In search of "romance" by the railroad tracks

December 8, 2020 / Odakyu Odawara Line

Photographer / Yasufumi Sukegawa

Do you know the major Kanto private railway company, Odakyu Electric Railway? It is a famous major private railway company that is well known to railway fans, but even those who are not railway fans may have heard the nickname "Odakyu".

Currently, Odakyu Electric Railway has three lines: Odawara Line, Enoshima Line, and Tama Line, all of which are commuter lines connecting the big city of Shinjuku with the bedroom communities of Tokyo and Kanagawa. Furthermore, the Odawara Line is a railway line that has been loved by many people since before the war as a tourist route connecting Hakone, a major tourist destination in the Kanto region. On the Odawara Line, there are many trains that run like sprinters, from veterans born in the Showa era to the latest vehicles that were born this year, and the most notable of them is the famous "Romance Car". The nickname given to the 1900 series express train that appeared shortly after the war has been passed down to successive express trains, and currently there are four unique types of express trains that live up to their name. However, what a wonderful nickname "Romancecar" has! The name evokes expectations, admiration, and feelings for the journey. I too am drawn to the train and the name, and find myself heading there for some reason.

On December 8th, as the end of the year approached, I headed out in the morning to photograph the "Romancecar" again. Of course, my job was to increase the company's stock of photos and footage, but I was also secretly looking forward to seeing what kind of work I would be able to capture this time.

The shooting location is south of Atsugi. I would like to start with the popular one, the formation photo, but the line shape means that formation photos can only be taken after noon. So I started with some panning shots from Tokai University to Hadano, which also served as training. Among the Romance Cars, the 50000 series VSE and 70000 series GSE with their stylish side views and observation seats are perfect for panning shots from the side. By the way, I often take panning shots using the swing of a tripod, and the Markins ball head Q20i-BK knob shoe type is useful for this. I like it because it swings very smoothly without any rattling even when I put a heavy lens such as Nikon's super telephoto zoom AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR on it. After getting a feel for the local trains, the 30000 series EXEα, and the 50000 series MSE, it was time for the main dish, the 50000 series VSE "Super Hakone No. 7". The shooting location was a place where the train would suddenly pop out of a vinyl greenhouse, so even though I had practiced, I was still nervous. However, I trusted my instincts and calmly captured the 50000 series VSE as it appeared. I ended up with a dynamic shot that made use of the silver grass in front of the tracks.

Next, we moved to a shooting location near Tomizu Station. This is a famous spot for taking photos of train formations, where the light comes from the sun from around noon. Our target is the Odakyu Romance Car's latest 70000 series GSE "Super Hakone No. 9". This location is close to the Tanzawa Mountains, and clouds often appear even when the weather forecast is sunny, probably due to the terrain. In fact, I have tried to take the same 70000 series GSE at this location twice, but it was cloudy both times and I was defeated. However, today was a clear day with not a single cloud. It can feel lonely without a cloud in the background, but the fact that this shooting location is cloudless doubles the sense of security. The 70000 series GSE soon appeared, and the rose vermilion color illuminated by the light from the sun was so vivid that it was dazzling. I had a good feeling even before pressing the shutter, and finally, on the third try, I was able to take a perfect shot. I also took solid photos of three other Romance Car train formations, and I guess I've met my quota for taking stock photos.

I went to the Shibusawa-Shin-Matsuda panoramic point in high spirits to take the next 50000 series VSE "Hakone 21", but I was stunned when I arrived. Perhaps the repair work for the bank collapse caused by Typhoon 19 last year is nearing completion, because a large crane that was not there before is now in operation and the arm occasionally appears in the frame. I was hoping that the arm would not appear in the frame when the 50000 series VSE comes, but in fact, the arm appears at the same time as the 50000 series VSE. Well, there's nothing I can do about it. I vowed to come back when the work is finished and get revenge.

At this time of year, the light becomes more reddish after 3 p.m. This makes it no longer suitable for formation photos, where accurate color is important, so now it's time to take some photos. The location is the rural scenery of Isehara-Tsurumaki Onsen. You can also take an imaginative railway scene with the sparkling sunset in the background.

First, I took a picture of the 50000 series VSE and the railway scenery with the shining sunset, just as I imagined. I was satisfied with this, but the real thing was yet to come. My favorite time is the blue moment (magic hour) when the sky gradually begins to take on an indigo color after the sun has set. The 60000 series MSE "Hakone 26" passed by at just the right time. I expected that the metallic blue body would match the color of the sky. I tried panning with a slow shutter of 1/4 seconds to make the photo more impressive. I inserted a half ND filter to make the sky darker. I created a romantic stage to welcome the Romance Car. And finally, the 60000 series MSE appeared. Even though I used an ultra-wide-angle lens, panning with a slow shutter of 1/4 seconds was difficult. However, the image that appeared on the monitor had a deep blue color, and the 50000 series MSE stood out on the horizon where there was still a reddish color. Above all, the super slow shutter speed combined with the effect of panning makes for an even more beautiful piece. I couldn't help but let out a roar of joy at having captured such a romantic shot.

Although there were times when it didn't quite work out, all's well that ends well. If you can take some good photos in the end, that day will be the perfect day for photography. Just like in life, things often don't go as planned in railway photography, with delays due to weather or other problems, and sudden changes in vehicle operations. Each time this happens, various emotions such as joy, anger, sadness, and happiness arise on the spot, but that is also the best part of railway photography. One of the wonderful things about railway photography is that you can experience these emotions not on a particularly beautiful line or in a place with a special landscape, but on a line that you are familiar with every day. In the future, I will continue to wander the tracks with my camera in hand, seeking that joy and fun.

Yasufumi Sukegawa

Born in 1975.
Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Akita University of Economics and Law.
After graduating from the Department of Photography at Tokyo Visual Arts, he studied under railway photographer Mitsuhide Mashima.
Works at Masima Railway Pictures, Ltd.
Motto is to convey not only the charm of railway vehicles, but also the beauty of the environment surrounding the railways and the people who live there, and busy with camera along the tracks all over Japan. Written for railway hobby and travel magazines such as Railway Timetable Information (Kotsu Shimbunsha) and Railway Journal (Kotsu Journalsha), and also taken cover photos for the JTB Timetable (JTB Publishing) and JR Timetable (Kotsu Shimbunsha). Also actively photographing posters for railway companies such as JR East. Director of the Japan Railway Photographers Association (JRPS)