Tobu Railway

Last updated
Tobu Railway Co., Ltd.
Native name
東武鉄道株式会社
Romanized name
Tōbu Tetsudō kabushiki gaisha
Type Public KK
Industry Rail-focused conglomerate
Founded1 November 1897;125 years ago (1897-11-01)
HeadquartersTobu-kan,
18-12 Oshiage 2-chome, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
(Registered in Tokyo Skytree East Tower, 1-2 Oshiage 1-chome, Sumida-ku, Tokyo)
,
Japan
Area served
Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi
Key people
 Nezu Kaichirō (former Representative Director)
Yoshizomi Nezu (Representative Director)
Services Passenger railway
Total assets ¥1.3 trillion
Owner Investment trusts (JTSB 6.13%, TMTBJ 4.19%)
Fukoku Life (2.47%)
SSBTC Treaty 505234 (2.26%)
Mizuho Bank (2.20%)
Number of employees
3,470 (As of March 2022)
Subsidiaries Various, including the operating company of Tokyo Skytree, Tobu Bus, Asahi Motor
Website www.tobu.co.jp
Old Tobu Railway logo used until July 2011 Tobu logomark.svg
Old Tobu Railway logo used until July 2011

The Tobu Railway Company, Ltd. (東武鉄道株式会社, Tōbu Tetsudō kabushiki gaisha) is a Japanese commuter railway and keiretsu holding company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. Excluding the Japan Railways Group companies, Tobu's 463.3 km (287.9 mi) rail system is the second longest in Japan after Kintetsu. It serves large portions of Saitama Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture and Tochigi Prefecture, as well as northern Tokyo and western Chiba Prefecture. The Tobu Railway Company is listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the Nikkei 225 index.

Contents

The Tobu corporate group is also engaged in road transportation (bus/taxi), real estate, and retail. It is the owner of the Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world. The company is a member of the Fuyo Group keiretsu .

The name "Tobu" is formed from the kanji for east (東) and Musashi (武蔵), the initial area served.

History

Tobu is one of the oldest railway companies in Japan. It was established in November 1897 and began operation between Kita-Senju and Kuki in August 1899. The Tojo Railway was founded in 1911 as a separate company, but shared its president and head office with Tobu. [1]

In 1905, Nezu Kaichirō became the president of Tobu Railway and successfully helped to grow the company to one of the largest private rail operators in the Kanto region. [2]

Tobu was the first railway in the Kanto region to adopt quadruple tracks, on the Kita-Senju to Takenotsuka sector in 1974. [3] The Tobu Dobutsu Koen (Tobu Animal Park) opened in 1981. [4]

Railway network

Diagram of the Tobu network, showing main lines to right and Tojo Lines to lower left Tobu Railway Linemap.svg
Diagram of the Tobu network, showing main lines to right and Tojo Lines to lower left

Tobu has two isolated networks which are connected by the Chichibu Railway for ferrying of its rolling stock.

The Tobu Main Line network has a tree topology starting at Asakusa in Tokyo, with the Isesaki line as the trunk, and the Tobu Kameido Line, Daishi Line, Tobu Urban Park Line, Tobu Sano Line, Koizumi Line, Tōbu Kiryū Line, and Nikkō Line forming the branches, with further branches into the Tobu Utsunomiya Line and Tobu Kinugawa Lines. It offers surcharged, seat-reserved limited express services from Tokyo to Nikkō and Kinugawa.

The Tojo Line runs northwest from Ikebukuro in Tokyo to central and western Saitama Prefecture. A branch, the Ogose Line, runs to Ogose from Sakado.

Tobu's terminals in Tokyo are at Asakusa (Main Line express services), Oshiage (most other Main Line services) and Ikebukuro (Tojo Line). The Skytree and Isesaki Lines interoperate with the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line and the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line to serve central, southwestern Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture, while the Tojo Line interoperates with the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line, Tokyu Toyoko Line and Minatomirai Line to serve central and southwest Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture.

