Seibu Kokubunji Line

The Seibu Kokubunji Line (西武国分寺線, Seibu Kokubunji-sen) is a railway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Seibu Railway.

Seibu Kokubunji Line
A 2000 series train on the Kokubunji Line in July 2010
Overview
Native name西武国分寺線
Owner Seibu Railway
LocaleKanto region
TerminiKokubunji
Higashi-Murayama
Stations5
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemSeibu Shinjuku
Services1
Rolling stockSeibu 101 series, Seibu 2000 series, and Seibu 3000 series
History
OpenedDecember 21, 1894
Technical
Line length7.8 km (4.8 mi)
Number of tracks1 (1.2 km double-tracked)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Highest elevation300m

The line is part of the Seibu Shinjuku group of railway lines and connects suburban areas of western Tokyo to Seibu and JR main lines that run to central Tokyo. The line passes through the cities of Higashimurayama, Kodaira, and Kokubunji.

Stations
No. Station Distance
(km)		 Connections Location
SK01 Kokubunji 0.0
Kokubunji Tokyo
SK02 Koigakubo 2.1
SK03 Takanodai 3.6 Kodaira
SK04 Ogawa 5.1 Seibu Haijima Line
SK05 Higashi-Murayama 7.8 Seibu Shinjuku Line, Seibu-en Line Higashimurayama

Operations

Seibu 101 series, 2000 series, and 3000 series EMUs are used on this line. These trains are painted in Seibu Railway's distinctive yellow livery. All trains are local services and stop at all stations. Trains take 12 minutes to complete the 7.8 km journey.[1] The line is mostly single track between Higashi-Murayama and Koigakubo, but with double track sections at each station. Track between Koigakubo and Kokubunji is double track for the first 1.2 km and single track the last 0.9 km before Kokubunji station. The track changes from double to single at Hanesawa (羽根沢信号場, Hanesawa shingōjō).[2] The 1.2 km double-track section allows 8 trains per hour to operate in each direction during peak. At Kokubunji Station, trains use only a single platform (platform 5) at the terminus.[3]

History

The line was opened in 1894 as part of the Kawagoe Railway linking Kokubunji and Hon-Kawagoe. At this time, Ogawa was the only intermediate station on the Higashi-Murayama to Kokubunji section. In 1927, the Kawagoe railway was diverted at Higashi-murayama to a new section of track to Takadanobaba and so the Kokubunji line was formed from the orphaned section. The line was electrified in 1948. Two additional intermediate stations were later opened between Ogawa and Kokubunji: Takanodai opened in 1948, and Koigakubo opened in 1955. Setting up of Hanesawa and to double track from Koigakubo to Hanesawa is in 1968. Since July 2008, recorded announcements on trains have been provided in English in addition to Japanese.

References
  1. Seibu Kokubunji Line Weekday timetable, archived from the original on 2011-08-13
  2. "特集 西武鉄道" [Feature: Seibu Railway]. The Railway Pictorial. Japan: Denkisha Kenkyūkai (716): 12. April 2002. ISSN 0040-4047.
  3. Map of Kokubunji Station, archived from the original on 2011-08-07
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