Osaka Metro Chūō Line
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2012) |
| Chūō Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
 Chūō Line 20 series EMU | |||
| Overview | |||
| Owner | Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (Osakako — Nagata) Osaka Port Transport System Co., Ltd. (Cosmosquare — Osakako) | ||
| Line number | 4 | ||
| Locale | Osaka and Higashiosaka | ||
| Termini |
| ||
| Stations | 14 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Rapid transit | ||
| System | Osaka Municipal Subway | ||
| Operator(s) | Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau | ||
| Depot(s) | Morinomiya | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | December 11, 1961 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 17.9 km (11.1 mi) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Operating speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) | ||
| |||
|}
The Chūō Line (大阪市営地下鉄中央線, Ōsaka-shiei-chikatetsu Chūō-sen) is a rapid transit system in Osaka, Japan, operated by the Osaka Municipal Subway. The line runs east-westerly under Chūō Avenue (中央大通, Chūō Ōdōri). Its official name is Rapid Electric Tramway Line No. 4 (高速電気軌道第4号線), while the Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau refers to it as Osaka City Rapid Railway Line No. 4 (大阪市高速鉄道第4号線), and in MLIT publications, it is written as Line No. 4 (Chūō Line) (4号線（中央線）). Station numbers are indicated by the letter C.
Together with the through operation to the Kintetsu Keihanna Line, the two lines have a unified nickname "Yumehanna" (ゆめはんな).
On July 1, 2005, Osaka City bought the Technoport Line (テクノポート線) from Cosmosquare to Osakakō of its subsidiary Osaka Port Transport System Co., Ltd. (大阪港トランスポートシステム), reducing fare to increase traffic. The section became a part of the Chūō Line, however is still owned by OTS.
The Chūō Line is the only line to connect to all other railway lines operated by the Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau, including the Nankō Port Town Line.
Line data
- Above-ground section: after Awaza Station to Ōsakakō Station
- Block signalling: Automatic
- Train protection system: WS-ATC
- Cars per train: 6 (1984 – present)
- Maximum possible cars per train (platform length): 8
Stations
| No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C10 | Cosmosquare | コスモスクエア | 0.0 |  Nankō Port Town Line (P09)
|
Suminoe-ku, Osaka |
| C11 | Ōsakakō (Tempozan) |
大阪港 （天保山） |
2.4 | Minato-ku, Osaka | |
| C12 | Asashiobashi | 朝潮橋 | 3.9 | ||
| C13 | Bentenchō | 弁天町 | 5.5 | JR West: Osaka Loop Line | |
| C14 | Osaka | 九条 | 6.8 | Hanshin: Namba Line | Nishi-ku, Osaka |
| C15 | Awaza | 阿波座 | 8.3 |  Sennichimae Line (S13)
| |
| C16 | Hommachi (Semba-nishi) |
本町 （船場西） |
9.4 |
|
Chūō-ku, Osaka |
| C17 | Sakaisuji-Hommachi (Semba-higashi) |
堺筋本町 （船場東） |
10.1 |  Sakaisuji Line (K15)
| |
| C18 | Tanimachi Yonchōme | 谷町四丁目 | 11.1 |  Tanimachi Line (T23)
| |
| C19 | Morinomiya | 森ノ宮 | 12.4 |
| |
| C20 | Midoribashi | 緑橋 | 13.6 |  Imazatosuji Line (I20)
|
Higashinari-ku, Osaka |
| C21 | Fukaebashi | 深江橋 | 14.7 | ||
| C22 | Higashiosaka, Osaka | 高井田 | 16.1 | JR West: Osaka Higashi Line - Takaida-Chuo | Higashiosaka |
| C23 | Osaka | 長田 | 17.9 | Kintetsu Keihanna Line (through to Gakken Nara-Tomigaoka Station) |
Rolling stock
Osaka Municipal Subway
- 20 series (from 1984)
- 24 series (from 1991) (in green Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau and blue Osaka Port Transport System (OTS) liveries)
Kintetsu
- 7000 series (from 1986)
- 7020 series (from 2004)
The Osaka Municipal Subway trains are based at Morinomiya Depot, while the Kintetsu trains are based at Higashi-Hanazono and Tomigaoka Depots located on the Keihanna Line.
-
24 series (in green livery) -
Kintetsu 7000/7020 series
Former
- 800 series (1961-1978)
- 900 series (1964-1978)
- 30 series (1967-1969, 1983-1995)
- 50 series (1969-1991)
History
The line opened on December 11, 1961, initially running between Ōsakakō and Bentenchō.[1] Between 1964 and 1985, the line was expanded towards Nagata in four stages:
- October 31, 1964: Section between Bentenchō and Hommachi opens, with intermediate stations at Kujo and Awaza. The easternmost of these three stations would not open until July 1, 1969.
- July 29, 1968: The section between Morinomiya and Fukaebashi opens.
- December 6, 1969: The section between Hommachi and Morinomiya opens, with intermediate stations at Sakaisuji-Hommachi and Tanimachi 4-chome. Through service on the line is established.
- April 5, 1985: The section between Fukaebashi and Nagata opens.
- October 1, 1986: Through service to Ikoma commences upon the opening of the Kintetsu Keihanna Line (then named the Higashiosaka Line).
On December 18, 1997, the OTS Technoport Line opened between Ōsakakō and Cosmosquare. This line was absorbed into the Chūō Line on July 1, 2005. The Keihanna Line was extended further into Nara when the extension to Gakken Nara-Tomigaoka opened on March 27, 2006.
References
- ^ Terada, Hirokazu (July 2002). データブック日本の私鉄. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 4-87366-874-3.
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