Keihan Keishin Line pre-subway footage

[Densha]

Keihan Keishin Line cab view videos recorded aboard a Keihan 80 type in 1997, just before the replacement of a large section of the overground line by the Kyōto subway Tōzai line. If you look carefully you can see the works for the subway and lengthening of platforms going on.
 
Hamaōtsu - Sanjō:

 

Sanjō - Hamaōtsu:

 

For comparison reasons a cab view video of Hamaōtsu - Uzumasa-Tenjingawa in 2015:

 

 

But that's not all, there's even more footage from 1997:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k3UTdzIXFw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lzBrEt8lxQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfeS4OgqEm4

[katoftw]

That is pretty cool.  Kind of makes you thankful something like the Randen didn't get eaten up by subways also.  Plenty of the South-East parts of the Randen share similar routes to subways, so planning could've gone differently.

[Sacto1985]

Was that nearly finished connection to the Kyoto Subway line shown around 13:30 to 13:40 of the first video (EDIT: and 12:35 to 12:50 of the second video) posted?

Edited July 18, 2015 by Sacto1985

[katoftw]

Looked like it.  Tracks into a underground tunnel.

[Das Steinkopf]

It's interesting seeing the difference between now and then, Otsu has changed so much in such a short period of time, the Toyoko Inn where I stayed on the Nishi Oumi Highway was not there and the yard at Shinomiya had a car shed in it. I hope to go back there in a couple of years time as I really enjoyed my stay in the area, we are looking at staying in Kyoto instead of Otsu but we are planning on spending a day going along the Keihan Keishin and Ishiyama Sakamoto lines as well as some sightseeing around Lake Biwa.

[Sacto1985]

By the way, it's not hard to figure out why Keihin decided to connect the Keishin Line with Kyoto Subway Tōzai Line. I think they did it for two reasons: 1) eliminate the street-level running from Keihin-Sanjō to Misasagi Station to reduce street traffic congestion in eastern Kyoto and 2) provide a more convenient way for tourists from Kyoto to visit the many historic sites in the Ōtsu area.

[Densha]

Was that nearly finished connection to the Kyoto Subway line shown around 13:30 to 13:40 of the first video (EDIT: and 12:35 to 12:50 of the second video) posted?

Yes it is. Just look at the 2015 video at 14:20: https://youtu.be/ClNWefdS8Wg?t=14m20s

 

By the way, it's not hard to figure out why Keihin decided to connect the Keishin Line with Kyoto Subway Tōzai Line. I think they did it for two reasons: 1) eliminate the street-level running from Keihin-Sanjō to Misasagi Station to reduce street traffic congestion in eastern Kyoto and 2) provide a more convenient way for tourists from Kyoto to visit the many historic sites in the Ōtsu area.

From Sanjō to Yamashina the underground Tōzai Line runs the same route as the overground Keishin Line did (except some stations that were eliminated on the Tōzai Line) so it was only a matter of building the connection between both lines. Obviously street running through Kyoto was unwanted as well, but I think that it is mainly a solution that all parties came up with together to provide a rapid east-west connection in Kyoto and between Kyoto and surrounding areas.

[Sacto1985]

Densha,

 

I believe that Keihan kept the street running of the Keishin Line trains through Ōtsu because the street traffic in Ōtsu to and from Hamaōtsu Station is not really that great. Mind you, Hamaōtsu Station does get a lot of railfans (to be more specific, anime fans) because the trams on the Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line are famous for being decked out in an anime-themed livery and anytime Keihin debuts a new anime-themed livery, the fans show up in large numbers.

[Densha]

I believe that Keihan kept the street running of the Keishin Line trains through Ōtsu because the street traffic in Ōtsu to and from Hamaōtsu Station is not really that great.

Can you explain yourself? I don't understand why they would keep running on the street in Ōtsu because there is busy street traffic. In case of busy street traffic it would make sense to convert it to an underground line.

 

I don't know why the Keishin Line doesn't go underground in Ōtsu. Maybe there were no funds available?

[cteno4]

Densha,

 

I think it was how he worded it "the street traffic ... is really not that great" means not much street traffic, so room for the streetcars.

 

Jeff

[Sacto1985]

cteno4, I think I may not have been clear. 

 

If you look at the first video before the Keihan Keishin line connected with the Kyoto Subway, note that even in 1997, the old 80 Series EMU's had to deal with a lot of street traffic while street running in Kyoto east of the old line terminus at Keihan-Sanjō Station. Small wonder why Keihan jumped at a chance to essentially end street running in the Kyoto area by connecting the Keishin Line with the Kyoto Subway Tōzai Line, which also meant Keishin Line trains could now travel into the center of Kyoto, creating a convenient way for tourists to access the Ōtsu area with its many historical sites. (EDIT: I also wonder did Keihan also do this because with the old Keishin Line configuration, passenger traffic was falling by the 1990's because the line didn't reach central Kyoto; this new connection probably resolved that issue.)

