Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line

The Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line (名鉄名古屋本線, Meitetsu Nagoya Honsen) or Nagoya Line is a railway line operated by the private railway operator Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu), connecting Toyohashi Station in Toyohashi with Meitetsu Gifu Station in Gifu.

Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line
1000 series EMU
A Meitetsu 1000 series "Panorama Super" EMU on a limited express service
Overview
Other name(s)Nagoya Line
Native name名鉄名古屋本線
OwnerMeitetsu
LocaleAichi
Gifu
Termini
Stations60
Service
TypeCommuter rail
Daily ridership221,098[1] (2008)
History
Opened1 September 1944 (1944-09-01) (as it is today)[2]
Technical
Line length99.8 km (62.01 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationOverhead catenary 1,500 V DC
Operating speed120 km/h (75 mph)
3500 series EMU on a commuter service

Since its amalgamation in 1944 (see History section) this has been the Meitetsu main line. Many branch lines of Meitetsu have through services to/from the Nagoya Line. Toyokawa, Nishio, Tokoname (which has its through services with Airport, Kōwa, Chita), and Inuyama lines all have through services bound for Meitetsu Nagoya, making the segment around that station extremely busy. Between Biwajima Junction and Kanayama, 26 trains proceed per hour, even during off-peak periods. All the stations accept manaca, a smart card.

The line largely parallels the Tōkaidō Main Line in the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area (Greater Nagoya). Local traffic on the Nagoya Line used to be much heavier than on the Tōkaidō Main Line, but since the privatization of the Japanese National Railways (JNR), transforming into the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) in this area, competition has become more significant in the Chūkyō area.

Due to historical reasons, the line shares its track between Hirai Junction and Toyohashi Station with the JR Iida Line. The agreement between two companies prohibits Meitetsu to have more than 6 trains in one direction per hour on the 3.8 km of shared tracks. Consequently, local trains are unable to reach Toyohashi, instead, terminate at Ina Station.

Basic data
  • Distance: 99.8 km (approx. 62.0 mi.)
  • Stations: 60
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Track:
    • Quadruple: Jingū-mae to Kanayama
    • Double: Hirai Signal Box to Jingū-mae, Kanayama to Meitetsu Gifu
    • Single: Toyohashi to Hirai Signal Box (A shared track with JR Iida Line, virtually double-tracked)
  • Electric supply: 1,500 V DC
  • Block system: Automatic
  • Maximum speed at service: 120 km/h (85 km/h between Toyohashi and Hirai Signal Box.)

Service patterns
L: Local (普通, Futsū)
SE: Semi Express (準急, Junkyū)
EX: Express (急行, Kyūkō)
RE: Rapid Express (快速急行, Kaisoku Kyūkō)
LE: Limited Express (特急, Tokkyū)
RL: Rapid Limited Express (快速特急, Kaisoku Tokkyū)
MU: μSKY Limited Express (ミュースカイ, Myū Sukai)

Stations

For abbreviations of rapid trains, refer to the above section. For distances and connections, see the route diagram. Trains stop at stations marked "●" and pass stations marked "|".

Some trains stop at stations indicated by "▲". At Sukaguchi, Limited Expresses only from Tsushima Line stop (which is marked "τ"). For distances and transfers, see the route diagram.

