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| Native name | 相模鉄道株式会社 |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public KK (Sotetsu Holdings) |
| Traded as | TYO: 9003 (Sotetsu Holdings) |
| Genre | Rail transport |
| Founded | November 1964 |
| Headquarters | 2-9-14 Kitasaiwai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan |
| Area served | Kanagawa |
| Key people | Hideyuki Takizawa [jp] (President) |
| Services | Passenger railway |
| Owner | Odakyu Electric Railway Co. (4.38%) Obayashi Corporation (1.31%) T&D Holdings (0.65%) Keikyu (0.54%) Takashimaya (0.54%) Keio Corporation (0.10%) Tokyu Construction (0.01%) |
| Number of employees | 1,117 (As of September 16, 2009) |
| Parent | Sotetsu Holdings, Inc. |
| Website | https://www.sotetsu.co.jp/about/companies/sagami-railway/ |
The Sagami Railway Company, Ltd. (相模鉄道株式会社, Sagami tetsudō Kabushikigaisha), or Sōtetsu (相鉄), is a private railway company operating three lines in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of holding company Sōtetsu Holdings, Inc. Sōtetsu Holdings is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange; 6.58% of it is owned by the Odakyu Electric Railway Company.
Overview
Sagami Railway is one of the core companies of the Sōtetsu group. Sōtetsu focuses on railway operations, although formerly it had a more diversified set of holdings, such as bus lines and supermarkets. Sōtetsu is the smallest company of the "Big 15" private railways in Japan, as it has only short lines, but it succeeded in developing towns along its lines in the 1960s and 1970s, with many passengers riding this line. In May 1990, Sōtetsu joined the major railways. In 2010 it had a daily ridership of 623,500
Lines
The company operates three passenger (commuter) lines and a freight-only line. All lines are electrified. All the railroads owned or operated by Sōtetsu are entirely within Kanagawa Prefecture, but through services with other rail operators allow Sōtetsu trains to travel into Tokyo Metropolis and Saitama Prefecture.
Passenger
- Main Line from Yokohama Station in Yokohama to Ebina Station in Ebina via Futamata-gawa Station in Yokohama, 18 stations, 24.6 km (15.3 mi)
- Izumino Line from Futamata-gawa Station in Yokohama to Shōnandai Station in Fujisawa, 8 stations, 11.3 km (7.0 mi)
- Sōtetsu Shin-yokohama Line from Nishiya to Shin-yokohama, 3 stations, 6.3 km (3.9 mi). Unlike the other lines, this line is owned by Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT) with operation commissioned to Sōtetsu.
Freight
- Atsugi Line (厚木線, Atsugi-sen) in Ebina
Rolling stock
As of 1 April 2016, Sōtetsu operates the following electric multiple unit (EMU) train types.
- 8000 series EMUs (introduced 1990)
- 9000 series EMUs (introduced 1993)
- 10000 series EMUs (introduced 2002)
- 11000 series EMUs (introduced 2009)
- 12000 series EMUs (introduced 20 April 2019)
- 20000 series EMUs (introduced 11 February 2018)
- 700 series 2-car EMUs modified in 2006 from 7000 series for use as an inspection and rescue train
-
An 8000 series EMU in revised livery in October 2020
-
A 9000 series EMU in revised color scheme in October 2020
-
A 10000 series EMU in October 2020
-
An 11000 series EMU in May 2021
-
A 12000 series EMU in October 2020
-
A 20000 series EMU in October 2020
-
A 700 series inspection and rescue train
Further 20000 series 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.
Past
EMUs
- 1000 series
- 2000 and 2100 series EMU (introduced 1951)
- 3000 series EMU (introduced 1951)
- 5000 series EMU (introduced 1955)
- 6000 and New 6000 series EMU (introduced 1961)
- 7000 and New 7000 series EMUs (introduced 1975)
Locomotives
- Class ED10 electric locomotive
Preserved fleet
Some withdrawn rolling stock is preserved at Kashiwadai depot.
- 2000 series EMU car 2005
- 6000 series EMU cars 6001 and 6021
- ED10 electric locomotive No.11
- Jinchu Railway Class 3 steam locomotive
- Jinchu Railway Class Ha20 coach
-
Preserved Jinchu Railway steam locomotive and coach
-
2000 series in September 2009
-
2100 series
-
5000 series in February 2009
-
6000 series cars in revised color scheme awaiting scrapping in June 1993
-
Preserved 6000 series car in original livery in June 2009
-
Class ED10 electric locomotive
-
A 7000 series EMU in original livery October 2008
-
A New 7000 series EMU in revised livery in October 2020
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 gradually extended to Hashimoto in 1931. Sagami Railway started direct operation to Hachiōji, but performance was sluggish during the economic depression, and an outflow disaster of Sagami River severely damaged its gravel pits in 1941. This led to Sagami Railway eventual decision to become a subsidiary of Tōkyū in 1941.
The Jinchū Railway (神中鉄道) was established in Seya village (now, Seya-ku, Yokohama) in 1917 and opened its first section from Futamata-gawa to Atsugi in May 1926. Jinchū Railway extended to Yokohama Station in 1933, but its management faced financial difficulties, so the company also became a subsidiary of Tōkyū in 1939, prior to Sagami Railway. The two companies' rail lines were connected at Atsugi Station.
