He went on an inspection tour of the United States while the construction works were in progress, and he introduced hydroelectric system which had not been in the original plan; he built Keage Power Plant, Japan's first hydroelectric power station for business use, and in 1895, commercial operation of Japan's first streetcar (Kyoto Electric Railway) started in the section between Kyoto and Fushimi.
工期途中で視察のためアメリカ合衆国を訪れた田辺は、当初の計画になかった水力発電を取り入れ、日本初の営業用水力発電所となる蹴上発電所を建設し、1895年には京都・伏見間で日本初となる路面電車（京都電気鉄道）の営業運転が始まることとなった。