The Chūō Main Line (Japanese: 中央本線, Hepburn: Chūō-honsen), commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It connects Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is currently the fastest rail link between the cities.
The eastern portion, the Chūō East Line (中央東線, Chūō-tōsen), is operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), while the western portion, the Chūō West Line (中央西線, Chūō-saisen), is operated by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). The dividing point between the two companies is Shiojiri, where express trains from both operators continue north onto the Shinonoi Line towards the cities of Matsumoto and Nagano. Compared to the huge urban areas at either end of the Chūō Line, its central portion is lightly traveled; the Shiojiri-Nakatsugawa corridor is only served by one limited express and one local service per hour.
The Chūō Main Line passes through the mountainous center of Honshu. Its highest point (near Fujimi) is about 900 meters (3,000 ft) above sea level and much of the line has a gradient of 25 per mil (2.5% or 1 in 40). Along the Chūō East Line section, peaks of the Akaishi and Kiso as well as Mount Yatsugatake can be seen from trains. The Chūō West Line parallels the old Nakasendō highway (famous for the preserved post towns of Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku) and the steep Kiso Valley.
This section lists all stations on the Chūō Main Line and generally explains regional services on the line. In addition, there are limited express services connecting major cities along the line, namely Azusa, Super Azusa, Kaiji, Hamakaiji, Narita Express and Shinano. For details of the limited express trains, see the relevant articles.
The section between Tokyo and Mitaka is grade-separated, with no level crossings. Between Ochanomizu and Mitaka, the Chūō Main Line has four tracks; two of them are local tracks (緩行線, kankō-sen) with platforms at every station; the other two are rapid tracks (快速線, kaisoku-sen)[citation needed] with some stations without platforms. The local tracks are used by the Chūō-Sōbu Line local trains, while the rapid tracks carry rapid service and limited express trains. The Tokyo-Mitaka portion is a vital cross-city rail link.
The commuter services on the rapid tracks are collectively called the Chūō Line (Rapid) in comparison with the Chūō Line (Local) (中央線各駅停車, Chūō-sen-kakuekiteisha) or the Chūō-Sōbu Line on the local tracks. The former is usually referred to simply as the Chūō Line and the latter the Sōbu Line. Separate groups of trainsets are used for these two groups of services: cars with an orange belt for the rapid service trains and cars with a yellow belt for the local service trains. Signs at stations also use these colors to indicate the services.
The four-track section ends at Mitaka. Most of the section between Mitaka and Tachikawa had been elevated between 2008 and 2011 to eliminate level crossings. Plans have been proposed to add another two tracks as far as Tachikawa, but were not included in the track elevation.
Takao - Shiojiriedit
Most of the rapid service trains from Tokyo terminate at Takao, where the line exits the large urban area of Tokyo. The section between Takao and Ōtsuki still carries some commuter trains as well as long distance local trains and Limited Express trains. The Kaiji limited express terminates at Kōfu, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture, while the Azusa continue beyond Shiojiri to Matsumoto via the Shinonoi Line.
All stations from Tachikawa to Shiojiri are served by the Chūō Main Line Local. Local trains from Tachikawa and Takao run as far as Matsumoto or even Nagano.
The Okaya-Shiojiri branch is an old route of the Chūō Main Line. It carries a small number of shuttle trains and trains from/to the Iida Line, which branches off at Tatsuno.
Prior to the opening of the new route between Okaya and Shiojiri, there was a junction (Higashi-Shiojiri Junction (東塩尻信号場)) between Ono and Shiojiri stations. It had a reversing layout. The signal station was closed on 12 October 1983.
