing was actually Inohana Lake (wild boar's nose lake), an inlet of the main lake.

Among lakes in Japan, Hamana Lake is very special with its salty water. It is connected to the Ocean through a mouth, called Imagire Guchi, which breaks the long stretch of sands of the Sea of Enshu. Sea water comes in and out of the lake through this mouth according to the ebb and flow of the tide. The lake was once separated from the Ocean with a narrow sand belt forming a fresh-water lake. But, one day some hundred years ago, a typhoon hit and broke the sand belt, resulting in Hamana Lake being a unique sea water lake. When you travel across the western part of Shizuoka prefecture, whether by the Tokaido Shinkansen or the conventional Tokaido Main Line, you cross Hamana Lake by three bridges. At that time, the north side of your train is the main water area of scenic Hamana Lake. From the south side windows, you will see a high bridge of the national road #1 in the distance over the lake. Below the bridge is the mouth of Hamana Lake, Imagire Guchi, meaning now-broken mouth, where a rapid stream of sea water goes by.

Leaving Inohana Lake, the viaduct of Tomei Expressway came close to our route from the north. Then, it crossed over us and went away to the south. The northern landscape changed a more mountainous one with dense trees on a gradually rising slope. Again, Hamana Lake came into view, and the train rolled along the lakeside allowing us to see the lake beyond the road parallel to the track. The female attendant continued providing us with narrative guidance of the landscape along the line. On the lake water, frequently seen were flights of ducks here and there, which seemed to have newly migrated from Siberia this year. Thanks to her, we came to know that Hamana Lake is known as one of the most famous duck-breeding places. Now, we were around the deepest end of Hamana Lake, which is most scenic with small inlets and peninsulas forming an intricate landscape of the lake coast. The members were enjoying the semi-open coach ride, despite gloomy weather with worsened rain. Without window glazing, scenery was close at hand, providing us with favorable photographing opportunities.

As we left Nishi-Kiga, where we met a west-bound train again, the lake finally was gone to the south. The train proceeded for a while across rural scenery on flat land with rice fields at both sides. Then, the train began taking a fairly steep gradient in mountainous surroundings. Going through tunnels and cuttings, seen at both sides were densely grassed low cliffs with forests above them. Yuichi Nagabuchi informed us that we were now going up along the line's steepest section, 2.5 percent, and approaching to the summit. During the JNR Futamata Line days, there was freight work with steam haulage. Tenryu-Futamata (formally Totoumi-Futamata) based C58s used to gasp on this section climbing up the gradient with the assistance of a C58 behind. Even our diesel-powered train slowed down because of the continuous gradient. Emerging from the tunnel at the summit, our train resumed speed and rolled down to the open land at the edge of Mikatabara Plateau stretching north of Hamamatasu city. The train arrived in Miyaguchi, where a stop of an about ten minutes was provided because of a wait for another westward train. Around the station is a sparsely populated area with vegetable fields, farms and small thick woods. It is good for passengers to be able to get out of the train and walk around the station area at this rural spot.

The former JNR Futamata Line was opened in 1940, just before the outbreak of World War II. In the days nearing war, the construction of the line was boosted intending to secure a detour route of the Tokaido Main Line in case Hamana Bridges were destroyed by air attacks or attacks from battle ship guns. The line thrived most in the 50s and the early 60s, with both passenger and freight traffic. Goods transported by the line were logs, timber, cement, orange, tea, and so on. With a peak in 1965, the line's business rapidly declined, and the freight transportation was discontinued in 1987. My memory of the Futamata Line dates back to when I was a high-school student. I traveled along the eastern parts of the line between Kakegawa and Nishi-Kajima. The train was a semi-streamlined diesel railcar Kiha 07, which operated by means of mechanical transmission. The second memory of the line was several years later when I was a university student. I traveled along the entire route from Toyohashi through Kakegawa (the Futamata Line trains used to go onto the Tokaido Main Line as far as Toyohashi). The rolling stock at that time was a two-car Kiha 10 series. I enjoyed seeing token exchanging work at each interlocking loop and wire-operated semaphores, with which I was not very familiar. The fourth experience was about 20 years ago with my small daughter on a Kiha 20 series diesel train between Kakegawa and Totoumi-Futamata. The train was almost empty and I worried about the fate of the line because of the proposed government policy of abandoning less-traveled rural lines. The fifth ride on the line was three years ago when I had a return trip between Kakegawa and Shinjohara with Oliver Mayer, the German JRS coordinator. The line was already the current Tenryu Futamata Railway, so we traveled in a type TH1 diesel railcar. Now, I could be enjoying the sixth experience of the line, but the scenery along the line remains almost unchanged and I thought I would never be fed up with this nostalgic railway ambiance.

