Chūō rapid transit line

Chūō rapid transit line
Class E233 railcars near Tokyo
Route length:	53.1 km km
Gauge :	1067 mm ( cape track )
Power system :	1500 V  =
Top speed:	130 km / h
Dual track :	whole route
Society:	JR East
Legend 0.0 Tokyo 1914– ↔ Sōbu rapid transit line 1972– Tokyo City Highway (Yaesu Line) Nihombashi-gawa 1.3 Kanda ( 神 田 ) 1919– ← Tōhoku Shinkansen ← Tōhoku Main Line ( Ueno-Tokyo Line ) ← Keihin-Tōhoku Line 1.9 Manseibashi ( 万世 橋 ) 1912-1943 2.1 Shōheibashi ( 昌平 橋 ) 1908-1912 ← Chūō-Sōbu Line 2.6 Ochanomizu ( 御 茶 ノ 水 ) 1904– Suidōbashi ( 水 道橋 ) Tokyo City Highway (Ikebukuro Line) Iidamachi ( 飯 田 町 ) 1895-1999 Iidabashi ( 飯 田 橋 ) 4.6 Ushigome ( 牛 込 ) Ichigaya ( 市 ケ 谷 ) 6.6 Yotsuya ( 四 ツ 谷 ) 1894– ↔ Marunouchi Line 1956– Goshō tunnel Shinanomachi ( 信 濃 町 ) Aoyama ( 青山 ) 1915 Sendagaya ( 千 駄 ケ 谷 ) Shinjuku Gyoen ( 新宿 御苑 ) 1927 → Yamanote freight line → Yamanote line 1885– Yoyogi ( 代 々 木 ) → Odawara line 1927– 10.3 Shinjuku ( 新宿 ) 1885– → Keiō line 1913– ← Yamanote Freight Line ← Yamanote Line Ōkubo ( 大 久保 ) Kanda-gawa Higashi-Nakano ( 東 中 野 ) ← Tōzai line 1966– 14.7 Nakano ( 中 野 ) 1889– Depot Nakano 16.1 Kōenji ( 高 円 寺 ) 1922– 17.3 Asagaya ( 阿佐 ケ 谷 ) 1922– 18.7 Ogikubo ( 荻 窪 ) 1891– Zenpukuji-gawa 20.6 Nishi-Ogikubo ( 西 荻 窪 ) 1922– → Keiō Inokashira lineage 1933– 22.5 Kichijōji ( 吉祥寺 ) 1899– 24.1 0.0 * Mitaka ( 三 鷹 ) 1930– Mitaka depot 3.2 * Musashino-Kyōgijō-mae 武 蔵 野 競技場 前 1951-1959 Sakai sewage treatment plant -1967 25.7 Musashi-Sakai ( 武 蔵 境 ) 1889– → Seibu Tamagawa Line 1917– 27.0 Signal station Sakai -1937 29.1 Higashi-Koganei ( 東 小 金井 ) 1964– 29.1 Musashi koganei ( 武 蔵 小 金井 ) 1926– Musashi-Koganei Depot ← Seibu Tamako Line 1928– 31.4 Kokubunji ( 国 分 寺 ) 1889– ← Seibu Kokubunji Line 1894– → Shimogawara line 1920-1976 32.8 Nishi-Kokubunji ( 西 国 分 寺 ) 1973– ↔ Musashino Line 1973– 34.5 Kunitachi ( 国立 ) 1926– Railway Technology Research Institute Tachikawa Airfield → Nambu line 1929– 37.5 Tachikawa ( 立 川 ) 1889– ↔ Tama monorail 1998– ← Ōme line 1894– Tamagawara signal station Tamagawara freight yard 1916-1946 Tama-gawa 40.8 Hino ( 日 野 ) 1890– Chūō Highway 43.1 Toyoda ( 豊 田 ) 1901– Toyoda depot Asa-gawa ← Hachikō line 1931– ↔ Keiō line 1925– → Yokohama Line 1908– Hachiōji ( 八 王子 ) 1889-1901 47.4 Hachiōji ( 八 王子 ) 1901– 49.8 Nishi-Hachiōji ( 西 八 王子 ) 1939– ↔ Keiō Goryō Line 1931-1964 52.0 Higashi-Asakawa ( 東 浅川 ) 1927-1960 → Keiō Takao line 1967– 53.1 Takao ( 高 尾 ) 1901– ↓ Chūō main line to Nagoya

