Nambu Line
Encyclopedia
The is a Japanese railway line which connects Tachikawa Station
in Tachikawa
, Tokyo
and Kawasaki Station
in Kawasaki
, Kanagawa Prefecture
. For most of its length, it parallels the Tama River
, the natural border between Tokyo and Kanagawa prefectures. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company
(JR East) network. The name refers to the part of the ancient province of (now Tokyo and northern Kanagawa prefectures), through which the Nambu Line runs.
. Freight trains operating between Tokyo Freight Terminal and northern Japan operate on both branch lines.
Passenger trains used electric multiple unit
s from the beginning. Major freight was initially gravel
from the Tama River
. When the railway reached Tachikawa and made connection with the Ōme Electric Railway
, limestone
became one of main freight. The railway was controlled by Asano zaibatsu
, which was enabled by the railway to transport limestone from its own quarry in Western Tokyo to its cement plant in Kawasaki without using the government railways.
On April 1, 1944, the railway was forcibly purchased by the imperial government and became the Nambu Line of Japanese Government Railways
. After the end of World War II
, there were several movements to denationalize the line, but the line had been a part of the Japanese National Railways
until its privatization in 1987.
The postwar sprawl of the Tokyo urban area turned the most of the farmlands along the Nambu Line into residential areas and multiplied the passenger traffic on the line. On the other hand, freight traffic has been reduced after the opening of the Musashino Line
in parallel to the Nambu Line in 1976 and the discontinuance of the limestone freight in 1998, except for the Nambu Branchline, which is a part of main freight route.
Rapid services between Kawasaki and Noborito with stops at Musashi-Kosugi and Musashi-Mizonokuchi started on December 15, 1969, but were discontinued by the timetable revision on October 2, 1978. After 33 years, rapid services between Kawasaki and Tachikawa with more stops started on April 9, 2011, postponed from originally scheduled March 12 due to the earthquake in Tōhoku
on March 11.
Tachikawa Station
is an important railway station in the city of Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan. The JR Chūō Line passes through Tachikawa Station. The Ōme Line and Nambu Line terminate here...
in Tachikawa
Tachikawa, Tokyo
is a city located in western Tokyo, Japan.As of February 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 178,064 and the density of 7,303.69 people per km². The total area is 24.38 km²...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and Kawasaki Station
Kawasaki Station
is a railway station in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company .-Lines:Kawasaki Station is served by the following JR East lines.*Keihin-Tōhoku Line*Tōkaidō Main Line*Nambu Line-Station layout:-Adjacent stations:...
in Kawasaki
Kawasaki, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area....
, Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
. For most of its length, it parallels the Tama River
Tama River
The is a major river in Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures on Honshū, Japan. It is officially classified as a Class 1 river by the Japanese government....
, the natural border between Tokyo and Kanagawa prefectures. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company
East Japan Railway Company
is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
(JR East) network. The name refers to the part of the ancient province of (now Tokyo and northern Kanagawa prefectures), through which the Nambu Line runs.
Basic data
- Operators, distances:
- Total: 45 km (28 mi)
- Passenger: 39.6 km (24.6 mi)
- Freight: 39.4 km (24.5 mi)
- East Japan Railway CompanyEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
(JR East) (Services and tracks)- Kawasaki – Tachikawa: 35.5 km (22.1 mi)
- Shitte – Hama-Kawasaki: 4.1 km (2.5 mi)
- Shitte – Shin-Tsurumi Signal Station – Tsurumi: 5.4 km (3.4 mi) (no regular service)
- Japan Freight Railway CompanyJapan Freight Railway Company, or , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It provides transportation of cargo nationwide. Its headquarters are in Shibuya, Tokyo near Shinjuku Station....