chūō, main, line, railway, line, japan, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, sch. Railway line in Japan This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources 160 Chuō Main Line 160 160 news 160 newspapers 160 books 160 scholar 160 JSTOR September 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Chuō Main LineJB JC COE353 Series Kaiji on the Chuo Main Line OverviewNative name中央本線LocaleTokyo Kanagawa Yamanashi Nagano Gifu Aichi prefecturesTerminiTokyoNagoyaStations112ServiceTypeHeavy rail Passenger Freight RailIntercity rail Regional rail Commuter railOperator s JR East JR CentralHistoryOpened11 160 April 1889 59 32 135 years ago 160 1889 04 11 Shinjuku Tachikawa TechnicalLine length424 6 160 km 263 8 160 mi Track gauge1 067 160 mm 3 160 ft 160 6 160 in Electrification1 500 160 V 160 DC Overhead lines Operating speed130 160 km h 81 160 mph Maximum incline2 5 Route map The Chuō Main Line Japanese 中央本線 Hepburn Chuō honsen commonly called the Chuō Line is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan It connects Tokyo and Nagoya although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is currently the fastest rail link between the cities The eastern portion the Chuō East Line 中央東線 Chuō tōsen is operated by the East Japan Railway Company JR East while the western portion the Chuō West Line 中央西線 Chuō saisen is operated by the Central Japan Railway Company JR Central The dividing point between the two companies is Shiojiri where express trains from both operators continue north onto the Shinonoi Line towards the cities of Matsumoto and Nagano Compared to the huge urban areas at either end of the Chuō Line its central portion is lightly traveled the Shiojiri Nakatsugawa corridor is only served by one limited express and one local service per hour The Chuō Main Line passes through the mountainous center of Honshu Its highest point near Fujimi is about 900 meters 3 000 160 ft above sea level and much of the line has a gradient of 25 per mil 2 5 or 1 in 40 Along the Chuō East Line section peaks of the Akaishi and Kiso as well as Mount Yatsugatake can be seen from trains The Chuō West Line parallels the old Nakasendō highway famous for the preserved post towns of Tsumago juku and Magome juku and the steep Kiso Valley Contents 1 Routes 2 Stations and services 2 1 Tokyo Mitaka 2 2 Mitaka Takao 2 3 Takao Shiojiri 2 3 1 Okaya Shiojiri 2 4 Shiojiri Nakatsugawa 2 5 Nakatsugawa Nagoya 2 6 Junctions 3 Rolling stock 3 1 Chuō East Line JR East 3 2 Chuō West Line JR Central 3 3 Freight train 4 History 4 1 Former connecting lines 4 2 Proposed connecting lines 4 3 Accidents 5 References 6 External links Routes edit Entire Route Tokyo Nagoya including branch 424 6 160 km 263 8 160 mi East Line Tokyo Shiojiri 222 1 160 km 138 0 160 mi Tokyo Kanda 1 3 160 km 0 81 160 mi officially part of the Tōhoku Main Line Kanda Yoyogi 8 3 160 km 5 2 160 mi Yoyogi Shinjuku 0 7 160 km 0 43 160 mi officially part of the Yamanote Line Shinjuku Shiojiri 211 8 160 km 131 6 160 mi East Line Tatsuno branch line Okaya Tatsuno Shiojiri 27 7 160 km 17 2 160 mi West Line Shiojiri Nagoya 174 8 160 km 108 6 160 mi Shiojiri Kanayama 171 5 160 km 106 6 160 mi Kanayama Nagoya 3 3 160 km 2 1 160 mi alongside Tōkaidō Main