On August 26th, a new tramline named Haga-Utsunomiya LRT was opened between Utsunomiya City and Haga Town in Tochigi Prefecture. Inauguration of the new tramline in Japan was for the first time in 75 years.
Japan once had extensive tram networks in many mega-cities. Those tramlines functioned as commuter transportation arteries, but most of the routes have already been abolished due to heavy traffic jams. For example, only two routes, namely the Toei-Arakawa line and the Tokyu-Setagaya line, survive in Tokyo. People have been thinking that the tramline is a relic of the past. Wait a second, the times have changed. Super-low floor type streetcars (so-called LRT) in European countries have provided a hint for considering new urban traffic systems in Japan. The LRT is said to have many merits, such as lower construction cost compared to subways, speedier than buses and friendly for aging people. Tramlines must revive.
Haga-Utsunomiya LRT is a 14.5-kilometers-long tramline connecting Utsunomiya Station East and Haga Takanezawa Industrial Park. There are 19 stations. The track is double and the gauge size is 1,067 millimeters. The electric system is 750 volts direct current. Tramcars are operated every 8 minutes in the rush hour and every 12 minutes in the daytime. The operating speed of the tramcar is 40 kilometers per hour. Passengers can enjoy not only the cityscape but also the scenery of the industrial park and the countryside. I remembered the C-Train in Calgary, Canada, where I visited twelve years ago.
To be continued...