As Chūō-Schnellbahnlinie ( Japanese. 中央 線 快速 , Chūō-sen kaisoku ; English Chūō Line (Rapid) ) that part of the Chūō main line is referred to, which lies in the area of ​​the Tokyo prefecture . It is operated by the JR East railway company and is one of the most heavily used railway lines in Japan . From Tokyo station , it leads to Takao via Shinjuku and Tachikawa . It is supplemented on the four-track section between the stations Ochanomizu and Mitaka by the parallel Chūō-Sōbu line , which takes over all local traffic in this area. The term "Schnellbahnlinie" refers to the fact that practically all trains on the actual Chūō main line between Tokyo and Nakano are run as express or express trains.

The general features and history of the entire Tokyo – Nagoya route are covered in the main article .

Route description

The 53.1 km long route is laid in Cape Gauge (1067 mm) and electrified with 1500 V DC over its entire length . The eastern starting point is Tokyo Station . From there, the line initially runs parallel to the Yamanote line northwards to Kanda station . There she turns west and drives through the former Manseibashi train station , which was the terminus until 1919. In the Ochanomizu station , where the four-track section begins, it joins the Chūō-Sōbu line . The Tokyo city center is crossed along the river Kanda and the Sotobori (former outer moat of Edo ). After the route has passed Akasaka Palace and the National Stadium , it meets the Yamanote Line again west of Shinjuku Gyoen .

In a south-north direction, the Chūō rapid transit line crosses Shinjuku station , one of the most important stations in the world. Then she turns back to the west and drives through densely populated suburbs. The four-track section (and thus also the Chūō-Sōbu line) ends in Mitaka station . Immediately after Tachikawa Station , the route turns south. It crosses the Tama and Asakawa rivers , whereupon it again takes a westerly direction. The end point and transition to the actual Chūō main line is Takao station , just before the border with Yamanashi Prefecture .

Trains

Overview of the access offer on the Chūō rapid transit line

Local traffic on the Chūō rapid transit line is among the densest in the entire country and consists of a complex system of express and local trains. Although the name officially only covers the section between Tokyo and Takao , some trains continue to Ōtsuki , while others are routed to the Ōme line in Tachikawa . With the exception of the fringe hours, trains on the Chūō rapid-transit railway line do not serve the smaller stations between Ochanomizu and Nakano ; instead, the Chūō-Sōbu line takes over their development . In addition, underground trains are Tozai-line over Nakano beyond Chuo-Sobu line to Mitaka by bound . National express trains only stop at Shinjuku , Tachikawa and Hachiōji stations .

Below is an overview of the train types offered:

■ Kaisoku ( 快速 , English Rapid )
These express trains are the most common. After Tokyo station, they only stop in Kanda , Ochanomizu , Yotsuya and Shinjuku, then at all stations from Nakano. Individual train stations are skipped on weekends and public holidays. The western terminus is in most cases either Takao or Ōtsuki. Several trains per hour are directed on the Ōme line to Ōme , some to Oku-Tama , on the Itsukaichi line to Musashi-Itsukaichi , the Hachikō line to Komagawa or the Fuji-Kyūkō line to Kawaguchiko .

■ Kakueki-teisha ( 各 駅 停車 , English local )
local trains stop at all train stations and only run early in the morning and late in the evening. Stop between Nakano and Ochanomizu also at those stations that are served exclusively by the Chūō-Sōbu line during the day, namely Suidōbashi , Iidabashi , Ichigaya , Shinanomachi , Sendagaya , Yoyogi , Ōkubo and Higashi-Nakano . Some trains turn around before Takao, others run on the Ōme line to Ōme.

