Keio Corporation

: "For other uses, see Keio (disambiguation)."

Nihongo|Keio Corporation|京王電鉄株式会社|Keiō Dentetsu Kabushiki-gaisha (tyo|9008) is a private railway operator in Tokyo, Japan, and a central firm of the Nihongo|Keio Group|京王グループ|Keiō Gurūpu that is involved in transportation, retail, real estate and other industries.

The name "Keiō" is a contraction for "Tokyō-Hachiōji" (東京-八王子). The Keiō railway network connects the western suburbs of Tokyo (Chōfu, Fuchū, Hachiōji, Hino, Inagi, Sagamihara, Tama) with the city center at Shinjuku Station.

The Keiō Corporation and the JR Keiyō Line are separate, and have no stations near each other.

History

Keiō's earliest predecessor is the Nippon Electric Railway (日本電気鉄道) which was formed in 1905. This was reorganized as the Musashi Electric Railway (武蔵電気鉄道) in 1906. The concern was renamed again to Keiō Electric Tramway (京王電気軌道) in 1910 and began operating its first stretch of railway in 1913 between Sasazuka and Chōfu. By 1923, Keiō had completed its main-trunk rail link from Shinjuku to Hachiōji. Trackage from Fuchū to Hachiōji was installed by Gyokunan Electric Railway (玉南電気鉄道) in 1,067 mm gauge, but was later changed to 1,372 mm gauge.

The Inokashira Line began operating in 1933 as completely separate company, Teito Electric Railway (帝都電鉄). This company planned also to link Ōimachi with Suzaki (now Kōtō city) though this never materialized. In 1940, Teito merged with the Odakyu Electric Railway, and in 1942 the combined companies also became part of Tokyu Corporation.

In 1947, the shareholders of Tōkyū voted to spin off the Keiō and Inokashira lines as a new Keio Teito Electric Railway (京王帝都電鉄) company. The Teito name was dropped in 1998, though KTR placards and insignia can still be seen occasionally.

Priority seats

Keiō was among the first railways to have a Priority seat (優先席) system. Priority seats are reserved spaces for the physically handicapped, elderly, pregnant women, and people with infant. These special seats, which were initially called Silver Seats but renamed in 1993, were inaugurated on Respect for the Aged Day on September 15, 1973.

Lines

The Keiō network is based around the central Keiō Line, which is occasionally referred to as the Nihongo|Keiō Main Line|京王本線|Keiō Honsen. Branches from the Keiō main line include:

*Keiō Dōbutsuen Line (京王動物園線)
*Keiō Keibajō Line (京王競馬場線)
*Keiō New Line (京王新線)
*Keiō Sagamihara Line (京王相模原線)
*Keiō Takao Line (京王高尾線)

The Keiō Inokashira Line (京王井の頭線) does not share trackage. It intersects with the Keiō Line at Meidaimae Station.

Rolling stock

All Keiō trains have longitudinal (commuter-style) seating.

1,372 mm gauge lines

*Acceleration: 2.5 km/h/s (3.3 km/h/s on Shinjuku Line)
*Maximum speed: 110 km/h
*Car length: 20 m
*Driver's cab: One handle master-controller
*Other 9030 series and 6030 series are not allowed to run on Shinjuku Line

*9000 series (from 2001)
**5M5T (5 motor cars and 5 trailers, motor cars have 4 motors) allowed on Shinjuku Line.
*8000 series (from 1992)
*7000 series (from 1984)
*6000 series (from 1972)

Trains run from Shinjuku Line

See Shinjuku Line article.
*10-300 series
*10-300R series
*10-000 series

1,067 mm gauge lines

*Maximum speed: 90 km/h
*1000 series (from 1996)
*3000 series (from 1962)

Related companies

*Keio Dentetsu Bus
**Keio Bus Higashi
**Keio Bus Chuo
**Keio Bus Minami
**Keio Bus Koganei
*Nishi Tokyo Bus
**Tama Bus

ee also

References

External links

* [http://www.keio.co.jp/english/ Keio Corporation - Official Website]