Fukui Railway
Encyclopedia
is a bus
and railway
company located in Echizen
, Fukui Prefecture
, Japan
. It owns and operates the Fukubu Line between Tawaramachi Station
in Fukui and Echizen-Takefu Station in Echizen.
As a result of these unsustainable losses, in August 2007 the company formally requested financial support from the cities of Echizen, Sabae
, and Fukui. Negotiations with Fukui Prefecture, Nagoya Railroad (the company's parent), Fukui Bank and other financial institutions proved difficult. However, on December 29, 2008, Nagoya Railroad agreed to acquire one share in Fukui Railway for one billion yen then divest all shares in the company to Fukui Town Management Organization (a third sector company established by municipalities) and local support organizations for one yen per share, ending its 45-year ownership of the company.
During an extraordinary shareholders meeting on November 25, 2008, Haruo Murata, formerly of Fukui Bank, was selected as the company's new president. On February 24, 2009, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism officially approved the "Railway Business Restructuring Plan", which provides one billion yen over ten years for replacing equipment and facilities as well as reducing the company's fixed assets tax burden.
Through service with Echizen Railway
On May 27, 2010, Fukui Prefecture
announced plans for through services between Fukui Railway and Echizen Railway
. Under the plan, beginning in 2013 the Fukui Railway's Fukubu Line would connect to the Echizen Railway at Tawaramachi Station
, and as many as two trains per hour in each direction would run through to Nittazuka Station
. The next stage would involve extending Fukui Railway service to Nishi-Nagata Station
and running Echizen Railway trains onto the Fukubu Line. As a part of this plan, five stations would be renovated.
One issue regarding through service is that Echizen Railway train cars are 2.8 meters wide, wider than cars used by Fukui Railway. As a result, Echizen Railway trains on Fukubu Line double-tracked sections do not have the necessary 40 centimeter clearance, requiring Echizen Railway to acquire a new, 3-car set for through service use.
The cost of the project is estimated at several billion yen, and funding sources have not been specified. As it is unclear whether usage will increase from through running, participants in the prefecture's study group worry that costs will outpace any increase in revenue.
Public transport bus service
Bus services play a major role in the provision of public transport. These services can take many forms, varying in distance covered and types of vehicle used, and can operate with fixed or flexible routes and schedules...
and railway
Railway company
A railway company or railroad company is an entity that operates a railroad track and/or trains. Such a company can either be private or public...
company located in Echizen
Echizen, Fukui
is a city in Fukui, Japan.Echizen took its present form on October 1, 2005, when the city of Takefu and the town of Imadate merged to form the new city, although the Echizen Basin has been an important regional center for over 1,500 years. It has many former castle sites and prehistoric...
, Fukui Prefecture
Fukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It owns and operates the Fukubu Line between Tawaramachi Station
Tawaramachi Station (Fukui)
is a railway station on the Fukui Railway Fukubu and Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara lines located in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-Fukui Railway:All Fukubu Line trains serve Tawaramachi station. There is a single platform; all trains on the line terminate here. The station is unstaffed.-Echizen...
in Fukui and Echizen-Takefu Station in Echizen.
Overview
Although Fukui Railway's name refers to its founding as a railway, 75.1% of the company's revenue comes from local and long-distance bus transport— only 16.7% is from its railway operation. Since 1963 the company's railway business has lost money, and although this loss was offset by its bus and real estate operations, by 2006 the company recorded a cumulative loss of 2.2 billion yen and debts of 3.07 billion yen.As a result of these unsustainable losses, in August 2007 the company formally requested financial support from the cities of Echizen, Sabae
Sabae, Fukui
is a city located in Fukui, Japan.As of June 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 68,703 with 22,229 households and the density of 810.65 persons per km². The total area is 84.75 km².The city was founded on January 15, 1955.-Parks:...
, and Fukui. Negotiations with Fukui Prefecture, Nagoya Railroad (the company's parent), Fukui Bank and other financial institutions proved difficult. However, on December 29, 2008, Nagoya Railroad agreed to acquire one share in Fukui Railway for one billion yen then divest all shares in the company to Fukui Town Management Organization (a third sector company established by municipalities) and local support organizations for one yen per share, ending its 45-year ownership of the company.
During an extraordinary shareholders meeting on November 25, 2008, Haruo Murata, formerly of Fukui Bank, was selected as the company's new president. On February 24, 2009, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism officially approved the "Railway Business Restructuring Plan", which provides one billion yen over ten years for replacing equipment and facilities as well as reducing the company's fixed assets tax burden.
