西武B11形蓄電池機関車
The Seibu B11 is a battery-powered locomotive built in 1960 at the Tokorozawa factory and operated passengers on the Otogi Line. It measures about 16 feet long, weighs roughly 10 tons, and runs on two electric motors powered by rechargeable batteries, making it quiet and emission-free.
The locomotive was built in 1960 as part of a project that began in 1952 with the opening of the Otogi Fairy Tale Train line. It operated until 1984, when the line was transformed into the modern Leo Liner transit system.
The name 'Otogi Densha' means 'Fairy Tale Train' and reflects how this small locomotive brought joy to children. It was designed to look friendly and inviting, with rounded shapes and bright colors that set it apart from larger, more serious trains.
The locomotive is now on display at a shopping and entertainment complex in Tokorozawa and can be visited free of charge during daytime hours. The site is located near the former factory grounds where this locomotive and many other trains were built.
This locomotive was equipped with two swappable battery packs that allowed a range of about 25 miles (40 kilometers) before needing recharge. The factory where it was built was then the only factory directly operated by a private railway company in Japan and produced over 50 trains annually.
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