Main lines

NameSymbolStationsLength
Skytree Line Tobu Skytree Line (TS) symbol.svg Asakusa – Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen 41.0 km (25.5 mi)
Kameido Line Hikifune – Kameido 3.4 km (2.1 mi)
Daishi Line Nishiarai – Daishimae 1.0 km (0.62 mi)
Isesaki Line Tobu Isesaki Line (TI) symbol.svg Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen – Isesaki 75.1 km (46.7 mi)
Sano Line Tatebayashi – Kuzū 22.1 km (13.7 mi)
Koizumi Line Tatebayashi – Nishi-Koizumi, Ōta – Higashi-Koizumi 12.0 km (7.5 mi)
Kiryū Line Ōta – Akagi 20.3 km (12.6 mi)
Nikkō Line Tobu Nikko Line (TN) symbol.svg Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen – Tōbu Nikkō 94.5 km (58.7 mi)
Utsunomiya Line Shin-Tochigi – Tōbu Utsunomiya 24.3 km (15.1 mi)
Kinugawa Line Shimo-Imaichi – Shin-Fujiwara 6.2 km (3.9 mi)
Urban Park Line (Formerly Noda Line) Tobu Noda Line (TD) symbol.svg Ōmiya – Kasukabe – Funabashi 62.7 km (39.0 mi)

Tobu Tojo lines

NameSymbolStationsLength
Tojo Line Tobu Tojo Line (TJ) symbol.svg Ikebukuro – Yorii 75.0 km (46.6 mi)
Ogose Line Sakado – Ogose 10.9 km (6.8 mi)

Rolling stock

As of 1 April 2016, Tobu Railway operates a fleet of 1,890 electric multiple unit (EMU) vehicles, the third largest fleet for a private railway operator in Japan after Tokyo Metro (2,728 vehicles) and Kintetsu (1,905). [5]

Express EMUs

Eight new three-car 500 series EMU trains were introduced on limited express services on lines from Asakusa on 21 April 2017. [6]

Commuter EMUs

Steam locomotive

Tobu plans to operate steam-hauled tourist services on the Kinugawa Line from 10 August 2017 using JNR Class C11 steam locomotive C11 207 loaned from JR Hokkaido together with JNR Class DE10 diesel locomotive DE10 1099 purchased from JR East, a fleet of six 12 and 14 series coaches purchased from JR Shikoku, and two Yo 8000 brake vans purchased from JR Freight and JR East. [8]

Withdrawn types

Express EMUs

Commuter EMUs

DMUs

Steam locomotives

  • Tobu B1 Class 4-4-0 (1898)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line</span> Subway line in Tokyo, Japan

The Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by Tokyo Metro. The line was named after the Hibiya area in Chiyoda's Yurakucho district, under which it passes. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color silver, and its stations are given numbers using the letter "H".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tōbu Tōjō Line</span> Railway line from Saitama to Tokyo in Japan

The Tobu Tojo Line is a 75.0 km (46.6 mi) suburban railway line in Japan which runs from Ikebukuro Station in Toshima, Tokyo to Yorii Station in Yorii, Saitama, operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway. Its official name is the Tobu Tojo Main Line, but it is referred to as Tobu Tojo Line on Tobu signage and publicity information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tōbu Urban Park Line</span> Railway line in Saitama and Chiba Prefectures, Japan

The Tobu Urban Park Line, formally known as the Tobu Noda Line, is a 62.7 km (39.0 mi) long railway line in Saitama and Chiba Prefectures operated by the Japanese private railway company Tobu Railway. It connects the satellite cities of Tokyo, such as Saitama, Kasukabe, Noda, Nagareyama, Matsudo, Kamagaya, Kashiwa, and Funabashi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oshiage Station</span> Railway station in Tokyo, Japan

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu Ogose Line</span>

The Tobu Ogose Line is a 10.9-kilometre (6.8 mi), mostly single-track branchline in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway. It runs from Sakado Station on the Tobu Tojo Line to Ogose Station, connecting with the JR East Hachikō Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tōbu Nikkō Line</span> Japanese railway line

The Tobu Nikko Line is a 94.5-kilometre (58.7 mi) railway line in Japan operated by the private railway company Tobu Railway. It branches from Tōbu Dōbutsu Kōen Station in Miyashiro, Saitama on the Skytree Line, extending north to Tōbu Nikkō Station in Nikkō, Tochigi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakado Station (Saitama)</span> Railway station in Sakado, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Sakado Station is a junction passenger railway station located in the city of Sakado, Saitama, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Tōbu Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tokyo Skytree Station</span> Railway station in Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Skytree Station is a railway station on the Tobu Skytree Line in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway. It is adjacent to the Tokyo Skytree and Skytree Town redevelopment, and was formerly known as Narihirabashi Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu Daishi Line</span> Railway line in Tokyo, Japan

The Tobu Daishi Line is a 1.0 km (0.62 mi) railway line in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway. It connects Nishiarai Station to Daishimae Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu 50000 series</span> Electric multiple unit train type operated by Tobu Railway in Japan

