Jomo Electric Railway Ogo Substation

About the Jomo Electric Railway Ogo Substation

The Jomo Electric Railway Ogo Substation (上毛電気鉄道大胡駅変電所) is the single-storey reinforced-concrete substation of 1928, extended in 1943, at Ogo Station on the Jomo Electric Railway in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on July 31, 2007.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as single-storey reinforced concrete with a building area of 166 square metres, with a basement and stone wall; registration number 10-0235, owned by the Jomo Electric Railway Co., Ltd. Eight structures at Ogo, the station building, depot, substation, four towers and the Aratogawa Bridge, were all registered on the same day (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Why It Was Registered

The Jomo Electric Railway Ogo Substation was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Jomo Electric Railway says it was the only reinforced-concrete building in Seta District when built.

What to Look For

The Ogo Substation lies about 75 metres south-west of the station and houses transformers and rectifiers that convert alternating to direct current. An office wing was added north of the equipment room of 122 square metres; the original part has tall windows and pilasters on the east gable, and a moulded band runs round the whole, including the addition (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

According to the Jomo Electric Railway, it converts 60,000-volt alternating current to 1,500-volt direct current to run the trains. The northern wing was added in wartime so that head-office functions could move here if the Maebashi head office were bombed, and for a time during and after the war part of the head office did operate from here.

Visiting the Jomo Electric Railway Ogo Substation

Ogo is a working station on the Jomo Electric Railway, so the station building can be seen when using the line. Tours of the Ogo train depot are by advance reservation only, lasting about 30 minutes between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. The fee is 500 yen for adults, 400 yen for junior and senior high school students and 300 yen for primary pupils, paid by buying an old-style card platform ticket. Book by telephone or email by 3:00 p.m. on a weekday three days before (Jomo Electric Railway).

The substation and towers are operational equipment, so view them from outside. Enquiries go to the Jomo Electric Railway general affairs department (027-231-3597, weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).