Through service with Echizen RailwayEchizen Railwayis a railway company located in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. It owns and operates the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line between Fukui and Katsuyama and the Mikuni Awara Line between Fukui and Sakai.-History:...
On May 27, 2010, Fukui PrefectureFukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...
announced plans for through services between Fukui Railway and Echizen Railway
Echizen Railway
is a railway company located in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. It owns and operates the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line between Fukui and Katsuyama and the Mikuni Awara Line between Fukui and Sakai.-History:...
. Under the plan, beginning in 2013 the Fukui Railway's Fukubu Line would connect to the Echizen Railway at Tawaramachi Station
Tawaramachi Station (Fukui)
is a railway station on the Fukui Railway Fukubu and Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara lines located in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-Fukui Railway:All Fukubu Line trains serve Tawaramachi station. There is a single platform; all trains on the line terminate here. The station is unstaffed.-Echizen...
, and as many as two trains per hour in each direction would run through to Nittazuka Station
Nittazuka Station
is an Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line railway station located in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-Station:All Mikuni Awara Line trains serve Nittazuka Station. There are two tracks serving a single platform. The station is staffed at all times, except for early mornings and late nights...
. The next stage would involve extending Fukui Railway service to Nishi-Nagata Station
Nishi-Nagata Station
is an Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line railway station located in Sakai, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.-Station:All Mikuni Awara Line trains serve Nishi-Nagata Station. There are three tracks with one island and one side platform. The station is staffed except during early mornings and late nights on...
and running Echizen Railway trains onto the Fukubu Line. As a part of this plan, five stations would be renovated.
One issue regarding through service is that Echizen Railway train cars are 2.8 meters wide, wider than cars used by Fukui Railway. As a result, Echizen Railway trains on Fukubu Line double-tracked sections do not have the necessary 40 centimeter clearance, requiring Echizen Railway to acquire a new, 3-car set for through service use.
The cost of the project is estimated at several billion yen, and funding sources have not been specified. As it is unclear whether usage will increase from through running, participants in the prefecture's study group worry that costs will outpace any increase in revenue.
History
- August 1, 1945: Fukubu Electric Railway merges with Seiho Electric Railway to form Fukui Railway.
- August 1948: Fukui Railway acquires Chūbu Noriai Jidōsha.
- December 1953: Fukui Railway acquires Tsuruga Noriai.
- September 1960: Fukui Railway acquires Mikata Kōtsū.
- September 1963: 33.36% of Fukui Railway acquired by Nagoya Railway (Meitetsu GroupMeitetsu GroupThe of companies centers on the Nagoya Railroad railway company, which links Nagoya and its suburbs. Many companies in the group are designed to enhance the value of the Meitetsu rail network. In addition to the railroad system, the group includes other companies in transportation, real-estate,...
). - September 29, 1973: Seiho Line abolished.
- April 1, 1981: Nan'etsu Line abolished.
- July 20, 1988: Highway bus service between Fukui and Nagoya begins.
- December 1988: Bus location system introduced.
- May 2, 1989: Overnight highway bus service between Fukui and TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
begins. - October 1990: Highway bus service between Fukui and NambaNambais a district of Osaka, Japan. Namba is regarded as the center of so-called Minami area of Osaka. Its name is one of variations on the former name of Osaka, Naniwa...
, OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
begins. - April 1993: Highway bus service between Fukui and NambaNambais a district of Osaka, Japan. Namba is regarded as the center of so-called Minami area of Osaka. Its name is one of variations on the former name of Osaka, Naniwa...
, OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
halted. - September 2003: Highway bus service between ObamaObama, Fukuiis a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan.It faces Wakasa Bay due north of Kyoto, and is about four to five hours by train from Tokyo. As of October 1, 2005, the city had an estimated population of 32,185 and a population density of 138.22 persons per square kilometer...
and OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
begins. - November 1, 2006: Daytime highway bus service between Fukui and Tokyo begins.
- December 22, 2007: Daytime highway bus service between Fukui and OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
(UmedaUmedaUmeda is the main commercial and central business district in Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, best known as the city's main northern railway terminus .Umeda is a large traffic hub, as well as the principal office and hotel district...
) begins. - December 29, 2008: Nagoya RailroadNagoya Railroad, often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
transfers its 33.36% share of Fukui Railway to local municipalities, ending all capital ties with the company. - February 24, 2009: The company's "Railway Business Restructuring Plan" is approved by the central government, paving the way for financial assistance from municipalities and the national government.