Shibayama Railway

Shibayama Railway Line
A Keisei 3500 series EMU in Higashi Narita Station in July 2023
Overview
OwnerShibayama Railway Co., Ltd.
(Narita International Airport Corporation)
LocaleChiba Prefecture, Japan
Termini
Stations2
Service
SystemFunctionally part of Keisei Electric Railway network
Operator(s)Shibayama Railway, by Keisei Electric Railway crews
Rolling stockKeisei 3500 series EMU
Daily ridership1,419 (2023)[1]
History
OpenedOctober 22, 2002
Technical
Line length2.2 km (1.4 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC
Operating speed85 km/h (53 mph)
Route map

Legend
Keisei Higashi-Narita Line
0.0
 KS44 Higashi-Narita
↓Shibayama Railway Line
Keisei Main Line/Keisei Narita Airport Line
Narita Line
KS42 Narita Airport
2.2
 SR01 Shibayama-Chiyoda

The Shibayama Railway Company, Ltd. (芝山鉄道株式会社, Shibayama Tetsudō kabushiki-gaisha) is a third-sector railway company in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It operates Japan's shortest independent railway line, the 2.2 km (1.4 mi) Shibayama Railway Line between Higashi-Narita Station and Shibayama-Chiyoda Station, largely underneath Narita International Airport.

Narita International Airport Corporation owns a 68.40% majority stake in Shibayama Railway as of March 2019. The remainder is owned by Keisei Electric Railway, Japan Airlines, the prefectural government, and others.[2]

Stations and operation

Although the Shibayama Railway is an independent operator, it functionally resembles an extension of the Keisei Higashi-Narita Line, as all trains provide through service to lines owned by Keisei.[3] The line is operated using equipment and crew leased from Keisei.[4] However, IC cards are not accepted on this route, unlike most railway lines operated by Keisei.[5] Most Shibayama Railway trains provide local service to Keisei Narita Station past Higashi-Narita, and express trains operate during rush hours through the Keisei Line from Haneda Airport Terminal 1·2 Station.[6] The fare between Higashi-Narita and Shibayama-Chiyoda is 220 yen for adults and 110 yen for children.[7]

No. Station Japanese Distance Transfers Location
Between
stations 		Total
KS44 Higashi-Narita 東成田 - 0.0 km (0 mi) Keisei Higashi-Narita Line Narita, Chiba
SR01 Shibayama-Chiyoda 芝山千代田 2.2 km (1.4 mi) 2.2 km (1.4 mi) Shibayama, Chiba

History

Shibayama Railway was founded on May 1, 1981, and received an operating permit on June 24, 1988 for the 2.0 km (1.2 mi) line between Seibijyō-Mae Station (later renamed to Shibayama-Chiyoda)[8] and the Shibatetsu Narita Airport Station (now a part of Higashi-Narita Station). Initially, small train sets were planned to be used to operate inside the line only, but was changed due to demands from the residents.[9][10] In 1990, the railway applied for a permit to operate direct service with the Keisei Railway from Keisei Narita Station, which was approved in 1996.[9] The Narita Shinkansen plan came to a permanent halt around this time, and the Keisei Electric Railway used the abandoned buildings for the plan to build a new line towards the terminal of Narita International Airport branching off from Komaino signaling station [ja], which made the route from Keisei Narita Station to the old Narita International Airport station a new line named Keisei Higashi-Narita Line.[11][12] The line began construction in 1998.[13] However, the planned railway line was forced to be extended by a further 0.2 km due to problems with buying land in 2000, and the name of the new station was chosen to be Shibayama-Chiyoda on the same year.[6] The line opened for operation on October 27, 2002.[10]

The construction of the railway was strongly demanded by Shibayama residents,[14] the Transport Ministry and the Narita Airport Authority to appease residents of the area immediately east of Narita International Airport, as the airport property cut off Shibayama's access to Narita City and points west.[6][15]

There was a proposal to extend the line into Chiyoda until 1996. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has recommended studying an extension into central Shibayama Town.[16]

Line

The company operates a single line.

