In 1992, Keifuku Electric Railway, the predecessor of Echizen Railway, announced that it would end services between Higashi-Furuichi (now Eiheijiguchi) and Katsuyama stations on the Eiheiji Main Line (now the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line) as well as all service on the Eiheiji Line and replace them with buses. However, for several years this was fought by local municipalities; in 1997, the city of Fukui and other municipalities along the railway lines announced they would establish a committee to provide support to the company to continue operating the lines.
However, two accidents in a six-month span on the Eiheiji Main Line (one on December 17, 2000, between Shiizakai and Higashi-Furuichi stations and another on June 24, 2001, between Hossaka and Hota stations) forced the company to halt all services. The resulting effect on revenue led to the company's decision to withdraw from the railway business, and in October 2001 it officially notified the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
As the Eiheiji Main Line and Mikuni Awara Line were considered to be a crucial means of transport, Fukui Prefecture decided to set up a third-sector company to continue operating railway services and established Echizen Railway in 2002. On February 1, 2003, Keifuku formally transferred all tracks and equipment to Echizen Railway, and the Echizen Main Line was renamed the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line. However, the Eiheiji Line was permanently abolished (as revenue was forecast to fall below the amount needed to break even) and bus service was run in its place.
Partial service on both lines resumed on July 19, 2003, with full service resuming on the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line on August 10 and on the Mikuni Awara Line on October 19. Official service In order to gather information on passenger demographics, all ticket machines were abolished and ticket sales were handled by station employees.[1]
Through service with Fukui Railwayedit
On May 27, 2010, Fukui Prefecture announced plans for through services between Fukui Railway and Echizen Railway.[2] Under the plan, beginning in 2013 the Fukui Railway's Fukubu Line would connect to the Echizen Railway at Tawaramachi Station, and as many as two trains per hour in each direction would run through to Nittazuka Station. The next stage would involve extending Fukui Railway service to Nishi-Nagata Station and running Echizen Railway trains onto the Fukubu Line. As a part of this plan, five stations would be renovated.
Rolling stockedit
As of April 1, 2014[update], the railway operates the following fleet of rolling stock.[3]
^ 私鉄車両編成表 2014 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2014] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. July 24, 2014. p. 112. ISBN978-4-330-48414-3.
^ えちぜん鉄道7000形 [Echizen Railway 7000 series]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 53, no. 625. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. May 2013. pp. 58–59.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Echizen Railway.
Official website(in Japanese)
November 28, 2023
echizen, railway, えちぜん鉄道株式会社, echizen, tetsudō, kabushikigaisha, third, sector, railway, operating, company, located, fukui, fukui, prefecture, japan, owns, operates, katsuyama, eiheiji, line, between, fukui, katsuyama, mikuni, awara, line, between, fukui, sak. Echizen Railway えちぜん鉄道株式会社 Echizen Tetsudō Kabushikigaisha is a third sector railway operating company located in Fukui Fukui Prefecture Japan It owns and operates the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line between Fukui and Katsuyama and the Mikuni Awara Line between Fukui and Sakai Echizen Railway Co Ltd TypePublic private KKIndustryRail transportPredecessorKeifuku Electric RailroadFoundedSeptember 17 2002 2002 09 17 HeadquartersFukui Fukui Prefecture JapanArea servedNorthern Fukui PrefectureKey peopleTōru Minami PresidentOwnerSakai City 17 4 Katsuyama City 16 7 Fukui City 16 1 Eiheiji Town 12 6 Awara City 7 0 42 others 30 2 Number of employees93Websitewww wbr echizen tetudo wbr co wbr jp Contents 1 History 2 Through service with Fukui Railway 3 Rolling stock 3 1 EMUs 3 2 Electric locomotives 3 3 Former rolling stock 4 References 5 External linksHistory editIn 1992 Keifuku Electric Railway the predecessor of Echizen Railway announced that it would end services between Higashi Furuichi now Eiheijiguchi and Katsuyama stations on the Eiheiji Main Line now the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line as well as all service on the Eiheiji Line and replace them with buses However for several years this was fought by local municipalities in 1997 the city of Fukui and other municipalities along the railway lines announced they would establish a committee to provide support to the company to continue operating the lines However two accidents in a six month span on the Eiheiji Main Line one on December 17 2000 between Shiizakai and Higashi Furuichi stations and another on June 24 2001 between Hossaka and Hota stations forced the company to halt all services The resulting effect on revenue led to the company s decision to withdraw from the railway business and in October 2001 it officially notified the Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport As the Eiheiji Main Line and Mikuni Awara Line were considered to be a crucial means of transport Fukui Prefecture decided to set up a third sector company to continue operating railway services and established Echizen Railway in 2002 On February 1 2003 Keifuku formally transferred all tracks and equipment to Echizen Railway and the Echizen Main Line was renamed the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line However the Eiheiji Line was permanently abolished as revenue was forecast to fall below the amount needed to break even and bus service was run in its place Partial service on both lines resumed on July 19 2003 with full service resuming on the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line on August 10 and on the Mikuni Awara Line on October 19 Official service In order to gather information on passenger demographics all ticket machines were abolished and ticket sales were handled by station employees 1 Through service with Fukui Railway editOn May 27 2010 Fukui Prefecture announced plans for through services between Fukui Railway and Echizen Railway 2 Under the plan beginning in 2013 the Fukui Railway s Fukubu Line would connect to the Echizen Railway at Tawaramachi Station and as many as two trains per hour in each direction would run through to Nittazuka Station The next stage would involve extending Fukui Railway service to Nishi Nagata Station and running Echizen Railway trains onto the Fukubu Line As a part of this plan five stations would be renovated Rolling stock editAs of April 1 2014 update the railway operates the following fleet of rolling stock 3 EMUs edit 1101 series 1 car 2201 series 1 car 5001 series 1 car 6001 series 2 cars 6101 series 12 cars 7000 series 2 car EMUs 5 sets converted from former JR Central 119 series EMUs 4 nbsp 5000 series EMU car 5001 July 2005 nbsp 6101 series EMU car 6111 nbsp 7000 series EMUElectric locomotives edit Class ML521 two locomotives numbered 521 and 522 nbsp Class ML521 locomotives 521 and 522 in June 2009Former rolling stock edit 2101 series EMUs Class ML6 one locomotive nbsp Preserved Class ML6 locomotive in November 2013References edit Shimada Ikumi ローカル線ガールズ Local Line Girls Media Factory 2008 福井鉄道 えちぜん鉄道 相互乗り入れへ 私鉄車両編成表 2014 Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations 2014 in Japanese Japan Kotsu Shimbunsha July 24 2014 p 112 ISBN 978 4 330 48414 3 えちぜん鉄道7000形 Echizen Railway 7000 series Japan Railfan Magazine in Japanese Vol 53 no 625 Japan Koyusha Co Ltd May 2013 pp 58 59 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Echizen Railway Official website in Japanese Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Echizen Railway amp oldid 1080618564, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
