Ome Railway Park

In short

Ome Railway Park is located within Nagayama Park in Ome City, featuring an exhibition focused on real railway vehicles. It was established in 1962 by the former Japanese National Railways as a commemorative project marking the 90th anniversary of Japan's railways. Reopened after renovation on March 21, 2026, it displays 13 railway vehicles ranging from Meiji-period steam locomotives to the 0 Series Shinkansen.

• ​13 Real Railway Vehicles​​: All 13 vehicles, including 7 steam locomotives, the ED16 electric locomotive designated as a National Important Cultural Property, and a 0 Series Shinkansen, are sheltered under roofs.
• ​3 Newly Added Vehicles​​: With the renovation, the orange 201 series—which operated on the Chuo Line and Ome Line—along with an ED60 and a 115 series car, have joined the collection.
• ​New Memorial Hall​​: Features a train driving simulator and an activity where drawings of trains run along tracks displayed on a monitor.

History and Highlights

Ome Railway Park is a railway park situated inside Nagayama Park in Ome City. Established by the Japanese National Railways of that time as a project commemorating the 90th anniversary of the start of railway service in Japan, it opened on October 19, 1962. It preserves and exhibits a collection centered on actual rolling stock.

Due to renovation work necessitated by aging facilities, the park was closed from August 2023. It reopened on March 21, 2026, as "a place of learning that conveys the history of railways, starting with the Chuo Line and Ome Line." Three vehicles—the 201 series, ED60, and 115 series—were added to the previous 10, bringing the total number of exhibited vehicles to 13. Roofs are provided over all the displayed vehicles.

There are 7 steam locomotives. The D51 was built in 1940 (Showa 15) and traveled 2.13 million kilometers over 32 years. Alongside it stand British-built Meiji-era locomotives No. 5540 and No. 2221; the Taisho-era Class 8620 and Class 9600 (No. 9608), affectionately nicknamed "Hachiroku" and "Kyuroku"; C11 No. 1; and the E10, Japan's largest tank locomotive.

The ED16 No. 1 electric locomotive was manufactured in 1931 (Showa 6). As a class that laid the foundation for domestic electric locomotive manufacturing, it was designated as a National Important Cultural Property in 2018 (Heisei 30). From 1965 (Showa 40) onward, it served as a mainstay on the Ome Line and Nambu Line before retiring in 1980 (Showa 55).

Highlights and Experiences

• ​201 Series of the Chuo and Ome Lines​​: The orange 201 series is a commuter train that served on the Chuo Line and Ome Line. It completed its commercial service on October 17, 2010. The front of the car carries the "Ome Special Rapid" train-type display.
• ​Inside the 0 Series Shinkansen​​: The 0 Series Shinkansen is a high-speed train car that operated on the Tokaido Shinkansen. Visitors can enter the carriage, and it can also be viewed up close from the grassy picnic plaza situated right in front of it.
• ​Memorial Hall Experiences​​: Inside the new memorial hall is a train simulator (paid) that uses equipment close to what actual drivers operate. Visitors can also experience an interactive activity where a drawing of a train they created begins running on a track shown on a monitor.

Visiting Tips

It is about a 15-minute walk from Ome Station on the JR Ome Line. The park is located on elevated ground, with a steep hill along the way. There is no parking lot. Ome-juku is located about 520 meters west-southwest of here. Just inside the entrance, the ED60 welcomes visitors. Next to the stairs leading to the 0 Series Shinkansen, there is a large 5-meter-wide slide built using the natural slope. The park's official character, "Director Nora," is modeled after Nora, a calico cat who lived in the park for 7 years and even became its director.