Japan: $2.9 billion for passenger rail - Brief Article

Railway Age, August, 2000

Japan's major private passenger railway operators are investing $2.9 billion this year--about 6% less than last year, but still significant given there are no large-scale new projects planned besides introduction of a nationwide automated fare collection system. The AFC system will include all private passenger railways plus Teito Rapid Transit Authority (TRIA).

Tokyo Electric Railway is investing $900 million in projects to enable through-running on TRTA lines and improve capacity on the Oimachi and Denentoshi lines. Odakyu Electric Railway is continuing a quadruple-tracking project between Yoyogi-Uehara and Kitami. Keio Teito Electric Railway, which increased investment from $185 million in 1999 to $317 million this year, is concentrating on such passenger service improvements as barrier-free access. Keihin Kyuko Electric Railway has completed its Haneda airport extension and construction of a hotel in the Tokyo Bay area.