In April 1943, acknowledged by Tōkyū, Sagami Railway took over Jinchū Railway and named the two lines "Sagami Line" (original section) and "Jinchū Line" (acquired section). However, in June 1944 during World War II, the Sagami Line and its Nishi-Samukawa branch line were forcefully acquired by the government to use as a bypass between the Hachikō Line and Chūō Main Line in anticipation of airstrikes on heavy industrial facilities around the area. Sagami Line would never return to the hands of Sagami Railway. At the same time, Imperial Japanese Navy Atsugi Airport was opened, so the ridership and freight traffic increased sharply. As a result, Sagami Railway released all management and delegated it to Tōkyū. Under Tōkyū, 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 Tōkyū and resolved the commission of the Jinchū Line (renamed as the "Tōkyū Atsugi Line" during Tōkyū's operation). Sagami Railway continued to develop the Jinchū/Atsugi Line, which became what is known today as the Sōtetsu Main Line. The whole line was fully double-tracked in 1951. In 1968, Sagami Railway began the construction of the Izumino Line. After completing the first extension of the Izumino Line in 1990, Sagami Railway was recognized as one of the "major private railway companies" (大手私鉄) in Japan by the Japan Private Railway Association [ja], which gives Sagami Railway the qualification to participate in cabinet meetings and parliamentary hearings regarding public transportation policies.
In 1952, Sagami Railway purchased the 25,000 m of land around Yokohama Station's west entrance from Esso, and began to develop to attract department stores.
Through services to JR and Tōkyū
See also: Eastern Kanagawa Rail Link and Sōtetsu Shin-yokohama LineThe Sōtetsu Shin-yokohama Line is an approximately 6 km link, which is constructed from Nishiya via Hazawa yokohama-kokudai to Shin-yokohama. This line enables through services between the JR East Saikyō Line and the Sōtetsu Main Line by late 2019, as well as between the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line, the Tōkyū Meguro Line and the Sōtetsu Main Line by March 2023. This project created a 12.7-kilometre (7.9 mi) railroad which allows residents and commuters alongside the Sōtetsu railway lines to better access the Tokyo Metropolis as well as Tokaido Shinkansen by interchanging at Shin-yokohama.
One analyst believes that the opening of the Eastern Kanagawa Rail Link will diminish the importance of the section between Nishiya and Yokohama of the Main Line, but the convenient through services provided by the new line will attract more passengers and investments to the areas downbound from Nishiya.
Notes
- Official English documents and signage generally drop the long vowel diacritic, so "Sōtetsu" is instead spelled "Sotetsu". This article uses the diacritic for pronunciation clarity.
References
Citations
- "Message from the President". Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- レポート 2010年度1日平均乗降人員・通過人員 相模鉄道 (PDF) (in Japanese), 関東交通広告協議会, retrieved 2023-03-30
- 私鉄車両編成表 2016 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 25 July 2016. pp. 82–83. ISBN 978-4-330-70116-5.
- 相鉄20000系，2月11日から営業運転を開始 [Sōtetsu 20000 series to enter revenue service from 11 February]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 22 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- 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.
- Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 1.1, p. 24.
- ^ Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 1.1, p. 30.
- Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 1.1, p. 29.
- Sugiyama Junichi 2022, p. 2.
- Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 1.1, p. 31.
- Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 1.1, p. 36.
- Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 1.2, p. 41.
- Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 1.4, p. 100.
- Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 1.4, p. 96.
- Sōtetsu 100-year Chronicles 2.1, p. 174.
- Sugiyama Junichi 2022, p. 1.
Sources
- "Sōtetsu Group 100-year Chronicles - Volume Establishment - Part 1 - Chapter 1 - Pioneer of Central Kanagawa Prefecture Development" 相鉄グループ100年史 沿革編 第1部 第１章 神奈川県央部開発の先駆 (PDF), Sagami Railway (in Japanese), December 2018, retrieved 2023-03-30
- "Sōtetsu Group 100-year Chronicles - Volume Establishment - Part 1 - Chapter 2 - Passion for Revitalization" 相鉄グループ100年史 沿革編 第1部 第２章 復興への情熱 (PDF), Sagami Railway (in Japanese), December 2018, retrieved 2023-03-30
- "Sōtetsu Group 100-year Chronicles - Volume Establishment - Part 1 - Chapter 4 - Ambition to 2 Major Businesses" 相鉄グループ100年史 沿革編 第1部 第４章 2大事業への意欲 (PDF), Sagami Railway (in Japanese), December 2018, retrieved 2023-03-30
- "Sōtetsu Group 100-year Chronicles - Volume Establishment - Part 2 - Chapter 1 - Corporation of Organized Services" 相鉄グループ100年史 沿革編 第2部 第１章 総合サービス企業集団 (PDF), Sagami Railway (in Japanese), December 2018, retrieved 2023-03-30
- 杉山, 淳一 (2022-09-18), 「新横浜線」でレールが直通、相鉄と東急のユーザーが知らない“深すぎる関係”とは, Bungeishunjū (in Japanese), retrieved 2023-03-30
External links
- Sotetsu Group
- Sotetsu Lines history (site for kids) (in Japanese)
| Major and semi-major private rail operators of Japan | |
|---|---|
| Kantō region | |
| Chūbu region | |
| Kinki region | |
| Kyūshū region | |
| indicates rapid transit operators indicates semi-major rail operators Not a member of Associations of Private Japanese Railways, therefore excluded under the formal Japanese definition, although its comparable size is undisputed | |
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