Leaving Miyaguchi, the next stop is Nishi-Kajima, an interchange with the Enshu Railway, which connects to Hamamatsu. We were coming back to this station after the visit to Tenryu-Futamata depot to go to Hamamatsu. The train passed by the Enshu Railway's depot and we caught a glimpse of some electric cars in their red livery resting in the depot sidings. After a station stop at Nishi-Kajima, our train took the final run towards Tenryu-Futamata. Meanwhile, we crossed the great Tenryu River, seeing a magnificent suspended road bridge just upstream of us. Passing through a tunnel, now we were entering the town of Futamata, which is situated in a valley area. With a tall supermarket building, catching a little bit an urban atmosphere, we finally arrived at Tenryu-Futamata. Tenryu-Futamata is the line's most strategic point with its head quarters and an engine depot, where all diesel railcars and on-board crews are based. Having densely forested mountainous areas just behind, the town of Futamata once prospered with the logging and timber industry. The station used to be busy shipping logs and timber loaded on open wagons. Thus, the station still retains a wide yard area, but we could not see any rails in the area. Being escorted by Yuichi Nagabuchi, we got into the old JNR's Totomi-Futamata engine depot in drizzling rain.

In the engine depot were an assortment of old JNR wooden facilities, a roundhouse with a turntable in front, a crew management office and a maintenance building, as well as an old water tower, all of which were remnants from good old days of railways. Missing were steam and a smell of burnt coal. The rolling stock we now see are light diesel railcars, but once C58s and Kiha 20 DMUs were dominant in this depot area.

Finishing the tour of the Tenryu-Futamata engine depot, we got to Hamamatsu via Nishi-Kajima and the Enshu Railway. Some members went back to Tokyo, and the others went to Toyohashi for accommodation for the next day's further enthusiastic activities.

Type TH1 light diesel railcar. One may be given a somewhat strong impression of colour with its livery. Taken in August 1998.	At Mikkabi, the semi-open coach train, 'Torokko Soyokaze' was awaiting us. At one end of the semi-open coach was a control cab, which allows push-pull operation in multiple-unit control mode.	Soon, a beautiful waterside sight of the Hamana Lake came into view, although visibility was not very good because of the dark weather.
We sometimes found ourselves close to the water.	Leaving the lake, the train entered mountainous surroundings.	The viaduct of the Tomei Expressway came close to our route from the north. Then, it crossed over us and went away to the south.
The female attendant providing us with narrative guidance of the landscape along the line.	Now, we were around the deepest end of Hamana Lake, which is most scenic with small inlets and peninsulas forming an intricate landscape of the lakeside.	The train takes a rest at Miyaguchi while waiting for another westward train. Around the station is a sparsely populated area with vegetable fields, farms and small thick woods.
We crossed the great Tenryu River, seeing a magnificent suspended road bridge just upstream of us.	In the engine depot were an assortment of old JNR wooden facilities, a roundhouse with a turntable in front, a crew management office and a maintenance building, as well as an old water tower, all of which are remnants from good old days of railways.	Enshu Railway Nishikajima station, from where we went to Hamamatsu.

All photos were taken by the author in October 2000, unless specified.

Click here for more detailed information and photos of the roundhouse.