Tōyō Rapid Railway Line

The Tōyō Rapid Railway Line (東葉高速線, Tōyō Kōsoku-sen) is a rapid transit line owned by Tōyō Rapid Railway Co., Ltd., which runs between Nishi-Funabashi Station in Funabashi, Chiba and Tōyō-Katsutadai Station in Yachiyo, Chiba. The name Tōyō (東葉) comes from the characters for Tokyo and Chiba. The line is essentially an extension of the Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line.[1]

Tōyō Rapid Railway Line
TR
Overview
Native name東葉高速線
OwnerToyo Rapid Railway
LocaleChiba Prefecture
TerminiNishi-Funabashi
Toyo-Katsutadai
Stations9
Service
TypeRapid transit
Depot(s)Yachiyo-Midorigaoka
History
Opened1996
Technical
Line length16.2 km (10.1 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed100 km/h (60 mph)[1]

Operation

Almost every train on the Toyo Rapid Railway makes Through Services with the Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line. However, due to Tōyō Rapid Railway vehicles (namely the Tōyō Rapid 2000 series) not being equipped with ATS-P, they can not operate on the Chūō–Sōbu Line, which uses this method of safety equipment. The same goes for E231-800 series sets, which can not go direct to the Tōyō Rapid Railway Line. Despite this, Tokyo Metro vehicles can operate on all lines.

Current train services

There are currently three train service types on the Tōyō Rapid Railway, however, all trains stop at every station the Tōyō Rapid Railway Line.

Rapid (快速)

Operates between Tōyō-Katsutadai and Nakano stations and sometimes to Mitaka. Most services on the Toyo Rapid Railway use this service. While it stops at every station on the Tōyō Rapid Railway Line, the section between Nishi-Funabashi and Tōyōchō on the Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line is non-stop except for a stop at Urayasu, then the service stops at all stations west of Tōyōchō. Most morning and afternoon trains go direct to Mitaka on the Chūō–Sōbu Line.

Commuter Rapid (通勤快速)

Like the Rapid Service, it also operates between Tōyō-Katsutadai and Nakano stations and in the morning and afternoon to Mitaka, and stops at every station on the Tōyō Rapid Railway Line. Only operates in the "up" direction on mornings towards Nakano. It is non-stop between Nishi-Funabashi and Urayasu before stopping at every station west of Urayasu.

Local (各駅停車)

This service only operates on rush hours when services on the Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line make through services with the Tōyō Rapid Railway Line, and sometimes goes to Mitaka station on the Chūō–Sōbu Line. This service stops at all stations on the Tōyō Rapid Railway Line, Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line and the Chūō–Sōbu Line.

Tōyō Rapid (東葉快速)

From the revised timetable on the 4 December 1999, a new service called the "Toyo Rapid" service. It stopped at Nishi-Funabashi, Kita-Narashino, Yachiyo-Midorigaoka and Tōyō-Katsutadai. Due to congestion on tracks, on March 14, 2009, the timetable changed to have 4 evening "up" bound Tōyō Rapid trains, thus the "down" service towards Tōyō-Katsutadai was abolished. Due to passenger counts increasing on stops that the Tōyō Rapid did not stop at, the Tōyō Rapid service was completely abolished on the March 14 2014 timetable change.

Stations
  • All services stop at every station.
No. Name Japanese Transfers Location
↑ Through-service to/from Mitaka via the T Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and JB Chūō Line (Local) ↑
TR01Nishi-Funabashi西船橋
FunabashiChiba
TR02Higashi-Kaijin東海神
TR03Hasama飯山満
TR04Kita-Narashino北習志野SL Shin-Keisei Line (SL19)
TR05Funabashi-Nichidaimae船橋日大前
TR06Yachiyo-Midorigaoka八千代緑が丘Yachiyo
TR07Yachiyo-Chūō八千代中央
TR08Murakami村上
TR09Tōyō-Katsutadai東葉勝田台KS Keisei Main Line (Katsutadai Station: KS31)

Rolling stock


Former
  • Toyo Rapid 1000 series, September 2006
  • Tokyo Metro 5000 series, December 2006

History

Construction work on the line commenced in July 1984, and the line was fully opened on 27 April 1996.[1] Limited-stop "Toyo Rapid" (東葉快速, Tōyō Kaisoku) services were introduced on the line from the start of the 4 December 1999 timetable revision, but such services in the "up" direction (toward Tokyo) were discontinued in 2009, and the "down" limited-stop services were discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on 15 March 2014.[2]

References
  1. Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 56. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.
  2. 東葉快速が廃止される [Toyo Rapid discontinued] (in Japanese). Japan. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
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