Nagano Electric Railway

1000 series train on a Yukemuri limited express service

8500 series EMU

The Nagano Electric Railway (長野電鉄, Nagano Dentetsu^?) is a private railway based in Nagano, Japan. The company and its lines are commonly referred to as Nagaden (長電^?).

History

Nagano Electric Railway consists of two lines in the northern part of Nagano Prefecture. The original Nagano Electric Railway was built in 1926 connecting Gondō in Nagano City with Suzaka. Later that year, the company absorbed the operations of Katō Railway, who operated a line on the east bank of the Chikuma River running from Yashiro through Suzaka to Kijima. The next year in 1927, an additional line was constructed from Shinshū-Nakano to Yudanaka, and the following year the Gondō terminus was extended to Nagano Station. The segment from Nagano to Zenkōjishita was converted to an underground railway in 1981, and in 2002 the segment from Shinshū-Nakano to Kijima was abandoned due to lack of demand.

The Nagano Line is the main line, with frequent local and express services. It is a major route for commuter traffic in Nagano City and also serves as a link for tourists going to the town of Obuse, the hot springs at Yudanaka, and the ski resorts at Shiga Kōgen. The Yashiro Line (formerly the Katō Line) services are local only and infrequent compared to the Nagano Line since the area is more sparsely populated. Although both lines meet at Suzaka Station, there are no through services for either line.

On 25 March 2011, the Nagano Electric Railway announced that the Yashiro Line would close from 1 April 2012.^[1]

Railway lines

■ Nagano Line: Nagano — Suzaka — Shinshū-Nakano — Yudanaka

■ Yashiro Line (24.5 km): Yashiro — Suzaka (scheduled to close on 1 April 2012)

Rolling stock

• 1000 series 4-car EMUs (2 sets)

Ex-Odakyū 10000 series HiSE sets for Limited express "A" (Yukemuri) services. Entered service from 9 December 2006.

• 2000 series 3-car EMUs

For Limited express "B" services. (1957–August 2011)

• 2100 series 3-car EMUs (2 sets)

Ex-253 series sets for Snow Monkey limited express services. Entered service from 26 February 2011.

• 3500 series 2-car EMUs (14 sets) and 3600 series 3-car EMUs (3 sets)

Ex-Eidan 3000 series sets for local services. Introduced in 1993.

• 8500 series 3-car EMUs (6 sets)

Ex-Tokyu 8500 series sets for local services. Introduced in 2005.^[2]

See also

Media related to Nagano Electric Railway at Wikimedia Commons

References

1. ^ "屋代線の鉄道事業廃止届出書の提出について [Notification of Closure of Yashiro Line]" (in Japanese) (pdf). Nagano Electric Railway. 25 March 2011. http://www.nagaden-net.co.jp/img/pdf/yashiro0325.pdf. Retrieved 26 March 2011. 
2. ^ "東急８５００系と田園都市線のあゆみ [Tokyu 8500 series and the History of the Denentoshi Line]". Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō (Japan: Kōtsū Shimbunsha) 38 (301): 12–21. May 2009. 

External links

• Official website (Japanese)