Urban transit / 都市圏公共交通

[SamuraiBlue]

Originally Posted by hakubi

I don't see anything there about the municipal buses, will they be privatized too? If the privatized entity is organized as a 100% municipally-owned company, I wonder how much of a difference it ultimately makes. What would the advantages be?

Actually there is a big difference since all employees will change from public servants to employees of the company. This means they will be removed from rules, regulations and benefit of being public servants meaning they can become subject of restructuring if the company requires down sizing due to lack of revenue. The local government owning the company is also limited in providing subsidies needing authorization from the local house of representatives through a different bill from the annual budget requested from the relevant agency.

[quashlo]

Hankyū breaks ground on renovation of Umeda Station
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/economy/new...3320058-n1.htm

　阪急電鉄は１０日、阪急梅田駅（大阪市北区）のリニューアル工事に１４日に本格着手すると発表した。２年前から先行しているＪＲ西側との連絡通路の工事と合わせて、総額約３６億円を投じて平成２７年３月の完成を目指す。昨年５月に大規模改装し、開業１年で約１億３千万人が訪れた隣接の「大阪ステーションシティ（ＯＳＣ）」に対抗する。

　改装するのは、待ち合わせ場所として親しまれている「ＢＩＧＭＡＮ前広場」など８つのゾーンで、約１万２千平方メートル。旧阪急梅田駅からの移転工事が完了した昭和４８年以来、約４０年ぶりの大規模工事となる。

　照明には、省エネのため発光ダイオード（ＬＥＤ）を全面採用。現在比で約３分の１の電力削減効果を見込むとともに、落ち着いた温かみや濃淡のある光で空間を演出する。壁や天井などの内装も一新する。

　一方、すでに着工している駅周辺では、複合商業ビル「阪急グランドビル」の１、２階部分を拡張して店舗数を増やすほか、飲食店中心の「阪急３２番街」（２７～３１階）を改装し、８月中旬に完成する予定。１１月下旬には阪急百貨店新梅田本店が増床オープンする。

On 2012.05.10, Hankyū Corporation announced that it will break ground on a renovation of its Ōsaka terminal, Umeda Station. Together with the construction for the connecting passage with JR West’s Ōsaka Station that began two years ago, the railway will invest approx. ¥3.6 billion in the renovation, with a target completion date in March 2015. The renovation of Hankyū’s terminal follows the completion last May of the large-scale renovation of Ōsaka Station into “Ōsaka Station City”, which has seen a cumulative total of 130 million visitors in its first year.

Eight different zones inside the station comprising a total of approx. 12,000 sq m will be renovated, including the station’s inner and outer concourses and the “BIGMAN Square” popular as a meeting spot. This is the first major renovation of the station in over 40 years (the last was in 1963 when the relocation of the station to its present location was completed). Lighting will be converted to LEDs, reducing electricity usage by about one-third. Walls and ceilings will be spruced up, and signage will be replaced with new four-language signs. The platforms, however, will remain unchanged.

Hankyū’s other projects in the area are also proceeding apace, including the expansion of the first and second floors of the Hankyū Grand Building (mixed-use commercial building) with additional stores and renovation of the 27th through 31st floors of Hankyū 32-bangai (a restaurant arcade), scheduled for completion in mid-August. The expansion to Hankyū Department Store’s Umeda flagship store will also open in late November.

Render of the BIGMAN Square:


I’ve neglected to post anything for a while now, but work on the platform canopies at Ōsaka Station is nearing completion… As mentioned before, they settled on a replacement using glass instead of a complete removal. Here’s a video from a few months agao (2012.03.29):



Overall, not bad (at least from above), although it (clearly) clashes with the end sections… I almost wish they’d extend the glass all the way now instead of a half-half solution, but oh well. I’ll probably post some pics later if I get a chance.

[k.k.jetcar]

Extending glass canopies all the way out would be counterproductive to passenger comfort (greenhouse effect from sunlight) and maintenance (cleaning requirements). It would be nice if they put solar panels on the existing canopies though, like they did at Tokyo Station.

