Ueda Electric Railway Bessho Line


The Bessho Line is an Japanese railway line in Ueda, Nagano, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Ueda Electric Railway. It connects Ueda and Bessho-Onsen stations. This is currently the only railway line Ueda Dentetsu operates. Although the company is the root of its holding company, Ueda Kōtsū, the group now mainly operates resort amusement facilities and bus lines. Ueda Kōtsū is owned by Tokyu Corporation. The railway line lacked funds to upgrade the infrastructure to meet the new safety standards, and separated to become the present company.

Stations

No.NameJapaneseDistance Date opened
BE01上田0.015 August 1923
BE02城下0.817 June 1921
BE03三好町1.517 June 1921
BE04赤坂上2.221 September 1932
BE05上田原2.917 June 1921
BE06寺下3.817 June 1921
BE07神畑4.517 June 1921
BE08大学前5.217 June 1921
BE09下之郷6.117 June 1921
BE10中塩田7.417 June 1921
BE11塩田町8.014 July 1934
BE12中野8.517 June 1921
BE13舞田9.417 June 1921
BE14八木沢10.117 June 1921
BE15別所温泉11.617 June 1921

Rolling stock

, the fleet of trains operated on the line is as follows.
Eight former Tokyu 1000 series EMU end cars were resold to the Ueda Electric Railway, and reformed as four two-car 1000 series sets.

Formations

6000 series

In 2015, two former Tokyu Toyoko Line 1000 series intermediate cars were resold to the Ueda Electric Railway, which were reformed as a two-car 6000 series set with the addition of new cab ends.

Formation

Car identities

The former identities of the fleet are as shown below.
Set No.Car No.Tokyu numbering
1001DeHa 1001DeHa 1315
1001KuHa 1101KuHa 1015
1002DeHa 1002DeHa 1318
1002KuHa 1102KuHa 1018
1003DeHa 1003DeHa 1314
1003KuHa 1103KuHa 1014
1004DeHa 1004DeHa 1316
1004KuHa 1104KuHa 1016
6001DeHa 6001DeHa 1305
6001KuHa 6101DeHa 1255

History

The first section of the line opened on 17 June 1921, using a 600 V DC overhead power supply. The line voltage was raised to 1,500 V DC from 1 October 1986. Wanman driver-only operation commenced on the line from 3 October 2005.
From 1 April 2016, station numbering was introduced on the line, with stations numbered from "BE01" to "BE15".