Shonan Monorail

Shonan Monorail

A 5000 series train in August 2008
Overview
Locale	Kanagawa Prefecture
Transit type	suspended monorail
Number of lines	1
Number of stations	8
Operation
Began operation	March 7, 1970
Operator(s)	Shonan Monorail Co., Ltd
Technical
System length	6.6 km
Minimum radius of curvature	90 m (295 ft)
Electrification	1,500 V DC
Top speed	75 km/h (45 mph)

A Shonan Monorail train at Shōnan-Fukusawa station with track switch at upper left

The Shonan Monorail (湘南モノレール Shōnan Monorēru) is a suspended SAFEGE monorail in the cities of Kamakura and Fujisawa in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the Shonan Monorail Co., Ltd (湘南モノレール株式会社 Shōnan Monorēru Kabushiki-gaisha), and opened on March 7, 1970, the first monorail of its kind in Japan.^[1]

Enoshima Line (江ノ島線 Enoshima-sen) travels 6.6 km (4.1 mi) every seven to eight minutes between Ōfuna Station and Enoshima, making six stops.^[1] The average length of a single trip is 14 minutes.^[2]

The train is used by commuters that work in Tokyo or Yokohama, tourists visiting Enoshima, and, in summer months, city dwellers who are visiting the parks or baths of Enoshima.^[3]

History

The monorail was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and the line opened March 7, 1970 between Ōfuna and Nishi-Kamakura. The rest of the line opened on July 1, 1971.^[1]

Stations

Station	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Ōfuna	0.0	■ Tokaido Main Line ■ Yokosuka Line ■■ Shonan-Shinjuku Line ■ Negishi Line	Kamakura	Kanagawa prefecture
Fujimichō*	0.9
Shōnan-Machiya	2.0
Shōnan-Fukasawa*	2.6
Nishi-Kamakura*	4.7
Kataseyama	5.5
Mejiroyamashita*	6.2		Fujisawa
Shōnan-Enoshima	6.6	■ Enoshima Electric Railway Line (Enoshima Station) Odakyu Enoshima Line (Katase-Enoshima)

* Track switching possible at these stations

Rolling stock

• 5000 series 3-car sets (since 2004)

As of July 2016, the line is operated using a fleet of seven three-car aluminium-bodied 5000 series trainsets.^[4]

• 
  A 5000 series set in October 2009

Former

• 
  A 400 series set in 2004
• 
  A 500 series set in April 2008

• 300 series 2/3-car sets (from March 1970 until July 1992)
• 400 series (from 1980 until July 2004)
• 500 series 3-car sets (from 1988 until June 2016)

Services were initially operated using a fleet of six two-car 300 series trainsets built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.^[1] Two sets were increased to three cars from February 1975 to provide additional capacity.^[1] The last of the 300 series sets were withdrawn by July 1992, following the introduction of new 500 series trains.^[5] The 500 series trains introduced in 1988 were the first air-conditioned trains on the line.^[1] The last 500 series train was withdrawn after its last day in service on 26 June 2016.^[4]

See also

• Monorails in Japan
• List of rapid transit systems

References

1. Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways] (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 80. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.
2. "Sarukoen 猿公園: July 2007 Archives". Retrieved 2007-09-02.
3. "Shonan and Enoden". Retrieved 2007-09-02.
4. 湘南モノレール500形が引退 [Shonan Monorail 500 series withdrawn]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 27 June 2016. Archived from the original on 23 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
5. 湘南モノレール 300形 [Shonan Monorail 300 series]. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.

External links

• Company website (Japanese)

35°21′08″N 139°31′53″E / 35.352339°N 139.531417°E(Ōfuna)35°18′43″N 139°29′16″E / 35.311887°N 139.487806°E(Shōnan-Enoshima)