Towada Kanko Electric Railway

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The Towada Kanko Electric Railway (十和田観光電鉄 Towada Kankō Dentetsu) is a company that operates the Towada Kanko Electric Railway Line, which connects Misawa Station in the city of Misawa and Towada-shi Station in the city of Towada, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The company also operates bus service. It has its headquarters in Towada. People in the area refer to the company as Tōtetsu.

1 History
2 Rail operations
3 Bus operations
4 Boat operations
5 Subsidiaries

[edit] History

1914: Towada Rail Company established
1917: Rail permit received
1920: Regional rail permit received
1920: Name changed to Towada Tetsudo Kabushika-gaisha
1922: Rail line opened (Komaki –Sanbongi)
1941: Company purchases area transportation businesses
1943: Land-Transportation Law reorganizes regional transportation businesses
1951: Rail line electrified; gauge widened from 762 to 1067 mm
1951: Company took present name
1955: Company begins sightseeing boat service on Lake Towada
1969: Kokusai Kōgyō takes company under its wing
2002: Operations commenced on Towada-shi–Hachinohe Line to Hachinohe Station

[edit] Rail operations

Towada Kanko Electric Railway Line 14.7 km (Class 1 Railroad Operator) Eleven stations

As of April 1, 2003, the company has the following equipment:

Moha 7200 stock: #7204, 7205
Moha 7700 stock and Kuha 7900 stock (formerly Tokyu 7700): #7701 + 7901–7903
Moha 3400 stock: #3401
Moha 3600 stock: #3603
ED300: #301
ED400: #402
Tora 300: #301, 302

[edit] Bus operations

In addition to local service in Aomori Prefecture, the company operates Sirius overnight service from Towada and Hachinohe to Ikebukuro in Tokyo, and Bluestar overnight service from Towada via Aomori to Ikebukuro and Shibuya, Tokyo. Daytime Umineko service connects Hachinohe and Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, and Blue City service, Aomori and Sendai.