Monorails in Japan
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Here is an alphabetical list of monorails in Japan.
Contents[hide] |
[edit] Currently operational
- Chiba Urban Monorail (Townliner): Chiba, Chiba, 1988.
- Disney Resort Line: Urayasu, Chiba, 2001.
- Kitakyūshū Monorail: Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, 1985.
- Meitetsu Monkey Park Monorail Line: Inuyama, Aichi, 1962. It links the Monkey Park to the nearest railway station.
- Okinawa Monorail (Yui Rail): Naha, Okinawa, 2003.
- Osaka Monorail: Osaka, 1990.
- Skyrail Midorizaka Line: Aki-ku, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 1998. A commuter line in a residential development suburb of the city. It is also considered as an automated guideway transit.
- Shōnan Monorail: Kanagawa, 1970.
- Tama Toshi Monorail Line: Tokyo, 1998.
- Toei Ueno Zoo Monorail: Tokyo, 1958. It links the two sectors of the zoo in Ueno Park.
- Tokyo Monorail: Tokyo, 1964. The world's busiest and most commercially successful monorail line, carrying around 100 million passengers yearly.
[edit] Discontinued
- Dreamland Monorail, Kanagawa, 1966 — 1967.
- Nagoya Municipal Higashiyama Park Monorail, Nagoya, Aichi, 1964 — 1974.
- Himeji Municipal Monorail, Himeji, Hyōgo, 1965 — 1974.
- Odakyū Mukōgaoka-Yūen Monorail Line, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 1965 — 2001.
- "Suspended Train" at the Exhibition of Transportation and Electricity in Osaka, 1928. Operated only for a week, from November 28 till December 3. It was the first monorail in the nation, as well as the only one in the pre-war period.
- Yomiuri Land Monorail, Kanagawa and Tokyo, 1964 — 1978.
[edit] Other monorails
- Slope cars are small automated monorails found in the various parts of Japan. Unlike the monorails above, slope cars are not legally considered as railways. Similar concepts include Raxcars and Monoriders.
- There are also small industrial monorails used in various places, most notably in steep orchards, especially of mikan citrus. [1] The first of its kind was invented in 1966.
- Vista liner is another type of monorail which is not legally a railway. The system is smaller than ordinary monorails, but larger than slope cars. Vista liners can be typically seen in amusement parks, such as Expo Land.
[edit] Automated guideway transits
Strictly speaking, these lines are not monorails, though they resemble one at first glance. The rail in the center of the track serve only to guide the train, not support it, so they don't qualify as monorails.
- Astram Line (Hiroshima Rapid Transit Hiroshima New Transit Line 1): Hiroshima, Hiroshima
- Linimo (Aichi Rapid Transit Tōbu Kyūryō Line): Aichi.
- Nagoya Guideway Bus Shidami Line (Yutorīto Line): Nagoya, Aichi.
- New Shuttle (Saitama New Urban Transit Ina Line): Saitama, Saitama.
- New Tram (Osaka Municipal Nankō Port Town Line): Osaka, Osaka.
- Nippori-Toneri Liner: Tokyo. Scheduled to open in 2007.
- Peach Liner (Tōkadai New Transit Tōkadai Line): Komaki, Aichi. Already discontinued.
- Port Liner (Kobe New Transit Port Island Line): Kobe, Hyōgo.
- Rokkō Liner (Kobe New Transit Rokkō Island Line): Kobe, Hyōgo.
- Seaside Line (Yokohama New Transit Kanazawa Seaside Line): Yokohama, Kanagawa.
- Seibu Yamaguchi Line (Leo Liner): Tokorozawa, Saitama. A people mover Between Seibuen Park and Invoice Seibu Dome.
- Yamaman Yūkarigaoka Line: Sakura, Chiba.
- Yurikamome (Tokyo Waterfront New Transit Waterfront Line): Tokyo.
[edit] Photo gallery
Toei Ueno Zoo Monorail in Tokyo |
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Tokyo Monorail across Shibaura |
Shōnan Monorail near Ōfuna Station |
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Odakyū Mukōgaoka-Yūen Monorail, now closed. The photograph taken in 1990. |
Slope car at Muya Bus Stop, Naruto, Tokushima. |