JR Tadami Line: Back After 11 Years

On October 1, the JR Tadami Line resumed full operation for the first time in 11 years.

Welcome back, Tadami Line!

The line, which was partially closed due to flood damage, has now been restored, bringing smiles to the faces of the locals.

When the service resumed, people both on and off the train could be seen waving and expressing their joy.

I'm so happy. I'm crying.

It's been a long time!

In today's program, we're taking a look at the JR Tadami Line and the challenges it had to overcome.

Operated by JR East, the Tadami Line, which opened in 1971, spans a total of 135km between Fukushima and Niigata Prefectures.

Running along the Tadami River, the Tadami Line is known for its spectacular scenery.

Breathtaking views make it a favorite among railfans and photographers.

However, a declining birthrate, aging population, and an increase in motorists, has seen ridership drop.

In 1986, Japanese National Railways announced that the Tadami Line was one of 83 lines running at a loss.

As such, it was in danger of being closed.

However, the area along the line receives some of the heaviest snowfall in Japan.

With the national highway closed in winter, the Tadami Line remained the only means of transportation for local residents.

In light of this, the line was exempt from closure.

But that was before a natural disaster struck the Tadami Line.

In July 2011, heavy rain in the region caused extensive damage to the Tadami Line.

Flood water washed away bridges and landslides damaged the tracks.

As a result, a 27.6km section between Aizu-Kawaguchi and Tadami Stations in Fukushima Prefecture, an area hard-hit by the disaster, was suspended.

To cover the suspended section, a replacement bus service was introduced.

There were numerous discussions between JR East and the local governments concerning how best to restore the section.

JR East estimated that reconstruction would cost 8.5 billion yen.

Before the disaster, daily ridership for this section
of the line was only around eight passengers.

Rather than spending 8.5 billion yen on restoring
the railway, we thought the money could be used to invest in a better mode of
transportation or regional development.

Instead of restoring the line, we proposed
switching to a bus service.

However, the local governments were pushing for the complete restoration of the line.

The Tadami Line was a popular scenic route
among tourists from Japan and overseas.

Seeing it as a regional asset, many locals wanted
to restore the line to revitalize the region.

These discussions continued for six years.

Fukushima Prefecture pushed to have the line fully restored, even if it meant paying partial construction and maintenance costs, estimated at 300 million yen per year.

In 2017, an agreement was finally reached to restore the line entirely.

Initially, the local governments agreed to pay
a portion of the restoration costs.

But this wasn't enough to convince JR East.

Vertical separation was then proposed
as a way to restore the line.

Vertical separation refers to a system that separates the business of operating a train from the burden of maintaining and managing its facilities.

With vertical separation, the local government is responsible for the "bottom"; facilities such as the tracks, stations, and railroad crossings.

The railway company is responsible for the "top"; the business of operating the train.

The railway company collects the train fare and pays the local government a fee for using the facilities.

In the case of the Tadami Line, Fukushima Prefecture owns and manages the tracks and facilities along the 27.6 km section.

JR East rents the facilities and operate the trains.

The ownership of the land and facilities was transferred
to Fukushima Prefecture free of charge.

We pay usage fees. However, if the operation
runs at a loss, the fees are waived.

Since ridership in this section is low,
we don't have to pay usage fees.

In 2018, restoration work started on the Tadami Line.

Construction took four years.

The three bridges washed away by the flood were rebuilt.

Finally, the Tadami Line resumed service.

The trains now runs three round-trips per day just like it did before the disaster.

For the first time in 11 years, trains are back, operating on the entire line.

Many fans and tourists have been coming to ride the trains, just in time for the fall sightseeing season.

JR East has also been running special trains, mainly on weekends and holidays, to commemorate the resumption of service.

For the local government, however, this is a critical time.

The restored section runs through the most depopulated area in Fukushima Prefecture, with the high percentage of senior citizens.

The maintenance cost was about 300 million yen.

Fukushima Prefecture and the 17 municipalities in the Aizu region including towns where the trains don't operate agreed to share the maintenance cost.

The Tadami Line ran at a loss before the disaster.
We knew the financial burden we were taking on.

But the Tadami Line is a treasure for the Aizu
region and Fukushima Prefecture.

So we are committed to keep the line running.

