The is a long railway line operated by the privately owned Chōshi Electric Railway between Chōshi and Tokawa stations in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
It is the Chōshi Electric Railway's only line and is facing declining ridership. The company ventured into selling nure-senbei (moist senbei rice crackers) to subsidize its operations, and the profits from confectionery sales are now double those from its railway operations.
Service pattern
All trains stop at all stations, with trains passing on the single line at Kasagami-Kurohae Station. Since 21 November 2013, one train per hour runs during the daytime.
Previously, two to three trains operated per hour throughout the day. In the past, two- or three-car formations were operated on New Year's Day to transport passengers to see the first sunrise of the year at the popular coastal viewing point in Inubōsaki.
Stations
All stations are in Chōshi.
Rolling stock
2000 series 2-car EMUs (x2, since 24 July 2010), former Iyo Railway 800 series (originally Keio Corporation 2010 series built in 1962) 3000 series 2-car EMU (since 26 March 2016), former Iyo Railway 700 series (originally Keio 5000 series) DeKi 3 electric locomotive, built in 1922 by AEG in Germany, based at Nakanochō Depot
In 2007, it was announced that former Keio 3000 series stainless steel EMUs converted to 2-car sets would be purchased to replace the three vintage 700 and 800 series cars still in operation. This plan was however cancelled due to the cost of converting the 1,500 V DC cars to 600 V DC operation. Instead, two pairs of former Iyo Railway 800 series EMU cars were purchased in 2009, and these entered service in July 2010 following conversion work, becoming the 2000 series.
In September 2015, a two-car 700 series EMU was purchased from the Iyo Railway for 1.3 million yen. The train entered service on the line in March 2016, following repainting into a two-tone blue livery.
Past rolling stock
0-6-0T steam locomotives 1 and 2 (former JNR 1102 and 1107) (Choshi Sightseeing Railway, December 1913 – November 1917) Ro 1, RoHa 1, Ha 1, HaNi 1 4-wheel coaches (Choshi Sightseeing Railway, December 1913 – November 1917) HaFu 1 and HaFu 2 non-powered trailer cars, withdrawn in September 1978 and cut up in 1979 100 series EMU car DeHa 101, built 1939, withdrawn in 1999, and scrapped in September 2009 200 series EMU car DeHa 201, (former Keisei MoNi 7, built in 1925), operated from 1949 until 1978, and officially withdrawn in 1979 300 series EMU car DeHa 301 (former Tsurumi Rinkō Railway MoHa 115, built in 1930), operated from 1951, withdrawn in 2008, scrapped in October 2009 500 series EMU car DeHa 501 (former Ueda Kōtsū MoHa 2321, built in 1939), operated from 1972, later sectioned at Inuboh Station, and cut up on-site in July 2012 700 series EMU car DeHa 701 (former Ohmi Railway MoHa 50 built in 1942), withdrawn in September 2010 700 series EMU car DeHa 702 (former Ohmi Railway MoHa 50, built 1942), withdrawn in January 2010 800 series EMU car DeHa 801 (former Iyo Railway MoHa 106 built in 1950), withdrawn in September 2010 Yu 101 open car, (former WaMu 80000 freight car number WaMu 183983, built in 1969), operated from 4 August 1985, but taken out of service since 2004 due to safety regulations, and stored first at Tokawa Station and then at Kasagami-Kurohae Station before being official withdrawn on 30 June 2012 1000 series EMU car 1001 (former TRTA 2000 series built in 1960), withdrawn in February 2016 1000 series EMU car 1002 (former TRTA 2000 series built in 1959), withdrawn in February 2015
History
Chōshi Sightseeing Railway (1913-1917)
The predecessor to the present-day line opened on 28 December 1913 as the , operating a distance of 5.9 km between and using steam haulage. The gauge line was laid by a team of 235 army engineers in just 11 days. There were four intermediate stations, at , , , and , and by 1914, eight return services operated daily, with journeys taking 23 minutes. The line used two former JNR 0-6-0T steam locomotives built by Nasmyth, Wilson in the UK. These were numbered 1 and 2 (former JNR numbers 1102 and 1107 respectively).