[quashlo]

Kinki Sharyō receives order for Sendai City Subway Tōzai Line trains
http://www.kinkisharyo.co.jp/ja/news/news120502.htm

　当社は、仙台市交通局殿より、新型車両２０００系１５編成６０両を受注しました。

　２０００系は平成２７年度開業予定の東西線に対応した車両でリニアモーターを採用しています。東日本大震災の復興のシンボルとして、次世代に向けた飛躍のメッセージをこめ、より快適で安全な車両製作を目指します。

This bit of news was lost…
This is an order for 15 trains (60 cars) of the new 2000 series for the Tōzai Line, which is slated to open in FY2015. This is a linear motor “mini-subway” very similar to the Yokohama Municipal Subway Green Line.

[quashlo]

JR West becomes second largest shareholder in Kinki Sharyō
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/economy/new...3470059-n1.htm

　ＪＲ西日本は１０日、近畿日本鉄道の子会社で、鉄道車両メーカー、近畿車輛の株式の一部を取得し、同社と業務締結契約を結んだと発表した。近畿車輛に対する株式所有割合は５％となり、４４・２％を所有する近鉄に次ぐ第２の株主となった。業務提携により車両技術の向上を目指すＪＲ西と、近畿車輛の受注拡大を通したグループ力強化を目指す近鉄の思惑が合致し、実現した。

　ＪＲ西によると、株式の取得総額は約１１億円。近畿車輛と連携し、車両のトータル技術やコストパフォーマンスの向上、開発のスピードアップを目指して人事交流や車両の共同開発に取り組む。

　近畿車輛は、親会社の近鉄のほぼすべての車両の製造を手がける一方、ＪＲ西の在来線車両の受注シェアでもトップ。歴代社長は旧国鉄・ＪＲ西出身者が務めるなど密接な関係にある。

More movement in the rolling stock industry… Kinki Sharyō is a subsidiary of Kintetsu Corporation, which owns 44.2% of the rolling stock manufacturer. JR West will purchase 3.454 million shares (5% stake) in the company for ¥1.1 billion, aiming to improve “total” rolling stock expertise and cost performance and accelerate R&D. Kinki Sharyō is already the largest producer of JR West rolling stock, including limited express trains like the 287 series and suburban / commuter stock like the 225 series, 321 series, and 521 series.

[quashlo]

Hiroden announces service improvement plan
http://www.nikkei.com/news/local/art...E2E2EBE0E0E4EA

　広島電鉄は11月に電車開業100周年を迎えるのに合わせ、低床の路面電車や低公害バスの導入を加速する「サービス向上計画」を策定した。電車は今後10年間で10編成、バス車両は４年間で100台程度導入する。100周年記念のロゴマーク制作や電車を活用したカフェを開設するなど記念事業の実施も進める。

　電車事業ではホームから段差なく乗降できる低床車両の運行路線の拡大のほか、ＩＣカードの乗車券をすべての乗降口で利用できる試験車両の導入を進める。駅での点字ブロックの設置や発光ダイオード（ＬＥＤ）の電車接近情報案内表示板の増設もする。

　バス事業では既存車両よりもゆったりしたサイズのシートに交換する車両を４年で100台程度導入する。不動産事業などを含め2013年３月期で40億円程度の投資額を予定している。

　100周年記念事業では記念事業に関する情報を発信する特設サイトを開設。

　1981年に独ドルトムント市から輸入し、現役を引退した車両の車内で軽食などを持ち込めるイートインのカフェを７月にもオープンする。12年３月期の期末配当に記念配として１株あたり１円を加え、年間合計3.50円の配当を予定している。

With Hiroshima Electric Railway’s upcoming 100th anniversary, the railway published a Service Improvement Plan that accelerates the introduction of low-floor vehicles into its tram and bus fleet (10 new trams in the next 10 years and 100 new buses in the next 4 years). Low-floor trams will also expand their operations to other parts of the network (currently, they’re used primarily on Line 1 and Line 2) and the railway will now look at how to implement a new service that will allow passengers with IC cards to use any doors on the train. They will also roll-out more truncated dome tiles and LED departure boards at stations, and will continue evaluating a possible new tram line along Heiwa Ōdōri, together with the proposed realignment into JR Hiroshima Station.

The full plan is available on the Hiroden website:
http://www.hiroden.co.jp/pdf/service.pdf

Hiroden scenes at Enkōbashichō Station, near Hiroshima Station. Given that we are talking about the introduction of low-floor trams onto additional routes in the network and a timeframe of 10 years, it seems likely that we’ll be seeing at least one, maybe two new series. At least some of the trains should replace the non-articulated units, so I’m expecting to see trains similar to the Portram or Centram in Toyama.

