In the previous blog, the story went awry, so I will write again what I was trying to write last time.
"Goshawk, a bird of prey that has advanced into the city" will be posted on this next blog.
It is a continuation from the first half of the previous blog.
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Even though it is a long autumn night, the time when the stars were seen cannot be taken so long after 3 o'clock.
Although unsatisfactory, the old man and the young man enjoyed the starry sky.
After dawn, I took a nap with Gudaguda and filled my stomach with the leftovers from last night.
Below are some photos from that time.
As the autumn leaves fall, the young man points his camera at the tunnel in memory of history.
This is the site of the former Shin-Etsu Main Line, between Yokokawa and Karuizawa on the Usui Pass. It was opened in 1893, 127 years ago, when I wrote this blog. It had been in operation for a fairly long period of 70 years until it was transferred to the new line in 1963 (Showa 38). The Shin-Etsu Main Line was closed in 1997 (1997) with the opening of the Shinkansen, and the operation period of the new line is 34 years, which is less than half of the 70 years of the old line, which is quite short.
This place is a special place in the history of Japanese railways, the most steep place in the JR railway network. The slope is 66.7 per mil (‰). Since it is 66.7 / 1,000, it is a steep slope that climbs 66.7 meters for every 1,000 meters of horizontal distance. The reason why such a steep slope was necessary is that the elevation difference between Yokokawa, Karuizawa, and 11.2 kilometers is as large as 553 meters.
How amazing this Usui Pass was is that it is almost the same as climbing from Lake Okutama in Tokyo to Kazehari Pass ₍1146m on the Okutama Shuyu Road.
This also continues to climb the section of 11 km with an altitude difference of 563 meters, which is almost the same as the Usui Pass, and the maximum gradient is 70 ‰.
It's not a big deal if you drive, but you can fully enjoy the greatness of a bicycle.
I feel that it is quite amazing that the railway goes up and down on the same slope!
When the manager himself went on the Okutama Shuyu Road by bicycle, he was defeated on the slope and could not climb without taking a break.
A special method was used to overcome this steep slope of 66.7 ‰ on the former Shin-Etsu Line. A gear ₍rack) was laid between the rails, and the rack and the gear ₍pinion built into the vehicle were laid together to prevent the train from slipping. The racks were installed in three rows with a 120-degree shift, and the system was always in mesh with the pinion of the train. This method is called the Abt rack. At the Railway Museum in Omiya, the electric locomotive ED40 that was running in this place at that time and the mechanism of the abt rack are explained in detail along with the real thing. It seems that maintenance was very difficult, such as inspection, repair and oiling, because this abt rack, speed restrictions, and sometimes the teeth of the rack were chipped.
After becoming a new line, we adopted a line that relied only on the adhesive strength of the wheels and the line, like the general line, instead of the abt type. The new line is also 66.7 ‰, and of course the slope is too steep, so ordinary trains cannot pass through Usui Pass alone. Here, in order to safely climb up and down steep slopes, the specially designed electric locomotive EF63 double heading was used and connected to the trains going to and from the pass to capture the slope.
The former Shin-Etsu Main Line, now the rails have been removed, but the tunnels are left as they were at that time and are open to the public for free as a promenade. The road on the site of the track is called "Apt Road" after the Abt rack.
This time I followed this Abt Road.
The open tunnel is well lit and in good condition
There are several free parking lots around the "Apt Road". This time, I parked my car at Usui Lake Parking, which is adjacent to National Highway No. 18, and took a walk on the "Apt Road".
In addition to steep slopes, 26 tunnels and 18 bridges were constructed in the sections of the former Shin-Etsu Main Line, Yokogawa, and Karuizawa to capture the mountainous areas. If you follow this Abt Road, you can go through those tunnels, cross bridges, and follow the place where the railroad was running at that time.
As it is designated as a national important cultural property, the inside of the tunnel is very well maintained and the lighting is fully lit.
You can enjoy it with your family, even if you have small children.
