Shibayama Railway Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() A Keisei 3500 series EMU in Higashi Narita Station in July 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owner | Shibayama Railway Co., Ltd. ( Narita International Airport Corporation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Chiba Prefecture, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stations | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
System | Functionally part of Keisei Electric Railway network | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator(s) | Shibayama Railway, by Keisei Electric Railway crews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rolling stock | Keisei 3500 series EMU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Daily ridership | 1,419 (2023) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | October 22, 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line length | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrification | 1,500 V DC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating speed | 85 km/h (35 km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Shibayama Railway Company, Ltd. (芝山鉄道株式会社, Shibayama Tetsudō kabushiki gaisha) is a third-sector railway company in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It operates Japan's shortest independent railway line, [2] the 2.2 km (1.4 mi) Shibayama Railway Line between Higashi-Narita Station and Shibayama-Chiyoda Station, largely underneath Narita International Airport.
Narita International Airport Corporation owns a 68.40% majority stake in Shibayama Railway as of March 2019. [3] The remainder is owned by Keisei Electric Railway, Japan Airlines, the prefectural government, and others. [4]
Although the Shibayama Railway is an independent operator, it functionally resembles an extension of the Keisei Electric Railway; the line is operated using equipment and crews leased from Keisei, and the company has no crews directly employed by the company because of this. [5] However, IC cards are not accepted on this route, unlike most of Tokyo. [6] Most Shibayama Railway trains provide local service to Keisei Narita Station past Higashi-Narita; a few local trains run through to Keisei Ueno Station, and express trains operate during rush hours through the Keisei Line and Toei Asakusa Line to terminate at Nishi-Magome Station, or Haneda Airport Station on the Keikyū Airport Line. [7] The 92.8 km (57.7 mi) Haneda run goes through tracks of 6 different rail lines and requires coordination among 4 operators, namely, Shibayama, Keisei Main, Keisei Oshiage, Toei Asakusa, Keikyū Main, and finally Keikyū Airport Line. During the run, the sign on the departure board always list the destination as (Higashi Narita) Shibayama to avoid confusing the customers. [8] The adult fare between Higashi-Narita and Shibayama-Chiyoda is 220 yen. [7]
No. | Station | Japanese | Distance | Transfers | Location | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Between stations |
Total | |||||
KS44 | Higashi-Narita | 東成田 | - | 0.0 km (0 mi) | Keisei Higashi-Narita Line | Narita, Chiba |
SR01 | Shibayama-Chiyoda | 芝山千代田 | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) | Shibayama, Chiba |
Shibayama Railway was founded on May 5, 1981, and received an operating permit on June 24, 1988 for the 2.0 km line between Higashi-Narita Station and Seibijyō-Mae Station (later renamed to Shibayama-Chiyoda) to use dedicated small train sets between the current Shibayama-Chiyoda Station site and a temporary station adjacent to Higashi-Narita Station. [9] In 1990, the railway applied for a permit to operate through service with the Keisei Railway from Keisei Narita Station; construction of a through link was approved in 1996. [10] The Narita Shinkansen plan came into a permanent halt around this time, and the Keisei Electric Railway has built a new line towards the terminal of Narita International Airport using the abandoned buildings for the plan, making the route from Keisei Narita Station to the old Narita International Airport station a new line named Keisei Higashi-Narita Line. [11] The line began construction in 1998. However, the completion of the railway line was delayed due to a part of residents in the planned route refused to sell their land as they were against the project of Narita International Airport itself. In 2000, the company was forced to extend the line by a further 0.2 km to avoid passing through the private lands and the name of the new station was chosen to be Shibayama-Chiyoda. [12] The line opened for operation on October 22, 2002. [9]
The construction of the railway was strongly demanded by Shibayama residents, [2] and was supported by the Transport Ministry and Narita Airport Authority in order to appease residents of the area immediately east of Narita International Airport, as the airport property cut off Shibayama's access to Narita City and points west. [13]
There was a proposal to extend the line into Chiyoda until 1996. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has recommended studying an extension into central Shibayama Town. [14]
The company operates a single line.