[quashlo]

Tōkyō Sky Tree, Hikarie lead railway retail drive
http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...s-retail-drive

The Tokyo Skytree, twice as tall as the Eiffel Tower, opens next week as Japanese train operators counter an aging population by building malls, offices and tourist attractions.

The 634-meter (2,080 feet) structure in eastern Tokyo sits in a retail complex housing more than 300 shops and restaurants, a planetarium and an aquarium. Developer Tobu Railway Co. (9001) expects the project to draw 32 million visitors in its first year, surpassing the numbers at Tokyo Disney Resort. Tobu, whose revenue has fallen for five years, will also get a 28.3 billion yen ($352 million) sales boost in the year ending March 31, according to Kazuhiko Hirata, a general manager for finance.

The 143 billion yen development, which took four years to build, follows last month’s opening of Tokyu Corp. (9005)’s 34-story entertainment complex in the Shibuya shopping district and East Japan Railway Co. (9020)’s ongoing 50 billion-yen renovation of Tokyo Station. The companies are taking advantage of land they own around stations to generate new income and lure more travelers as Japan’s shrinking birthrate threatens commuter traffic.

“People will use the Tobu line to go to Tokyo Skytree and they will shop in Tobu shops when they get there,” said Masayuki Kubota, who oversees the equivalent of $2 billion in assets in Tokyo at Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. “It’s a very good investment.” He doesn’t own Tobu shares, he said.

The development will boost Tobu’s operating profit by 3.2 billion yen in the year ending March 31, according to Hirata. The company will have as many as eight trains an hour running from the Asakusa terminus to the development’s closest station, which has been renamed Tokyo Skytree.

856 Million Passengers
Tobu, which operates routes to the north of the capital, carried 856 million passengers in the year ended March 31. The company is the third biggest by ticket sales among the 11 major train operators in Tokyo and surrounding cities, according to JR East. (9022) The region is home to 35 million people. By contrast, Amtrak carried 30 million passengers in the U.S. in the year ended September 2011.

Tobu, which also operates buses, hotels, shopping centers, department stores, golf courses and sports clubs, fell 2.3 percent to 387 yen in Tokyo trading yesterday. It’s jumped 24 percent in the past year, compared with an 11 percent decline for the benchmark Topix Index.

…

Shrinking Population
Japan’s population peaked at 127.1 million people in 2005 and has been shrinking since, according to figures from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The population of Tokyo’s 23 wards will start declining after reaching a peak of 13.35 million by 2020, according to forecasts from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Tokyu, the Tokyo region’s fourth-largest train operator, last month opened Hikarie in Shibuya ward, which houses 26 restaurants, about 200 shops and sales outlets, and a 1,972-seat theater. About 14 million people will visit a year, said Isao Watanabe, an executive officer at the Tokyo-based company.

“We have great hopes for the new building,” he said. “We’re sure it will increase the number of people using our trains as well.” Tokyu also operates hotels, supermarkets and entertainment facilities.

JR East, the largest train operator in the Tokyo area, is working to turn Tokyo Station in the Marunouchi financial district into a tourist destination. Plans includes adding more shops, restoring rooftop domes destroyed in World War II and building a plaza in front of the station that will be lit up at night. An expanded 150-room hotel will also open in October.

The Tokyo-based rail company is trying to increase its share of revenue from shops, hotels and offices to almost 40 percent from about 30 percent by the year ending March 2019.

“The railway companies have to put their energy into expanding other forms of revenue to grow,” said Ryota Himeno, an analyst at Barclays Capital Japan Ltd. “Train travel isn’t going to increase when the population is shrinking.”

The changing East Exit of Shibuya Station. Some really nice views of Shibuya from the building. I can just imagine when they replace the current station building with a proper terminal and skyscraper.



