Ichibata Electric Railway

Ichibata Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is the name of two related, yet different companies in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Ichibata Denki Tetsudō Kabushiki-gaisha (一畑電気鉄道株式会社) was a railway operator until 2006, when it became a holding company of the Ichibata Group, spinning off its railway division to its newly founded Ichibata Densha Kabushiki-gaisha (一畑電車株式会社). Although the two companies have different names in Japanese, in English they are referred to by the English name of their parent holding company.

The company name is often shortened to Bataden.

Lines

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Rolling stock

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  • 1000 series: 2-car EMUs converted from former Tokyu 1000 series cars
  • 2100 series: 2-car EMUs converted from former Keio 5000 series cars
  • 5000 series: 2-car EMUs converted from former Keio 5000 series cars
  • 7000 series: Single-car EMUs introduced on 11 December 2016[1]

1000 series

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In 2014, four former Tokyu 1000 series intermediate cars (1453, 1403, 1455, and 1405) were resold to the Ichibata Electric Railway, and reformed as two 2-car 1000 series sets with the addition of new cab ends.[2] These entered service on 9 February 2015.[3]

Formations

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Designation Mc Tc
Numbering DeHa 100x KuHa 110x

Car identities

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The former identities of the fleet are as shown below.[2]

Set No. Car No. Tokyu numbering
1001 DeHa 1001 DeHa 1405
KuHa 1101 DeHa 1455
1002 DeHa 1002 DeHa 1403
KuHa 1102 DeHa 1453

7000 series

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7000 series car 7001 in April 2017

As of 1 April 2017, two 7000 series cars (7001 and 7002) were in operation.[1] While all cars carry the same basic livery of white with orange stripes on the upper and lower body, each car has a different theme and colouring on the ends and body sides.[4]

Fleet details

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Car No. Date delivered Service entry Theme Colour
7001 23 August 2016 11 December 2016 Izumo Taisha   Black
7002 6 February 2017 2017 Lake Shinji   Blue
7003 2017 14 October 2017 Rice terraces   Green[5]
7004 2018 4 March 2018 Mount Sanbe   Red[6]

Former rolling stock

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The last 3000 series set was withdrawn following its final run on 22 January 2017, and scrapped in February 2017.[1]

History

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Kita Matsue Line

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The Ichibata Light Railway (一畑軽便鉄道, Ichibata Keibin Tetsudo) was founded on 6 April 1912.[7] The company opened the line from Izumo Imaichi Station (出雲今市駅, present-day Dentetsu Izumoshi Station) to Unshuhirata on 29 April 1914, with services hauled by steam locomotives.[7] The line was extended to Ichibata Station (later closed) on 4 February 1915.[7]

Electric trains began operating on the line from 1 October 1927, following electrification of the line at 1,500 V DC. The line was extended to the then-named Kita-Matsue Station (北松江駅, present-day Matsue-Shinjiko-Onsen Station) on 5 April 1928.[7]

Driver-only operation commenced on 20 February 1997.[7]

Taisha Line

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The 8.3 km line from Kawato Station (on the Kita-Matsue Line) to Izumo Taisha-mae Station opened in 1930, following its electrification at 1,500 V DC.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c 私鉄車両編成表 2017 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2017] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 25 July 2017. p. 178. ISBN 978-4-330-81317-2.
  2. ^ a b Kubo, Toshi (July 2017). 東京メトロ日比谷線-4 [Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line - 4]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 57, no. 675. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 125–126.
  3. ^ 一畑電車で1000系の出発式 [Departure ceremony for Ichibata 1000 series]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  4. ^ 一畑電車7000系のラッピングデザインが決定 [Ichibata Electric Railway 7000 series livery designs announced]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 9 November 2016. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  5. ^ 一畑電車,7003号車が10月14日から営業運転を開始 [Ichibata Electric Railway 7003 to enter service on 14 October]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 28 February 2018. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  6. ^ 一畑電車,7004号車が3月4日から営業運転を開始 [Ichibata Electric Railway 7004 to enter service on 4 March]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 28 February 2018. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways] (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 168. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.
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