The Tobu corporate group is also engaged in road transportation (bus/taxi), real estate, and retail. It is the owner of the Tokyo Skytree, the third tallest tower in the world. The company is a member of the Fuyo Groupkeiretsu.
The name "Tobu" is formed from the kanji for east (東) and Musashi (武蔵), the initial area served.
History
Tobu is one of the oldest railway companies in Japan. It was established in November 1897 and began operation between Kita-Senju and Kuki in August 1899. The Tojo Railway was founded in 1911 as a separate company, but shared its president and head office with Tobu.[3]
Inside the DeHa 1 Class No. 5, the first electric train of the Tobu Railway
In 1905, Nezu Kaichirō became the president of Tobu Railway and successfully helped to grow the company to one of the largest private rail operators in the Kanto region.[4]
As of 1 April 2016[update], Tobu Railway operates a fleet of 1,890 electric multiple unit (EMU) vehicles, the third largest fleet for a private railway operator in Japan after Tokyo Metro (2,728 vehicles) and Kintetsu (1,905).[7]
Express EMUs
300/350 series EMU (introduced 1991, 300 series variant operated until 2017)
Tobu plans to operate steam-hauled tourist services on the Kinugawa Line from 10 August 2017 using JNR Class C11 steam locomotive C11 207 loaned from JR Hokkaido together with JNR Class DE10 diesel locomotive DE10 1099 purchased from JR East, a fleet of six 12 and 14 series coaches purchased from JR Shikoku, and two Yo 8000 brake vans purchased from JR Freight and JR East.[10]
^"昭和41年～63年". Tobu Railway. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
^私鉄車両編成表 2016 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 25 July 2016. pp. 213–214. ISBN978-4-330-70116-5.
^２０１７年４月２１日（金）ダイヤ改正を実施！ [Revised timetable to be introduced on Friday 21 April 2017] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original(pdf) on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
^東武70000系が営業運転を開始 [Tobu 70000 series enters revenue service]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 8 July 2017. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
^東武鬼怒川線で復活するＳＬ「大樹」の営業運転開始日を２０１７年８月１０日（木）に決定！ ["Taiju" steam locomotive on Tobu Kinugawa Line to enter service on Thursday 10 August 2017] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original(pdf) on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
Further reading
Small, Charles S. (January 1966). "Smoke Over Sano: An illustrious breed slowly vanishes far from home". Railway Magazine. Vol. 112, no. 777. pp. 13–15.
‡ indicates rapid transit operators § indicates semi-major rail operators *Not a member of Associations of Private Japanese Railways, therefore excluded under the formal Japanese definition, although its comparable size is undisputed
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