Tōkyō Station restoration work (2012.05.07):
Source: Kaoru Hayashi, on Flickr

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[quashlo]

Elevation of Keikyū Kamata Station to be completed in October, will improve access to Haneda
http://www.nikkei.com/news/local/art...E2E2EBE0E0E4E7

　東京箱根間往復大学駅伝（箱根駅伝）で数々のドラマを生んだ東京都大田区の京急蒲田第１踏切。京急蒲田駅前の第一京浜（国道15号）を横切る同踏切では、数年前まで電車の通過時に選手が足止めされるハプニングが発生していた。今は電車を止めて選手の走行を優先しているが、2012年度中に終わる線路の高架化工事後はこの踏切はなくなる。

都内有数の交通量を誇る第一京浜は慢性的な渋滞の幹線道路として有名だ。原因の一つが京急蒲田駅周辺にある踏切。かつて朝のラッシュ時に１時間当たり40分以上遮断していた「開かずの踏切」が11カ所もあった。

今年度中に完工

　01年度に東京都や京浜急行電鉄、大田区などが連続立体交差化に着手。京急蒲田第１踏切は渋滞ピーク時の車の列がそれまで780メートルに達することもあったが、10年５月に上り線の高架化が完成した後は340メートルと半分以下に短くなった。

　現在は下り線の高架化工事が急ピッチで進み、12年度中に完工する。都は「踏切がなくなれば交通渋滞が減り、線路で分断された市街地が一体化する」とみている。

　京急蒲田駅から空港線はＴ字状に分岐している。従来は横浜と品川方面からの電車が１つのホームで行き交い、電車の「渋滞」が発生していた。京急は駅舎を改築し、10月から上り線と下り線のホームを２階と３階に分ける。

　これを受けて京急は羽田空港発着の電車を増便する。平日昼間の羽田空港への直通電車の運転本数について、品川方面からは現在の１時間６本から９本へ、横浜方面からは３本から６本程度に増やす計画だ。

再開発の契機に

　「鉄道の高架化は街を地元住民や観光客にとって望ましい形に変えるチャンス」。再開発事業を統括する大田区の野田隆副区長はこう断言する。京急蒲田駅の西口周辺はタクシーやバスが止まる広場がなく、道幅も狭いからだ。飲食店や住宅が密集しており、防災面の不安もあった。

　地元地権者でつくる再開発組合は区などと連携し、駅前１ヘクタールの敷地内に商業施設と住居が一体となった大型複合ビルを建てるプロジェクトを進めている。地上20階建てで延べ床面積は約３万5000平方メートル。駅前広場も設けてペデストリアンデッキ（空中歩道）を整備し、駅２階の改札口と直結する。総事業費は約190億円。12年度中にも着工し、14年度の完成を目指す。

　課題もある。蒲田は商店が多い地域。周辺の商店街と新しくできる商業施設が一体となった商業振興が求められる。国内屈指の中小企業集積地の特色を生かし、街をどうＰＲしていくか。ハード面の整備だけでなく、観光や産業の振興も加えたソフト面の工夫の余地は大きい。

　▼京急蒲田駅周辺の都市計画事業　京急本線と空港線の連続立体交差と、駅周辺にビルや広場を整備する再開発事業。高架する区間は平和島駅―六郷土手駅の約4.7キロメートルと、京急蒲田駅―大鳥居駅の約1.3キロメートル。高架などに関わる事業費は約1890億円。

　2010年度に上り線の全線と、下り線の一部（環八通り付近）が高架になった。周辺の計28カ所の踏切のうち、４カ所が撤廃された。下り線の全線の高架化が終われば全ての踏切がなくなる。国は第一京浜と環八通りの南蒲田交差点の立体化工事も進めている。

　京急蒲田駅西口の再開発のほか、東口にもバスやタクシーが乗り入れる広場を造る。糀谷駅でも駅前広場や高齢者支援施設などを整備するプロジェクトが進行している。

第一京浜を横切る京急蒲田第１踏切付近は渋滞が頻繁に起こる（大田区）

Completion of this ¥189 billion mega-project to elevate 4.7 km of the Keikyū Main Line between Heiwajima and Rokugōdote and 1.3 km of the Keikyū Airport Line between Keikyū Kamata and Ōtorii is fast approaching, with the works scheduled to be completed in October 2012. A total of 28 grade crossings will be eliminated, including the particularly nasty one directly outside Keikyū Kamata Station, which would stay closed for a cumulative total of over 40 minutes during the morning peak hour. This was especially problematic given that this crossing traverses Dai-Ichi Keihin (National Route 15), a key arterial road.

The original crossing was single-track and there was only one platform at Keikyū Kamata to serve trains heading between the Airport and both the Shinagawa and Yokohama directions, resulting in traffic queues stretching as long as 780 m. Completion of the inbound (for Shinagawa) elevated track in May 2010 reduced the maximum queues by more than half to 340 m. In October, the outbound track will also be elevated, and inbound and outbound directions will now be split across the second and third levels of the station.

