Keisei Chihara Line

Keisei Chihara Line
Keisei 3000 series EMU on the Chihara Line, October 2010
Overview
Native name	京成千原線
Owner	Keisei Electric Railway
Locale	Chiba Prefecture
Termini	Chiba-Chūō Chiharadai
Stations	6
Service
Type	Heavy rail
History
Opened	April 1, 1992; 34 years ago (April 1, 1992)
Technical
Line length	10.9 km (6.8 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 1,500 V DC
Route map Legend km Chiba Line 0 Chiba Chūō Hon-Chiba JR Uchibō & Sotobō lines 2.5 Chibadera 4.2 Ōmoridai 7.3 Gakuenmae 8.8 Oyumino 10.9 Chiharadai This diagram: view talk edit

The Keisei Chihara Line (Japanese: 京成千原線, Hepburn: Keisei Chihara-sen) is a railway line in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Keisei Railway. The line (with direct services to and from the Keisei Main Line and Keisei Chiba Line) starts from Chiba-Chūō Station and ends at Chiharadai Station.

Stations

All stations are in Chiba Prefecture. All trains are local trains that stop at all stations.

Trains can pass one another at stations marked "◇", "∨", and "∧" and cannot pass at stations marked "|".

No.	Station	Distance in km (mi)		Transfers	Track layout	Location
		Between stations	Total
↑ Through-running to/from Keisei-Ueno via the Chiba and Main lines (mornings/evenings) or Matsudo via the Chiba and Matsudo lines (daytime) ↑
KS60	Chiba-Chūō 千葉中央	—N/a	0 (0)	Chiba Line (through services)	∨	Chūō-ku, Chiba
KS61	Chibadera 千葉寺	2.5 (1.6)	2.5 (1.6)		|
KS62	Ōmoridai 大森台	1.7 (1.1)	4.2 (2.6)		◇
KS63	Gakuenmae 学園前	3.1 (1.9)	7.3 (4.5)		◇	Midori-ku, Chiba
KS64	Oyumino おゆみ野	1.5 (0.93)	8.8 (5.5)		|
KS65	Chiharadai ちはら台	2.1 (1.3)	10.9 (6.8)		∧	Ichihara

History

The line was originally planned by Kominato Railway, which obtained the government license for the new line between Hon-Chiba Station in central Chiba and Amaariki Station on the existing Kominato Railway Line in December 1957. Following years of suspension of the project, in December 1975, the license was transferred to Chiba Kyūkō Dentetsu (千葉急行電鉄), which was jointly established by Keisei Electric Railway and the Kominato Railway receiving investment from local governments and other sources.

By the 1970s, the need for the railway had been increasing as the development of Chiba Ichihara New Town was in progress along the planned route. The plan was changed to make connection with the Keisei Chiba Line at Chiba-Chūō Station. Construction of the line began in August 1977 for the section between Chiba-Chūō Station and Chiharadai Station (10.91 km).

Chiba Kyūkō opened the new line between Chiba-Chūō Station and Ōmoridai Station (4.2 km) on April 1, 1992. The line to Chiharadai Station was completed on April 1, 1995. The entire line is single track, but the formation allows for duplication if and when required.

Due to its poor financial condition, Chiba Kyūkō was dissolved and the railway was sold to Keisei Electric Railway on October 1, 1998. Keisei named it the "Chihara Line".

References