'''Chichibu Railway Co., Ltd''' ([[Japanese language|Japanese]]: 秩父鉄道株式会社) is a small-sector private [[railway]] [[Corporation|company]] operating two railway lines in northern [[Saitama]], [[Japan]]. In addition to its railway operations, the company manages the [[Mitsumine Ropeway]] (三峰ロープウェイ),anddeals in the realestateandtourismindustries.
The {{nihongo|'''Chichibu Railway Company, Ltd.'''|秩父鉄道株式会社|Chichibu Tetsudō Kabushiki-gaisha}} is a small-sector [[private railway]] company operating a railway line in northern [[Saitama Prefecture]], Japan. In addition to its railway operations, the company deals in the real estate and tourism industries. It managed the [[Mitsumine Ropeway]] (三峰ロープウェイ) until it closed in December 2007 and the Mikajiri Line until its closure in 2020.<ref>[https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/mikajiri-line-closure-brings-japanese-coal-traffic-to-an-end/57903.article Mikajiri Line closure brings Japanese coal traffic to an end]</ref>
[[Taiheiyo Cement]] is its largest shareholder, and one of Chichibu Railway's main operations is the transportation of [[limestone]] from [[Mount Bukō]]. The railway's passenger services concentrate on the tourism industry, as there are popular destinations along the line. A train hauled by a [[steam locomotive]] also operates regularly during some seasons, attracting tourists from around the country.
[[Taiheiyo Cement]] is its largest shareholder, and one of Chichibu Railway's main operations is the transportation of [[limestone]] from [[Mount Bukou]] (Bukousan). The railway's passenger services concentrate on the [[tourism]] industry, as there are popular destinations along the line. A train pulled by a [[steam locomotive]] also operates regularly during some seasons, attracting tourists from around the country.
== Lines ==
== Lines ==
[[File:ChichibuRailway-6000.jpg|thumb|right|A Chichibu Railway 6000 series train]]
* [[File:Chichibu Main Line map osm.svg|thumb|Map of Chichibu main line]][[Chichibu Main Line]]: from {{STN|Hanyū}} to {{STN|Mitsumineguchi}} (passenger line)
* [[Mikajiri Line]] (三ヶ尻線): from [[Takekawa Station]] to Kumagaya Kamotsu Terminal (freight line which carried coal closed in 2020)
=== Aerial tramway lines ===
=== Aerial tramway lines ===
* [[Mitsumine Ropeway]] at Mitsumineguchi
* {{ill|Mitsumine Ropeway|ja|三峰ロープウェイ}} at Mitsumineguchi (closed in December 2007)
* [[Hodosan Ropeway]] at Nagatoro, Saitama (operated by subsidiary Hodo Kōgyō)
== History ==
* 8 November 1899 - Founded as [[Jōbu Railway]] (Headquartered in now-defunct [[Nihonbashi]] Ward, [[Tokyo City]]).<ref name="terada2002">{{cite book | last = Terada | first = Hirokazu |title = データブック日本の私鉄 (Databook: Japan's Private Railways) | publisher = Neko Publishing | date = July 2002 | location = Japan | isbn = 978-4-87366-874-1| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RH3FXwAACAAJ }}</ref>
* 7 October 1901 - Started operations between [[Kumagaya Station|Kumagaya]] and [[Yorii Station|Yorii]].<ref name="terada2002"/>
* 1916 - Company name changed to Chichibu Railway.
* 1921 - Started operations between [[Hokubu Railway]]'s [[Hanyu Station]] and Gyoda Station (now [[Gyodashi Station]]).
* 1930 - Started operations on the full line between Hanyu and [[Mitsumineguchi Station|Mitsumineguchi]].
* 1954 - Started direct operations with the [[Tōbu Tōjō Line]].
* 1980 - Headquarters moved to [[Kumagaya, Saitama]].
* 1988 - Started operations of a steam locomotive-hauled train, the ''Paleo Express''.
* 1989 - Started direct operations with [[Seibu Railway]].
* 1997 - Moved bus operations to a separate entity, Chichibu Railway Sightseeing Bus Co., Ltd.
* 12 March 2022 - Start of fare collection with [[Pasmo|PASMO]] transit smartcard.<ref>{{Cite web|date=27 January 2022|title=秩父鉄道，交通系ICカード「PASMO」を3月12日から導入|trans-title=Chichibu Railway introduces transportation IC card "PASMO" from March 12th|url=https://railf.jp/news/2022/01/27/195500.html|access-date=27 January 2022|website=Japan Railfan Magazine Online}}</ref>
==References==
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.
The Chichibu Railway Company, Ltd. (秩父鉄道株式会社, Chichibu Tetsudō Kabushiki-gaisha) is a small-sector private railway company operating a railway line in northern Saitama Prefecture, Japan. In addition to its railway operations, the company deals in the real estate and tourism industries. It managed the Mitsumine Ropeway (三峰ロープウェイ) until it closed in December 2007 and the Mikajiri Line until its closure in 2020.[1]Taiheiyo Cement is its largest shareholder, and one of Chichibu Railway's main operations is the transportation of limestone from Mount Bukō. The railway's passenger services concentrate on the tourism industry, as there are popular destinations along the line. A train hauled by a steam locomotive also operates regularly during some seasons, attracting tourists from around the country.
^"秩父鉄道，交通系ICカード「PASMO」を3月12日から導入" [Chichibu Railway introduces transportation IC card "PASMO" from March 12th]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