These improvements will also allow Keikyū to substantially improve service to and from Haneda… Service between Haneda and the Shinagawa end will increase from the current 6 tphpd to 9 tphpd, while service between Haneda and the Yokohama end will increase from the current 3tphpd to 6 tphpd.

The elevation of the station and tracks will allow for a major redevelopment at the station’s West Exit, currently incredibly cramped and dense with narrow roads and lacking a place for taxis and buses to stop. Pedestrian traffic is also high and the area is filled with shops and restaurants. A new West Exit station plaza will be created and a mixed-use residential / retail tower (20 stories, 35,000 sq m) is slated to go into a 1 ha site at this location, directly connected to the station’s second-floor ticketing hall with an elevated pedestrian deck.

Keikyū Kamata scenes (2010.02.20), before the inbound track was elevated:



Cab view on a Keikyū rapid limited express from Misakiguchi to Sengakuji.
The train departs Keikyū Kawasaki at 56:35, entering the construction site for the elevation works at 57:35. Gotta love Keikyū.

[quashlo]

Tsurumai Line N3000 series debuts in revenue service

Apparently, this slipped by completely under my (and everyone’s) nose, since the Nagoya Municipal Subway didn’t exactly advertise it. An Asahi Shimbun article quotes a June debut (perhaps they’re referring just to the second unit, N3102), so I’m a little confused, but it appears that the first day of service was actually quite some time ago (2012.03.16).

In any event, these are new trains for the Nagoya Municipal Subway Tsurumai Line, six-car formations manufactured by Hitachi.

A thorough look, inside and outside:

[quashlo]

JR Hokkaidō 733 series public test rides

One of the new JR Hokkaidō 733 series commuter EMUs entering revenue service in conjunction with the start of electrified train service on the Gakuen Toshi Line (Sasshō Line) on 2011.06.01 was put on test ride duties between Sapporo and Ishikari Tōbetsu on 2012.05.15. Here’s some pictures:
Source: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hakodatehonsen_oasa/
Source: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hakodatehonsen_oasa/

B-103 + B-104 (3+3 formation) parked at Sapporo Station:



The exhibition at Ishikari Tōbetsu. Apparently it was only on display for 30 minutes, maybe because they didn’t have enough slots in the schedule?



I quite like the interior—simple and clean. The car walls are much thicker than you might see in standard stock elsewhere in Japan. The fold-up seats near the doors, found on the 731 series, have been removed, and the longitudinal seating has been extended out in its place.



Like the 735 series, the car floor has been lowered by a good 19 cm to improve accessibility. Doors are half-automatic, like the 731 series. A bit odd to see big single-leaf designs like this after getting used to the double-leafs everywhere in the big cities.



Accessible restroom



The wall separating the passenger cabin from the operator’s cab… No “railfan window” here. The floor of the cab is a bit higher up than the floor of the passenger cabin, and there’s a small ramp up.

[quashlo]

Right side of the cab



Side window. The operators / conductors control the doors from this location.



Destination signs are all LEDs, but they’re only single-color.

[k.k.jetcar]

Apparently it was only on display for 30 minutes, maybe because they didn’t have enough slots in the schedule?

Likely. Ishkari Tobetsu has three platform faces (3 tracks), with some commuter trains leaving/arriving from further up the line at Hokkaido Iryou Daigaku, as well as terminating single diesel railcars from Urausu/Shintosugawa, so the tracks are not exactly vacant for long.

I suppose the railcar bodies are thicker due to the harsher winter weather. Perhaps the aluminum bodies on the 735 series were found lacking in this area. Elevated cabs seem to be favored on JR Hokkaido stock. Perhaps both for better winter visibility and more protection for the driver in grade crossing accidents (newer JR Hokkaido ltd express units have monitor cabs partly for this reason). Due to the heavy snowfall, optical obstruction sensors cannot be used at grade crossings in Hokkaido.

A bit odd to see big single-leaf designs like this after getting used to the double-leafs everywhere in the big cities.

Passenger loads and dwell times probably don't warrant bigger doors. Also that big gap when double leafs open lets in that cold winter air, which would overwhelm the air curtain heaters installed around/above the doors. Railway designs are heavily influenced by the weather here (even back in the heavyweight passenger car days, when the Naebo plant built JNR designs modified with double windows)- winter last six months, after all.

