On June 26th, I went watching the final run of Shonan Monorail 500 Series, which had been in service since 1988 as third generation carriage on Shonan Monorail Enoshima Line running in Kamakura and Fujisawa Cities, Kanagawa Prefecture. Six 3-carriage sets were built and replaced the first generation 300 Series. It also installed cooler and heater first time among Shonan Monorail carriages.
The last remained set, 551F, were built in 1991.
As coming to the platform of Enoshima Line, 551F was stopping and ready to depart. Riding on it, I went to Shonan-enoshima terminal to enjoy my last trip. In the train was crowded by many persons, maybe they were railfans who had the same thought as me.
After the train approaching the terminal, I started photographing of 551F.
These two were photographed with lateral shooting, but I noticed that it was preferable way to photograph Shonan Monorail carriage, hanging-style (Mitsubishi SAFEGE), to feature the height of the structure. I also photographed from the roadway under the railway structure.
片瀬山駅~西鎌倉駅にて Between Kataseyama Station and Nishi-kamakura Station
富士見町駅~大船駅間にて Between Fujimicho Station and Nishi-kamakura Station
551F finished its regular operation, which departed at 12:37 from Ofuna (according to the timetable the operation was bound for Shonan-enoshima Station as usual but the carriage for it was changed to 5000 Series 5601F set at Shonan-fukasawa). At 12:48, 551F came to the railyard near Shonan-fukasawa Station, where a photographing event was held. Many photographers came there to take images and say good-bye to the carriages.
500 Series gave me the image of Shonan Monorail carriage in my mind. In my childhood, living in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture, I had travelled with 500 Series several time, and after moving to Tokyo, I rode on it every time I travelled in Kamakura and Enoshima area. To watch its last day, I remembered these travels in the past and my stable image.
I felt desolate that it was last chance to see 500 Series and feeling the swing coming from many curves and steep slopes.