Kashima Rinkai Railway - Route information
The Kashima Rinkai Tetsudo is the route connecting the total of 15 stations 53.0 km total extension between Mito and Kashima soccer stadium. The Kashima Rinkai Railway also operates the "Kashima Rinko Line" which carries freight transportation, but this time I surveyed the Oarai Kashima Line which is doing passenger sales.
Ride report
From Mito station which is a connection station with JR Joban Line, I got on Oarai station where the headquarters of Kashima Rinkai Railway where the company's head office was set up. The car that I got on was a 1-car train, and in the return trip, it was a 2-car train. There were about 40 seats, and it was a composition of a transformation “Cross seat” (forward looking two seats). Also, I felt a long stop time at the station because it was a single track. And, most of the passengers seemed to be students and elderly people.
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Mode of operation
Average of 1 to 3 trains are operated per hour for both Mito and Kashima Shrine. About 3 hours per hour in the morning and evening commutes to school and 1-2 per hour during the day.
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Consideration
User layer
It was impressive that we could hardly see so-called "general users" such as housewives who go shopping. These are thought to be due to motorization in recent years.
Railway service
Maintenance in the station premises and the interior of the train is not well received. The reason for this may be that fund shortage has occurred due to deterioration of profitability due to a decrease in users.
Voice of the local people
In the paste called "customer's voice", the opinion of "hot summer because there is no air-conditioner" and "the deterioration of the cooling and heating function of the old vehicle", the procurement of the repair parts remained, the exchange from the FY2005 to the new car "There was written the answer". Also, in the shops inside the station, "The number of people used for commuting and going to school has hardly changed, but I heard that "there are few people using short distance such as shopping."
Impression
There are many serious problems due to deterioration of cash flow due to a decrease in customers. Moreover, I felt that this problem is not something that can be solved overnight.
