Sagami Railway

Sagami Railway Co. Ltd.
Native name
 相模鉄道株式会社
K.K. (limited company)
Genre Rail transport
Founded November 1964
Headquarters 2-9-14 Kitasaiwai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan
Area served
 Kanagawa
Services Passenger railway
Owner Sotetsu holdings (100%)
Number of employees
 1,117 (As of September 16, 2009)
Website http://www.sotetsu.co.jp

The Sagami Railway Co Ltd (相模鉄道株式会社, Sagami Tetsudō Kabushikigaisha), or Sotetsu (相鉄), is a private railway company operating three lines in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

Overview

Sagami Railway (Sotetsu) is one of the core companies of the Sotetsu group. Sotetsu focuses on railway operations, although formerly it had a more diversified set of holdings, such as bus lines and supermarkets. Sotetsu is the smallest company of the "Big 15" railways in Japan, as it has only short lines, but it succeeded in developing towns along its lines in the 1960s and 1970s, so many passengers ride this line. In May 1990, Sotetsu joined the major railways. In 2010 it had a daily ridership of 623,500[1]

Lines

Sotetsu Lines (yellow) in the railway network around Yokohama

The company operates two passenger (commuter) lines and a freight-only line. All lines are electrified.

Passenger

Freight

Rolling stock

As of 1 April 2016, Sotetsu operates the following electric multiple unit (EMU) train types.[2]

The first of a fleet of new 20000 series ten-car EMUs is scheduled to enter service in December 2017. Further trains will be delivered ahead of the start of inter-running services to and from Tokyu Corporation lines scheduled to commence in late fiscal 2022.[3]

Past

EMUs

Locomotives

Preserved rolling stock

Some withdrawn rolling stock is preserved at Kashiwadai depot.

History

The Sagami Railway was established in Chigasaki, Kanagawa, in January 1917, to transport gravel along the Sagami River valley. The first section, between Chigasaki and Samukawa was opened in 1919, and the line was extended gradually to Hashimoto in 1931.[4] Sagami Railway started direct operation to Hachioji, but performance was sluggish during the economic depression, so Sagami Railway became a subsidiary of Tokyu in 1941.

The Jinchu Railway was established in Seya village (now, Seya-ku, Yokohama) in 1917, and opened its first section from Futamatagawa to Atsugi in May, 1926. Jinchu Railway extended to Yokohama Station in 1933, but its management had financial difficulties, so the company also became a subsidiary of Tokyu in 1939, prior to Sagami Railway. The two companies' rail lines were connected at Atsugi Station.

In April 1943, Sagami Railway took over Jinchu Railway and named two lines "Sagami Line" (original section) and "Jinchu line" (acquired section). However, in June 1944, the Sagami Line and Nishi-Samukawa branch line were purchased by the government to use the bypass between Tokaido main line and Chuo main line. At the same time, Imperial Japanese Navy Atsugi Airport was opened, so the number of passengers and amount of freight increased sharply. As a result, Sagami Railway released all management and delegated it to Tokyu. Under Tokyu, the line gained electrification to increase the carrying capacity and in 1944, all passenger lines were electrified.

In June 1947, Sagami Railway employees bought their own shares from Tokyu and resolved the commission.

In 1952, Sagami Railway purchased the 25,000 ㎡ of land around Yokohama Station's west entrance from Standard Oil company, and began to develop to attract department stores.

Proposed connection with Tokaido Freight Line

The Sagami Railway and the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency are jointly planning a 2.7 km new line, called the Sotetsu JR Link Line (相鉄ＪＲ直通線, Sōtetsu JR Chokutsū-sen), connecting Nishiya Station on the Sotetsu Line with the Tokaido Freight Line. The line, originally scheduled to be completed by 2015 will enable direct passenger services from Sōtetsu lines to Shinjuku Station in central Tokyo via the Yokosuka Line.[5] As of June 2017, the line has not been opened.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.train-media.net/report/1110/soutetsu.pdf
  2. ↑ 私鉄車両編成表 2016 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 25 July 2016. p. 82-83. ISBN 978-4-330-70116-5.
  3. ↑ 都心直通用新型車両「２００００系」を導入 [New 20000 series trains to be introduced on Tokyo through-running services] (PDF). News letter (in Japanese). Japan: Sotetsu. 5 June 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 June 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  4. ↑ 『相鉄七十年史』相模鉄道
  5. ↑ "都市鉄道利便増進事業 相鉄・JR直通線 神奈川東部方面線（西谷駅～羽沢駅間）" (pdf) (in Japanese). Retrieved September 30, 2009.
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