廃線・横浜ドリームランドモノレールの記憶★失われた5.3km 幻の東芝式モノレール

This time, we'll be taking a journey along the abandoned tracks of the Yokohama Dreamland Monorail, which once ran from Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, to Totsuka Ward, Yokohama City. This straddle-type monorail opened in 1966, covering a 5.3km route between JR Ofuna Station and the Yokohama Dreamland amusement park. It was operated by Dream Kotsu Co., Ltd., with its rolling stock and systems developed by Toshiba. It featured three cars, a top speed of 60km/h, and 1500V DC power, incorporating many cutting-edge technologies for the time. However, the line featured extremely steep gradients of up to 100 percent, which put a great strain on the rolling stock and tracks. In 1967, just one year and four months after its opening, serious problems such as tire wear, broken axles, and cracked piers occurred, and operation was suspended at the request of the government. It has never resumed operation since. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, plans for rebuilding the line were floated, and ideas such as a linear motor and a new monorail system were considered. However, opposition from residents along the line, rising construction costs, and the deteriorating financial situation of parent company Daiei all came together, and the plans were shelved in 2001. Yokohama Dreamland itself closed in 2002, and the monorail was officially discontinued in 2003. Today, most of the structures have been demolished, and the site is now occupied by a university and residential areas. However, some remains, such as bridge foundations, fences, and boundary markers, remain, making it an attractive spot for railway enthusiasts and history buffs to explore the abandoned line. The Yokohama Dreamland Monorail, along with Nara Dreamland, is a prime example of a Toshiba-style monorail, and a valuable example of practical use in the early days of monorails in Japan. If it had been successful, it could have had a major impact on the development of straddle-type monorails in Japan. Although it was short-lived, its innovative and dreamy concept is still talked about today, and it remains memorable to many people even now that the line has been abandoned. This time, we'll introduce a journey tracing the history of the Yokohama Dreamland Monorail, a line with a history of dreams, challenges, and setbacks. Research and writing by Takuma Tamura / Monorail Japan (MJWS)