Retro Japan: Hakone railway conquers steep mountain terrain with switchbacks, sharp curves

Hakone, nestled in Kanagawa Prefecture, boasts one of Japan's most challenging mountain passes due to its rugged ridges and steep terrain. The 8.9-kilometer stretch between Hakone-Yumoto Station and Gora Station, established in 1919, connects these two popular tourist destinations. The elevation difference between the stations stands at 445 meters.

To maintain harmony with the natural landscape, the railway was designed to follow the mountainside, featuring tight curves with a minimum radius of 30 meters, 24 bridges, and 12 tunnels.

Inspired by Switzerland's mountain railways, the Hayakawa Bridge, which traverses a deep gorge, was constructed using an iron bridge that had previously spanned the Tenryu River in Shizuoka Prefecture back in 1888. As an adhesion railway, the line depends on friction between the wheels and rails for traction, making it ill-suited for steep inclines. To tackle the challenging gradients, the railway employs switchbacks, enabling trains to ascend via a zig-zag pattern by repeatedly reversing direction.

In 2007, the entire line between Odawara and Gora stations earned the distinction of a civil engineering heritage site from the Japan Society of Civil Engineers. The trains, consisting of MoHa 1 and MoHa 2 cars, are believed to have been retrofitted in the 1950s from rolling stock originally introduced when the line opened. These vintage trains evoke a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era.