Yamatoji Line (original) (raw)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Railway line in Japan

Yamatoji Line
207 series EMU on a Yamatoji Line Direct Rapid Service
Overview
Native name 大和路線
Owner JR West
Locale Kansai (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka prefectures)
Termini KamoJR Namba
Stations 22
Service
Type Heavy rail
System Urban Network
Depot(s) Nara Depot
Rolling stock 201 series EMU221 series EMU207 series EMU (Kizu–Nara)321 series EMU (Kizu–Nara)
History
Opened 1988 (1889)
Technical
Line length 54.0 km (33.6 mi)
Number of tracks 2
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 1,500 V DC (overhead lines)
Operating speed 120 km/h (75 mph) (Nara–Tennoji)95 km/h (59 mph) (Kamo–Nara, Tennoji–JR Namba)

The Yamatoji Line (大和路線, Yamatoji-sen) is the common name of the western portion of the Kansai Main Line. The line is owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It starts at Kamo Station in Kyoto Prefecture and ends at JR Namba Station in Naniwa-ku, Osaka.

Yamatoji Rapid Service

[edit]

Yamatoji Rapid Service (大和路快速, Yamatoji Kaisoku) trains operate between Kamo or Nara Station and Tennoji, via a complete loop on the Osaka Loop Line. Trains divert from the Kansai Line at Shin-Imamiya Station instead of continuing to JR Namba. From Shin-Imamiya, they run on the Osaka Loop Line, making limited stops to Osaka Station, and then making every stop before completing the loop at Tennoji Station. However, some services do not complete the loop, as they terminate in Kyobashi. Trains also stop at every station east of Ōji.

4 services are operated every hour during weekday daytime and weekend nighttime, with 2 of them operating as far as Kamo. Some weekend services operate through service to the Wakayama Line towards Takada and Gojō.

All trains are operated using 221 series EMUs, with every of them being 8 cars.

Section Rapid Service

[edit]

Section Rapid Service (区間快速, Kukan Kaisoku) operate the same route as the Yamatoji Rapid but make every stop on the Osaka Loop Line. They are operated in weekday rush hours, plus weekend nights. There are also services which operate through services to the Wakayama Line. All services are operated using 221 series EMUs.

Rapid Service (快速, Kaisoku)" operate between JR Namba and either Takada on the Wakayama Line (daytime), or Nara / Kamo (morning, evening, night), with an interval of 2 trains per hour. Among the through trains towards the Wakayama Line during the evening rush, some of them are coupled with Nara-bound services before decoupling at Ōji. However there are no Namba-bound services where two trains couple at Ōji. Additionally, there are a few Namba-bound through service trains starting from Nara and detours to the Sakurai Line in the morning rush.

Trains stop at JR Namba, Shin-Imamiya, Tennoji, Kyūhōji, Ōji and every station after Ōji.

During daytime, trains are operated using 4-car 221 series EMUs. During rush hours, 6-car 201 series EMUs are also used, but now there is a higher tendency that 221 series trains being used. From the timetable revision on 15 March 2008 until 11 March 2022, 3 Rapid services starting from Kashiwara (where Rapid trains normally skip) to Namba were operated.

Direct Rapid Service (直通快速, Chokutsū Kaisoku)

The operation of the "Direct Rapid Service" trains started on March 17, 2008, with the opening of the Osaka Higashi Line and the timetable revision on March 15, 2008. The trains are now operated between Nara and Shin-Osaka, via the Yamatoji Line and the Osaka Higashi Line. On weekdays, 4 Shin-Osaka-bound trains are operated in the mornings, while 4 Nara-bound trains are operated in the evenings. On weekends, 2 round trips are operated both in the mornings and in the evenings. Trains stop at all stations from Nara to Ōji, Kyūhōji, JR Kawachi-Eiwa, Takaida-Chuo, Hanaten and Shin-Osaka. Trains are operated using 207 series or 321 series EMUs from the Aboshi Depot.

