Toden Arakawa Line

Arakawa Line
8500 series trams passing near Asukayama Station
Overview
Type	Streetcar
Locale	Tokyo
Termini	Waseda Minowabashi
Stations	30
Operation
Opened	1974
Owner	Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei)
Technical
Line length	12.2 km (7.6 mi)
Track gauge	1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in)
Electrification	600 V DC overhead catenary

The Toden Arakawa Line (都電荒川線 Toden Arakawa-sen) is a streetcar line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). The Arakawa Line is the sole survivor of Tokyo's once-extensive Tokyo Toden streetcar system, but it is not the only tram line in Tokyo, as the privately owned Tokyu Setagaya Line is also classified as a streetcar (路面電車 romen densha).

Station list

All stations are located in Tokyo.

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
		Between stations	Total
Minowabashi	三ノ輪橋	-	0.0	Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (Minowa: H-19)	Arakawa
Arakawa-itchumae	荒川一中前	0.3	0.3
Arakawakuyakushomae	荒川区役所前	0.3	0.6
Arakawa-nichome	荒川二丁目	0.4	1.0
Arakawa-nanachome	荒川七丁目	0.4	1.4
Machiya-ekimae	町屋駅前	0.4	1.8	Keisei Main Line (Machiya) Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line (Machiya: C-17)
Machiya-nichome	町屋二丁目	0.4	2.2
Higashi-ogu-sanchome	東尾久三丁目	0.3	2.5
Kumanomae	熊野前	0.6	3.1	Nippori-Toneri Liner (04)
Miyanomae	宮ノ前	0.4	3.5
Odai	小台	0.3	3.8
Arakawa-yuenchimae	荒川遊園地前	0.3	4.1
Arakawa-shakomae	荒川車庫前	0.5	4.6
Kajiwara	梶原	0.4	5.0		Kita
Sakaechō	栄町	0.5	5.5
Ōji-ekimae	王子駅前	0.5	6.0	Keihin-Tōhoku Line (Ōji) Tokyo Metro Namboku Line (Ōji: N-16)
Asukayama	飛鳥山	0.5	6.5
Takinogawa-itchome	滝野川一丁目	0.4	6.9
Nishigahara-yonchome	西ヶ原四丁目	0.4	7.3
Shin-Kōshinzuka	新庚申塚	0.4	7.7	Toei Mita Line (Nishi-Sugamo: I-16)	Toshima
Kōshinzuka	庚申塚	0.2	7.9
Sugamoshinden	巣鴨新田	0.5	8.4
Ōtsuka-Ekimae	大塚駅前	0.5	8.9	Yamanote Line (Ōtsuka)
Mukōhara	向原	0.5	9.4
Higashi-Ikebukuro-Yonchōme	東池袋四丁目	0.6	10.0	Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line (Higashi-Ikebukuro: Y-10)
Toden-Zōshigaya	都電雑司ヶ谷	0.2	10.2
Kishibojinmae	鬼子母神前	0.5	10.7	Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line (Zōshigaya: F-10)
Gakushūin-shita	学習院下	0.5	11.2
Omokagebashi	面影橋	0.5	11.7		Shinjuku
Waseda	早稲田	0.5	12.2	Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line (Waseda: T-04)[* 1]

1. Both the Tokyo Metro and Toei stations are displayed on station maps as being distant from one another, and are not announced as transfer points for one another.

Rolling stock

• 7000 series
• 7700 series (since 31 May 2016)^[1]
• 8500 series
• 8800 series
• 8900 series (since 18 September 2015)^[2]
• 9000 series

• 
  7000 series tram 7015 in June 2009
• 
  7700 series tram 7701 in July 2016
• 
  8500 series tram 8502 in June 2003
• 
  8800 series tram 8804 in September 2010
• 
  8900 series tram 8901 in September 2015
• 
  9000 series trams 9001 and 9002 in February 2009

Former rolling stock

• 7500 series

• 
  7500 series tram 7520 in March 2011

History

The line was originally constructed by the Oji Electric Tram Company (王子電気軌道 Ōji-denki-kidō) as a part of their extensive network, with the oldest section still operating today opened in 1913. The line was at threat of being shut down along with the rest of Tokyo's streetcar system in the 1960s, but concerted opposition from residents prevented this and parts of lines 27 (Minowabashi-Akabane) and 32 (Arakawa-Waseda) were merged to form the line as it is today. The line was sold to the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation in 1974, which renamed it the Toden Arakawa Line.

The Toden Arakawa Line operates between the terminals at Minowabashi Station and Waseda Station. It runs along Meiji Street between Asuka-yama Station and Oji Eki-mae Station. Otherwise, it operates on its own tracks. Presently, single driver-operated cars make the 12.2 km trip in 50 minutes. The gauge is 1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in). The line is fully double-track, and draws 600 V electrical supply.

Two Toden Arakawa trams (one in revenue service, the other undergoing brake testing) collided on June 13, 2006 near the Minowabashi terminus, injuring 27 people.

Sights

A Toden Arakawa line tram, near Kishibojinmae Station

The Toden Arakawa Line operates in northern and eastern Tokyo outside the main tourist areas. The terminus at Minowabashi is near the historical site of Edo's red-light district Yoshiwara which features a completely covered shopping street, several blocks long, in the once common "Ameyoko" style (a shōtengai).

References

L.W. Demery, R. Forty, R. DeGroote and J.W. Higgins, Electric Railways of Japan (Interurbans- Tramways-Metros) Vol.1: Tokyo and Northern Japan. Light Rail Transit Association, 1983.

1. 都電荒川線で7701号車が営業運転を開始 [Car 7701 enters service on Toden Arakawa Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
2. 都電荒川線で8900形が営業運転を開始 [8900 series enter service on Toden Arakawa Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.

External links

• Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation: Toden Arakawa Line (Japanese)
• Toei Streetcar (Toden) Arakawa Line (English)