(JR Freight) (Services only)- Shitte – Tachikawa: 33.8 km (21 mi)
- Shitte – Hama-Kawasaki: 4.1 km (2.5 mi)
- Shitte – Shin-Tsurumi Signal Station: 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi)
- Total: 45 km (28 mi)
- Stations: 29
- Main line: 26
- Branch line: 3
- Double-tracking: Kawasaki – Tachikawa
- Railway signallingRailway signallingRailway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
: Automatic Block System
Main line
Rapid service trains (two trains per hour between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m) do not stop at Shitte, Yakō, Hirama, Mukaigawara, Tsudayama, Kuji and Shukugawara. All other trains except for some seasonal services are local trains, stopping at all stations.| Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between Stations |
Total | |||||
| 川崎 | - | 0.0 | Tōkaidō Main Line Tokaido Main Line The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities... , Keihin-Tōhoku Line Keihin-Tohoku Line The , is a railway line in Japan which connects the cities of Saitama, Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company network. The line's name is derived from the characters for , and the... Keikyū Main Line, Keikyū Daishi Line Keikyu Daishi Line The is a railway line of Keikyu. It connects Keikyū Kawasaki Station and Kojimashinden Station, both located in Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture.-Data:*Length: 4.5 km*Operator: Keikyu*Gauge: 1,435 mm*Electrification: 1,500 V DC... |
Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki is one of the seven wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 216,826 and a density of 5,530 persons per km². The total area was 39.21 km²... |
Kanagawa Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period... |
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| 尻手 | 1.7 | 1.7 | Nambu Branch Line (for ) | Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki is one of the 7 wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 153,255 and a density of 15,250 persons per km²... |
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| 矢向 | 0.9 | 2.6 | Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama is one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 270,433 and a density of 8,140 persons per km²... |
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| 鹿島田 | 1.5 | 4.1 | Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki is one of the 7 wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 153,255 and a density of 15,250 persons per km²... |
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| 平間 | 1.2 | 5.3 | Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki is one of the 7 wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 229,867 and a density of 15,640 persons per km²... |
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| 向河原 | 1.3 | 6.6 | ||||
| 武蔵小杉 | 0.9 | 7.5 | Yokosuka Line Yokosuka Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company .The Yokosuka Line connects in Chūō, Tokyo and in Yokosuka, Kanagawa... , Shōnan-Shinjuku Line Shonan-Shinjuku Line The is a passenger railway service in Japan which commenced in December 2001. The line has no dedicated track as services run through shared sections along the Ryōmō Line, Takasaki Line, Utsunomiya Line, Yamanote Freight Line, Yokosuka Line, and Tōkaidō Main Line... Tōkyū Tōyoko Line, Tōkyū Meguro Line |
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| 武蔵中原 | 1.7 | 9.2 | ||||
| 武蔵新城 | 1.3 | 10.5 | ||||
| 武蔵溝ノ口 | 2.2 | 12.7 | Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line | Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki is one of the 7 wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 215,158 and a density of 13,150 persons per km². The total area is 16.38 km².-Geography:... |
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| 津田山 | 1.2 | 13.9 | ||||
| 久地 | 1.0 | 14.9 | ||||
| 宿河原 | 1.3 | 16.2 | Tama-ku, Kawasaki Tama-ku, Kawasaki is one of the 8 wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 211,221 and a density of 10,310 persons per km². The total area was 20.49 km².-Geography:... |
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| 登戸 | 1.1 | 17.3 | Odakyū Odawara Line | |||
| 中野島 | 2.2 | 19.5 | ||||
| 稲田堤 | 1.3 | 20.8 | Keiō Sagamihara Line Keio Sagamihara Line The is a Japanese railway line operated by Keio Corporation, connecting Hashimoto Station in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture and Chōfu Station in Chōfu, Tokyo.-History:... |
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| 矢野口 | 1.6 | 22.4 | Inagi Inagi, Tokyo is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 81,134 and the density of 4,096.33 persons per km². The total area is 17.97 km².The city was founded on November 1, 1971.-History:... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... |
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| 稲城長沼 | 1.7 | 24.1 | ||||
| 南多摩 | 1.4 | 25.5 | Seibu Tamagawa Line Seibu Tamagawa Line The Tamagawa Line, or , part of the Seibu Railway system, is an 8.0 km railway line in the western suburbs of Tokyo. The line runs from Musashi-Sakai Station on the Chūō Main Line to Koremasa Station along the Tama River. The line has only six stations and is not connected to any other part of... |
