The Keisei Chihara Line (京成千原線, Keisei Chihara-sen) is a railway line in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Keisei Railway. The line (with direct services to and from the Keisei Main Line and Keisei Chiba Line) starts from Chiba-Chūō Station and ends at Chiharadai Station.

Keisei Chihara Line
KS
Keisei 3000 series EMU on the Chihara Line, October 2010
Overview
OwnerKeisei Electric Railway
LocaleChiba Prefecture
Termini
Stations6
History
OpenedApril 1, 1992
Technical
Line length10.9 km (6.8 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)

Stations

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  • All trains are local trains that stop at every station.
No. Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
Between
stations
Total
Keisei through services: Via the Keisei Chiba Line & Keisei Main Line to/from Keisei-Ueno
Via the Keisei Chiba Line & Shin-Keisei Line to/from Matsudo
KS60 Chiba-Chūō 千葉中央 - 0.0 KS Keisei Chiba Line Chūō-ku, Chiba Chiba Prefecture
KS61 Chibadera 千葉寺 2.5 2.5
KS62 Ōmoridai 大森台 1.7 4.2
KS63 Gakuemmae 学園前 3.1 7.3 Midori-ku, Chiba
KS64 Oyumino おゆみ野 1.5 8.8
KS65 Chiharadai ちはら台 2.1 10.9 Ichihara

History

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The line was originally planned by Kominato Railway, which obtained the government license for the new line between Hon-Chiba Station in central Chiba and Amaariki Station on the existing Kominato Railway Line in December 1957. Following years of suspension of the project, in December 1975, the license was transferred to Chiba Kyūkō Dentetsu (千葉急行電鉄), which was jointly established by Keisei Electric Railway and the Kominato Railway receiving investment from local governments and other sources.

By the 1970s, the need for the railway had been increasing as the development of Chiba Ichihara New Town was in progress along the planned route. The plan was changed to make connection with the Keisei Chiba Line at Chiba-Chūō Station. Construction of the line began in August 1977 for the section between Chiba-Chūō Station and Chiharadai Station (10.91 km).[1]

Chiba Kyūkō opened the new line between Chiba-Chūō Station and Ōmoridai Station (4.2 km) on April 1, 1992.[1] The line to Chiharadai Station was completed on April 1, 1995. The entire line is single track, but the formation allows for duplication if and when required.

Due to its poor financial condition, Chiba Kyūkō was dissolved and the railway was sold to Keisei Electric Railway on October 1, 1998. Keisei named it the "Chihara Line".[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kobayashi, Toshio. 千葉急行開業 [Chiba Kyūkō opens]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). No. 374, June 1992. Tokyo: Kōyūsha. p. 90.
  2. ^ 京成千原線スタート [Keisei Chihara Line starts]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). No. 452. Tokyo: Kōyūsha. December 1998. p. 63.