The Tobu 50000 series is a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter train type operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway in Japan since March 2005, manufactured by Hitachi to its "A-train" concept. The trains represent the first use of aluminium body cars on Tobu commuter trains. They are also the first Tobu trains to feature bilingual automated passenger announcements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu Kameido Line</span> Railway line in Tokyo, Japan

The Tobu Kameido Line is a railway line operated by Japanese private railway company Tobu Railway in Tokyo. The line is in central Tokyo, a short 3.4 km branch off the Tobu Skytree Line at Hikifune, southbound to Kameido with connections to the JR East Chūō-Sōbu Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nishi-Ōya Station</span> Railway station in Sakado, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Nishi-Ōya Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Sakado, Saitama, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Tōbu Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shin-Koshigaya Station</span> Railway station in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Shin-Koshigaya Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Tōbu Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu 100 series</span> Electric multiple unit train operated in Japan by Tobu Railway

The Tobu 100 series, branded Spacia (スペーシア), is a limited express electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway in Japan since 1990. The trains are used on Kegon, Spacia Nikko, Kinu, and Spacia Kinugawa services to Nikkō and Kinugawa-Onsen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu 20000 series</span> Electric multiple unit train type operated in Japan by Tobu Railway

The Tobu 20000 series is a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter train type operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway in Japan since 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu 6050 series</span> Electric multiple unit of Tobu Railway, Yagan Railway and Aizu Railway

The Tobu 6050 series is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated on the Tobu Nikko Line and the Aizu Line in Japan since 1985. These trains were operated by Tobu Railway and the connecting companies Aizu Railway and Yagan Railway, and provide "Local" and "Express/Section-Express" services. "Rapid/Section Rapid" services operated until April 2017. On 12 March 2022, Tobu Railway and Aizu Railway withdrew their fleets of 6050 series and 6050-100 series sets from service, respectively. Yagan Railway still has two formations of 6050-100 series, which operate on the Aizu-Kinugawa Line and the Tobu Kinugawa Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu Skytree Line</span> Section of the Tobu Isesaki Line in Japan

The Tobu Skytree Line is a section of the Tobu Isesaki Line operated by the private railway company Tobu Railway, extending from Asakusa Station in Tokyo to Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen Station in Saitama Prefecture. Some trains from the line continue to the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line. This section was branded the Tobu Skytree Line on 17 March 2012 in conjunction with the opening of the Tokyo Skytree Tower. However, in through services with the Hibiya line, the Tobu SkyTree Line actually does not stop anywhere near the Tokyo SkyTree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tokyo Metro 13000 series</span> Japanese electric multiple unit train type

The Tokyo Metro 13000 series is a Japanese DC commuter electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by the Tokyo subway operator Tokyo Metro on Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and Tobu Skytree Line inter-running services. Introduced into service on 25 March 2017, a total of 44 seven-car sets were built by Kinki Sharyo between 2016 and 2020 to replace the 03 series fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobu 70000 series</span> Japanese electric multiple unit train type

The Tobu 70000 series is a Japanese DC electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter train type operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway on Tobu Skytree Line and Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line inter-running services since 7 July 2017.

<i>TH Liner</i> Train service in Saitama, Japan

The TH Liner (THライナー) is a limited-stop "Home Liner"-style service to and from Kuki Station in Saitama on the Tobu Isesaki Line operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway in Japan since June 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "明治28年～45年". Tobu Railway. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures". National Diet Library, Japan. National Diet Library, Japan.
  3. ↑ "1961年～1980年 | 会社の沿革 | 東武鉄道ポータルサイト". www.tobu.co.jp. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  4. ↑ "昭和41年～63年". Tobu Railway. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  5. ↑ 私鉄車両編成表 2016 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 25 July 2016. pp. 213–214. ISBN   978-4-330-70116-5.
  6. ↑ ２０１７年４月２１日（金）ダイヤ改正を実施！ [Revised timetable to be introduced on Friday 21 April 2017](PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original (pdf) on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  7. ↑ 東武70000系が営業運転を開始 [Tobu 70000 series enters revenue service]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 8 July 2017. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  8. ↑ 東武鬼怒川線で復活するＳＬ「大樹」の営業運転開始日を２０１７年８月１０日（木）に決定！ ["Taiju" steam locomotive on Tobu Kinugawa Line to enter service on Thursday 10 August 2017](PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original (pdf) on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.

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