Editing Meitetsu (section)

== History ==
Meitetsu was founded on June 25, 1894, as the Aichi Horsecar Company.<ref name="issue 8 page 20">{{Citation | last =鷲田 | first =鉄也 | title =名古屋鉄道 1 | date =September 2010 | periodical =週刊朝日百科 | series =週刊歴史でめぐる鉄道全路線 | place =Japan | language=ja | publisher =Asahi Shimbun Publications, Inc. | issue =8 | page =20 | isbn = 978-4-02-340138-9}}</ref>

Over time, Meitetsu has acquired many small railway and [[interurban]] companies in the Nagoya area, many of whom were constructed and operated before and during World War II. For example, Meitetsu acquired its [[Meitetsu Kōwa Line|Kōwa Line]] on the [[Chita Peninsula]] from its merger with [[Chita Railroad]] on February 1, 1943, and it acquired its [[Meitetsu Mikawa Line|Mikawa Line]] from its merger with [[Mikawa Railroad]].<ref name="asahi">{{Citation | last =鷲田 | first =鉄也 | title =週刊歴史でめぐる鉄道全路線大手私鉄: 名古屋鉄道 | date =September 2010 | periodical =週刊朝日百科 | place =Japan | language=ja | publisher =Asahi Shimbun Publications, Inc. | issue =9 | page =10 | isbn = 978-4-02-340139-6}}</ref><ref name="history of subways">{{Citation |last=佐藤 |first=信之 |script-title=ja:地下鉄の歴史首都圏・中部・近畿圏 |date=19 June 2004 |publisher=グランプリ出版 |language=ja |isbn=4-87687-260-0 |chapter=高度経済成長期の鉄道整備―昭和30～40年代 |page=129 }}</ref>

Meitetsu is famous for its red trains, including its famous [[Meitetsu 7000 series|7000 series]] "Panorama Car" which was retired in 2009 after a career lasting nearly half a century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=なごや色さんぽ#２【名鉄電車の「スカーレットレッド」】 {{!}} ICD国際カラーデザイン協会 |url=https://icd-color.com/3576/#:~:text=%E5%90%8D%E9%89%84%E9%9B%BB%E8%BB%8A%E3%81%AE%E8%89%B2%E3%81%A8%E3%81%84,%E8%AD%A6%E6%88%92%E3%82%92%E8%A1%A8%E3%81%99%E8%89%B2%E3%81%A0%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E3%80%82 |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=icd-color.com}}</ref> The most recent cars, however, are not solid red but rather brushed steel as in the case of the [[Meitetsu 4000 series|4000 series]] and [[Meitetsu 5000 series (2008)|5000 series]], or white as in the case of the [[Meitetsu 1700 series|1700 series]] and [[Meitetsu 2000 series|2000 series]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-01 |title=赤い電車｢名鉄｣､今振り返る昭和･平成の記憶 |url=https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/278466 |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=東洋経済オンライン |language=ja}}</ref>

While the company used to engage in the freight business and still possesses some freight locomotives, it no longer carries freight on a regular basis.<ref>{{Cite web |title=名鉄貨物輸送 |url=http://tsushima-keibendo.a.la9.jp/meitetsu/kamotsu.html |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=tsushima-keibendo.a.la9.jp}}</ref>