[quashlo]

The secret to Tōkyō's rail success
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/com...-success/2044/

Twice during my recent trip to Tokyo, once at Shibuya and again in a suburb to the west of the city, I exited a subway platform only to find myself swaddled in a massive department store. This was the Tokyu store. In Shibuya, at least, it felt every bit as gigantic as Macy's gigantic flagship store on New York's 34th Street. It had at least 10 stories to its name and a curious arrangement of chairs outside the elevator bank, which people sat in so attentively, you'd think that's exactly what they'd awakened to do.

In other words the railway itself was just a sideline attraction. This is no accident. As John Calimente reminds us in the latest issue of the Journal of Transport and Land Use [PDF], a major reason Tokyo's private rail lines are so successful is that they've diversified the business beyond transportation into real estate holdings and retail outlets. At the end of the day this means both profitability for the company and better transportation for city residents. Calimente writes:

Government regulation of fares coupled with limited subsidies for railway operations pushed the private railways to innovate and diversify into a wide variety of related businesses, most notably real estate. Due to their long-term interest in the communities they built along their rail lines, the private railways provided valuable social benefits through public transportation while still pursuing profits. High quality, frequent rail service to dense, mixed-use, safe, pedestrian-friendly developments has allowed Tokyo to achieve enviable rates of public transit usage and given Tokyoites the freedom to view automobile ownership as a lifestyle choice rather than a necessity.

Take, for instance, the Tokyu Corporation. Established in 1922 as a regional development company, Tokyu today is a massive "rail-based conglomerate" of nearly 400 companies that employs 30,000 people, only a tenth of which work directly for the railway. Beginning in the 1930s Tokyu surrounded its hubs with commercial and retail buildings and sold land near its intermediate stations to universities at good prices, to create reliable residential (and thus passenger) corridors.

Pretty good plan: Tokyu's seven main rail lines and branch line now carry about a billion riders a year. That's the most of any private railway in Japan, as of 2006, according to Calimente. That year Tokyu generated $2.63 billion in revenue en route to $587 million in profits. Rail fares brought in about a third of that figure, real estate holdings reap another third, and retail about a fifth.

Two stations in particular epitomize Tokyu's success to Calimente. These are Jiyugaoka Station, southwest of Tokyo, and Tama Plaza, about 20 minutes west of Shibuya. Both are surrounded by department stores. Both are located in dense communities that include schools, businesses, and government facilities. And both stations discourage automobile dependence.

The latter is achieved through frequency and land use. Trains run every couple minutes at rush hour at both stations, and 3 to 5 minutes during off-peak times. At Jiyugaoka in particular, there are only 569 parking spaces within a quick walk of the station, compared to 673 bicycle spots. As a result, the vast majority of commuters walk or ride to Jiyugaoka, and only 5 percent drive. The situation at Tama Plaza is similar, Calimente reports, with only 11 percent of commuters arriving by car.

This is more than American-style transit-oriented development, Calimente argues. Rather it's an example of robust "rail-integrated communities": dense, walkable, mixed-use centers with a "morning-to-night vibrancy" that turns riders into customers, and vice versa, at all times of day. He sees Tokyu as a model that U.S. rail companies might one day adopt as a guide to profitable transit development:

Rather than relying strictly on farebox revenue and taxation, transit agencies in North America should be freed to develop other revenue sources, just as the Japanese private railways have done to great success. Diversification into related businesses could hold the key to long term financial health for public transit in North America. ... A version of the rail integrated community model developed in Tokyo could be a key to greater financial stability for public transit in North America.

Calimente is notably light on concrete suggestions for how the West might achieve this change. Privatizing American rail in the Tokyo mold has been suggested on Atlantic Cities before, but of course there are a host of political, historical, and cultural differences to consider. As the elevator bank audience at the Tokyu store in Shibuya can attest, sometimes it's a good idea just to sit and watch.

The Atlantic Cities has hosted a few articles on Japan’s transportation system and its private railways (embedded in the various links throughout the article), and Calimente’s article in the Journal of Transport and Land Use is also a good general overview of Tōkyū, which is undoubtedly the poster child of the Japanese private railway industry. While much of that praise is due to their success in diversification (especially urban planning and real estate development), their railway business isn’t anything to scoff at, with some impressive daily ridership numbers for a network of only 100 route km.