It's great to see the Tadami Line restoring its full operation despite the enormous costs.

That was quite a big event as well wasn't it?

Yes indeed.

You know, 11 years probably was a too long period for a railway line to be out of service but still this is a good news.

This reminds me of my own experience of being on the Tadami line something like 35 years ago as a student.

So, vertical separation, that is quite common in Europe, but not so common in Japan. Why is that so?

Well, there is fundamental difference in people's view over the railway services between Japan and in Europe.

And I understand in Europe, people take it for granted that the public money or tax payer's money would be used for supporting the railway services, am I right?

Yes, in Germany it's like that and coming to Japan I was surprised to see just how many Japanese railways are privatized.

Here in Japan, the railway operators are basically a vertically integrated.

And that fact means that people along the line are actually not ready to use their pot of money or their pot of public money for supporting the railway services.

And this should change I think, because there are many more railway lines struggling for survival all across Japan and this Tadami Line model is something that can be implemented elsewhere.

And if people are ready to implement that, they should be used to the idea of using their pot of money, their pot of public money for supporting the railway service.

Right. The locals along the line are super excited to welcome it back and welcoming some tourist, so let's see what they're doing.

This is Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, the first station on the Tadami Line.

Departing from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, the train meanders through the Aizu Basin along the Tadami River, eventually entering the mountainous region known as "Oku-Aizu."

The 11th station from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, Aizu-Yanaizu Station is the gateway to hot spring resorts.

Waiting for the train's arrival wearing a Japanese "happi" coat featuring a picture of a train is Ms. Sakai Haruko who established a company to support the Tadami Line.

Ms. Sakai's main activities include planning, producing, and selling sweets and Tadami Line goodies made from local produce.

On weekends, she boards the local trains to sell goodies and provide sightseeing tours.

We will soon be crossing the third rail bridge
over the Tadami River.

You can see the beautiful river on both sides.

Ms. Sakai was born and raised in Tadami Town.

After graduating from college in Kyoto, she returned to her hometown.

She used to work at a local tourist association but when she heard the Tadami Line was being revived, Ms. Sakai decided to established her own company with a friend.

Locals waited 11 years to ride the train.

Also, there are many first-time visitors.

Their satisfaction is our goal,
but we've had feedback like, "there aren't enough places to eat"
or "it's difficult to get around."

So we will try to solve these
issues one by one.

This is Aizu-Nishikata Station.

Near the station there's a place where visitors can see a stunning view of the Tadami Line.

Climbing up the promenade, there is a viewpoint from where visitors can see the Tadami River and the Tadami Line's bridge.

Many tourists and railfans stand by with their cameras ready.

A train runs along the Tadami Line.

Camera's click as the waiting on-lookers endeavor to capture the spectacular scenery.

I saw the beautiful autumn leaves online.
That's why we came here.

It's wonderful.

It's my first time. The scenery is amazing.

Even before the disaster, the Tadami Line was known among railfans as a "secluded and scenic railroad."

There is a local photographer who has helped popularize the Tadami Line by showcasing the spectacular scenery that can be seen along the way.

This is Mr. Hoshi Kenkou.

He is known as the man who photographs the Tadami Line 300 days a year.

Mr. Hoshi continues to photograph the scenery along the Tadami Line and in Oku-Aizu daily.

He promotes the Tadami Line and the region by sharing his photos with people in Japan and abroad via social media.

Mr. Hoshi's photographs have been featured in foreign magazines and newspapers, attracting overseas visitors to the Oku-aitu region.

The Tadami Line is like a mountain
railway in Switzerland.

People visit there from around the world to ride
the train and to see the magnificent Alps.

That's an economic ripple effect. And
the same thing is happening here.

People visit the Tadami Line to
take pictures of the scenery.

Even if the Tadami Line's
sales stay the same, eventually, people will spend a lot
more money on the area.

The Tadami Line is vital to the region.

Mr. Hoshi's activities have brought many railfans and photographers to the area.

Because of this, the local governments along the line have created these photo spots.

At this unstaffed station, people can be seen waving to the revived train.

The people waving are staff members from Kanayama Town Hall.

On weekends, they like to welcome the passengers.

On this day, an annual autumn festival sponsored by the town was held near the station.

