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Ōigawa Railway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ōigawa Railway
Native name
大井川鐵道
Company typesubsidiary
IndustryTransportation
FoundedMay 19, 1917; 107 years ago (1917-05-19)
Headquarters,
Japan
Area served
Shizuoka Prefecture
Total equity212 million yen
ParentEclipse Hidaka
Websitewww.oigawa-railway.co.jp
A Class C11 steam locomotive at Senzu Station on the Ōigawa Main Line
Class C11 227 Thomas & Friends
DD20 at Senzu Station on the Ikawa Line

The Ōigawa Railway (大井川鐵道, Ōigawa Tetsudō) is a railway company in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, which first opened in 1927. The company is commonly known as Daitetsu (大鐵). The company belonged to the Meitetsu Group until 2015, when it was sold to Eclipse Hidaka, a food and hotel company headquartered in Hidaka, Hokkaido.

Operation

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The company operates preserved steam locomotives, and has "sister railway" agreements with Brienz Rothorn Bahn in Switzerland and Alishan Forest Railway in Taiwan. Because of its historical rolling stock and the picturesque scenery, the Ōigawa Main Line is often used for shooting films or TV programs, especially those set in the pre-war period.

Ōigawa Railway's locomotives include five characters from the Thomas & Friends series: Thomas the Tank Engine, Hiro, Percy, James the Red Engine, and Rusty. The locomotives are based at Shin-Kanaya Station.[1] Thomas runs between Shin-Kanaya Station and Kawaneonsen-Sasamado Station.[2]

Lines

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The company operates two 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge railway lines. The Ōigawa Main Line from Kanaya to Senzu; and the Ikawa Line from Senzu to Ikawa. Both lines function primarily as sightseeing lines. The former is known for its heritage steam trains, while the latter is the only rack railway line in existence in Japan.

The company also operates a bus line in Sumatakyō Onsen, Kawanehon.

Stations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Imada, Kaila (1 May 2023). "You can now ride a real Thomas the Tank Engine train in Japan". Time Out Tokyo. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Thomas | Oigawa Railway Company [Official Website]". Retrieved 9 May 2024.
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