"トロッコ", by Akutagawa Ryunosuke

This collection of Akutagawa stories includes 蜘蛛の糸 (The Spider's Thread) and 杜子春 (Toshishun), celebrated short tales by one of Japan's pre-eminent authors. I highly recommend both. Included in this volume is トロッコ, a wonderful story about 8-year-old Ryouhei and an experience that reverberates throughout his life. I'll say no more. See the link below to free library Aozora Bunko.

https://share.google/vm8U9hdK2foZptujB A representative example of Akutagawa's style (here describing the motion of the mine cars): 煽るように車台が動いたり。That is exactly the sensation of riding on a narrow-gauge mine railway, more on that below. (Imagine the flickering of a candle's flame, that's the idea. The 火 of the character means 'flame' and is the base radical.) Japanese lends itself to such economy (think of 俳句), and Akutagawa is a master stylist. (By the way, the verb 煽る is also used for dangerous driving, especially tailgating.) Speaking of トロッコ、rightly the most famous in Japan is that linking Unazuki Onsen and Kurobe Dam in Toyama. I've ridden the train, and it's a memorable experience. However, unlike the Kurobe Dam railway, the trucks (トロッコ) in the Akutagawa story are moved by the miners themselves. https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/