Minami Osaka Line

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.

Minami Osaka Line
Kintetsu 6820 series EMU at Osaka Abenobashi Station on a semi-express service for Kawachi-Nagano
Overview
Native name南大阪線
LocaleOsaka Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
TerminiOsaka Abenobashi
Kashiharajingu-mae
Stations28
Service
Typeheavy rail
Operator(s)Kintetsu Railway
Depot(s)Furuichi
Branch: Amami
Rolling stock6020 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
OpenedMarch 24, 1898 (1898-03-24) (DomyojiFuruichi)
Technical
Line length39.7 km (24.7 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead lines
Operating speed110 km/h (68 mph) (limited express trains)
100 km/h (62 mph) (commuter trains)
Route map
Lines are of Kintetsu unless noted
Nankai: Tennoji Branch Line
0.0
F01 Ōsaka Abenobashi
, , Tennōji
JR West: Osaka Loop Line
JR West: Hanwa Line
JR West: Kansai Main Line (Yamatoji Line)
1.0
F02 Koboreguchi
2.1
F03 Kita-Tanabe
2.7
F04 Imagawa
Nankai: Hirano Line
Subway: Tanimachi Line (Komagawa-Nakano)
3.8
F05 Harinakano
5.1
F06 Yata
JR West: Hanwa Freight Line
7.3
F07 Kawachi-Amami
Furuichi Inspection Amami Depot
8.3
F08 Nunose
9.1
F09 Takaminosato
10.0
F10 Kawachi-Matsubara
11.6
F11 Eganoshō
12.6
F12 Takawashi
13.7
F13 Fujiidera
14.8
Ōjingoryō-mae
abandoned in 1974
15.6
F14 Hajinosato
16.3
F15 Dōmyōji
17.8
Konda Hachiman
abandoned in 1974
18.3
F16/O16 Furuichi
Furuichi Inspection Depot
Ishikawa River
20.0
F17 Komagatani
22.0
F18 Kaminotaishi
Prefectural border (Osaka/Nara)
24.9
Donzurubō
27.3
F19 Nijōzan
28.4
F20 Nijō-jinjaguchi
30.4
F21 Taimadera
31.1
F22 Iwaki
32.3
F23/P23 Shakudo
34.2
F24 Takadashi
JR West: Wakayama Line
35.6
F25 Ukiana
36.8
F26 Bōjō
38.5
F27 Kashiharajingū-nishiguchi
Kashiharajingū
abandoned in 1939
Yoshino Line, Unebi Line
39.7
F42 Kashiharajingū-mae
Track conversion facility
26000 series Limited Express EMU (before renovation)

The network formed by this line and some branch lines use a track gauge of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), making them the only lines of the Kintetsu network at this gauge, other lines of Kintetsu are 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 or the Yoshino Line, some operate between Furuichi and Gose Station on the Gose Line, and some from Gose run through 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

Local train (普通 Futsu)

Running all day, but the operation is divided at Furuichi station except in the early morning and late night. 

Osaka-Abenobashi-Furuichi Osaka Abenobashi - Fujiidera or Furuichi is the basic operating pattern, with four trains per hour between Osaka-Abenobashi and Fujiidera during the day, along with two additional trains between Osaka Abenobashi and Furuichi. A few trains run from Kawachi-Amami to Osaka Abenobashi in the early morning and back to Kawachi-Amami station late at night. Local trains are overtaken by Semi express trains at Imagawa, and by Limited Express or express trains at Kawachi Amami.

Furuichi-Kashiharajingu-Mae or Yoshino Normal operation is between Furuichi and Kashihara Jingu-mae. Some trains continue to Yoshino on the Yoshino Line in early morning and late nights.

In this section semi-express trains make all stops, but few trains operate here as most run on the Nagano Line after Furuichi. Local and semi-express trains to Osaka Abenobashi twice per hour alternate to provide constant daytime service. There is a direct connection from the Gose Line at Shakudo, and some trains run between Shakudo and Kashihara Jingu-mae only on weekday mornings.

Semi-Express (準急, Junkyū) (SmE)

Semi-express trains operate between Osaka Abenobashi - Kashihara Jingu-mae or Kawachinagano. Two trains per hour run to Kashihara Jingu-mae and four to Kawachinagano. During morning rush hours, some trains operate from Gose to Osaka Abenobashi. A few trains also continue from Kashihara Jingu-mae to Yoshino as well.

Suburban Express (区間急行, Kukan Kyūkō) (SbE)

One train on weekday mornings from Kashihara Jingu-Mae to Osaka Abenobashi and two trains on weekday evenings and one on weekend evenings in the reverse direction.

Express (急行, Kyūkō) (Ex)

Two trains per hour from Osaka Abenobashi, through to Yoshino on the Yoshino line. Unlike other trains on this line, they are not overtaken by limited express trains at intermediate stations.

Rapid Express (快速急行, Kaisoku Kyūkō)

Rapid express trains are operated in spring, and the stops on the Minami Osaka Line are the same as for express trains. It waits for up to 12 minutes at Kashihara Jingu-mae Station where it is overtaken by limited express trains, taking longer than normal express trains.

Limited Express (特急, Tokkyū) (LE)

Limited express trains operate between Osaka Abenobashi and Kashihara Jingu-mae or Yoshino, one to two trains per hour on weekdays and two per hour on weekends. Some trains are operated by dedicated Sakura Liner rolling stock. To board limited express trains, a limited express ticket is needed in addition to a regular ticket.

Limited Express Blue Symphony (特急 青のシンフォニー)(LE)

Operates twice a day except Wednesdays (a normal limited express train operates instead, but without the dedicated name or train set). Stations are the same as regular limited express trains. Limited Express. To board the Limited Express Blue Symphony, a limited express ticket and special car ticket are needed in addition to a regular ticket.

Stations

  • 〇: All trains stop.
  • △: Some limited express trains stop at Furuichi (Osaka-bound trains until 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 Abeno-ku, Osaka Osaka Prefecture
 F02  Koboreguchi        
 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      
 F11  Eganoshō         Habikino
 F12  Takawashi        
 F13  Fujiidera       Fujiidera
 F14  Hajinosato      
 F15  Dōmyōji      
 F16  Furuichi Habikino
 F17  Komagatani      
 F18  Kaminotaishi      
 F19  Nijōzan       Kashiba Nara Prefecture
 F20  Nijō-jinjaguchi       Katsuragi
 F21  Taimadera      
 F22  Iwaki      
 F23  Shakudo
 F24  Takadashi Yamatotakada
 F25  Ukiana    
 F26  Bōjō     Kashihara
 F27  Kashiharajingū-nishiguchi    
 F42  Kashiharajingū-mae
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

  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.

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

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