The Bessho Line (別所線, Bessho-sen) is an 11.6 km (7.2 mi) Japanese railway line in Ueda, Nagano, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Ueda Electric Railway (上田電鉄, Ueda Dentetsu). It connects Ueda and Bessho-Onsen stations. This is currently the only railway line Ueda Dentetsu operates. Although the company is the root of its holding company, Ueda Kōtsū (上田交通, "Ueda Transport"), the group now mainly operates resort amusement facilities and bus lines. Ueda Kōtsū is owned by Tokyu Corporation. The railway line lacked funds to upgrade the infrastructure to meet the new safety standards, and separated to become the present company.
1000 series set 1001 in May 2012. Front designation/service signs shown are from former Tokyu Toyoko line service with through-running to the Tokyo MetroHibiya Line.
1000 series set 1004 in retro-style blue and cream livery in June 2017
6000 series set 6001 in January 2017
7200 series in May 2012
1000 series
Eight former Tokyu 1000 series EMU end cars were resold to the Ueda Electric Railway, and reformed as four two-car 1000 series sets.[4]
Formations
Designation
Mc
Tc
Numbering
DeHa 100x
KuHa 110x
6000 series
In 2015, two former Tokyu Toyoko Line 1000 series intermediate cars (DeHa 1255 and DeHa 1305) were resold to the Ueda Electric Railway, which were reformed as a two-car 6000 series set with the addition of new cab ends.[4]
Formation
Designation
Mc
Tc
Numbering
DeHa 6001x
KuHa 6101x
Car identities
The former identities of the fleet are as shown below.[4]
Set No.
Car No.
Tokyu numbering
1001
DeHa 1001
DeHa 1315
KuHa 1101
KuHa 1015
1002
DeHa 1002
DeHa 1318
KuHa 1102
KuHa 1018
1003
DeHa 1003
DeHa 1314
KuHa 1103
KuHa 1014
1004
DeHa 1004
DeHa 1316
KuHa 1104
KuHa 1016
6001
DeHa 6001
DeHa 1305
KuHa 6101
DeHa 1255
History
The first section of the line opened on 17 June 1921, using a 600 V DC overhead power supply.[1] The line voltage was raised to 1,500 V DC from 1 October 1986.[1]Wanmandriver-only operation commenced on the line from 3 October 2005.[1]
In 2009, the company sold out affiliated companies that Joden Bus and Joden Taxi to Jay Will Partners.
Ueda Bus (This company had been a subsidiary until 2009)
References
^ abcdefTerada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. pp. 84–240. ISBN978-4-7770-1336-4.
^ 私鉄車両編成表 2015 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2015] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 23 July 2015. p. 87. ISBN978-4-330-58415-7.
^ 上田電鉄1000系 [Ueda Electric Railway 1000 series]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 48, no. 567. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. July 2008. p. 103.
^ abcKubo, Toshi (July 2017). 東京メトロ日比谷線-4 [Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line - 4]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 57, no. 675. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 125–126.
^【上田電鉄】駅ナンバリング導入 [Ueda Electric Railway introduced station numbering]. RM News (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.