Towada Kankō Electric Railway

The Towada Kanko Electric Railway (十和田観光電鉄 Towada Kankō Dentetsu) is a company that operates the Towada Kanko Electric Railway Line, which connects Misawa Station in the city of Misawa and Towada-shi Station in the city of Towada, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The company also operates bus service. It has its headquarters in Towada. People in the area refer to the company as "Tōtetsu."

History

*1914: Towada Rail Company established
*1917: Rail permit received
*1920: Regional rail permit received
*1920: Name changed to Towada Tetsudo Kabushika-gaisha
*1922: Rail line opened (Komaki –Sanbongi)
*1941: Company purchases area transportation businesses
*1943: Land-Transportation Law reorganizes regional transportation businesses
*1951: Rail line electrified; gauge widened from 762 to 1067 mm
*1951: Company took present name
*1955: Company begins sightseeing boat service on Lake Towada
*1969: Kokusai Kōgyō takes company under its wing
*2002: Operations commenced on Towada-shi–Hachinohe Line to Hachinohe Station

Rail operations

*Towada Kanko Electric Railway Line 14.7 km (Class 1 Railroad Operator) Eleven stations

As of April 1, 2003, the company has the following equipment:
*Moha 7200 stock: #7204, 7205
*Moha 7700 stock and Kuha 7900 stock (formerly Tokyu 7700): #7701 + 7901–7903
*Moha 3400 stock: #3401
*Moha 3600 stock: #3603
*ED300: #301
*ED400: #402
*Tora 300: #301, 302

Bus operations

In addition to local service in Aomori Prefecture, the company operates "Sirius" overnight service from Towada and Hachinohe to Ikebukuro in Tokyo, and "Bluestar" overnight service from Towada via Aomori to Ikebukuro and Shibuya, Tokyo. Daytime "Umineko" service connects Hachinohe and Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, and "Blue City" service, Aomori and Sendai.

Boat operations

The Lake Towada Sightseeing Boat operate on two routes.

ubsidiaries

Towada Kanko has subsidiaries in the taxi, hotel, resort, supermarket and travel businesses.