Nagano Electric Railway
Railway company in Japan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nagano Electric Railway (長野電鉄, Nagano Dentetsu) is a private railway company based in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The company and its line are commonly referred to as Nagaden (長電). It originally operated three lines, but only the Nagano Line between Nagano — Suzaka — Shinshū-Nakano — Yudanaka remains in service. Nagaden owns a 1.1% stake in Shinano Railway.
 | |
| Nagaden | |
Native name | 長野電鉄 |
Romanized name | Nagano Dentetsu |
Company type | Public K.K. |
| Industry | Conglomerate |
| Founded | May 30, 1920 |
| Headquarters | , Japan |
Area served | Nagano. |
Key people | Tohei Kodu (founder)[1] |
| Services | passenger railways other related services |
| Owner | Kitano Construction[2] (8.56%) Hachijuni Bank (3.73%) Dai-ichi Hoki (1.04%) |
| Subsidiaries | Nagaden Bus |
| Website | www |
Nagano Line
The Nagano Line connects Nagano Station in Nagano with Yudanaka Station in Yamanouchi.
In addition to local travel, the line provides access for tourists and visitors to sites including Obuse, Shiga Kogen Ski Resort, Jigokudani Monkey Park (Snow Monkey Park) and onsens/hot springs at Yudanaka [ja].
Services
Local services from Nagano operate to Suzaka, Shinshū-Nakano and Yudanaka, stopping at every station. Passengers travelling further than Shinshū-Nakano are generally required to transfer to a connecting train at Shinshū-Nakano.[3]
Limited Express trains Snow Monkey and Yukemuri operate multiple services every day between Nagano and Yudanaka. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, one round trip of Yukemuri operates as Yukemuri ~Leisurely Train~ which slows down or stops at multiple scenic locations along the line.[3][4]
Numerous "Event trains" operate on the Nagano Line. Kita-Shinano Wine Valley Train and Shinshu Local Sake Train operate throughout the year. Nagaden Wine Train, Nagaden Beer Train and Nagaden Japan Sake Train operate on specified days.[4]
Stations
All stations are in Nagano Prefecture.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| ● | All trains stop at this station |
| ｜ | All trains pass this station |
| No.[5] | Station name | Japanese | Distance (km) | Limited Express | Connections | Tracks | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between stations | Total | A | B | ||||||
| N1 | Nagano | 長野 | - | 0.0 | ● | ● |  Hokuriku Shinkansen Shin'etsu Main Line Shinano Railway Kita-Shinano Line |
Two | Nagano |
| N2 | Shiyakushomae | 市役所前 | 0.4 | 0.4 | ｜ | ● | |||
| N3 | Gondō | 権堂 | 0.6 | 1.0 | ● | ● | |||
| N4 | Zenkōjishita | 善光寺下 | 0.6 | 1.6 | ｜ | ｜ | |||
| N5 | Hongō | 本郷 | 1.1 | 2.7 | ｜ | ● | |||
| N6 | Kirihara | 桐原 | 0.9 | 3.6 | ｜ | ｜ | |||
| N7 | Shinano-Yoshida | 信濃吉田 | 0.7 | 4.3 | ｜ | ● | Shinano Railway Kita-Shinano Line (Kita-Nagano) | ||
| N8 | Asahi | 朝陽 | 2.0 | 6.3 | ｜ | ● | ∨ | ||
| N9 | Fuzokuchūgakumae | 附属中学前 | 0.7 | 7.0 | ｜ | ｜ | ｜ | ||
| N10 | Yanagihara | 柳原 | 1.0 | 8.0 | ｜ | ｜ | ◇ | ||
| N11 | Murayama | 村山 | 2.0 | 10.0 | ｜ | ｜ | ◇ | Suzaka | |
| N12 | Hino | 日野 | 1.0 | 11.0 | ｜ | ｜ | ｜ | ||
| N13 | Suzaka | 須坂 | 1.5 | 12.5 | ● | ● | ◇ | ||