Line Stations and services edit Chuō Main Line East Line Legend Tōkaidō Shinkansen Tōkaidō Main Line Yamanote Line Keihin Tōhoku Line Yokosuka Line Keiyō Line 0 0 Tokyo M Sōbu Line Rapid Nihonbashi gawa Tohoku Shinkansen 1 3 Kanda G Ueno Tokyo Line 1 9 Manseibashi 2 1 Shōheibashi Until 1912 Chuō Sōbu Line 2 6 Ochanomizu M C 3 4 Suidōbashi Iidamachi Until 1999 4 3 Iidabashi 4 6 Ushigome 5 8 Ichigaya Chuō Line Rapid Chuō Sōbu Line 6 6 Yotsuya N Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line 7 9 Shinanomachi Aoyama temporary 8 6 Sendagaya Shinjuku Gyoen temporary Yamanote Line Freight Yamanote Line 9 6 Yoyogi Odakyu Odawara Line 10 3 Shinjuku M S E Keio Line Seibu Shinjuku Seibu Shinjuku Line Yamanote Line Freight Yamanote Line 11 7 Ōkubo 12 8 Higashi Nakano Tokyo Metro Tozai Line 14 7 Nakano 16 1 Kōenji 17 3 Asagaya 18 7 Ogikubo M 20 6 Nishi Ogikubo Keio Inokashira Line 22 5 Kichijōji 32 24 10 0 32 Mitaka Mitaka Rail Yard 3 2 Musashino Stadium Until 1959 25 7 Musashi Sakai Seibu Tamagawa Line 27 0 Sakai Signal Box Until 1937 27 4 Higashi Koganei 29 1 Musashi Koganei Seibu Tamako Line 31 4 Kokubunji Seibu Kokubunji Line Shimogawara Line 32 8 Nishi Kokubunji Musashino Line 34 5 Kunitachi Railway Technical Research Institute Nambu Line 37 5 Tachikawa Tachigawa Kita Tachigawa Minami Tama Toshi Monorail Line Ōme Line 39 2 Tamagawa Signal Box Until 1946 Tamagawahara Freight Tama River 40 8 Hino 43 1 Toyoda Toyoda Rail Yard Hachikō Line Keio Line Yokohama Line Keiō Hachiōji Hachiōji Until 1901 47 4 Hachiōji Since 1901 49 8 Nishi Hachiōji Keio Goryō Line Musashi Yokoyama 52 0 Higashi Asakawa Temporary Until 1960 Keiō Takao Line 53 1 Takao 57 2 Kobotoke Signal Box Until 1964 Kobotoke Tunnel Tokyo Kanagawa 62 6 Sagamiko 66 3 Fujino Kanagawa Yamanashi 69 8 Uenohara 74 0 Shiotsu Arakura Tunnel 77 6 Yanagawa Gozenyama Tunnel 81 2 Torisawa Katsuragawa Saruhashi Tunnel 85 3 Saruhashi 87 8 Ōtsuki Fujikyuko Line Katsuragawa 93 9 Hatsukari 98 9 Hirogawara Signal Box Until 1908 100 4 Sasago Sasago Tunnel 106 5 Kai Yamato 112 5 Katsunuma budōkyō 116 9 Enzan 120 1 Higashi Yamanashi 122 2 Yamanashishi Fuefukigawa 125 0 Kasugaichō 127 8 Isawaonsen 131 2 Sakaori 131 8 Kai Zenkōji Temporary 1917 Minobu Line Kanente 134 1 Kōfu Kōfu Depot 138 6 Ryuō 142 7 Shiozaki Shiokawa 147 0 Nirasaki 151 2 Shimpu 154 7 Anayama 160 1 Hinoharu 166 3 Nagasaka 172 0 Takinomae Signal Box Until 1966 173 7 Kobuchizawa Koumi Line Yamanashi Nagano 178 2 Shinano Sakai Tatsubagawa 182 9 Fujimi 186 1 Suzurannosato 188 0 Aoyagi 192 1 Kifune Signal Box Until 1967 195 2 Chino 198 9 Fumonji Junction 201 9 Kami Suwa 206 3 Shimo Suwa 210 4 Okaya Tenryu River Tenryu River Enrei Tunnel 218 2 Midoriko Shiojiri Until 1982 Main Line Shiojiri Depot Main Line 222 1 Shiojiri Since 1982 Shinonoi Line This section lists all stations on the Chuō Main Line and generally explains regional services on the line In addition there are limited express services connecting major cities along the line namely Azusa Super Azusa Kaiji Hamakaiji Narita Express and Shinano For details of the limited express trains see the relevant articles Tokyo Mitaka edit Main articles Chuō Line Rapid and Chuō Sōbu Line 0 kilometer post at Tokyo Station The section between Tokyo and Mitaka