The Shibayama Railway Line is recognized and advertises itself as the shortest railway line in Japan. [15] However, the Kurama-dera Cable is the shortest cable car line in Japan with the length of 207 meters, [16] and Seinō Railway operates the shortest freight-only railway line at the length of 2.0 km. [17]
The company currently uses Keisei 3500 series leased from Keisei Electric Railways since 2013. In 2022, the train's wrapping was changed to use red and green stripes, resembling the former 3600 series used on the line. [18]
The company formerly used Keisei 3600 series leased from Keisei Electric Railways during its initial time until 2013, which was given back to the company. During its time as a rolling stock used by the Shibayama Railway, the train color was changed from the Keisei's blue and red color scheme to red and green, the color used in the company's logo. [19]
Shibayama Railway Line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() A Keisei 3500 series EMU in Higashi Narita Station in July 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owner | Shibayama Railway Co., Ltd. ( Narita International Airport Corporation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Chiba Prefecture, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stations | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
System | Functionally part of Keisei Electric Railway network | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator(s) | Shibayama Railway, by Keisei Electric Railway crews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rolling stock | Keisei 3500 series EMU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Daily ridership | 1,419 (2023) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | October 22, 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line length | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrification | 1,500 V DC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating speed | 85 km/h (35 km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Shibayama Railway Company, Ltd. (芝山鉄道株式会社, Shibayama Tetsudō kabushiki gaisha) is a third-sector railway company in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It operates Japan's shortest independent railway line, [2] the 2.2 km (1.4 mi) Shibayama Railway Line between Higashi-Narita Station and Shibayama-Chiyoda Station, largely underneath Narita International Airport.
Narita International Airport Corporation owns a 68.40% majority stake in Shibayama Railway as of March 2019. [3] The remainder is owned by Keisei Electric Railway, Japan Airlines, the prefectural government, and others. [4]
Although the Shibayama Railway is an independent operator, it functionally resembles an extension of the Keisei Electric Railway; the line is operated using equipment and crews leased from Keisei, and the company has no crews directly employed by the company because of this. [5] However, IC cards are not accepted on this route, unlike most of Tokyo. [6] Most Shibayama Railway trains provide local service to Keisei Narita Station past Higashi-Narita; a few local trains run through to Keisei Ueno Station, and express trains operate during rush hours through the Keisei Line and Toei Asakusa Line to terminate at Nishi-Magome Station, or Haneda Airport Station on the Keikyū Airport Line. [7] The 92.8 km (57.7 mi) Haneda run goes through tracks of 6 different rail lines and requires coordination among 4 operators, namely, Shibayama, Keisei Main, Keisei Oshiage, Toei Asakusa, Keikyū Main, and finally Keikyū Airport Line. During the run, the sign on the departure board always list the destination as (Higashi Narita) Shibayama to avoid confusing the customers. [8] The adult fare between Higashi-Narita and Shibayama-Chiyoda is 220 yen. [7]
No. | Station | Japanese | Distance | Transfers | Location | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Between stations |
Total | |||||
KS44 | Higashi-Narita | 東成田 | - | 0.0 km (0 mi) | Keisei Higashi-Narita Line | Narita, Chiba |
SR01 | Shibayama-Chiyoda | 芝山千代田 | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) | Shibayama, Chiba |
Shibayama Railway was founded on May 5, 1981, and received an operating permit on June 24, 1988 for the 2.0 km line between Higashi-Narita Station and Seibijyō-Mae Station (later renamed to Shibayama-Chiyoda) to use dedicated small train sets between the current Shibayama-Chiyoda Station site and a temporary station adjacent to Higashi-Narita Station. [9] In 1990, the railway applied for a permit to operate through service with the Keisei Railway from Keisei Narita Station; construction of a through link was approved in 1996. [10] The Narita Shinkansen plan came into a permanent halt around this time, and the Keisei Electric Railway has built a new line towards the terminal of Narita International Airport using the abandoned buildings for the plan, making the route from Keisei Narita Station to the old Narita International Airport station a new line named Keisei Higashi-Narita Line. [11] The line began construction in 1998. However, the completion of the railway line was delayed due to a part of residents in the planned route refused to sell their land as they were against the project of Narita International Airport itself. In 2000, the company was forced to extend the line by a further 0.2 km to avoid passing through the private lands and the name of the new station was chosen to be Shibayama-Chiyoda. [12] The line opened for operation on October 22, 2002. [9]
The construction of the railway was strongly demanded by Shibayama residents, [2] and was supported by the Transport Ministry and Narita Airport Authority in order to appease residents of the area immediately east of Narita International Airport, as the airport property cut off Shibayama's access to Narita City and points west. [13]
There was a proposal to extend the line into Chiyoda until 1996. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has recommended studying an extension into central Shibayama Town. [14]
The company operates a single line.
The Shibayama Railway Line is recognized and advertises itself as the shortest railway line in Japan. [15] However, the Kurama-dera Cable is the shortest cable car line in Japan with the length of 207 meters, [16] and Seinō Railway operates the shortest freight-only railway line at the length of 2.0 km. [17]
The company currently uses Keisei 3500 series leased from Keisei Electric Railways since 2013. In 2022, the train's wrapping was changed to use red and green stripes, resembling the former 3600 series used on the line. [18]
The company formerly used Keisei 3600 series leased from Keisei Electric Railways during its initial time until 2013, which was given back to the company. During its time as a rolling stock used by the Shibayama Railway, the train color was changed from the Keisei's blue and red color scheme to red and green, the color used in the company's logo. [19]