Trading name Iyotetsu (伊予鉄) Headquarters Matsuyama | Native name 伊予鉄道株式会社 Website www.iyotetsu.co.jp | |
 | ||
Profiles | ||
The Iyo Railway Co., Ltd. (伊予鉄道株式会社, Iyo tetsudō kabushiki gaisha), usually shortened to Iyotetsu (伊予鉄), is the main transport provider in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The company operates railway, tram, and bus lines, and also has many subsidiaries, which include a bank, department stores, travel agencies, and various other businesses.
Contents
History
The company was founded on September 14, 1887, and its Takahama railway line, the first in Shikoku, was opened on October 28, 1888. In addition to being the first railway in Shikoku, it was also the third private railway in Japan. It is named for the former Iyo Province. The first tramway was electrified in 1911, whilst the entire tram network was changed from 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge in 1923.
Railway
Iyotetsu operates the following railway lines.
Takahama Line
This 9.4 km line opened as 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge in 1888, and was regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), double-tracked to Baishinji (8.2 km) and electrified at 600 V DC in 1931. The Takahama Line and the Ōtemachi Tramline have one of the few remaining rail/tram level crossing in Japan. This line is still electrified at 600 V DC, not increased to 750 V DC as Yokogawara or Gunchū Lines.
Yokogawara Line
This 13.2 km line opened as 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge in 1893, and was regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) in 1931. Steam locomotives were replaced by diesel traction in 1954, and the line was electrified at 750 V DC in 1967. Through services to and from the Takahama line commenced in 1981.
Gunchū Line
The initial 10.7 km line opened as 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge in 1900, being regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) in 1937. In 1939, a 600 m extension opened to Gunchuko, enabling a transfer to JR Iyo station on the Yosan Line. The line was electrified in 1950 at 600 V DC, increased to 750 V DC in 1976.
CTC signalling was introduced on the rail system in 1993.
Former connecting lines
A 4.4 km 762 mm gauge line opened from Iyo Tachibana (on the Takahama line) to Morimatsu in 1896, the line being regauged to 1,067 mm in 1931. The line closed in 1965.
Tram
Iyotetsu operates the Matsuyama City Lines (松山市内線, Matsuyama Shinai-sen), a system of five interconnected tram (路面電車, romen-densha) lines.
Lines
There are officially five lines, as follows.
Routes
There are five routes regularly in service by using one or more lines above.
Bus
The company operates highway buses linking Matsuyama and the major cities of Japan, including Tokyo, Ōsaka, Fukuyama, Takamatsu, Tokushima, and Kōchi. It also operates a local network in and around the city.
Heavy rail
Trams
Two 5000 series low-floor tramcars are scheduled to be introduced in September 2017.
Former rolling stock
"Botchan Ressha"
Iyo Railway also operates the Botchan Ressha, diesel-powered replicas of the original Iyotetsu locomotives, well-known from Natsume Sōseki's famous 1906 novel, Botchan. The current Botchan Ressha, operating on two of the city lines since 2001, reproduces the atmosphere of early train travel in Matsuyama.