■ Chūō tokkai ( 中央 特快 , English Chūō Special Rapid ) Runs during off-peak
hours and on weekends between Tokyo and Nakano with stops at the same stations as the Kaisoku. After Takano, stop only in Mitaka, Kokubunji and Tachikawa, west of them at all train stations to Ōtsuki or Kawaguchiko.

■ Ōme tokkai ( 青梅 特快 , English Ōme Special Rapid )
To Tachikawa like the Chūō tokkai , then with stops at all stations on the Ōme line.

■ Tsūkin kaisoku ( 通勤 快速 , Commuter Rapid )
The “commuter rapid trains” run in the evenings on weekdays and stop at the same stations as Chūō tokkai and Ōme tokkai and also in Ogikubo and Kichijōji . The western terminus is usually Takao, but individual trains continue to Ōtsuki, Kawaguchiko or Ōme (on the connecting lines from Tachikawa with stops at all stations).

■ Tsūkin tokkai ( 通勤 特快 , Commuter Special Rapid )
The “commuter special express trains ” only run to Tokyo on working days. One drives from Takao, two each from Ōtsuki and Ōme. After Takao, they only stop in Hachiōji, Tachikawa, Kokubunji, Shijuku, Yotsuya, Ochanomizu and Kanda.

The Musashino ( む さ し の ) is a local train that stops at all stations; it initially runs from Hachiōji to Kunitachi , reaches the Musashino line via a freight branch line and travels it to Ōmiya .

The Horidē kaisoku ( ホ リ デ ー 快速 , English Holiday Express ) are excursion trains on weekends and holidays that run from Tokyo to Oku-Tama or Musashi-Itsukaichi with just a few stops.

Chronology of important events

(general story see main article )

• April 11, 1889: The Shinjuku - Tachikawa line is opened by the private railway company Kōbu Tetsudō
• August 11, 1889: Opening of the Tachikawa - Hachiōji (Kōbu Tetsudō) line
• October 9, 1894: The Shinjuku - Iidabashi (Kōbu Tetsudō) line opens
• April 3, 1895: The Iidabashi - Iidamachi (Kōbu Tetsudō) line opens
• December 30, 1895: second track between Iidamachi and Shinjuku
• August 1, 1901: The Hachiōji - Takao - Uenohara line is opened by the state railway administration
• August 21, 1904: electrification of the line between Iidamachi and Nakano
• December 31, 1904: Opening of the electrified Iidamachi - Ochanomizu (Kōbu Tetsudō) line
• April 1906: second track between Shinjuku and Ōkubo
• September 1906: second track between Ōkubo and Nakano
• October 1, 1906: Nationalization of the Kōbu Tetsudō
• April 19, 1908: Opening of the electrified Ochanomizu - Shōheibashi line
• March 16, 1910: second track between Nakano and Kichijōji
• April 1, 1912: Opening of the electrified Shōheibashi - Manseibashi line
• September 13, 1912: Commissioning of the temporary Sendagaya - Aoyama branch line on the occasion of the memorial services for Emperor Meiji , closed on September 15
• March 3, 1916: Opening of the 3.7 km long branch line between the Tamagawara signal station and the Tamagawara freight yard
• January 25, 1919: Electrification of the line between Nakano and Kichijōji
• March 1, 1919: The electrified Manseibashi - Tokyo line opens
• November 20, 1922: Electrification of the line between Kichijōji and Kokubunji
• April 2, 1925: Four-track expansion of the Yoyogi - Shinjuku line
• February 7, 1927: Commissioning of the temporary Shinjuku - Shinjuku-Gyoen branch on the occasion of the memorial services for Emperor Taishō , closed on February 9
• May 1, 1927: Four -track expansion of the Shinanomachi - Yoyogi line
• May 1, 1928: Four-track expansion of the Shinjuku - Nakano line
• October 15, 1928: second track between Nakano and Kunitachi
• March 1, 1929: second track between Kunitachi and Tachikawa
• March 10, 1929: Electrification of the line between Kokubunji and Kunitachi
• April 15, 1929: Four-track expansion of the Iidamachi - Shinanomachi line
• June 16, 1929: Electrification of the line between Kunitachi and Tachikawa
• December 20, 1930: Electrification of the line between Tachikawa and Takao
• July 1, 1932: Introduction of the Chūō-Sōbu line
• August 1933: four-track expansion of the Ochanomizu - Iidamachi line
• September 15, 1933: Local and high-speed traffic between Ochanomizu and Nakano was disengaged
• June 1, 1937: second track between Tachikawa and Toyoda
• March 31, 1939: second track between Toyoda and Takao
• July 1, 1946: Closure of the branch line between the Tamagawara signal station and the Tamagawara freight yard
• April 14, 1951: Opening of the 3.2 km long branch line from Mitaka to Musashino-Kyōgijō-mae (development of the temporary baseball stadium)
• November 1, 1959: Closure of the branch line from Mitaka to Musashino-Kyōgijō-mae
• April 28, 1966: four-track expansion of the Nakano - Ogikubo line
• April 6, 1969: four-track expansion of the Ogikubo - Mitaka line
• April 1, 1987: Privatization of the state railway and takeover by JR East
• December 14, 1996: Introduction of the automated train operating system ATOS (Autonomous decentralized Transport Operation Control System)

