Tōbu Tōjō Main Line
The Tōbu Tōjō Main Line (東上本線, Tōbu Tōjō Hon-sen) is a 75.0 km suburban train line that runs from Ikebukuro Station in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan to Yorii Station in Yorii, Saitama. It is usually called the Tōbu Tōjō Line (東武東上線, Tōbu Tōjō Sen) and is owned and operated by Tōbu Railway. The name of the line comes from the original plan to construct a line linking Tokyo (東京) with Joshu (上州) (the original name for the area now known as Gunma Prefecture).
Line details
- Total distance: 75.0 km
- Track gauge: 1,067 mm
- Electrification: 1,500 V DC overhead
History
On 1914-05-01, the Tōjō Railway began operating, covering the 33.5 km between Ikebukuro and Tanomosawa (located between the present stations of Kawagoeshi and Kasumigaseki). Two years later, in 1916, the line was extended 9.2 km from Kawagoemachi (now Kawagoeshi) to Sakadomachi (now Sakado), and at the same time, the section between Kawagoemachi and Tanomosawa was abandoned.
In 1920, the Tōjō Railway was absorbed into the Tōbu Railway, and in 1923, the line was extended 13.4 km from Sakadomachi to Ogawamachi. In 1925, the line was further extended 10.8 km from Ogawamachi to Yorii, completing the present-day Tōbu Tōjō Line. While the original plan had been to extend the line as far as Gunma Prefecture, the connection at Yorii did at least allow for through operations via the Chichibu Railway. The line from Ikebukuro to Yorii was electrified in 1929. The 10.9 km Ogose branch from Sakadomachi to Ogose was not opened until much later, in 1943. With the steadily growing population along the line, trains were gradually increased in length to the maximum 10 cars seen today, and the original single track was doubled and even quadrupled in some places (between Wakōshi and Shiki). The line from Ikebukuro to Yorii covers a total distance of 75 km.
Steam for freight haulage was finally withdrawn in 1959.
In 1987, the Yūrakuchō Subway reached Wakōshi, allowing through-running from Kawagoeshi on the Tōbu Tōjō Line to the then terminus of Shintomichō (later extended further east to the present terminus of Shinkiba).
Stations
- L = Local (普通)
- YL = Merges with the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line (直通)
- SE = Semi Express (準急)
- CE = Commuter Express (通勤急行)
- E = Express (急行)
- LE = Limited Express (特急)
Rolling stock currently used
- Tōbu 8000 series EMUs
- Tōbu 9000 series EMUs (also used on Yurakucho Line through-running services to Shin-Kiba)
- Tōbu 9050 series EMUs (also used on Yurakucho Line through-running services to Shin-Kiba)
- Tōbu 10000 series EMUs
- Tōbu 10030 series EMUs
- Tōbu 50000 series EMUs
- Tokyo Metro 07 series EMUs (Wakōshi - Kawagoeshi only)
- Tokyo Metro 7000 series EMUs (Wakōshi - Kawagoeshi only)
- Tokyo Metro 10000 series EMUs (Wakōshi - Kawagoeshi only)
Tōbu 8000 series
Tōbu 9000 series
Tōbu 9050 series
Tōbu 10030 series
Tōbu 50000 series
Tōkyō Metro 7000 series
Tōkyō Metro 07 series
Tōkyō Metro 10000 series