 

I think Keihan kept the street running in the Ōtsu area not only to save costs, but also because it appears there isn't the level of street traffic in Ōtsu around Hamaōtsu Station that seriously interferes with train operations in and out of the station.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Sacto1985

[katoftw]

Before Tokai-do was built, I'd guess Sanjo Dori was the main road artery between Otsu and Kyoto.  Makes sense to move the rails underground.  As for the area around central Otsu.  It would be cost prohibitive to move 1000m of street running rail underground in a not a busy street environment.

[Sacto1985]

As for the area around central Otsu.  It would be cost prohibitive to move 1000m of street running rail underground in a not a busy street environment.

 

Mind you, it wasn't exactly cheap to upgrade the Keishin Line with its connection to the Kyoto Subway--they had to purchase the longer 800 Series EMU trainsets, build longer platforms on every above ground station from Keihan-Yamashina eastwards, and upgrade the overhead power from 600 V DC to 1,500 V DC for compatibility with the Kyoto Subway's overhead power lines (which also meant upgrading the Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line going through Ōtsu to 1,500 V DC overhead power).

[katoftw]

The term "cost-prohibitive" is probably wrong for me to use.  More like the money required to move the central Otsu rails under ground isn't worth the large final costs for the little gains produced.

[Densha]

(which also meant upgrading the Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line going through Ōtsu to 1,500 V DC overhead power).

For some reason I assumed the short section around Hamaōtsu station would have a switch for switching the overhead current between 600V and 1500V. But maybe I just made that assumption because you see that often in Europe and because I did not look it up first...

 

Anyway, I researched a bit on the Japanese wikipedia and I found some interesting details (in chronological order):

- Keihan 700 type trains already supported 1500V DC when they were built in 1992.

- Keihan 600 type trains were rebuilt in 1993-1994 to support 1500V DC overhead current.

- Between November 1996 and July 1997 every night after the last train in the evening and first train in the morning the voltage was raised to 1500V DC on the Keishin Line for test running with the 800 series.

- On 12 November 1997 the Keihan Keishin Line and Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line both definitely changed to 1500V DC overhead current and through services on the Tōzai Line started. On this day the overground section Misasagi - Sanjō was obviously abolished. Changing the voltage also meant that older rolling stock that did not support 1500V DC was definitely taken out of service on this day.

 

 

P.S. I'm never doing this again, too much kanji had to be read...

[Das Steinkopf]

Came across some more footage today of the final days of the Kyoto above ground section, it looks like they have taken it from Shinomiya to Sanjo, it was also interesting to see how many people were along the streets taking photos and videos of the train.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2016 by Das Steinkopf

[Mudkip Orange]

I'm curious if the 600 series ever had the ability to stop at low platforms. It looks like those stations could only be served by the series 80s...

[katoftw]

600 wouldn't have been able to.  It doesn't have the step down door area like the 80 series or trams have.

[Das Steinkopf]

Came across this fairly nice and crisp video tonight from 1997.

 

https://youtu.be/yj5P4M0mOrE

[Sacto1985]

That newest video mentioned clearly showed why Keihan decided to essentially turn the Keishin Line into an extension of the Kyoto Tozai Subway Line--note the large amount of motor vehicle traffic the older 80 Series EMU trams had to deal with running on the streets of eastern Kyoto.

[Das Steinkopf]

That newest video mentioned clearly showed why Keihan decided to essentially turn the Keishin Line into an extension of the Kyoto Tozai Subway Line--note the large amount of motor vehicle traffic the older 80 Series EMU trams had to deal with running on the streets of eastern Kyoto.

 

I have to agree with you there regarding the traffic, in a number of videos I have watched from the late 1980's up until it's closure you can see how heavy the traffic has become and the impact on services, it must have been an operational nightmare especially with trying to run the 500 and 600 Series units on limited express services during the peak hour rush with the level of congestion. I think safety concerns also played a big part in the demise of the street running, when you look at how the line jumps on and off Sanjo Dori between Keage and Misasagi the trains generally gathered a fair bit of pace on sections of line that are on their own before merging onto the road, god forbid if the brakes failed as they were about to merge with the road traffic.

[bill937ca]

More video posted about one month ago, by RVDRV.

 

Edited March 13, 2017 by bill937ca