Third bridge, the largest bridge on the former Shin-Etsu main line, 91 meters long and 31 meters high
You can cross the famous bridge by climbing the old line while going through several tunnels.
A brick arch bridge commonly known as "Megane Bridge".
It is the largest brick arch bridge in Japan with a total length of 90 meters and a height of 31 meters.
The construction of this bridge used 2 million bricks, which is overwhelming when viewed from below.
Looking up at the bridge from just below, you will be overwhelmed by its weight.
Construction started in 1891 and completed in 1893 over a two-year period.
The number of bricks used is said to be 2 million.
I know it's a huge amount, but I can't get a good idea of it.
Compared to others, it is roughly equivalent to the number of parts of a medium-sized commercial jet, or the number of parts of the largest "Millennium Falcon" in Lego toys is 7,541, which is equivalent to 265 boxes. It's hard to understand.
As a famous building, the total number of bricks used at Tokyo Station is about 9 million, which is 4.5 times that of this bridge. The number of bricks is 1 / 4.5 of that of Tokyo Station.
By the way, the construction of Tokyo Station began in earnest in 1908, 15 years after the bridge was completed. You can see the history of this bridge.
As you climb further from the third bridge and approach the end point, the tunnel feels dark, is it a sign of spirit?
As you walk along the promenade, you can feel the turbulent modern history of Japan from the 70 years that the railway ran through from the Meiji era to the Showa era, the passage of time from the abandoned railway line to the present, and the piled bricks. ..
The end of the promenade is just around the corner.
Looking back at the last tunnel on the promenade
Perhaps not many tourists come to this point, the atmosphere of the place changes drastically.
There is also a memorial monument in this place, where many people died in a landslide disaster about 70 years ago.
Even now, the spirits of those who died in the accident may not be Buddhahood and may be lost.
View the direction of Karuizawa on the new track from the old Kumanodaira signal box
After passing through the last tunnel, you will reach the old Kumanodaira signal box, the end point of "Apt Road".
Join the new line here. Twenty-three years have already passed since the new line was abolished.
The rails of the new line are left as they are, and although they are rusty, the atmosphere is such that trains are about to run.
It seems that you can hear the roar of the EF63 locomotive of the double heading at any moment.
The caretaker once went down from Karuizawa to Yokokawa in the 90's. I got on a regular train, and in the spring of the season, I enjoyed the steepest slope of the JR line in Japan while looking at the locomotive (EF63) that opened the window and worked hard in front of me. The real thrill that you can't enjoy on a limited express that doesn't open the window.
The train departs from Karuizawa Station, and when it approaches a steep slope, the locomotive in front makes a tremendous noise.
The locomotive EF63 brakes and slowly descends the slope while emitting tremendous heat, and the heat reaches the caretaker in the vehicle behind.
The area around the vehicle was hot and the air was swaying and there was a heat haze.
In order to keep the train speed constant on steep slopes, a huge amount of resistance heat was generated from the dynamic brake, and the sound of a powerful blower installed to quickly release the heat was heard.
This electric locomotive EF63, which specializes in mountain passes, was also called "Sherpa of the mountain pass".
It has become a railway tradition that can no longer be experienced.
The tunnel on the left side of the photo is the old line, the two tunnels on the right side are the new line, and there are many tunnels ahead, but the Abt Road ends here.
The photo of the tunnel posted on the previous blog is one of the old tunnels in the future.
In the old line era, there was a station called Kumanodaira, and it was also a place to exchange up and down lines until the transition to the new line in 1963.
The down train that went up the hill from Yokogawa exchanges for the up train that went down the hill from Karuizawa at this Kumanodaira station, and then goes up the hill to reach Karuizawa station.
At that time, the electrified section ended there in Karuizawa. Beyond that, the steam locomotive D51 towed the train.
It's an irresistible journey for railroad enthusiasts who are likely to get goosebumps just by thinking about it.
Such managers also like railways.
So, the group who returned from the old Kumanodaira signal box and finished the walk went home with a cheek of Kamameshi at Yokokawa.
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the end
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