御殿場線前面展望その１ 国府津→山北 《Cabview Japanrail Gotenba Line Kouzu → Yamakita＞

The Tokaido Main Line, which connects Tokyo with Osaka and Kobe, is one of Japan's leading trunk lines. The Gotemba Line, which will be featured in this article, is a local line that branches off from Kozu on the Tokaido Main Line and runs to Numazu on the Tokaido Main Line.

The history of Japanese railways is written in this seemingly irrational line. Beyond Odawara on the Tokaido Main Line is the Hakone mountain range. Hakone, which is now bustling with many tourist spots, has been known as a difficult transportation route since the Edo period. When the Meiji government decided in the 1870s to build a trunk line connecting the east and west of Japan, the biggest challenge was how to get past Hakone.

As a result of a field survey, it was discovered that there was a route for merchants to travel from Kozu to Numazu, bypassing the north of Hakone, and the railway was built along this relatively flat road. This is the route of the Gotemba Line.

When the Tanna Tunnel was completed west of Atami in 1937 (it took 13 years to build), this shorter route became the new Tokaido Main Line, and the old road became a local line called the Gotemba Line. The track, which was double-tracked when it was the main line, was changed to single-track, and even now (although it can't be seen in the cab view), there are still traces of tunnels and bridge piers from when this line was double-tracked. I plan to upload the route from Yamakita Station to Gotemba Station next time. Photo taken in December 2024

JR Central website
https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/
Google map coordinates for Kouzu station
35.28138560817852, 139.21344450118534
Yamakita station
35.360995450882996, 139.07980238646715

#cabview #japanrail #Gotenba line #前面展望 #御殿場線

アクセスありがとうございます。御殿場線の前面展望国府津→山北です。今は一ローカル線となった御殿場線ですが、JR東海のスタンダートとなったスマートな電車が走っています。乗務員さんの対応も、各駅で丁寧なアナウンスを繰り返すなど、好感の持てるものでした。2024年12月撮影