Iyotetsu

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Iyo Railway Co., Ltd.
伊予鉄 (Iyotetsu?)
Native name
 伊予鉄道株式会社
Industry Transport
Founded September 14, 1887; 136 years ago (1887-09-14) in Takahama, Shikoku, Japan
Headquarters 4-4-1 Minatomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan
Website www.iyotetsu.co.jp

The Iyo Railway Co., Ltd. (伊予鉄道株式会社 Iyo tetsudō kabushiki gaisha?), usually shortened to Iyotetsu (伊予鉄?), is the main transport provider in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The company operates railway, tram, and bus lines, and also has many subsidiaries, which include a bank, department stores, travel agencies, and various other businesses.

History

The company was founded on September 14, 1887, and its Takahama railway line, the first in Shikoku, was opened on October 28, 1888. In addition to being the first railway in Shikoku, it was also the third private railway in Japan.[1] It is named for the former Iyo Province. The first tramway was electrified in 1911, whilst the entire tram network was changed from 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge in 1923.[2]

From August 2005, its lines introduced the IC e-card, a smart card ticketing system.[citation needed]

Services

Railway

Iyotetsu operates the following railway lines.

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Takahama Line

This 9.4 km line opened as 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge in 1888, and was regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), double-tracked to Baishinji (8.2 km) and electrified at 600 V DC in 1931. The Takahama Line and the Ōtemachi Tramline have one of the few remaining rail/tram level crossing in Japan. This line is still electrified at 600 V DC, not increased to 750 V DC as Yokogawara or Gunchū Lines.[citation needed]

Yokogawara Line

This 13.2 km line opened as 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge in 1893, and was regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) in 1931. Steam locomotives were replaced by diesel traction in 1954, and the line was electrified at 750 V DC in 1967. Through services to and from the Takahama line commenced in 1981.[citation needed]

Gunchū Line

The initial 10.7 km line opened as 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge in 1900, being regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) in 1937. In 1939, a 600 m extension opened to Gunchuko, enabling a transfer to JR Iyo station on the Yosan Line. The line was electrified in 1950 at 600 V DC, increased to 750 V DC in 1976.[citation needed]

CTC signalling was introduced on the rail system in 1993.[citation needed]

Former connecting lines

A 4.4 km 762 mm gauge line opened from Iyo Tachibana (on the Takahama line) to Morimatsu in 1896, the line being regauged to 1,067 mm in 1931. The line closed in 1965.[citation needed]

Tram

Iyotetsu operates the Matsuyama City Lines (松山市内線 Matsuyama Shinai-sen?), a system of five interconnected tram (路面電車 romen-densha?) lines.

File:Entwicklung des Straßenbahn-Streckennetzes in Matsuyama.jpg
Development of the tram and train network in Matsuyama (incl. JR Shikoku Yosan Line and Matsuyamajō Ropeway)

Diagram of the tram network, illustrating the various routes

Lines

There are officially five lines, as follows.

Routes

There are five routes regularly in service by using one or more lines above.

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  • ■ Route 1 - Loop Line: Matsuyamashi-Ekimae — Minami-Horibata — Komachi — Kami-Ichiman — Minami-Horibata — Matsuyamashi-Ekimae (Only operates in this direction.)
  • ■ Route 2 - Loop Line: Matsuyamashi-Ekimae — Minami-Horibata — Kami-Ichiman — Komachi — Minami-Horibata — Matsuyamashi-Ekimae (Only operates in this direction.)
  • ■ Route 3 - Shieki Line: Matsuyamashi-Ekimae — Kami-Ichiman — Dōgo-Onsen
  • ■ Route 5 - JR Line: Matsuyama-Ekimae — Minami-Horibata — Kami-Ichiman — Dōgo-Onsen
  • ■ Route 6 - Honmachi Line: Honmachi-Rokuchōme — Minami-Horibata — Kami-Ichiman — Dōgo-Onsen

Bus

File:Iyotetudou PDG-HR7JPBEkai CNG.jpg
Iyotetsu local bus

The company operates highway buses linking Matsuyama and the major cities of Japan, including Tokyo, Ōsaka, Fukuyama, Takamatsu, Tokushima, and Kōchi. It also operates a local network in and around the city.

Rolling stock

Heavy rail

  • Iyotetsu782.JPG

    700 series set 722 in March 2008

  • Iyo railway train 612.jpg

    610 series EMU set 612 in June 2006

  • 3000 series set 3306 in May 2012

Trams

  • MoHa 50 (since 1951)
  • MoHa 2000 (since 1964)
  • MoHa 2100 (since 2002)
  • Iyotetsu2004.jpg

    A MoHa 2000 tramcar

  • Minami-Horibata Station.jpg

    A MoHa 2100 tramcar

Former rolling stock

  • Iyotetsu 300 series 303 20081009.JPG

    An Iyotetsu 300 series train in October 2008

  • Iyotetsu601.JPG

    An Iyotetsu 600 series train in March 2008

  • Iyotetsu825.JPG

    An Iyotetsu 800 series train in March 2008

"Botchan Ressha"

File:Bocchan-ressha(Matsuyama-Ekimae-Turning).jpg
Botchan Ressha turning at Matsuyama City Station

Iyo Railway also operates the Botchan Ressha, diesel-powered replicas of the original Iyotetsu locomotives, well-known from Natsume Sōseki's famous 1906 novel, Botchan. The current Botchan Ressha, operating on two of the city lines since 2001, reproduces the atmosphere of early train travel in Matsuyama.

See also

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

  1. ↑ Yuichiro Kishi, "Railway Operators in Japan 13: Shikoku Region", Japan Railway & Transport Review 39 (2004): 44.
  2. ↑ Brown, Colin (2007). "Tramway Opening and Closure Dates". Bullet-In Issue 61, p.25

External links

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