The Shibayama Railway Line advertises itself as the shortest railway line in Japan and gives out certificates for using the line for free.[3] However, the Kurama-dera Cable is the shortest cable car line in Japan with a length of 207 meters (0.1 mi),[17] and Seinō Railway operates the shortest freight-only railway line with an operational length of 1.3 km (0.8 mi).[18][19]

Rolling stock

Keisei 3500 series used by the Shibayama Railway

The Shibayama Railway leases its rolling stock from the Keisei Electric Railway.[20] The company has leased a Keisei 3500 series trainset since 2013. In 2022, the train's wrapping was changed to use red and green stripes, resembling the former 3600 series used on the line until 2013. During the time 3600 series was used by the Shibayama Railway, the train color was changed from Keisei's blue and red color scheme to red and green, the scheme used in the company's logo. This change was reverted when it was returned to Keisei.[21][22]

Location

Citation:[23]

References

  1. ^ "駅情報". 芝山鉄道 | 日本一短い鉄道 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  2. ^ 国土交通省鉄道局監修『鉄道要覧』令和元年度版、電気車研究会・鉄道図書刊行会
  3. ^ a b c "乗ったら終点、駅ふたつしかない鉄道なぜ誕生？ 東西2社、共通点は「トンネル」". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). December 7, 2017. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  4. ^ "鉄道で行く千葉 第3回 芝山鉄道" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  5. ^ "「日本一短い鉄道」どんな路線？所要時間わずか3分 成田空港の知られざるミニ鉄道". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). June 25, 2023. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "「日本一短い鉄道」芝山鉄道の開業から20年 誕生の理由と「将来」は". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). October 26, 2022. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  7. ^ "Timetable". Archived from the original on March 2, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  8. ^ "芝山鉄道に免許". 千葉日報 (千葉日報社). June 25, 1988
  9. ^ a b "京成成田駅乗り入れ 「芝山鉄道」運輸省が認可”. 千葉日報 (千葉日報社). (14 April 1990)
  10. ^ a b 会社概要 Archived January 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Shibayama Railway
  11. ^ "都心と空直結 成田空港地下駅が開業". The Asahi Shimbun. March 19, 1991.
  12. ^ "待望の成田高速鉄道が開業 空港と直結、都心へ1時間 新アクセス門出祝う". Chiba Nippo. March 20, 1991.
  13. ^ "鉄道ピクトリアル" 第48巻第4号、電気車研究会、April 1998 110p.
  14. ^ "地域振興 | 成田国際空港株式会社". www.naa.jp. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  15. ^ "地域と共生する空港づくり大綱 4．地域づくり | 成田国際空港株式会社". www.naa.jp. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  16. ^ 首都圏整備計画, MLIT, September 2006
  17. ^ "日本唯一、お寺が運営する鉄道 距離も日本最短 しかし「乗ることを勧められない」ワケ". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). September 18, 2018. Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  18. ^ "【公式】 西濃鉄道株式会社". seinorailway.web.fc2.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  19. ^ "西濃鉄道が一部廃止で「日本最短」事業者に 石灰石運ぶ岐阜の貨物線を運営 | 鉄道ニュース【鉄道プレスネット】" (in Japanese). November 4, 2022. Archived from the original on April 20, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  20. ^ 所属車両を変更します - 芝山鉄道ホームページお知らせ March 28, 2013
  21. ^ "京成電鉄の車両・列車(2) 3600形、かつて芝山鉄道にリースされた編成も". マイナビニュース (in Japanese). January 14, 2015. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  22. ^ "芝山鉄道 | 日本一短い鉄道". 芝山鉄道オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  23. ^ "Higashi-Narita Station to Shibayamachiyoda Station". Higashi-Narita Station to Shibayamachiyoda Station. Retrieved October 4, 2024.