Plan Afloat For Chuo’s “Comeback” to Urban Center
The Fate of Tama Monorail
What will happen to Tama Monorail if Chuo University is relocated? It is the only transportation means that connects the Tama campus to the town. You can enjoy a bird’s eye-view of the Tama region while commuting to the school in the train that runs at a comfortable speed of 65 kilometers an hour. It is a privilege given to Chuo students. But its slow speed may irritate you when you’re being late for school.
In 2011, the number of passengers who got on and off at Chuo Daigaku-Meisei Daigaku Station averaged 16,005 per day. Chuo University has about 20,000 students and adjacent Meisei University about 8,100. This implies that a majority of Chuo students regularly use Tama Monorail. So they made a great contribution when Tama Monorail carried its 500 millionth passenger since its full launch on June 28 this year, much faster than initially envisaged.
The monorail was constructed to link the north and the south of the hilly Tama religion. A standard railway was shunned to hold down the construction cost. Another factor was the region’s geographic feature marked by a lot of undulations. The Kamikitadai-Tachikawa Kita leg of the line was opened in 1998, followed by the Tachikawa Kita-Tama Center section in 2000. So it’s just over 10 years since its full completion. The operator has plans to extend the service to Hachioji, Machida and Hakonegasaki by 2015. But it seems to be in trouble, unable to get the necessary land spaces. While building the Tachikawa Kita-Takahatafudo section, they had to demolish or relocate some facilities along the route, among them a big department store.
Before Tama Monorail was built, Chuo students had to get off at a station of Keio Tama Dobutuen Line and walk along a steep slope to their school. Student in those days wondered if the school authority had fully thought about transportation before deciding to locate the university at a remote place. The monorail has resolved this problem. Present students are perhaps lucky.
If Chuo relocates the Tama campus, the monorail will lose a huge number of passengers. It may become desolate just like today’s Keio Dobutuen Line.
⇒ School Authority to Draw Conclusion This Autumn
⇒ Chronology of Chuo’s Move From Surugadai To Tama
⇒ Epilogue