Tōyoko Line:          1,114,571
Meguro Line:            324,052
Den’en Toshi Line:    1,162,575
Ōimachi Line:           438,979
Ikegami Line:           216,844
Tamagawa Line:          141,311
====================  =========
Type 1 Heavy Rail     2,845,749

Kodomo no Kuni Line:     11,573
Setagaya Line:           53,509

As someone who does urban / transportation planning for a living, I can say that I frequently look to examples in Japan for precedent and inspiration, and I often wonder about how concepts I see there might be adapted to the local situation in the U.S. Obviously, there are relatively cheap or simple things on the operation side that I think could be easily transplanted, such as through-service and limited-stop service.

But, no doubt, there are some major structural problems in the U.S. that need to be addressed… Some of it is land-use related—federal and state environmental policy (NEPA, CEQA, etc.) is being used as a mechanism to maintain the status quo, preventing any significant (and painfully necessary) change in land use patterns and density. We also have other local policies like absurd parking requirements and the constant obsession with how new development impacts intersections and roadway facilities, while impacts to transit service, the pedestrian realm, etc. are little more than an afterthought. For a lot of suburban jurisdictions, the environmental review process is little more than an exercise in determining how many additional lanes are needed to accommodate new car traffic or how to tweak traffic signals to “improve traffic flow”. We are only now taking a holistic approach that recognizes that sacrificing traffic operations for improvements to transit and non-motorized modes can still be an overall benefit, but this is still only in the big cities, and has yet to trickle to smaller cities and suburban jurisdictions.

Examples of modern TOD in the U.S. are also abysmal… We still focus too much on the aesthetic side of urban design (we want street trees, we want street furniture, we wants lots of open space, we want distinct architecture) and not enough on the more important things (adequate density, appropriate land use mix, limited parking). Our TODs are geared towards building bedroom communities where people commute into the city by train for work, but drive everywhere else for every other trip purpose—a far cry from the type of “rail-integrated communities” that Calimente describes in Jiyūgaoka and Tama Plaza, where residents will take the train for everything.

A stroll inside Tama Plaza Station, an integrated “suburban” mall and rail station developed entirely by Tōkyū and a modern example of Calimente’s “rail-integrated communities”:



I also don’t think you can ignore the multitudes of small, local stations outside of the Yamanote Line loop that are surrounded by walkable, dense, mixed-use development, each with a neighborhood commercial corridor. These are the older rail-integrated communities… They might lack the glamour of a large station building development like Tama Plaza, but they are still an important piece of the puzzle.

Ōyama Station on the Tōbu Tōjō Line, a somewhat famous station with a large covered shopping arcade extending straight from the station.



Kōenji Station area. Wonderfully narrow and intimate streets that make it a pain for drivers, but a paradise for pedestrians and bicyclists.

[quashlo]

Fukutoshin Line / Tōyoko Line through-service testing

A Tōkyō Metro 10000 series unit has been testing on the Tōyoko Line since 2012.05.06, allowing Tōkyū operators to familiarize themselves with these "new" trains.

Crossing the Tsurumi River into Yokohama City:



Departing Motomachi‒Chūkagai Station on the Minato Mirai Line in Yokohama (2012.05.13):



At Tsunashima Station on the Tōyoko Line (2012.05.13).
Looks like the platform extensions to allow for 200 m trains are complete, or at least, mostly so.

[quashlo]

And in the spirit of reciprocation, Tōkyū 5050 series trains have been testing on the Tōkyō Metro Yūrakuchō Line...
They're already in the extended 10-car formations that will be holding down the limited-stop runs once the through-service begins.

At Shin-Tomichō:



At Shin-Kiba.
Definitely new territory for Tōkyū!

[k.k.jetcar]

Ōyama Station on the Tōbu Tōjō Line, a somewhat famous station with a large covered shopping arcade extending straight from the station

Yes, these layouts are pretty common at the private railway stations in Tokyo and Yokohama, in the more dense inner suburbs and shitamachi areas. Great little concentrations of human activity that always tempt me to get off the train to explore, even though I am taking a through journey.

A Tōkyō Metro 10000 series unit has been testing on the Tōyoko Line

Will actually make the Toyoko Line interesting to me again. I regret never having ridden an Eidan 3000 series from Kikuna or Hiyoshi.

[quashlo]

Private rail lines want Diet ranks to pay up
www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120520a5.html

Gripe dates back 20 years while JR, airlines get bills taken care of
Both the Lower and Upper houses have failed for the last 20 years to respond to requests from an association of private railways to pay for the free train passes member companies provide to lawmakers.

