Synopsis“In the 17th century, an Italian engineer named Giovanni Branca invented a mechanism that used steam to power mortars and pestles. In the 18th century, the English inventor Thomas Newcomen created the world's first steam engine, which was used to pump water in mines. Then, 50 years later, the French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot invented the first automobile - a wagon with a steam-engine attached to it. Forty years after that, the British inventor Richard Trevithick built a steam-powered vehicle that ran on tracks. Then, the British engineer George Stephenson built the first steam locomotive. This was about 100 years ago”. (The above is illustrated in the animation.) “Recently, Britain celebrated the 100th anniversary of railroads by demonstrating Stephenson's steam locomotives. This includes footage of that event. In October 1872, Japan's first railroads began operation. Japan's first British-made locomotive is still preserved to this day. Japanese factories that manufacture steam locomotives today. Footage of electric locomotives, diesel locomotives, and electric trains. The passenger cars were improved from 4-wheeled cars to bogie cars. (The structure of bogie cars is illustrated in the animation.) Footage of sleeper cars, dining cars, and observation cars. The railroad network extends throughout the country. A C51 in motion”.
(Source: Japanese Animated Film Classics) BackgroundAn educational movie produced based on "The Development of the Train" in a pre-war elementary school Japanese reader (vol. 9). Animation and real-life images are used together to support children's understanding. According to Chuzo Aochi, who was in charge of composing and editing the film, he created the movie out of his interest in the story in The Development of the Train. Aochi says, "For this movie, the Ministry of Railways provided me with some scenes of demonstrations during Stevenson's age from record movies celebrating the centennial of British railways in the Ministry's possession. I also obtained a live film on the driving of America's oldest train from the Dave Lie academic movies. These scenes greatly contributed to this film." (Katsuei, May 1933). Dave Lie academic movies are educational films provided by Dave Lie, an American movie projector manufacturer that sold projectors to Okamoto Yoko, the company Aochi was associated with.
(Source: Japanese Animated Film Classics) |