No. Station Japanese Local Semi

Express

 Express Rapid

Express

 Limited

Express

 Rapid Limited

Express

 μSKY

Limited Express

 Transfers Location
NH01 Toyohashi 豊橋 No service ● To
Chubu
Centrair
International
Airport		 ● ● To
Chubu
Centrair
International
Airport		 Tōkaidō Shinkansen
Tokaido Main Line (CA42)
Iida Line (CD00)
■ Toyohashi Railroad Atsumi Line (Shin-Toyohashi) (01)
■ Toyohashi Railroad Azumada Main Line (Ekimae) (1)		 Toyohashi Aichi
N/A Hirai Junction 平井信号場 No passengers No passengers
NH02 Ina 伊奈 ● ● ● ▲ ▲ Toyokawa
NH03 Odabuchi 小田渕 ● | | | |
NH04 Kō 国府 ● ● ● ● ▲  TK  Toyokawa Line
NH05 Goyu 御油 ● | | | |
NH06 Meiden-Akasaka 名電赤坂 ● | | | |
NH07 Meiden-Nagasawa 名電長沢 ● | | | |
NH08 Motojuku 本宿 ● ● ● ○ ○ Okazaki
NH09 Meiden Yamanaka 名電山中 ● | | | |
N/A Maiki Junction 舞木信号場 No passengers No passengers
NH10 Fujikawa 藤川 ● ● | | |
NH11 Miai 美合 ● ● ● ▲ ▲
NH12 Otogawa 男川 ● ● ▲ | |
NH13 Higashi-Okazaki 東岡崎 ● ● ● ● ●
NH14 Okazakikōen-mae 岡崎公園前 ● ● ▲ | | ■ Aichi Loop Line (Naka-Okazaki) (03)
NH15 Yahagibashi 矢作橋 ● ● ▲ | |
NH16 Utō 宇頭　 ● ● ▲ | |
NH17 Shin-Anjō 新安城 ● ● ● ● |  GN  Nishio Line Anjō
NH18 Ushida 牛田 ● ▲ | | | Chiryū
NH19 Chiryū 知立 ● ● ● ● ●  MU   MY  Mikawa Line
NH20 Hitotsugi 一ツ木 ● | | | | Kariya
NH21 Fujimatsu 富士松 ● | | | |
NH22 Toyoake 豊明 ● ● ▲ | | Toyoake
NH23 Zengo 前後 ● ● ● | |
NH24 Chūkyō-keibajō-mae 中京競馬場前 ● ● ▲ | | Midori, Nagoya
NH25 Arimatsu 有松 ● ● ▲ | |
NH26 Sakyōyama 左京山 ● ▲ | | |
NH27 Narumi 鳴海 ● ● ▲ ▲ |
NH28 Moto-Hoshizaki 本星崎 ● | | | | Minami, Nagoya
NH29 Moto-Kasadera 本笠寺 ● ▲ | | |
NH30 Sakura 桜 ● | | | |
NH31 Yobitsugi 呼続 ● | | | |
NH32 Horita 堀田 ● ● ● | | Mizuho, Nagoya
NH33 Jingū-mae 神宮前 ● ● ● ● ● ● ●  TA  Tokoname Line Atsuta, Nagoya
NH34 Kanayama 金山 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Tokaido Main Line (CA66)
Chūō Main Line (CF01)
Nagoya Municipal Subway Meijō Line (M01)
Nagoya Municipal Subway Meiko Line (E01)		 Naka, Nagoya
NH35 Sannō 山王 ● | | | | | | Nakagawa, Nagoya
NH36 Meitetsu-Nagoya 名鉄名古屋 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Tōkaidō Shinkansen (Nagoya)
Tokaido Main Line (Nagoya) (CA68)
Chūō Main Line (Nagoya) (CF00)
Kansai Main Line (Nagoya) (CJ00)
Nagoya Municipal Subway Higashiyama Line (Nagoya) (H08)
Nagoya Municipal Subway Sakura-dōri Line (Nagoya) (S02)
Kintetsu Nagoya Line (Kintetsu-Nagoya) (E01)
 AN  Aonami Line (Nagoya) (AN01)		 Nakamura, Nagoya
NH37 Sakō 栄生 ● ● ● | | | | Nishi, Nagoya
NH38 Higashi-Biwajima 東枇杷島 ● | | | | | |  IY  Inuyama Line
— Biwajima Junction 枇杷島分岐点 No passengers Kiyosu
NH39 Nishi-Biwajima 西枇杷島 ● | | | | | |
NH40 Futatsuiri 二ツ杁 ● ● ▲ | | | |
NH41 Shinkawabashi 新川橋 ● | | | | | |
NH42 Sukaguchi 須ヶ口 ● ● ● ● τ | |  TB  Tsushima Line
NH43 Marunouchi 丸ノ内 ● | | | | | |
NH44 Shin-Kiyosu 新清州 ● ● ● ● | | |
NH45 Ōsato 大里 ● ● ▲ ▲ | | | Inazawa
NH46 Okuda 奥田 ● | | | | | |
NH47 Kōnomiya 国府宮 ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
NH48 Shima-Ujinaga 島氏永 ● | | | | | |
NH49 Myōkōji 妙興寺 ● | | | | | | Ichinomiya
NH50 Meitetsu Ichinomiya 名鉄一宮 ● ● ● ● ● ● ●  BS  Bisai Line
Tokaido Main Line (Owari-Ichinomiya) (CA72)
NH51 Imaise 今伊勢 ● | | | | | |
NH52 Iwato 石刀 ● | | | | | |
NH53 Shin-Kisogawa 新木曽川 ● ● ● ● ○ ● |
NH54 Kuroda 黒田 ● | | | | | |
NH55 Kisogawa-zutsumi 木曽川堤 ● | | | | | |
NH56 Kasamatsu 笠松 ● ● ● ● ▲ ● |  TH  Takehana Line Kasamatsu, Hashima Gifu
NH57 Ginan 岐南 ● | | | | | | Ginan, Hashima
NH58 Chajo 茶所 ● | | | | | | Gifu
NH59 Kanō 加納 ● | | | | | |
NH60 Meitetsu Gifu 名鉄岐阜 ● ● ● ● ● ● ●  KG  Kakamigahara Line
Tokaido Main Line (Gifu) (CA74)
Takayama Main Line (Gifu) (CG00)
1: Some trains of the marked line directly go through Nagoya Line bound for Meitetsu Nagoya.
2: All trains of Inuyama line directly go through Nagoya Line bound for Meitetsu Nagoya.
2: Some trains of Takehana Line directly go through Nagoya Line bound for Meitetsu Gifu.