The Association of Japanese Private Railways said it has been asking both Diet chambers to fork over money for the passes, but neither house has ever processed the requests.

All 722 Diet members have free access to most domestic transportation. Every year, the chambers budget ¥1.3 billion to pay for passes on Japan Railway Group carriers, which are technically private, as well as for Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.

However, the Diet has never earmarked funds to pay for passes provided by other private railways and bus companies. The association's member carriers provide lawmakers with passes every year.

The free-pass system started in 1946 for private railways and in 1961 for private bus lines at the request of the Lower House. The association agreed not to charge Diet members in either chamber after deciding that providing the passes would benefit them because lawmakers using their services would presumably better understand their needs.

About 20 years ago, however, the association started verbally asking both chambers to pay for the passes or abolish the system because it had become too expensive.

The group admits it has not kept records logging how much it cost to provide the passes or how frequently they have been used by lawmakers.

"It isn't fair for the other customers who pay for their services. It's . . . common sense," the association's spokesman said. Yet he acknowledged the association has never taken any action beyond mere informal requests.

The association said it plans to send an official document to request payment.

Both chambers said the requests have been informal as the association has never filed a formal document.

"It's impossible for us to process such requests and pass them on to the lawmakers without any official documentation," said Takayuki Oba of the Lower House administrative office.

Both chambers have been paying for passes from JR group companies since 1988, when legislation for such outlays took effect after the privatization of Japanese National Railways. Fees for domestic airline tickets have been paid since 1989 when a similar bill was passed. No bills to cover payments to the other private railways or to bus companies have ever been submitted.

I’m curious how frequently these passes are used… I suspect many of the Diet members are simply driven everywhere (?), so even if the private railways provide the passes, the actual loss of fare revenue may not be much at all.

[starrwulfe]

Originally Posted by quashlo

Tsurumai Line N3000 series debuts in revenue service

Apparently, this slipped by completely under my (and everyone’s) nose, since the Nagoya Municipal Subway didn’t exactly advertise it.

If I were still in Nagoya, I'dve been all over it.

This is the first"regular" train with interior LCD screens in the Nagoya area outside of the Shinkansen and Meitetsu's Centrair Ltd. Express trains. The trains look almost exactly like Tobu's 51000 series to me, another Hitachi A-train.

Also, no one is talking about the new N1000 series on the Higashiyama line either. They've been slowly adding them onto the line since 2010.

[quashlo]

Renovated Tōbu Asakusa Station opens

The exterior renovation of Tōbu’s terminal at Asakusa is complete, and the new station building opened on 2012.05.18. The Neo-Renaissance-influenced exterior from the building’s opening in 1931, treasured as an example of the capital’s once extensive Art Deco architectural heritage, has been restored, including the rooftop clock. The debut came four days before the opening of the Tōkyō Sky Tree, for which Tōbu’s terminal at Asakusa is expected to be a key gateway.

Tōbu’s Asakusa terminal was the first major co-located railway terminal / department store in the Kantō area, housing a Matsuya department store. The aluminum cladding added in a 1974 renovation has been removed and the original exterior has been restored. Work still remains on the renovation inside the building, which will eventually house a new retail facility in space vacated by a downsized Matsuya.

FNN news report (2012.05.18):



A few pictures from Flickr user akasaka moon, during a big festival in Asakusa.

image hosted on flickr

DSCN6626 by akasaka_moon, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

DSCN6637 by akasaka_moon, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

DSCN6643 by akasaka_moon, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

DSCN6650 by akasaka_moon, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

DSCN6618 by akasaka_moon, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

DSCN6609 by akasaka_moon, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

DSCN6654 by akasaka_moon, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

DSCN6656 by akasaka_moon, on Flickr

[quashlo]

We also have some news regarding the Keiō Line undergrounding project at Chōfu:
http://www.keio.co.jp/news/update/an...v01/index.html

The switchout to the new underground tracks will take place after the end of service on 2012.08.18, with service being restored the next day at around 10:00 am.

No more of this...





Speaking of track switchouts, there was another recent one on the Chūō Rapid Line to complete the second inbound track at Musashi Koganei Station, starting the early afternoon of 2012.05.19 and lasting until the morning of 2012.05.20… If you’ve only got one night, you just throw everyone you can on the job.