Minami Osaka Line

Minami Osaka Line
Minami Osaka Line
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	Kintetsu 6820 series EMU at Osaka Abenobashi Station on a semi-express service for Kawachi-Nagano
Overview
Native name	南大阪線
Locale	Osaka Prefecture; Nara Prefecture
Termini	Osaka Abenobashi; Kashiharajingu-mae;
Stations	28
Service
Type	heavy rail
Operator(s)	Kintetsu Railway
Depot(s)	Furuichi; Branch: Amami
Rolling stock	6020 series EMU; 6200 series EMU; 6600 series EMU; 6400, 6407, 6413, 6419, 6422, 6432 series EMU; 6620 series EMU; 6820 series EMU; 16000 series EMU; 16010 series EMU; 16400 series EMU; 16600 series EMU; 26000 series EMU
History
Opened	March 24, 1898 (Domyoji–Furuichi)
Technical
Line length	39.7 km (24.7 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC, overhead lines
Operating speed	110 km/h (68 mph) (limited express trains); 100 km/h (62 mph) (commuter trains)

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26000 series Limited Express EMU (before renovation)

The Minami Osaka Line (南大阪線, Minami-Ōsaka-sen) is a railway line operated by Kintetsu Railway connecting Ōsaka Abenobashi in Osaka and Kashiharajingū-mae in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture via Osaka's southern suburb cities of Matsubara, Fujiidera and Habikino in Osaka Prefecture, and Katsuragi and Yamato-Takada in Nara Prefecture. The line is the major access from Osaka to southern part of Nara Basin, and together with the Yoshino Line is the main access to the Yoshino refuge of Emperor Godaigo, a popular tourism destination, especially during spring.

The network formed by this line and some branch lines uses a track gauge of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), the Kintetsu network being the only one in Japan operating lines at this gauge, 1435mm gauge and 762mm gauge.

History

The first section of the line opened in 1898 in a part between Kashiwara Station and Furuichi Station by Kayō Railway Co., Ltd. (河陽鉄道, Kayō Tetsudō). The next year Kanan Railway Co., Ltd. (河南鉄道, Kanan Railway) took over the line, then the company renamed itself Osaka Railway Co., Ltd. (大阪鉄道, Osaka Tetsudō). The railway constructed its own access line to Osaka center, completed in 1923 and electrified at 1,500 V DC, then the highest voltage in Japan. Later extension to Nara Prefecture, present Kashiharajingū-mae was built in 1929 and through operation began to Yoshino Railway Co., Ltd. (吉野鉄道, Yoshino Tetsudō), now Yoshino Line. The entire route was competing with the present Osaka Line, but Osaka Railway was merged to the then Kansai Kyūkō Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (関西急行鉄道, Kansai Kyūkō Tetsudō), predecessor of Kintetsu, in 1943.

Operations

Some trains go through to the Nagano Line and the Yoshino Line, some between Furuichi and Gose Station in Gose Line, and from Gose to Osaka Abenobashi. Local trains run between Osaka Abenobashi and Fujiidera or Furuichi, and between Furuichi and Kashiharajingū-mae (including conductorless trains between Furuichi and Kashiharajingū-mae).

Rapid service

Semi-Express (準急, Junkyū) (SmE)
Suburban Express (区間急行, Kukan Kyūkō) (SbE)
Express (急行, Kyūkō) (Ex)
Rapid Express (快速急行, Kaisoku Kyūkō): Rapid express trains are operated in spring, and the stops on the Minami Osaka Line are same with the express trains.
Limited Express (特急, Tokkyū) (LE)

Stations

S: Trains stop.
s: Part of limited express trains stop at Furuichi (Osaka-bound trains till 9:34 a.m. or 9:35 a.m., and Kashihara-bound and Yoshino-bound trains departing Osaka Abenobashi after 8 p.m.).^[1]
Local trains (普通) stop at every station.

For distances and connections, see route diagram.

No.	Stations	SmE	SbE	Ex	LE	Location
F01	Ōsaka Abenobashi	S	S	S	S	Abeno-ku, Osaka	Osaka Prefecture
F02	Koboreguchi					Abeno-ku, Osaka
F03	Kita-Tanabe					Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
F04	Imagawa
F05	Harinakano
F06	Yata
F07	Kawachi-Amami (Hannan University)					Matsubara
F08	Nunose
F09	Takaminosato
F10	Kawachi-Matsubara	S
F11	Eganoshō					Habikino
F12	Takawashi					Habikino
F13	Fujiidera	S				Fujiidera
F14	Hajinosato	S
F15	Dōmyōji	S
F16	Furuichi	S	S	S	s	Habikino
F17	Komagatani	S
F18	Kaminotaishi	S
F19	Nijōzan	S				Kashiba	Nara Prefecture
F20	Nijō-jinjaguchi	S				Katsuragi
F21	Taimadera	S
F22	Iwaki	S
F23	Shakudo	S	S	S	S
F24	Takadashi	S	S	S	S	Yamatotakada
F25	Ukiana	S	S			Yamatotakada
F26	Bōjō	S	S			Kashihara
F27	Kashiharajingū-nishiguchi	S	S
F42	Kashiharajingū-mae	S	S	S	S
Through section		from Furuichi to Kawachinagano on the Nagano Line (local trains, semi-express trains, express trains) from Shakudo to Kintetsu Gose on the Gose Line (local trains, semi-express trains) from Kashiharajingū-mae to Yoshino on the Yoshino Line (local trains, semi-express trains, express trains, limited express trains)

References

^ 平成26年のダイヤ変更について [Diagram revision in 2014] (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Osaka, Japan: Kintetsu Corporation. July 23, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2014.

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

External links

[revision2014-1] 平成26年のダイヤ変更について [Diagram revision in 2014] (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Osaka, Japan: Kintetsu Corporation. July 23, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2014.

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