Tsukuba-Express
The Tsukuba Express (Japaneseつくば エクスプレス, Tsukuba Ekusupuresu, symbol: TX Tsukuba Express) is a tram -like railway in Tokyo by the Company Shutoken Shintoshi KK (Japanese首都 圏 新 都市 株式会社closely. Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company ) is operated. Opened on 24 August 2005 Line runs from Akihabara in Tokyo to Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture and serves 20 stations. The equipped with automatic driving engine trains run at 130 km / h and can be driven in one-man operation. The travel time for the entire route is 45 minutes. The Tsukuba Express carried almost 85 million passengers in 2007.
History
Originally, the track New Joban Line was called because it was intended to relieve the congested Joban Line. However, the economic crisis in Japan shifted the aim of the development of the areas along the route to the fore. It was originally planned to build the line from Tokyo to Moriya, the terminus but was relocated from Tokyo to Akihabara to save costs. The government of the Ibaraki Prefecture prevailed that the planned for later extension of Moriya Tsukuba has already been realized in the first phase of construction. The opening of the Tsukuba Express was originally planned for 2000 but had to be postponed until 2005.
Technology and vehicles
Thus, the measurements of the geomagnetic field by the Japan Meteorological Agency in Ishioka will not be disturbed, the track portion between Moriya and Tsukuba was electrified with alternating current, while the track Akihabara - Moriya is operated with direct current. There are used two different series of multiple units: 84 cars of the TX -1000 series, which can operate only on the DC part of the route, and 96 cars, the TX -2000 series, which are able to run the whole distance. All railcars are six parts, and come from the A-train family from Hitachi.
Operation
In addition to the S- Bahn trains, which serve all stops, there is accelerated trains, which do not operate the stations Aoi, Rokuchō, Nagareyama Central Park and Kashiwa - Tanaka. The regional express trains operate between Kita -Senju and Tsukuba, only the stations Minami- Nagareyama, Nagareyama - Ōtakanomori and Moriya.