Hiroshima Electric Railway operates atomic bomb-damaged train No. 156 to express gratitude for 80 years since the end of the war
On August 9th, three days after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, Hiroshima Electric Railway ran its first train since the bombing. To express gratitude for the 80 years since then, one of the bombed trains, No. 156, the oldest train in Hiroshima Electric Railway's fleet, was put into service for the first time in five years.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, and the 156th train will be in operation ~Another atomic bomb-damaged train will be running for the first time in five years~ | Hiroshima Electric Railway
At 8:15 on August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb 'Little Boy' was dropped on Hiroshima, causing devastating damage and killing approximately 140,000 people. The target was Aioi Bridge, located near the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall in the city center. The Industrial Promotion Hall was very close to the building and received the shock of the explosion, but the dome section remained intact. After the war, the Industrial Promotion Hall building came to be known as the 'Atomic Bomb Dome,' and in 1996 it was registered as a World Heritage Site.
Hiroshima Electric Railway, which has a network centered around downtown Hiroshima, suffered damage to many of its carriages. Although many have been restored and put back into service, most have already been retired. No. 156 is a 150 series carriage that was located near Eba at the time of the atomic bombing and suffered moderate damage. It was revived after the war and scrapped in 1971, but was reinstated in 1987. After being stored in a depot, it was refurbished in 2020 and resumed operation for the first time in 33 years.
This special service is being run for the first time in five years to express gratitude for Hiroshima Electric Railway's ability to overcome numerous crises and safely celebrate 80 years since the end of the war, and to mark the milestone of the opening of the 'Ekimae Ohashi Route' near Hiroshima Station.
As Route 156 began to operate, many people crowded the roadside, and police cars were urging people not to step off the sidewalk onto the road.
After leaving Senda Depot, No. 156 arrived in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome in about 20 minutes. It passed by at a slow speed. As it was a special operation, no passengers were allowed inside.
After crossing Aioi Bridge, the train traveled along the section between Koi (now Hiroshima Electric Railway Nishi-Hiroshima) and Kannonmachi, which was the first section to be restored after the bombing, before passing through Yokokawa Station and heading to the Eba depot.
Route 156 turns around at Nishihiroshima and heads towards Dobashi from Koamicho.
Route 156 heading towards Eba.
Furthermore, No. 156 is a 100-year-old train manufactured in 1925, making it the oldest active Hiroshima Electric Railway vehicle. Will there be an opportunity for it to run on the main line again in the future?
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