| Toyama Light Rail Toyamakō Line | |
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A "Portram" car, introduced on the conversion to light rail |
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| Line length | 7.6 km (4.7 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | 600 V DC |
| Operating speed | 60 km/h/37 mph (rail line) 40 km/h/25 mph (tram line) |
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The Toyamakō Line (富山港線 Toyamakō-sen) is a tram line of Toyama Light Rail in the city of Toyama, the capital of Toyama Prefecture. The line runs from Toyamaekikita, right next to Toyama Station, bounds for north to Iwasehama in a town of the Toyama Port on Sea of Japan.
The line is regarded as the first of fully converted or constructed "light rail transit" (LRT) in Japan. Other "LRTs" referred are partly substituted rolling stock alone, while the "Portram" appllies new stock on fully renovated infrastructures.
It has an official nickname "Portram'", after "port" (Toyama Port) and "tram".
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Also see the route diagram.
The Toyamakō Line was built as a heavy railway line by the private Fugan Railway (富岩鉄道 Fugan Tetsudō) in 1924; it was electrified with 600 V DC overhead catenary. In December 1941, the company transferred the line to Toyama Electric Railway (富山電気鉄道 Toyama Denki Tetsudō), which was renamed to the Toyama Chihō Railway in 1943. The line was nationalized in June 1943 due to line's importance as a freight and materiel route to the port of Toyama.
The Japanese National Railways (JNR) modified the Toyamakō Line's electrification system to 1500 V DC, the last to be altered among JNR lines acquired from private companies. When JNR was privatized in 1987, the line became part of the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) network. JR West operated the Toyamakō Line until February 28, 2006 after a long period of declining passengers and the resulting reduction in service. The Toyama Light Rail Company, a public-private partnership with Hokuriku Electric Power Company, Intec, and the municipal and prefectural governments as major shareholders, was set up to own and operate the line. It was modified for light rail services and reopened on April 29, 2006, returning it to service under a Toyama-based company after half a century of outside management.
Prior to the line's transfer in 2006, only 1,700 passengers were using the line on weekdays and fewer than 750 on weekends. Under Toyama Light Rail ownership, however, the line proved to be surprisingly successful: 12,750 people rode the line on the first day. By November 9, 2006, one million passengers had used the line.
Approximately six trains are run per direction per hour in the morning, 4 in the daytime to evening, 2 in the late night.
The fare is JPY 200 for an adult, 100 for a child per ride, reduced to 160 for an adult and 80 for a child when using the Passca, a smart card ticketing system. Citizens of the city of Toyama over 65 years old are entitled to pay JPY 100 per ride in the daytime with the "Silver Passca".
"Feeder bus" services are provided at Hasumachi and Jōgawara.
Nicknamed "Portram", differently coloured 7 formations of TLR0600 type of Niigata Transis manufactured jointly with Bombardier Transportation were introduced to the line.
A southbound extension is scheduled. After the completion of the Hokuriku Shinkansen at Toyama Station, the line will pass under the Shinkansen, Hokuriku and Takayama main lines, and connect the Toyama City Tram Line of the Toyama Chihō Railway ("Chitetsu") with downtown Toyama.
All stations are in the city of Toyama, Toyama Prefecture. For distances and connections, see the route diagram.
The naming rights of two stations were sold (shown by *), of four which were on sale.