The festival's mood was full of joy for the reopening of the Tadami Line.

Here, children are writing messages and drawing pictures to welcome the return of the line.

It's not just about reconnecting routes, the Tadami Line will revitalize the towns,
areas, and people along the line.

This is just the beginning. We've
just taken the first step.

We have to keep trying our best.

The train heads further to the section that was closed.

Here at Tadami Station, the fall sightseeing season has come, bringing many tourists.

I came here to ride the Tadami Line.

It was nice to be on the train here
after 11 years.

At the moment the trains only makes three round trips.
It would be nice to have one or two more.

A new town-run information center has opened in front of Tadami Station to coincide with the reopening of the Tadami Line.

The center offers various services.

Here, you can buy local souvenirs, get sightseeing information, and even rent bicycles.

In 2014, Fukushima Prefecture, together with local governments along the line, established the "Tadami Line Support Group."

The group promotes the utilization of the Tadami Line, collects donations to help revitalize the line, and recruits members.

To become a member, individuals should donate a minimum of 2,000 yen.

Currently, there are more than 64,000 members.

By showing their support group membership card at participating stores and guest houses, members can receive discounts and special offers.

One such store is this confectionery store in Tadami Town.

For every purchase of a 1,000 yen or more, they offer a free treat.

At this traditional Miso store...

You get one free packet of ramen with
a purchase of over 2,000 yen.

The special packaging for their ramen, celebrating the resumption of the Tadami Line, was also introduced.

The revival of the Tadami Line has brought many tourists to Tadami Town.

However, the town needs to continue promoting the themselves and the utilization of the Tadami Line if they are to keep up with the financial burden of maintaining the railway.

Vertical separation was not our first option.

Tadami Town will have to cover
19 million yen per year.

The financial burden is substantial. Now we have to
bring visitors to the town to revitalize the community.

But, if we focus on PR, I believe we
can recoup the 19 million yen.

Ryo, it's great to see the Tadami Line back but with but only three round trips per day, it's quite crowded, a little bit impractical, what can they do?

Well, the answer actually is simple, more trains a day, and more cars in a train.

But this simple thing is not necessary easy to implement.

For example, Tadami Line is single track railway and a single track railway normally needs passing loops at stations at proper intervals

so that up trains and down trains can pass each other.

And if you want to increase the number of trains per day, then sometimes you might have to increase the number of passing loops,

and this means a significant investment in infrastructure.

But if you want to increase the number of the trains from three per day to, well, six per day for example, then you might not need such an investment.

And this is something you should quickly do in the very near future.

Let's hope we will get more trains, more attentions to the area, more tourists and hopefully that will also balance out the costs a little.

Hopefully.

Railway Topics.

October 14 marked the 150th anniversary of railways in Japan.

The first Japanese railway opened between Shimbashi and Yokohama Stations in 1872.

Along with this celebration, various commemorative events were held throughout Japan.

A departure ceremony for a special train was held on the platform of JR Shimbashi Station in Tokyo.

Off we go!

At the stationmaster's signal, the train, along with around 100 passengers, started its journey towards Yokohama.

On the platform at JR Morioka Station in Iwate Prefecture, this steam locomotive, "SL Ginga" which has been in operation since 2014 was crowded with parents and children.

SL Ginga used to be on display at a park in Morioka City.

However, it was restored to cheer up the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Sadly, SL Ginga will end its run next spring.

Visitors enjoyed looking around and having pictures taken with the train.

It was my first time seeing the SL Ginga.
It was great.

Nagasaki Electric Tramway, which operates streetcars in Nagasaki Prefecture, held a commemorative run of their old wooden streetcar.

This car, which was built in 1911, features a simple cab and a two-tiered roof typical of the era.

Passengers boarding the tram at Nagasaki Station enjoy the retro atmosphere inside.

I love its retro feeling.

On October 16, Ohm Railway, which runs in Shiga Prefecture, offered free rides for one day on all of their lines.

Struggling financially, local railway company, Ohmi Railway, held the event to promote the use of the line.

On the day, passengers simply walked through the gates to the platform without buying a ticket.

Railfans could ride the trains as many times as they liked since it was free all day long.

Also on this day, events such as a car wash tour were held at the train depot.

I brought my son here today.

We feel more familiar with
the train than ever.