(525) Botchan train

Botchan train museum 2020.12.19
伊予鉄道1号機関車　原寸模型
A full-size replica of Iyo Railway the No. 1 Locomotive

  The No. 1 locomotive appears in Botchan, a work by the literary giant Natsume Soseki. He wrote that its carriage was about the size of a matchbox. So, they nicknamed it Botchan train.

坊っちゃん (偕成社文庫)

• 作者: 夏目 漱石
• 出版社/メーカー: 偕成社
• 発売日: 1988/11/01
• メディア: 単行本

　停車場はすぐに知れた。切符もわけなく買った。乗り込んでみるとマッチ箱のような汽車だ。ごろごろと五分ばかり動いたと思ったら、もう降りなければならない。道理で切符が安いと思った。たった三銭である。（小説　坊ちゃん　夏目漱石　著　1906）

Botchan

• 出版社/メーカー: Kodansha Amer Inc
• 発売日: 1992/09/01
• メディア: ペーパーバック
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  I soon found the station and bought a ticket without any difficulty. I boarded the train and found that the carriage was about the size of a matchbox. We had only been clattering along for what I judged was five minutes when I had to get off. No wonder the ticket was so cheap. It only cost three sen. (Translated by Alan Turney)

Botchan train Gallery ISHIZUCHI 2017.10.21

Botchan train museum 2020.12.19

  Botchan train museum is located at the back of Starbucks Coffeehouse near Matsuyama City station. You can get there free of charge, through the entrance of Starbucks Coffeehouse.

Botchan train Gallery ISHIZUCHI 2017.10.21

  Imported from Germany, this was the first narrow gauge locomotive in Japan and started operation on October 28, 1888. It continued to operate on the plains around Matsuyama for sixty-seven years, until 1954.

Botchan train Gallery ISHIZUCHI 2017.10.21

Botchan train museum 2020.12.19

創業当時　坊ちゃん列車　７６２ｍｍ
現在の伊予鉄道（市内・郊外電車）　１０６７ｍｍ
新幹線　１４３５ｍｍ

White rails: Track gauge for Botchan train was the narrow gauge of 762 mm.

Red rails:  Iyo Railway selects the wider railway width of 1076 mm today, for city and suburb trains.

Blue rails: The Shinkansen, Japan's Bullet Train uses the international standard gauge, 1435 mm.

Botchan train Gallery ISHIZUCHI 2017.10.21

  The old-style train called Botchan train is now running between Matsuyama city station and Dogo hot spring station. The train's body is a replica of an original steam locomotive that ran at the time of Meiji era, more than 100 years ago. However, today's Botchan train equips with a diesel-powered engine and is serving as a tourist attraction.
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