国分寺線 41

Gazing up at this steel giant, you’re standing before Kokubunji Line 41. This unassuming power tower holds a story, a thread woven into the fabric of the Kokubunji Line’s history. The Kokubunji Line is the oldest line of the Seibu Railway. Its history stretches back to 1894, when the Kawagoe Railway first laid tracks. Initially, the line ran from Kokubunji Station to Kawagoe Station. Kokubunji Line 41, like its brethren, silently witnessed the line’s evolution. The Kawagoe Railway was a subsidiary of the Kobu Railway. It established a service between Komagome Station and Kawagoe Station, passing through Kokubunji Station. After merging with Musashi Electric Railway in 1920 and subsequent separation of railway operations in 1922, the line became part of (Old) Seibu Railway. The line as we know it today, from Kokubunji Station to Higashimurayama Station, took shape in 1927, when the section between Higashimurayama and Takadanobaba Stations opened as the Murayama Line, now the Shinjuku Line. The Kokubunji Line, including tower 41, has seen its share of changes. Electrification came in 1948. Double tracks between Furuguchi Signal Box and Koigakubo Station increased capacity in 1968. Through the years, various train models, from the 3000 series to the current 2000 and New 2000 series, have traversed the line beneath the watchful eyes of these towers. Kokubunji Line 41 isn’t just a structure. It’s a symbol of the line’s resilience, a silent observer of progress, and a testament to the enduring power of infrastructure.