future

The Chūō rapid transit line is currently being expanded for trains with first-class cars ( called Green Class in Japan ). To this end, the previous trains will be extended from ten to twelve cars. All platforms between Tokyo and Ōtsuki must also be extended. The Ōme line up to and including Ōme will also be expanded accordingly. A total of 44 stations will be adapted. At the same time, two new first-class cars will be produced for 58 trains. They differ from the cars previously used on other lines in that they have wider entry doors in order to accelerate the flow of passengers . At the same time, handicapped-accessible toilets are being installed in car 4 of the current trains. The introduction of the new trains has been postponed several times; it is currently planned for March 2024. Toilets that have already been installed can be used from the timetable change in March 2020.

List of train stations

Overpass structure at Ochanomizu station

At Sotobori; the right double lane belongs to the Chūō rapid transit line, the left to the Chūō-Sōbu line

Viaduct at Shinjuku

Ka = Kaisoku (Rapid); Tk = Tsūkin-kaisoku (Commuter Rapid); Ct = Chūō-tokkai (Chūō Special Rapid); Ōme-tokkai (Ōme Special Rapid); Tsūkin-tokkai (Commuter Special Rapid); Mu = Musashino
● = all trains stop at this station; ○ = trains only stop on working days
↑ M = transfer to the Musashino line ; ↓ O = transition to the Ōme line

