Meitetsu Gamagōri Line

The Meitetsu Gamagōri Line (名鉄蒲郡線) is a 17.6 km railway line located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The line connects Kira Yoshida Station in Nishio, with Gamagōri Station in Gamagōri. It is owned by Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu) as an extension of the Meitetsu Nishio Line. The fare calculation classification for the line is B, which means the fare is calculated based on the actual distance multiplied by a factor of 1.15.

Stations
All stations are located in Aichi Prefecture.

History
The Kira Yoshida to Mikawa Toba section of the Meitetsu Gamagōri Line was originally opened by the Mikawa Railway in 1929. At that time, it was electrified at 1,500 V DC. In 1936, the line was extended to Gamagōri, although the extension was not electrified. In 1941, the Mikawa Railway merged with Meitetsu, and in 1943, the voltage on the Kira Yoshida to Mikawa Toba section was lowered to 600 V DC to enable through-running with the Meitetsu Nishio Line.

Between 1946 and 1947, the Mikawa Toba to Gamagōri section of the line was electrified. In 1959, the voltage on this section was increased back to 1,500 V DC. As a result, through-running on the Nishio Line resumed when the voltage on that line was raised the following year.

Survival Problems
In March 2008, Meitetsu requested Nishio, Kira, Hatabe, and Gamagori (including Kira Town and Hatabe-cho, Nishio City) to submit a utilization plan for the Nishio Line and Gamagori Line, specifically between Nishio, Kira Yoshida, and Gamagori, by the end of the same year.

It was acknowledged that the low number of passengers hindered the demonstration of the railway's effectiveness as a mass transit system, and Meitetsu had already made significant efforts that exceeded their limits.

On December 19, 1997, Meitetsu President Muneyoshi Minoura mentioned during a regular press conference the intention to discuss the consolidation and unification of unprofitable routes with the relevant local governments. The Nishio Line was identified as a potential candidate for discontinuation, along with the Tanigumi Line and the Yaotsu Line. Measures such as introducing one-man operation and unmanned stations at certain stops were implemented as part of rationalization efforts.

However, due to the ongoing cycle of declining passenger numbers and reduced direct-line train services, the Meitetsu Nishio and Gamagori Line Countermeasures Council was established on December 20, 2005.

According to Meitetsu, two stations on the Gamagori Line and Nishio Line were considered for potential abolition due to the challenges of maintaining them after the introduction of automatic ticket gates in the new system. The decision was based on specific criteria, including the daily passenger count being less than 300 and the fact that these stations were located outside urban areas. Meitetsu used a comparative method to evaluate the transport density, with a benchmark of 4,000 people per day being an indicator for considering alternative transportation options such as buses. In the case of the Gamagori Line, it was observed that the average daily passenger count in 2005 was 2,857, which suggested a potential underutilization of the line. This raised concerns about inefficiency and wastage. However, the local government along the line expressed a strong desire for the continuation of the service.

The following arrangements were made at the 8th Council for Measures to Be Held in November 2010:

1. In order to maintain the continued use of the Nishio-Gamagori Line, the city and towns along the line will provide support for a portion of the necessary expenses for Meitetsu for three years (from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2012).

2. The three parties of The City and Aichi Prefecture and Meitetsu will cooperate with local groups, schools, companies, etc. along the line to promote the use of such activities as various awareness-raising activities and the improvement of the environment.

As a result, Nishio City and Gamagori City raised the support of 150 million yen per year, and Aichi Prefecture provided a total of 83 million yen annually to both cities. Currently, subsequent consultations have decided to continue the route with local government support until fiscal 2020. Tranpass and manaca are not introduced.