EDITORIALS
Let's revive the nostalgic two-tone Sapporo City Trams once again! What is the "Sapporo Tram Revival Color Project"?
Sixty-three years after its debut, car 243 is on its way to a flowery path of retirement.
The streetcars are an indispensable part of the history of Sapporo's development, and have been a favorite means of transportation for citizens for more than 100 years. Many people have memories of the streetcars in those colors. Sapporo City Tram Car No. 243, which will be retired next spring, debuted in 1960. Although it has been repaired and refurbished repeatedly, it is the only streetcar whose body, bogie, and other parts were all built in Hokkaido.
The owner of the company, Mr. Kikuchi, said, "I want to decorate this precious vehicle for its retirement by repainting it in the two-tone color of yesteryear. The Hokkaido Railway Tourism Resource Study Group (headed by Shigeru Nagayama), a group of railroad enthusiasts in Hokkaido, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to express their love and gratitude for the streetcars.
No. 243 to be retired next March
Nostalgic town scenery may return to Sapporo, where development is progressing!
Since the retirement of M101 in 2021, not a single train car in that two-tone color scheme has been running. We would like to repaint the soon-to-be-retired traditional railcars in the colors of yesteryear and revive their historical value as a railroad cultural asset. We hope that many people will remember them," said Mr. Nagayama, the representative of the company.
One tram driver commented, "I thought that streetcars were seen only as a means of transportation, but I am glad that citizens are voicing their opinions in this way. I hope we can achieve this goal and have the No. 243 retire with great pomp and circumstance.
Mr. Shigeru Nagayama (left), representative of the "Hokkaido Railway Tourism Resources Study Group," and Mr. Satoshi Wada (right), a member and well-known "town-walking researcher.
The aged driver's seat
Although No. 243 was repainted to its current color in 1994, its rounded shape and single front window with curved glass were recognized as "Sapporo Style" at the time of its debut, and it is said to have influenced the first subway cars of the Nanboku Line, which appeared later.
The project will run until June 30, and if the goal is achieved, the trains will return to their traditional appearance for the first time in about 30 years. In the midst of the ever-changing landscape, the heroic figure of yesteryear may return.
Crowdfunding "Sapporo Tram Revival Color PJ
h ttps:// readyfor.jp/projects/sapporo243
Check it out as well!
Writer Profile
Magazine/Book Editor & Writer Kyohei Yamashita
While working as a program producer at a radio station, Yamashita began producing mini-comm magazines and writing for magazines. Later, he joined a publishing company as an editor and has worked on various articles, mainly for town information magazines. His favorite things are cooking, mountain climbing, river fishing, and stone monuments in Sapporo. He lives in Minami-ku, Sapporo, and loves Minami-ku very much.
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