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| 府中本町 | 2.4 | 27.9 | Musashino Line Musashino Line The is a railway line operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It links Tsurumi Station in Yokohama with Nishi-Funabashi Station in Chiba Prefecture, forming a 100.6 km unclosed loop around central Tokyo... |
Fuchū Fuchu, Tokyo is a city located in western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 255,394 and a population density of 8,700 persons per km². The total area was 29.34 km²... |
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| 分倍河原 | 0.9 | 28.8 | Keiō Line | |||
| 西府 | 1.2 | 30.0 | ||||
| 谷保 | 1.6 | 31.6 | Kunitachi Kunitachi, Tokyo is a city located in the western part of the metropolitan area of Tokyo, Japan. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 74,623.- History :Kunitachi was founded on January 1, 1967... |
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| 矢川 | 1.4 | 33.0 | ||||
| 西国立 | 1.3 | 34.3 | Tachikawa Tachikawa, Tokyo is a city located in western Tokyo, Japan.As of February 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 178,064 and the density of 7,303.69 people per km². The total area is 24.38 km²... |
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| 立川 | 1.2 | 35.5 | Chūō Line Chuo Main Line The , commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It runs between Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, while the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the fastest rail... , Ōme Line Ome Line The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company in western Tokyo, Japan. It links Tachikawa and the Chūō Line with the town of Okutama. Many Chūō Line trains operate via the Ōme Line to Ōme Station, providing non-stop service to Tokyo Station.... Tama Toshi Monorail Line Tama Toshi Monorail Line The , also referred to as the Tama Monorail, is an important part of the Western Tokyo public transport network.Operated by Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail Co., Ltd., the double tracked, 16.0 km monorail line carries passengers between the suburban cities of Higashiyamato and Tama via Tachikawa,... |
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Nambu Branch Line
- All stations are located in Kanagawa Prefecture.
- Trains can pass each other only at Kawasaki-Shinmachi.
| Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between Stations |
Total | |||||
| 尻手 | - | 0.0 | Nambu Line (main line), Nambu Line (freight branch) | Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki is one of the 7 wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 153,255 and a density of 15,250 persons per km²... |
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| 八丁畷 | 1.1 | 1.1 | Keikyū Main Line Tōkaidō Main Line Tokaido Main Line The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities... freight branch (for ) |
Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki is one of the seven wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 216,826 and a density of 5,530 persons per km². The total area was 39.21 km²... |
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| 川崎新町 | 0.9 | 2.0 | ||||
| 浜川崎 | 2.1 | 4.1 | Tsurumi Line Tsurumi Line The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It provides passenger service along a 7 km between Tsurumi Station in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama and Ōgimachi Station in Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki. Branches bring the total length of track to 9.7 km. The... , Tōkaidō Main Line freight branch (for Kawasaki Freight Terminal) |
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Freight branch
The connects Shitte Station and Shin-Tsurumi Yard on the Tōkaidō Main Line (Hinkaku Line) and the Musashino LineMusashino Line
The is a railway line operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It links Tsurumi Station in Yokohama with Nishi-Funabashi Station in Chiba Prefecture, forming a 100.6 km unclosed loop around central Tokyo...
. Freight trains operating between Tokyo Freight Terminal and northern Japan operate on both branch lines.
Former branches
- Yakō – : opened 1927, closed 1972
- Mukaigawara – Shin-Tsurumi Yard: opened 1929, closed 1973
History
The private Nambu Railway opened the line in five phases between 1927 and 1930 (freight branches are omitted):- March 27, 1927: Kawasaki – Noborito
- November 1, 1927: Noborito – Ōmaru (near Minami-Tama)
- December 11, 1928: Ōmaru – Bubaigawara (then called Yashikibun)
- December 11, 1929: Bubaigawara – Tachikawa
- March 25, 1930: Shitte – Hama-Kawasaki
Passenger trains used electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s from the beginning. Major freight was initially gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
from the Tama River
Tama River
The is a major river in Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures on Honshū, Japan. It is officially classified as a Class 1 river by the Japanese government....
. When the railway reached Tachikawa and made connection with the Ōme Electric Railway
Ome Line
The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company in western Tokyo, Japan. It links Tachikawa and the Chūō Line with the town of Okutama. Many Chūō Line trains operate via the Ōme Line to Ōme Station, providing non-stop service to Tokyo Station....
, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
became one of main freight. The railway was controlled by Asano zaibatsu
Asano zaibatsu
Asano zaibatsu was one of the major second tier zaibatsu in Japan, formed in 1887 with the support from Shibusawa Eiichi, the founder of the Shibusawa zaibatsu and "Father of Japanese capitalism"...
, which was enabled by the railway to transport limestone from its own quarry in Western Tokyo to its cement plant in Kawasaki without using the government railways.
On April 1, 1944, the railway was forcibly purchased by the imperial government and became the Nambu Line of Japanese Government Railways
Japanese Government Railways
The Japanese Government Railways was the national railway system directly operated by the central government of Japan until 1949. It is a predecessor of Japanese National Railways and the Japan Railways Group.- Name :...
. After the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, there were several movements to denationalize the line, but the line had been a part of the Japanese National Railways
Japanese National Railways
, abbreviated or "JNR", was the national railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987.-History:The term Kokuyū Tetsudō "state-owned railway" originally referred to a network of railway lines operated by nationalized companies under the control of the Railway Institute following the nationalization...
until its privatization in 1987.
The postwar sprawl of the Tokyo urban area turned the most of the farmlands along the Nambu Line into residential areas and multiplied the passenger traffic on the line. On the other hand, freight traffic has been reduced after the opening of the Musashino Line
Musashino Line
The is a railway line operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It links Tsurumi Station in Yokohama with Nishi-Funabashi Station in Chiba Prefecture, forming a 100.6 km unclosed loop around central Tokyo...
in parallel to the Nambu Line in 1976 and the discontinuance of the limestone freight in 1998, except for the Nambu Branchline, which is a part of main freight route.
Rapid services between Kawasaki and Noborito with stops at Musashi-Kosugi and Musashi-Mizonokuchi started on December 15, 1969, but were discontinued by the timetable revision on October 2, 1978. After 33 years, rapid services between Kawasaki and Tachikawa with more stops started on April 9, 2011, postponed from originally scheduled March 12 due to the earthquake in Tōhoku
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
on March 11.
Current
The current EMU fleet used on Nambu Line services is based at Nakahara Depot.- 205-0 series205 seriesThe is a commuter electric multiple unit train type introduced in 1985 by Japanese National Railways , and currently operated by East Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company .- Lines on which 205 series trains operate :...
6-car EMUs (since March 1989) - 205-1200 series205 seriesThe is a commuter electric multiple unit train type introduced in 1985 by Japanese National Railways , and currently operated by East Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company .- Lines on which 205 series trains operate :...
6-car EMUs (since 2004) - Two 209 series209 seriesThe is a commuter electric multiple unit type operated by East Japan Railway Company in the Tokyo area of Japan since 1993.The series was introduced in 1993 to replace the aging 103 series stock on the Keihin-Tōhoku and Negishi lines...
6-car EMUs (since April 1993) - Two 205-1000 series205 seriesThe is a commuter electric multiple unit train type introduced in 1985 by Japanese National Railways , and currently operated by East Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company .- Lines on which 205 series trains operate :...
2-car EMUs (Nambu Branch Line services, since August 2002)
Previously used
- 72 series 4/6-car EMUs (from 1963 until 1978)
- 101 series101 seriesThe is a commuter EMU introduced in 1958 by Japanese National Railways , and formerly operated by East Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company . The last remaining trains were withdrawn in November 2003.-History:...
4/6-car EMUs (from 1969 until January 1991) - 103 series103 seriesThe is a commuter electric multiple unit type introduced in 1964 by Japanese National Railways , and currently operated by West Japan Railway Company and Kyushu Railway Company . They were also operated by East Japan Railway Company and Central Japan Railway Company .-Prototype:Built in 1963...
6-car EMUs (from 1982 until December 2004) - 101 series101 seriesThe is a commuter EMU introduced in 1958 by Japanese National Railways , and formerly operated by East Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company . The last remaining trains were withdrawn in November 2003.-History:...
2-car EMUs (Nambu Branchline services, until November 2003)
External links
- Stations of the Nambu Line (JR East)