| N14 | Kitasuzaka | 北須坂 | 2.5 | 15.0 | ｜ | ｜ | ◇ | ||
| N15 | Obuse | 小布施 | 2.5 | 17.5 | ● | ● | ◇ | Obuse (Kamitakai) | |
| N16 | Tsusumi | 都住 | 1.1 | 18.6 | ｜ | ｜ | ｜ | ||
| N17 | Sakurasawa | 桜沢 | 2.7 | 21.3 | ｜ | ｜ | ◇ | Nakano | |
| N18 | Entoku | 延徳 | 2.0 | 23.3 | ｜ | ｜ | ◇ | ||
| N19 | Shinshū-Nakano | 信州中野 | 2.3 | 25.6 | ● | ● | ◇ | ||
| N20 | Nakano-Matsukawa | 中野松川 | 1.4 | 27.0 | ｜ | ｜ | ｜ | ||
| N21 | Shinano-Takehara | 信濃竹原 | 2.3 | 29.3 | ｜ | ｜ | ◇ | ||
| N22 | Yomase | 夜間瀬 | 1.1 | 30.4 | ｜ | ｜ | ｜ | Yamanouchi (Shimotakai) | |
| N23 | Kamijō | 上条 | 1.4 | 31.8 | ｜ | ｜ | ｜ | ||
| N24 | Yudanaka | 湯田中 | 1.4 | 33.2 | ● | ● | ｜ | ||
Rolling stock
Current rolling stock
- 1000 series 4-car EMUs (2 sets)
- Ex-Odakyū 10000 series HiSE sets for Limited express "A" Yukemuri services. Entered service from 9 December 2006.
- 2100 series 3-car EMUs (2 sets)
- Ex-JR Narita Express 253 series sets for Snow Monkey limited express services. Entered service from 26 February 2011.
- 3000 series 3-car EMUs
- Ex-Tokyo Metro 03 series sets for local services. Introduced in January 2020. Scheduled to replace the existing 3500 & 3600 series in 2020.
- 8500 series 3-car EMUs (6 sets)
- Ex-Tokyu 8500 series sets for local services. Introduced in 2005.[6]
Former rolling stock
- 2000 series 3-car EMUs
- For Limited express "B" services. (1957–August 2011)
- 0 series
- For "Officeman & Student" Local services. (1966–2002)
- 10 series
- For "Officeman & Student" Local services. (1980–2017)
- 3500 series 2-car EMUs (14 sets) and 3600 series 3-car EMUs (3 sets)
- Ex-TRTA 3000 series sets for local services. (1993–January 19 2023)[7]
History
The original Nagano Electric Railway was built in 1926, connecting Gondō in Nagano with Suzaka, and electrified at 1,500 V DC. Later that year, the company absorbed the operations of Katō Railway, which operated a line on the east bank of the Chikuma River from Yashiro via Suzaka to Kijima, with the Gongo to Yoshida section being double-tracked. The following year, an additional line was constructed from Shinshū-Nakano to Yudanaka, and in 1928, the line was extended to Nagano Station as dual track.[citation needed]
The Yoshida - Asahi section was double-tracked in 1956, and freight services ceased in 1979. CTC signalling was commissioned between Yudanaka and Asahi in 1980, and extended to Nagano in 1984. The section from Nagano to Zenkōjishita was converted to an underground railway in 1981.[citation needed]
Former connecting lines
- Suzaka Station: The Kato Railway opened a 24 km (15 mi) line to Yashiro on the (now) Shinano Railway Line in 1922, electrified it at 1,500 V DC in January 1926, and merged with the Nagano Electric Railway in September the same year. Due to falling patronage, the line closed on 31 March 2012.[8]
- Shinshū-Nakano Station: The Kato Railway opened the 13 km (8.1 mi) line to Kijima in 1925 and electrified it at 1,500 V DC the following year. Freight services ceased in 1979 and CTC signalling was commissioned on the line in 1980, but due to falling patronage, the line closed in 2002.[citation needed]
Gallery
Nagaden Beer Train
Nagaden Beer Train with bento boxes
Nagaden Local Sake (Jizake) Train
