Freight Line Running in Just the Right Place Why was the idea of converting it to passenger service brought up? The plan to develop a next-generation rail transit system (LRT) in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, utilizing the JR Shinkin Kanmono Line (a freight branch line of the Sobu Main Line), is expected to be abandoned. The plan was revealed at a September 24 meeting of the Katsushika Ward Council’s Special Committee on Urban Infrastructure Development, where it was said that a BRT (bus-bound road transport system) would be developed instead, effectively saying “abandon LRT and introduce BRT. The Shinkin Line runs from Kanamachi Station on the JR Joban Line to Shinkoiwa Station on the JR Sobu Line in a roughly north-south direction, and even now there are about nine freight trains a day running on the line. Although the Joban and Sobu lines provide east-west travel, only buses run in the north-south direction, and many people have long thought that if passenger trains were run on the freight line, they could travel smoothly in the north-south direction. History shows that a petition to the Diet to convert the Shin-Kin Line to passenger service has been filed since the 1950s. Katsushika Ward had a dedicated person in charge within the Transportation Policy Division for the conversion of the Shin-Kin Line to passenger service and LRT, and more than half of the 10 billion yen target that had been raised for the construction of the line must have been collected. The ward assembly also conducted an administrative visit to Toyama, the LRT kingdom, and there were a certain number of ward assembly members, both from the ruling and opposition parties, who clearly stated that they were aiming for the realization of the project. The BRT and bus system will provide a new means of transportation along this route, but the change of plan from rail and LRT is undeniably a “downgrade” from the original plan. Why did Katsushika Ward still prioritize “securing a route for transportation”? We will walk the site to find out the background and future of the project.
North-South travel “without proper roads”? Why the rush to convert the Shinkin Line to passenger service? What role was the conversion of the Shinkin Line to passenger service expected to play? First of all, it was expected to “shorten the distance between the Joban and Sobu Lines by rail,” but locals also expected it to “ensure smooth transportation between Kanamachi Station, Keisei Takasago Station, and Shinkoiwa Station in Katsushika Ward. The route from Kanamachi Station on the Joban Line side to Shin-Koiwa Station on the Sobu Line is not only a “railroad blank zone” but also has few trunk roads that can be used properly. The Kanashichi Loop Road, although close in distance, is located across the Nakagawa and Shin-Nakagawa Rivers, and the roads on the Shin-Kanamachi Line and Keisei-Takasago Station side are generally in poor condition, with only one narrow lane in each direction, even on the main routes. Furthermore, the railroad crossing at the intersection of Keisei Takasago Station and the Keisei Main Line is closed for 40 to 50 minutes in the morning, making it difficult to get around on foot or bicycle, let alone by car. The north-south bus routes that cover such areas generally do not run smoothly. While the “Ko-55” bus, which passes through Shibamata Kaido on the east side of the residential area, connects Kanamachi Station to JR Koiwa Station in a little over 20 minutes, the “Ko-54” bus that runs from JR Kameari Station via Takasago and Hosoda, and the “Shin-Ko-53” bus that runs through Katsushika Ward Office and Okudo (both Keisei Town Bus) take about 50 minutes to travel a few kilometers. The buses are also often delayed, and the driver is often told, “This bus is really slow. Today, with traffic jams and delays at railroad crossings, it will take an hour. Apparently, it was not just a matter of adding more buses. What was required was to “convert the Shinkin Line into a passenger line,” which has few level crossings and is not affected by traffic congestion. If a passenger train were to pass through here, it would be possible to get on after only a short walk from the cluttered residential area and would be a much smoother ride than a bus, and it would also serve as an express means of transportation between Joban Line and Sobu Line. That is why there were many calls for the realization of this plan, both within and outside of Katsushika City. However, things did not go so smoothly. Why did the LRT project using the Shinkin Line virtually come to a halt? Let us list three main factors.
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