History

Four different companies built sections of the line, which were subsequently amalgamated and linked to create today's line.

  • The Nagoya Electric Railway opened the Ōshikirichō to Marunouchi section (Ichinomiya, Tsushima, Kiyosu Line), dual track and electrified at 600 V DC, in 1914. Transferred to Nagoya Railway (old) in 1921.
  • The Bisai Railway opened the Kōnomiya to Ichinomiya section (Nakamura Line), single track and electrified at 600 V DC, in 1924. Merged with Nagoya Railroad in 1925 (changes name to Kōnomiya Branch Line).
  • The Mino Electric Railway opened the Kasamatsu to Gifu section (Kasamatsu Line), single track and electrified at 600 V DC, in 1914. Merged with Nagoya Railroad in 1930, and the company changed its name to Meigi Railway.

The Marunouchi to Kōnomiya section was opened by the Nagoya Railway in 1928, the Ichinomiya to Kasamatsu section was opened by the Meigi Railway in 1935, and by 1935 the line was dual track as far as Kanō. Meanwhile, the Aichi Electric Railway opened the Jingu-mae to Arimatsu section in 1917 (Arimatsu Line), electrified at 600 V DC, and extended the line to Toyohashi in 1927 (becoming the Toyohashi Line). The Narumi to Yahagibashi section was double-tracked in 1924, and by 1935, the line was double-tracked from Horita to the Hirai Signal Box. The voltage on the line was increased to 1,500 V DC in 1925.

In 1935 the Aichi Electric Railway merged with Meigi Railway, and the company changed its name to Nagoya Railroad. The Jingū-mae to Horita section was double-tracked in 1942, and in 1944, the Nagoya to Jingū-mae section opened as dual track, linking the two sections, although through-running was not possible until the voltage on the Nagoya to Gifu section had been increased to 1,500 V DC in 1948. The line was renamed the Nagoya Main Line.

Former connecting lines
  • Marunouchi Station: The Nagoya Electric Railway opened a 1 km line to Kiyosu-Chō, electrified at 600 V DC, in 1914. The company merged with Meitetsu in 1930. Services were deemed non-essential and ceased in 1944, and the line was formally closed in 1948 when the voltage on the main line was increased to 1,500 V DC.
  • Ichinomiya Station: The Nagoya Electric Railway opened a 7 km line electrified at 600 V DC from Iwakura on its Inuyama Line in 1913. The voltage on the line was increased to 1,500 V DC in 1948, and the line closed in 1965.
  • Gifu Station: Two lines connected here via the Gifu tram system (which itself closed in 2005):

The Mino Electric Railway opened an 18 km 1,067 mm gauge line electrified at 600 V DC to Hon Ibi in 1928. The company merged with Meitetsu in 1930, the line closed in 2001. An 11 km 1,067 mm gauge branch from Kurono (5 km from Hon Ibi) was opened by the Tanigumi Railway to its namesake town in 1926, electrified at 600 V DC. The company merged with Meitetsu in 1944, and the line closed in 2001.

The Nagara Light Railway opened a 5 km 1,067 mm gauge line to Takatomi in 1915, and was acquired by the Mino Electric Railway in 1920, which electrified the line at 600 V DC, merging with Meitetsu in 1930. The line closed in 1960.

See also

References

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

  1. 各鉄軌道会社のご案内 (Report). Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  2. 曽根, 悟 (September 2010), "名古屋鉄道 1", 週刊朝日百科, 週刊歴史でめぐる鉄道全路線 (in Japanese), Japan: Asahi Shimbun Publications, Inc., no. 8, p. 3, ISBN 978-4-02-340138-9
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