STREETCAR USED ON KITANO LINE
This page duplicates the contents of a leaflet distributed by Kitano Depot in 1960's when Car No. 27 was displayed there.
STREETCAR USED ON KITANO LINEThis page duplicates the contents of a leaflet distributed by Kitano Depot in 1960's when Car No. 27 was displayed there.
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On 31 January 1895, the Kyoto Electric Railways Co. opened a streetcar line between Kyoto Station and Kyobashi in Fushimi. This narrow gauge line, 1.067 meters wide, was the first in Japan. Apart from this, Kyoto City began running streetcars on a standard gauge line, 1.435 meters wide, from 11 June 1912. From that date on, the city opened line after line. On 7 July 1918, Kyoto City bought the private lines in the city. Some were converted to standard gauge rails, while others were taken out of service. The network of city lines as seen today gradually came into being. Only the Kitano Line, because of special circumstances was left to run on the narrow gauge rails. The street car exhibited here was in use for sixty-six long years from when it was first put in service on the Kitano Line on 24 September 1895. Known popularly as the "chin-chin densha", it served the people of the city. It is the oldest type of streetcars in Jpaan.
The bodies of these streetcars gradually aged and considerations of upkeep and their load limits finally forced them to be taken out of service on 31 July 1961. Today, new buses run the Kitano route serving Kyotoites. (Text as the original.)
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 Car No. 9 crossing Horikawa Creek. | |||||||||||||
Kitano Line at Time of Suspension
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| The reliefs on the wall of Children's Cultural Hall, which occupies the site of former Kitano Depot, model after the route map of Kitano Line. |
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