Tai Hing Tram
The Tai Hing Tram is a Light Rail system in Tai Hing, Lamtsu, Sorano. The 800m line is the shortest line operated by Lamtsu Rapid Transit and formerly operated by Harmony Rail Transit (Lamtsu). It functions as a feeder line for the Hakone and Mihara Lines, as well as the Seiyo Shinkansen. The line links Lighthouse Front to Tai Hing Forest. Formerly, Hakone Line trains would share depots and rolling stock with the Tai Hing Tram.
Stations
The Tai Hing Tram is split into 2 parts: the Tai Hing Section and the Hakone section.
| No. | Station | CJK | Distance | Transfers | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tai Hing Section | |||||
| MH13 | Lighthouse Front | 灯塔前 | 0.0 | Seiyo Main Line | Tai Hing |
| MH12 | Tai Hing County | 大慶 | 0.3 | Seiyo Shinkansen | |
| MH11 | Tai Hing Forest | 大慶林 | 0.8 | Mihara Line | |
| Hakone Section | |||||
| MH11 | Tai Hing Forest | 大慶林 | 0.8 | Mihara Line | Tai Hing |
| HK03 | Hakone | 箱根 | 1.3 | Hakone Ropeway | Hakone |
| HK02 | Shihoro | 士幌 | 1.7 | ||
History
The initial phase of the Tai Hing Tram from Tai Hing Forest to Tai Hing county was opened in 1997, to assist goods trains travelling to the terminal, adding stations MH11 to MH13 to the Mihara Line. When cargo operations at Tai Hing ceased due to the Hakone Emigration Crisis, the line was shut down for almost 25 years.
The opening of the Seiyo Shinkansen prompted suggestions to revive the old track, but by now newer rolling stock made the old through service to Tai Hing impossible. Therefore, new rolling stock was bought from Harmony Rail Transit (Centown) to falicitate the new operations. The Tai Hing Branch of the Mihara Line was repurposed into a 4-lane road, with the tram services running on the outer lanes.
With the opening of the Seiyo Main Line Branch, the Tai Hing Tram has increased in importance as the sole connector between the 3 Tai Hing terminals. The Hakone Line ended service in 2022 due to great unprofitability and the Mihara Line rebuild, and the Tai Hing Tram was then extended to Hakone to compensate for this. due to the tracks of the Hakone Line being shared with the Mihara Line, Tai Hing Forest Station was rebuilt for this change.