On April 13th this year, Keio Electric Railway Company celebrated the 110th anniversary of their rail and bus businesses. The Keio line was initially opened between Sasazuka and Chofu stations (12.2 kilometers) on April 13th, 1913. At the same time, the bus routes between Shinjuku and Sasazuka and the others were also inaugurated. To commemorate the 110th anniversary, Keio is displaying a special plate on the front of train set 9702 of the EMU 9000 series. This low-key design is so Keio!
Keio is one of the major private railways in the metropolitan area. The railway route consists of the Keio and the Inokashira lines, extending to the western part of Tokyo and the northern Kanagawa Prefecture. Its total operating length is 84.7 kilometers. Keio carries an average of 1.5 million passengers per day. The transportation density is about 36,000 passengers per day per kilometer. It' so high because the routes are concentrated in high-density residential areas.
My grandfather, who passed away twenty years ago, was an engineer of Keio Electric Railway. He introduced many trains during his assignment. The classic electric car, type 500, which debuted in 1931, is still seen in his photo album as his first job. My father, who passed away several years ago, also worked for Keio as an architect. I've chosen the other industry, but became an enthusiastic railfan instead. It may come from my family. I hope that my grandfather and father are also celebrating the 110th anniversary from heaven.
