【未来都市】次々来る富山の路面電車を見に行ってみた！
At the very impressive Toyama Station, there’s a streetcar stop right in front of the Shinkansen ticket gates. It’s rare to see such a sight so unconventional in Japan. Hello everyone! This is the Railroad Travel Channel! This time, I’ll be taking a look at the streetcars that run into Toyama Station. There are already two trains waiting to enter. Trains arrive with incredible frequency. The platform is packed with them. A train bound for Minami-Toyama Station is about to depart. A train bound for Iwasehama has arrived. Iwasehama Station has an unusual history. It was once a JR Toyamako Line station. JR once operated the Toyamako Line, connecting Toyama Station to Iwasehama. At the time, it was a typical local line, with trains running every few minutes and few passengers, and it was discontinued in 2006. So, there was talk of converting these tracks into an LRT (Light Rail Transit) or streetcar line, and it is now a very successful line operated by the Toyama Chiho Railway. Toyama City has long had a tram line, the Toyama Tramway Line (shown on the right side of the route map). Until 2020, the former JR Toyama Port Line and the City Tramway Line were separate, but with the elevation of Toyama Station, the north-south route now operates as a single line. Trains operate in a complex yet regular pattern at Toyama Station. The basic line, shown in orange, consists of two lines. This line arrives at Toyama Station from Minami-Toyama Station (shown in the upper right) and switches back. It then runs toward Toyama University. Trains from Iwasehama, as mentioned earlier, head to various stations within the city without requiring transfers. There is also the light blue circular line, which also switches back. The circular line has a single-track section and runs right around the castle, making it even more fun. A train arrives. Since it ‘s bound for Minami-Toyama Station, we can tell that it’s a train that arrived from Toyama University. The old train pulls into the futuristic platform. Immediately after arriving, the driver comes from the other side to the driver’s cab on this side and makes his way back without a break. It’s quite fascinating , isn’t it? Incidentally, the timetable for Minami-Toyama Station from this station is surprisingly frequent. There are 11 trains in the 8 o’clock hour, and 8 during the day. Isn’t it amazing that this is just the timetable for Minami-Toyama Station? There are also trains with various destinations. Oh, and the switches at this station have a unique mechanism; take a closer look. Can you see that the track is currently set to go straight? But a train is coming from the right! That’s dangerous, isn’t it? This is called a spring point, and it pushes up the tracks, allowing trains coming from the other side of the screen to pass through. Isn’t that a bit too nerdy? This train is bound for Iwasehama, so it will pass through the station and stop on the platform on the other side. There’s a level crossing in the middle of the platform, so it will stop for a moment. Now, a train on the loop line is approaching. Let’s pay close attention to its movement. A train bound for Toyama University is parked at the platform, and it needs to leave first. Once the Toyama University-bound train leaves, the platform becomes clear. The Loop Line train should arrive shortly. Here it is! It looks like it’s entering the platform on the right. Ahead of us is a railroad crossing? Perhaps a crosswalk would be more accurate. There’s a traffic light there, and an announcement repeatedly warns, “Do not cross.” And so the Loop Line train pulls in safely . The next Loop Line train, bound for Minami Toyama Station, also arrives. This one is an older train. The newer trains are comfortable and have no bumps. Even with this frequency, it gets really crowded when it’s busy. The newer trains are convenient because they have many cars attached. Now, the next train is bound for Toyama University. The sign only says “University Front,” which adds a nice touch. At the intersection in the back of the screen, the tracks split into two directions: straight ahead and left turn. They merge here and arrive at Toyama Station. Let’s get a closer look at the intersection. Trains arrive continuously, most traveling in two directions, either turning left or continuing straight. They merge here to form a single track and flow into Toyama Station. But what do you see here? If you look closely, you’ll see a track leading from the left side of the image to the back. Looking at the route map, all trains stop at Toyama Station, so they shouldn’t take a shortcut here. Upon investigation, I discovered that this track was once the city line during the time of the division of north and south. I don’t think commercial trains run here under the current operating system, but perhaps one train runs there per day. It’s still double-tracked. Going straight ahead, there’s a fork further back, where the Loop Line and the Toyama University-bound trains split into two. I often used the Loop Line. The Loop Line is convenient for sightseeing around the city. The track on the left is bound for Minami-Toyama Station. The Loop Line is one-way, so it doesn’t pass through here. Now, let’s look south from the Iwasehama area. This station appears to have eight platforms and four tracks, for a total of four tracks. The central island is reserved for disembarking passengers only, effectively separating the tracks. If you turn around, you can see the north exit. In the past, the tracks weren’t connected, so it must have been even more inconvenient. The plaza at the north exit is also beautifully maintained. When JR was running above ground, there must have been tracks around here. It was also very nice during the Hokuriku Main Line era. But with the introduction of the Shinkansen, it’s become even more convenient. There’s a traffic light where the tracks cross. It’s futuristic and quite fun. During the Hokuriku Main Line era, there was a bus stop where we’re standing now. You can see what it looked like back then on Street View. I think this vacant lot is probably the remains of an abandoned railway line. It has the unique atmosphere of an abandoned railway line. So , I’d like to end with the north exit. Thank you for watching.
こんにちは。鉄旅チャンネルです。
動画で一緒に旅をしましょう！
【この動画の内容について】
富山駅に行った際に路面電車に注目して観察してみました。
道路はもちろん、広場を走る路面電車って何かとヨーロッパ感があると思うんですよね。
そんな未来都市富山の姿をぜひお楽しみください。
【目次】
00:00 オープニング
00:50 かつてのJR富山港線
01:46 複雑な路線図
03:15 驚異の本数
05:50 不思議な交差点
07:15 北口を見てみよう
チャンネル登録と高評価をよろしくお願いします！