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Last month our friend Ayokoi recorded the test run of rolling stock from Sotetsu and Toei on the soon to be opened (this March) Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Line, at Hiyoshi station, where the line begins its underground run. There has been a lot of news about this new line, too much to unpack now, but a posting sometime in the near future will cover run through patterns, schedules, etc.

Official Sotetsu video. Arrival at Shin-Yokohama is on the middle track used for turnbacks/terminating services. Revenue service is scheduled to begin March 2023.

Official ceremony and bolt tightening of rails in the underground station (ANN news report):

Couple weeks ago, the opening date of this new line from Hazawa Yokohama Kokudai to Hiyoshi via Shin Yokohama was announced- March 2023 as expected. Sotetsu trains will, via the Meguro Line, run through to either the Tokyo Metro Nanboku Line or the Toei Mita Line. Any Nanboku Line and Mita Line through trains will likely terminate and turn back at Shin Yokohama, utilizing the center track at that station. Seibu is not going to utilize this line for their trains, keeping them exclusively on the Toyoko Line to Yokohama, but interestingly, Tobu has announced they will have a limited number of their trains run through to Shin Yokohama, putting high value on the connection to the Shinkansen services. Sotetsu press release: https://cdn.sotetsu.co.jp/media/2022/pressrelease/pdf/r22-14-hz9.pdf Tetsu Bozu video. Use the translation feature for close captioning. Sotetsu 21000 series test run on Tokyu Meguro Line last autumn:

Media event marking one year until the opening of the link between Sotetsu and Tokyu. Rolling stock of seven railway companies which will utilize the route were lined up at Tokyu's Moto Sumiyoshi yard. The link is also advertised prominently on a large banner on the Sotetsu Joinus/Takashimaya Building at the western exit of Yokohama Station. TV news report: Norimono Channel by Gami:

For forumers living in Japan, just a note that this Friday's late night Tamori Club (TV Asahi 12:20am~) episode will feature Sotetsu and the upcoming run through operation with JR East. Appears to be a two part feature, so the second half episode likely will be next week.

Video by Ayokoi, testing at Nishiya, junction of the Sotetsu Main Line and the connection to the JR Freight Line at Hazawa. Nishiya has a set of layover tracks for terminating services. Once through-running services begin in November, all services (not just locals) will stop at this station. Sotetsu also recently had a press release detailing the service pattern for this new line. Trains will run from Ebina to Shinjuku (4 per hour at peak). A few will continue on in the direction of Omiya (details TBD) https://www.sotetsu.co.jp/news_release/pdf/190716_01.pdf

Jiji Press report on the press preview/track connection ceremony at Sotetsu's new station that connects the new Sotetsu Line extension to Shin-Yokohama/Hiyoshi with the JR Freight Line via a junction just past the platforms. Scheduled to be operational/open 11/30 this year, presumably in conjunction with the autumn timetable revision.

Interesting speculative article about what Odakyu may see as its primary competitors. Kanto is seen as having less heated competition between railways than Kansai (save maybe Keikyu/Keisei vs. JR East), but this highlights a possible battleground for passenger traffic. As a result of its four track mainline project, Odakyu is targeting a 4.3% increase in passenger traffic by 2020. In daily terms, this comes to an increase of about 80,000 to 90,000 passengers from the current number. The first rival is Keio Dentetsu, for the Nagayama/Tama Center to Shinjuku traffic. Keio has the advantage in passenger numbers currently, with daily riders from Tama Center using Keio numbering 84,000 to Odakyu's 48,500. It could be the prospect of competition with Odakyu that has led to Keio introducing 5 new trainsets with reserved seating by spring 2018. Another railway many may think would be a rival is Tokyu, with their Den'entoshi Line. But this line is already running at or over capacity, and it could be said that a fractional diversion of traffic to the Odakyu Line would be welcomed by Tokyu. The article then proposes that Odakyu's biggest rival for passengers will be Sotetsu, which is currently building a line eventually connecting with Tokyu at Hiyoshi via Shin-Yokohama (completion spring 2019). Not to mention a connection with JR East. The market would be for passengers from the Ebina and Shonandai areas, which currently Odakyu holds an advantage (daily 135,000 pax vs. 113,000 and 88,000 pax vs. 27,000, respectively). Sotetsu has an advantage post-construction over Odakyu in that its services begin at these stations, so passengers boarding at these stations have a better chance of securing a seat all the way to Shinjuku, Shibuya or Meguro. Asked about whether Sotetsu is favoring promoting services to Shibuya, or to Meguro via Hiyoshi (Meguro Line), the president of Sotetsu Group said he wanted to promote both. http://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/121002