New EMUs for picturesque Enoden inaugurated
posted on 27th Apr 2026 09:30
Enoshima Dentetsu (Enoshima Electric Railway), also known as Enoden in short, introduced a new train type for the first time in 20 years. Enoden is a subsidiary of the private Odakyu Railway. Its only line, which opened in 1902, is 10 km long, has a 1,067 mm gauge and is single track. It runs between Fujisawa and Kamakura.
There are a number of passing loops and a section in Enoshima where the track runs on the street. The minimum curve radius on the line is only 28 m and the maximum speed is 60 km/h (22 km/h when running on the street). The line follows the Pacific Ocean coastline, and, being not far from Tokyo, it is a very popular destination.
Unfortunately, it is currently experiencing overtourism problems. Overtourism has particularly become a serious issue around Enoden's Kamakurakōkō-Mae Station, with large numbers of domestic and international visitors crowding the area because it appeared in the anime adaptation of the popular manga Slam Dunk.
The new J-TREC-built Class 700 is a two-car EMU with a maximum speed of 60 km/h. It is equipped with Toyo Denki IGBT traction, fed from a 600 V DC catenary, which powers six three-phase traction motors, each rated at 60 kW, giving a total traction power of 360 kW. There were also requests from local residents to manage congestion, and so the new trains feature longitudinally-facing seats along one side of each car. This keeps passengers' legs out of the aisle and allows the Class 700 to carry more standing passengers than recent types.
The Class 700 started commercial service on 19 April 2026. Enoden initially introduced two Class 700 trains and plans to gradually replace the ageing Class 1000 EMUs, built between 1979 and 1987.