is grade separated with no level crossings Between Ochanomizu and Mitaka the Chuō Main Line has four tracks two of them are local tracks 緩行線 kankō sen with platforms at every station the other two are rapid tracks 快速線 kaisoku sen 91 citation needed 93 with some stations without platforms The local tracks are used by the Chuō Sōbu Line local trains while the rapid tracks carry rapid service and limited express trains The Tokyo Mitaka portion is a vital cross city rail link The commuter services on the rapid tracks are collectively called the Chuō Line Rapid in comparison with the Chuō Line Local 中央線各駅停車 Chuō sen kakuekiteisha or the Chuō Sōbu Line on the local tracks The former is usually referred to simply as the Chuō Line and the latter the Sōbu Line Separate groups of trainsets are used for these two groups of services cars with an orange belt for the rapid service trains and cars with a yellow belt for the local service trains Signs at stations also use these colors to indicate the services This section is located entirely within Tokyo Mitaka Takao edit Main article Chuō Line Rapid The four track section ends at Mitaka Most of the section between Mitaka and Tachikawa had been elevated between 2008 and 2011 to eliminate level crossings Plans have been proposed to add another two tracks as far as Tachikawa but were not included in the track elevation Takao Shiojiri edit Most of the rapid service trains from Tokyo terminate at Takao where the line exits the large urban area of Tokyo The section between Takao and Ōtsuki still carries some commuter trains as well as long distance local trains and Limited Express trains The Kaiji limited express terminates at Kōfu the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture while the Azusa continue beyond Shiojiri to Matsumoto via the Shinonoi Line All stations from Tachikawa to Shiojiri are served by the Chuō Main Line Local Local trains from Tachikawa and Takao run as far as Matsumoto or even Nagano Legends All trains stop Stop eastbound services only Stop westbound services only Station No Name Japanese Distance km Chuō Main Line Local Rapid Comm Rapid Chuō SpecialRapid Comm SpecialRapid Transfers Location Between stations Total Through service to Chuō Line Rapid for Tachikawa Tachikawa Shinjuku and Tokyo JC 24 Takao 高尾 3 3 53 1 JC Chuō Line Rapid Keiō Takao Line Hachiōji Tokyo JC 25 Sagamiko 相模湖 9 5 62 6 Sagamihara Kanagawa JC 26 Fujino 藤野 3 7 66 3 JC 27 Uenohara 上野原 3 5 69 8 Uenohara Yamanashi JC 28 Shiotsu 四方津 4 2 74 0 JC 29 Yanagawa 梁川 3 6 77 6 Ōtsuki JC 30 Torisawa 鳥沢 3 6 81 2 JC 31 Saruhashi 猿橋 4 1 85 3 JC 32 Ōtsuki 大月 2 5 87 8 Fujikyuko Line some through trains to from Kawaguchiko Through service to Chuō Main Line for Kōfu see below Some to Fujikyuko Line for Kawaguchiko Station No Station Japanese Distance km Transfers Location JC 32 Ōtsuki 大月 87 8 Fujikyuko Line Ōtsuki Yamanashi CO 33 Hatsukari 初狩 93 9 160 CO 34 Sasago 笹子 100 4 160 CO 35 Kai Yamato 甲斐大和 106 5 160 Kōshu CO 36 Katsunuma budōkyō 勝沼ぶどう郷 112 5 160 CO 37 Enzan 塩山 116 9 160 CO 38 Higashi Yamanashi 東山梨 120 1 160 Yamanashi CO 39 Yamanashishi 山梨市 122 2 160 CO 40 Kasugaichō 春日居町 125 0 160 Fuefuki CO 41 Isawa onsen 石和温泉 127 8 160 CO 42 Sakaori 酒折 131 2 160 Kōfu CO 43 Kōfu 甲府 134 1 Minobu Line