Surname		km	Ka	Tk	Ct	Ot	Tt	Mu	Connecting lines	location	place
JC01	Tokyo ( 東京 )	00.0	●	●	●	●	●		Tōkaidō Shinkansen Tohoku Shinkansen Jōetsu Shinkansen Hokuriku Shinkansen Tōkaidō Main Line Ueno Tokyo-line Keihin-Tohoku Line Yamanote Line Yokosuka Line Sōbu Main Line ( Sobu train line ) Keiyō Line Tokyo subway : Marunouchi Line	Coord.	Chiyoda , Tokyo
JC02	Kanda ( 神 田 )	01.3	●	●	●	●	●		Keihin-Tōhoku Line Tokyo Metro: Ginza Line	Coord.
JC03	Ochanomizu ( 御 茶 ノ 水 )	02.6	●	●	●	●	●		Chūō-Sōbu Line Tokyo Subway: Marunouchi Line in the subway. Shin-Ochanomizu: Chiyoda Line	Coord.
JC04	Yotsuya ( 四 ツ 谷 )	06.6	●	●	●	●	●		Chūō-Sōbu Line Tokyo Metro: Marunouchi Line , Namboku Line	Coord.	Shinjuku , Tokyo
JC05	Shinjuku ( 新宿 )	10.3	●	●	●	●	●		Chūō-Sōbu Line Yamanote Line Saikyō Line Shōnan-Shinjuku Line Odakyū Odawara Line Keiō Line , New Keiō Line Tokyo Metro: Marunouchi Line , Shinjuku Line , Ōedo Line at Seibu-Shinjuku Station : Seibu Shinjuku Line	Coord.
JC06	Nakano ( 中 野 )	14.7	●	●	●	●	ǀ		Tokyo Subway: Tozai Line	Coord.	Nakano , Tokyo
JC07	Kōenji ( 高 円 寺 )	16.1	○	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ			Coord.	Suginami , Tokyo
JC08	Asagaya ( 阿佐 ケ 谷 )	17.3	○	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ			Coord.
JC09	Ogikubo ( 荻 窪 )	18.7	●	●	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ		Tokyo Subway: Marunouchi Line	Coord.
JC10	Nishi-Ogikubo ( 西 荻 窪 )	20.6	○	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ			Coord.
JC11	Kichijōji ( 吉祥寺 )	22.5	●	●	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ		Keiō Inokashira lineage	Coord.	Musashino
JC12	Mitaka ( 三 鷹 )	24.1	●	●	●	●	ǀ			Coord.	Mitaka
JC13	Musashi-Sakai ( 武 蔵 境 )	25.7	●	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ		Seibu Tamagawa Line	Coord.	Musashino
JC14	Higashi-Koganei ( 東 小 金井 )	27.4	●	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ			Coord.	Koganei
JC15	Musashi-Koganei ( 武 蔵 小 金井 )	29.1	●	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ			Coord.
JC16	Kokubunji ( 国 分 寺 )	31.4	●	●	●	●	●		Seibu Kokubunji Line Seibu Tamako Line	Coord.	Kokubunji
JC17	Nishi-Kokubunji ( 西 国 分 寺 )	32.8	●	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	↑ M	Musashino line	Coord.
JC18	Kunitachi ( 国立 )	34.5	●	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	ǀ	●		Coord.	Kunitachi
JC19	Tachikawa ( 立 川 )	37.5	●	●	●	●	●	●	Ōme line Nambu line Tama monorail	Coord.	Tachikawa
JC20	Hino ( 日 野 )	40.8	●	●	●	↓ O	ǀ	●		Coord.	Hino
JC21	Toyoda ( 豊 田 )	43.1	●	●	●		ǀ	●		Coord.
JC22	Hachiōji ( 八 王子 )	47.4	●	●	●		●	●	Yokohama Line Hachikō Line at Keiō-Hachiōji Station : Keiō Line	Coord.	Hachiōji
JC23	Nishi-Hachiōji ( 西 八 王子 )	49.8	●	●	●		●			Coord.
JC24	Takao ( 高 尾 )	53.1	●	●	●		●		Chūō Main Line Keiō Takao Line	Coord.

Suicides

Blue LED lights for suicide prevention

The Chūō-Schnellbahnlinie has the reputation of a " suicide line", even if statistics are kept under lock and key. People throw themselves in front of approaching trains and cause massive operational disruptions. Due to the number of occurrences perceived as accumulating in 1997 and 1998, the phenomenon attracted the attention of the mass media. There are various theories about the accumulation of suicides along this railway line, but the copycat effect due to the increased reporting is considered to be one of the causes. Interruptions in train traffic due to accidents with personal injury are therefore not uncommon. JR East has taken various countermeasures. This included building fences at the ends of the platforms and illuminating dark corners. Blue LED lights were also installed in 2009 to have a calming effect.

literature

• Kenji Nakamura: 中央 線 誕生 - 甲 武 鉄 道 の 開業 に 賭 け た 挑 戦 者 た ち . Honnofūkeisha, Tokyo 2003, ISBN 978-4-925187-31-2 .

Web links

• Information on the Chūō rapid transit line (Japanese)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} JR 時刻表 2018 年 3 月 号 (JR timetable March 2018). Kōtsū shinbunsha, Tokyo 2018.
2. ↑ 中央 快速 線 等 へ の グ リ ー ン 車 サ ー ビ ス 開始 時期 お よ び 車内 ト イ イ レ の 設置 に つ い て. JR East, April 3, 2018, accessed March 11, 2020 (Japanese). 
3. ↑ Tetsudō fan . Koyusha, Naha February 2005, pp. 20 .
4. ↑ Philipp Eberhard: The blue light against suicide. Asienspiegel, September 18, 2009, accessed May 25, 2019 . 

 Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap