The history of the 100 series is extremely complicated. They could be classified into two groups: those made from the ground up (nos. 101-110) and those rebuilt from other trams (nos. 111-117). Unlike Enoden trains of today, the 100 series was double-ended.
As the 100 series consisted of various trams, it is said that each group looked different. Bodies of some cars were made of wood, but they were replaced with steel ones or withdrawn by 1957. Some of them were converted to 200 or 300 series, while others were withdrawn by 1980.
Nos. 101-104 were ordered by The Tokyo Electric Light Company, the very first electric utility in Japan. They were delivered in 1927, but entered service two years later because of track improvement work. Nos. 105-110 were introduced in 1931. Six out of ten cars were converted to 300 series, and two of them remained on mainline until the very end.
Meanwhile, others were incorporated to the 100 series from various trams. Nos. 111 and 112 were built in 1924 and Enoden acquired them from Seibu in 1935, and they were used as Noryo Densha as described below. Nos. 113 and 114 were constructed in 1922 by Ikegami Electric Railway (now Tokyu Ikegami Line) and Enoden acquired them in 1937. No. 115 was introduced by Musashi Chuo Electric Railway (defunct) in 1929 and Enoden reintroduced it in 1938. Nos. 116-117 were made in 1939 from redundant bodies of Tokyu trams and bogies of Keikyu trams. And finally, two more cars numbered 113 and 114 (duplicated numbers) entered Enoden in 1953, which were originally introduced by Oji Electric Tram (now Toden Arakawa Line) in 1927.
The most unique one was Noryo Densha. In Japanese, "noryo (納涼)" means "avoid heat and enjoy cool breeze in summer", while "densha" means train. The Noryo Densha was painted skyblue (which was extremely rare in the 1930s) with tent-like covers and a little stand selling drinks and snacks onboard. Enoden designated a two-carriage unit (initially nos. 111 and 112, later 113 and 114) as the Noryo Densha. In the off-season, bodies were replaced with ordinary 100 series ones, and engaged in ordinary passenger services. It sounds a hard work to do such things twice a year.
It was very popular among both tourists and local residents, but discontinued during the Second World War. Even after the War, they were never reinstated, and Enoden converted bodies of the Noryo Densha to 200 series, to increase capacity of services in 1949 amid train shortages. The 200 series was converted again to the 300 series in 1968.
Demise
The 100 series declined in the 1940s, as those with wooden bodies were out-of-date and unsafe. As Enoden engaged in modernisation programmes in the 1950s, many 100 series cars were dramatically refurbished and converted to 300 series. Most Enoden trains were formed of two coaches (some services were four), but the 100 series could only be operated independently so that they became useless. By 1971, the 100 series cars engaged only in few services. They retired in 1980 when new train protection system was installed on the entire line, and they were deregistered by 1982.
No. 108 has been preserved at Gokurakuji Depot, though it cannot run mainline. It is generally displayed once a year when the Depot is open to public. In addition, three cars are in static display, and a bogie has been preserved at, surprisingly, Western Railway Museum in the United States.