CO 44 Ryuō 竜王 138 6 160 Kai CO 45 Shiozaki 塩崎 142 7 160 CO 46 Nirasaki 韮崎 147 0 160 Nirasaki CO 47 Shimpu 新府 151 2 160 CO 48 Anayama 穴山 154 7 160 CO 49 Hinoharu 日野春 160 1 160 Hokuto CO 50 Nagasaka 長坂 166 3 160 CO 51 Kobuchizawa 小淵沢 173 7 Koumi Line Shinano Sakai 信濃境 178 2 160 Fujimi Nagano Fujimi 富士見 182 9 160 Suzurannosato すずらんの里 186 1 160 Aoyagi 青柳 188 0 160 Chino Chino 茅野 195 2 160 Fumonji Junction 普門寺信号場 198 9 160 Suwa Kami Suwa 上諏訪 201 9 160 Shimo Suwa 下諏訪 206 3 160 Shimosuwa Okaya 岡谷 210 4 Chuō Line For Tatsuno Okaya Midoriko みどり湖 218 2 160 Shiojiri Shiojiri 塩尻 222 1 Chuō Line for Tatsuno Shinonoi Line Chuō Line for Kiso Fukushima and Nagoya Okaya Shiojiri edit Okaya Shiojiri Branch Legend Main Line 0 0 Okaya Tenryu River 3 5 Kawagishi 6 5 Hirade Signal Box Until 1983 Tenryũ River 9 5 Tatsuno Iida Line 13 8 Shinano Kawashima 17 8 Ono 22 7 Higashi Shiojiri Signal Box Until 1983 Shiojiri Until 1982 Main Line Shiojiri Depot Main Line 27 7 Shiojiri Since 1982 Shinonoi Line The Okaya Shiojiri branch is an old route of the Chuō Main Line It carries a small number of shuttle trains and trains from to the Iida Line which branches off at Tatsuno Station Japanese Distance km Transfers Location Okaya 岡谷 210 4 Chuō Line for Kami Suwa Midoriko Okaya Nagano Kawagishi 川岸 213 9 160 Tatsuno 辰野 219 9 Iida Line Tatsuno Shinano Kawashima 信濃川島 224 2 160 Ono 小野 228 2 160 Shiojiri 塩尻 238 1 Chuō Line for Midoriko Shinonoi LineChuō Line for Kiso Fukushima Shiojiri Prior to the opening of the new route between Okaya and Shiojiri there was a junction Higashi Shiojiri Junction 東塩尻信号場 between Ono and Shiojiri stations It had a reversing layout The signal station was closed on 12 October 1983 Shiojiri Nakatsugawa edit Chuō Main Line West Line Legend Shinonoi Line 222 1 Shiojiri Main Line for Okaya Okaya Shiojiri Railway JR East JR Central 226 3 Seba 231 0 Hideshio Hideshio Tunnel 大岨T 中の沢T Katahira Tunnel 236 2 Niekawa 権現T 241 4 Kiso Hirasawa Takami Tunnel 243 2 Narai Torii Tunnel 249 8 Yabuhara 新鷲鳥T 鷲鳥T 253 1 Yamabukiyama Signal Box Until 1968 新鷲鳥T 鷲鳥T 255 5 Miyanokoshi 258 3 Harano Ueno Tunnel 合沢T 矢崎T 263 8 Kiso Fukushima Kiso Tunnel Nakahira Signal Box Until 1982 棧T 271 1 Agematsu 寝覚T 274 9 小野ノ滝 SIgnal Box Until 1969 277 7 Kuramoto 282 5 Suhara Nakayama Tunnel 285 8 Ōkuwa 関山T 288 8 Nojiri 292 5 Junikane 十二河原T 新十二河原T 第三羅天T 第二羅天T 花巻T 第一羅天T 298 0 Nagiso Tokusho Signal Box Until 1923 兜T 1 015m Kiso River Shimada Tunnel Tadachi Until 1973 304 3 Tadachi Since 1973 Nagano Gifu Kiso River 上鐘山T Sakagawa Railway Line 新上鐘山T 307 1 Sakashita Shinsakashita The second Takamineyama Tunnel The first Takamineyama Tunnel Mt Seto Tunnel Kiso rIver 313 2 Ochiaigawa The second Ochiaigawa Tunnel The first Ochiaigawa Tunnel Nakatsugawa Tunnel Kitaena Railway Line 317 0 Nakatsugawa 323 4 Minosakamoto Akechi Railway Akechi Line 328 6 Ena 334 0 Takenami 339 4 Kamado 346 8 Mizunami 353 7 Tokishi Tōnō Railway Dachi Line Kokeizan Tunnel 360 7 Tajimi Tounou Railway Kasahara Line Shintajimi Taita Line Ikedamachi Tunnel Suwa Tunnel 365 3 Kokokei Gifu Prefecture Aichi Prefecture 368 8 Jōkōji The 2nd Tamano Tunnel The 1st Tamano Tunnel Aichi Loop Line 372 9 Kōzōji 376 1 Jinryō Jinryō Locomotive Depot span, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,