Misato City Tram
| Status | Operational |
|---|---|
| Owner | Lamtsu Rapid Transit |
| Locale | Lamtsu Capital City |
| Termini | SMRT Misato
Otaki Light Rail Obaira Lamtsu Rifu |
| Stations | 23 |
| Initials | MCT |
| Type | Tram |
|---|---|
| Operator(s) | Lamtsu Rapid Transit |
| Depot(s) | Otaki Depot
Rifu Depot Lamtsu Siding |
| Rolling stock | Phase 1 Light Rail
Phase 2 Light Rail Phase 3 Light Rail Phase 4 Light Rail Phase 5 Light Rail |
| Opened | 1912 (Obaira-Misato)
1932 (Misato-Otaki) 1946 (Lamtsu-Ikeda) 1952 (Kata-Moseushi/Shin-Kata) 1963 (Higashi-Misato-Yurakucho) 2006 (Nishi-Rifu-Lamtsu) 2008 (Nyuzen-Misato) 2009 (Shin-Kata Branch) |
|---|---|
| Closed | 1971 (Moseushi Branch)
1972 (Lamtsu Branch) 1979 (Yurakucho Branch) 2014 (Nyuzen Extension) 2014 (Shin-Kata Branch) |
| Line Length | 7km |
|---|---|
| Track gauge | 1435mm |
| Electrification | 350VDC |
| Operating speed | 40km/h (Normal) 20km/h (Curves) |
The Misato City Tram is the tram network serving the Lamtsu Capital City. It consists of 7 routes operating over 4 tram lines, and is operated by Lamtsu Rapid Transit.
Lines
- 1. Otaki Light Rail to SMRT Misato
- 2. SMRT Misato to Obaira
- 3. Lamtsu-Ikeda
- 4. Higashi-Kata-Rifu
Routes
| No. | Route |
|---|---|
| 1. | Otaki Light Rail - SMRT Misato |
| 2. | Obaira - SMRT Misato |
| 3. | Rifu-Rifu (Via Obaira and SMRT Misato) |
| 4. | Lamtsu-Rifu |
| 5. | Lamtsu-SMRT Misato |
| 6. | Lamtsu-Obaira (Via Kata) |
| 7. | Rifu-SMRT Misato |
History
The Misato City Tram is a tram network that has been operating in Misato City from 1912 to 1943 and the Lamtsu Capital City from 1943 to the present day. At it's peak in 1964, the Misato City Tram operated trams from Sasaguri to Yurakucho and , some of which have been converted into metro lines (such as the Yurakucho Line) and moved under the road as road traffic increased. The tram network is the oldest continuously operatin20g public transport in Lamtsu, with the original route from Obaira to Misato having been in operation for more than a 100 years (now route 2).
The first tram route ran on Misato High Street on the side of the road, unlike the current arrangement which has the tram run in the middle of the road. This is why the current trams still have side platform arrangements. This line was built by the Misato City government, and therefore was given permission to run on the centre of the road.
The second tram route from Otaki to Misato was built by a private company, and was not built on an existing road. This new alignment required the crossing of the Misato River, and uses island platforms. This was the only line built by this company, and to this day, the differences in platform sides causes issues with running trams through these 2 networks, which although are physically connected, are not joined by services.
The tram reached it's lowest point in 1979, shortly after the opening of the Yurakucho Line, and the eastern sections of the tram network that ran on top of the Yurakucho Line were sold for scrap. The line to Lamtsu was also closed due to low traffic owing to the electrification of the Yamate Line, and the section that ran from Kata to Lamtsu Port was also closed as the quadruple-tracking of the Namboku Line corridor from Misato to Lamtsu resulted in the closure of many roads.
The tram network saw a revival in 2006 with it's purchase by Misato City Railway, who re-expanded the network to 23km, building a new line parallel to the Tozai Line from Nishi-Rifu to Lamtsu to relieve congestion on that section. The line from Lamtsu to Shin-Kata (Moseushi Station) was also built, and the Main Line from Obaira to Misato was extended upwards to Nyuzen. The southern section from Obaira to Yamate also started on reconstruction, but it was very quickly cancelled due to MCR's declining finances caused by the policies of Hiroshi Yamaguchi.
Lamtsu Rapid Transit is considering building a new transport system or rehabilitating the old tracks over the right-of-way of the old line to Nyuzen. This is supported by Shimakyu Railway, who believes that this would take more passengers to SMRT Misato station instead of Misato Station.
Timeline
- 1912: The Misato City Government builds a tram line from Misato to Obaira
- 1922: The Misato Dentetsu builds a new line from Otaki to Misato, originally as a heavy rail line, with only 1 stop at Higashi-Misato.
- 1932: The Misato Dentetsu converts the Otaki-Misato Line into a tram line, and adds several new stations.
- 1946: The Lamtsu Branch is added to the main line, running from Lamtsu to Ikeda via Kata.
- 1952: Misato City Railway funds a new branch of the line from Kata to Kata Port (Later Moseushi, and then Shin-Kata).
- 1953 (January) : Misato Dentetsu purchases the government lines.
- 1953 (September): The Yamate Line is double-tracked from Otaki to Misato, causing passenger numbers to fall on the Otaki-Misato tram route. In response, an express tram service is introduced, returning passenger numbers to normal.
- 1954: The MCR Tozai Line is opened, drastically reducing passenger numbers on the Lamtsu Branch.
- 1957: The Lamtsu Branch is demoted to 1-car trains, and only runs a shuttle to Kata Port.
- 1964: The Yurakucho Branch is opened from Higashi-Misato to Yurakucho, built using island platforms to allow through service on the Misato Dentetsu section of the network.
- 1971: The quadruple-tracking of the Namboku Corridor between Lamtsu and Kata means that as a safety requirement, the tram can no longer cross at-grade with the Yamate and Namboku Lines. The Lamtsu-Kata Port service is diverted to terminate at Kata.
- 1972: The Lamtsu branch is sold for scrap due to continually reducing passenger numbers.
- 1979: The Yurakucho Line is extended to Rifu, going directly under the Yurakucho Branch tracks. The entire Yurakucho branch is then closed, leaving the Yurakucho area without public transport until 1982.
- 1984: Misato City Railway purchases Misato Dentetsu, and rebrands it as the Misato City Tram.
- 1997: Hiroshi Yamaguchi increases tram frequency from 1 every 15 minutes to 1 every 10 minutes.
- 2000: Hiroshi Yamaguchi announces his plans to extend the tram network from 6km to 40km, to supplement the existing train network.
- 2006: The Southern Lamtsu Branch opens from Nishi-Rifu to Lamtsu.
- 2008: The Main Line is extended north to Nyuzen.
- 2009: The Shin-Kata branch is re-opened, using a brand-new viaduct over the (now sextuple) section of track.
- 2012: MCR is sold to HRT (Lamtsu), and many lines were then slated for demolition under the Reshaping of Joban Railways.
- 2014 (March): The Nyuzen branch is sold back for scrap.
- 2014 (July): The Shin-Kata branch is abandoned.
- 2022: HRT (Lamtsu) is broken up into Misato Railway Transport and Lamtsu Rapid Transit, the latter of which now owns and operates the Misato City Tram.
- 2023 (Jan): Lamtsu Rapid Transit submits an application to get planning permission to construct a branch tram line from SMRT Misato to Nyuzen, possibly extending line 1 or the Main Line.