Ueda Electric Railway Bessho Line
LocaleUeda, Nagano
Stations15
Open1921
OwnerUeda Electric Railway
Linelength11.6 km (7.2 mi)
TracksSingle
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Speed65 km/h (40 mph)[1]
Minradius120 m[1]

The Bessho Line (別所線, Bessho-sen) is an 11.6 km (7.2 mi) Japanese railway line in Ueda, Nagano, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Ueda Electric Railway (上田電鉄, Ueda Dentetsu). It connects Ueda and Bessho-Onsen stations. This is currently the only railway line Ueda Dentetsu operates. Although the company is the root of its holding company, Ueda Kōtsū (上田交通, "Ueda Transport"), the group now mainly operates resort amusement facilities and bus lines. Ueda Kōtsū is owned by Tokyu Corporation. The railway line lacked funds to upgrade the infrastructure to meet the new safety standards, and separated to become the present company.

Stations

No.NameJapaneseDistance (km)Date opened
BE01上田0.015 August 1923
BE02城下0.817 June 1921
BE03三好町1.517 June 1921
BE04赤坂上2.221 September 1932
BE05上田原2.917 June 1921
BE06寺下3.817 June 1921
BE07神畑4.517 June 1921
BE08大学前5.217 June 1921
BE09下之郷6.117 June 1921
BE10中塩田7.417 June 1921
BE11塩田町8.014 July 1934
BE12中野8.517 June 1921
BE13舞田9.417 June 1921
BE14八木沢10.117 June 1921
BE15別所温泉11.617 June 1921

Rolling stock

As of 01 April 2015, the fleet of trains operated on the line is as follows.[2]

1000 series

Eight former Tokyu 1000 series EMU end cars were resold to the Ueda Electric Railway, and reformed as four two-car 1000 series sets.[4]

Formations

DesignationMcTc
NumberingDeHa 100xKuHa 110x

6000 series

In 2015, two former Tokyu Toyoko Line 1000 series intermediate cars (DeHa 1255 and DeHa 1305) were resold to the Ueda Electric Railway, which were reformed as a two-car 6000 series set with the addition of new cab ends.[4]

Formation

DesignationMcTc
NumberingDeHa 6001xKuHa 6101x

Car identities

The former identities of the fleet are as shown below.[4]

Set No.Car No.Tokyu numbering
1001DeHa 1001DeHa 1315
KuHa 1101KuHa 1015
1002DeHa 1002DeHa 1318
KuHa 1102KuHa 1018
1003DeHa 1003DeHa 1314
KuHa 1103KuHa 1014
1004DeHa 1004DeHa 1316
KuHa 1104KuHa 1016
6001DeHa 6001DeHa 1305
KuHa 6101DeHa 1255

History

The first section of the line opened on 17 June 1921, using a 600 V DC overhead power supply.[1] The line voltage was raised to 1,500 V DC from 1 October 1986.[1] Wanman driver-only operation commenced on the line from 3 October 2005.[1]

In 2009, the company sold out affiliated companies that Joden Bus and Joden Taxi to Jay Will Partners.

From 1 April 2016, station numbering was introduced on the line, with stations numbered from "BE01" () to "BE15" ().[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). ja: データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. pp. 84–240. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.
  2. ^ ja: 私鉄車両編成表 2015 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2015] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 23 July 2015. p. 87. ISBN 978-4-330-58415-7.
  3. ^ "ja:上田電鉄1000系" [Ueda Electric Railway 1000 series] (in Japanese). Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 48, no. 567. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. July 2008. p. 103.
  4. ^ Kubo, Toshi (July 2017). "ja: 東京メトロ日比谷線-4" [Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line - 4] (in Japanese). Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 57, no. 675. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 125–126.
  5. ^ "ja: 【上田電鉄】駅ナンバリング導入" [Ueda Electric Railway introduced station numbering] (in Japanese). RM News. Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 13 April 2016. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.