EDITORIALS
The wishes of the people living along the streetcar line take shape! Streetcars in reissued colors run through the city of Sapporo.
Nostalgic coloring that will remain in the hearts of Sapporo citizens
The two-tone "Desert Cream" and "Light Green" cars started running in the 1950s, and in the 1970s, when all cars were converted to one-man trains, the center line of the car body was changed from red to white. Many people have memories of these streetcars, with their pop colors blending in perfectly with the scenery of the city. Although it was once the standard color for streetcars, it was replaced one after another by newer cars due to aging, and the last two-tone car will be retired in 2021.
The repainted Type 240 Car No. 243.
The recruitment period was full of peaks and valleys. People living along the streetcar line also gave their support.
The Hokkaido Railway Tourism Resource Study Group (headed by Shigeru Nagayama), made up of railroad enthusiasts in Hokkaido, set out to revive the nostalgic scenery of the city. However, the group did not always succeed in achieving its goals.
Tetsu Wada, a member of the group and a well-known town-walking researcher, says, "Immediately after the project started, we were anxious and impatient because the project was not growing as we had expected. As the second half of the project began, the team focused on grassroots activities such as posting to residents and stores along the route, and with the cooperation of the Sapporo City Transportation Business Promotion Corporation, valuable return items were newly provided.
Mr. Wada lined up on the streetcar in the color of the reissue.
The goal was exceeded by a wide margin!
Thanks to the efforts of many people, the initial goal of 5.5 million yen was reached in about two months after the crowdfunding project was launched in May 2023, raising approximately 7.24 million yen, far exceeding the initial goal. The project officials said, "We realized how much not only railroad fans but also local people love the streetcars. About 10% of the supporters are people who live in Sapporo's Chuo Ward, and some of them have even received postcards from hearing-impaired people asking how they can help.
The white belt indicating a "one-man car" is also reproduced.
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