Before 16 March 2019, when the Osaka Higashi Line still had not been extended to Shin-Osaka, Direct Rapid trains operated between Nara and Amagasaki via the Yamatoji Line, the Osaka Higashi Line, the Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line), and the JR Tōzai Line.

Local (普通, Futsū)

"Local trains" stop at every station on the Yamatoji Line between Kamo and JR Namba. They are operated between Oji and JR Namba in the non-rush hour. Trains are also operated from JR Namba to Kamo and through from JR Namba to the Nara Line in the early morning.

The oldest section of the Yamatoji Line is between Kashiwara and JR Namba, which opened on May 14, 1889. The present route was completed on August 21, 1907 when the new line between Kamo and Kizu, replacing the original route via Daibutsu, was opened.[1] The name "Yamatoji Line" has been used since March 13, 1988, and the term “Yamatoji“ roughly translates to “Road to Yamato Province”.[2]

Station numbering was introduced in March 2018 with the Yamatoji Line being assigned station numbers between JR-Q17 and JR-Q39 with the exception of JR-Q35 (which will be assigned to a future station between Koriyama and Nara).[3][4]

Local trains stop at every passenger station.

No. Station name Section Rapid Direct Rapid Rapid Yamatoji Rapid Transfers Location
JR-Q39 Kamo 加茂 Kansai Main Line (for Kameyama) Kizugawa Kyoto Prefecture
JR-Q38 Kizu 木津 Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line) Nara Line
JR-Q37 Narayama 平城山 Nara Nara Prefecture
JR-Q36 Nara 奈良 Nara Line Sakurai Line (Man-yō Mahoroba Line)
JR-Q35 TBD Expected to open in 2024
JR-Q34 Kōriyama 郡山 Yamatokōriyama
JR-Q33 Yamato-Koizumi 大和小泉
JR-Q32 Hōryūji 法隆寺 Ikaruga, Ikoma District
Through service from/to Wakayama Line Through service from Sakurai Line via Wakayama Line
JR-Q31 Ōji 王寺 Wakayama Line G Kintetsu Ikoma Line I Kintetsu Tawaramoto Line (Shin-Ōji Station) Ōji, Kitakatsuragi District NaraPrefecture
JR-Q30 Sangō 三郷 | | | | Sangō, Ikoma District
JR-Q29 Kawachi-Katakami 河内堅上 | | | | Kashiwara Osaka Prefecture
JR-Q28 Takaida 高井田 | | | |
JR-Q27 Kashiwara 柏原 | | | | N Kintetsu Domyoji Line D Kintetsu Osaka Line (Katashimo Station)
JR-Q26 Shiki 志紀 | | | | Yao
JR-Q25 Yao 八尾 | | | |
JR-Q24 Kyūhōji 久宝寺 Osaka Higashi Line
JR-Q23 Kami 加美 | | | Hirano-ku, Osaka
JR-Q22 Hirano 平野 | | |
JR-Q21 Tōbu-shijō-mae 東部市場前 | | | Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
JR-Q20 Tennōji 天王寺 Osaka Loop Line Hanwa Line Osaka Metro Midōsuji Line, Tanimachi Line F Kintetsu Minami Osaka Line (Osaka Abenobashi Station) Hankai Uemachi Line (Tennoji-eki-mae Station) Tennoji-ku, Osaka
JR-Q19 Shin-Imamiya 新今宮 Osaka Loop Line Nankai Main Line, Nankai Kōya Line Osaka Metro: Midōsuji Line (Dōbutsuen-mae Station), Sakaisuji Line (Dōbutsuen-mae Station) Hankai Line (Shin-Imamiya-Ekimae Station) Naniwa-ku, Osaka
JR-Q18 Imamiya 今宮 | | Osaka Loop Line
JR-Q17 JR Namba JR難波 A Kintetsu Namba Line (Osaka Namba Station) Hanshin Namba Line (Osaka Namba Station) Nankai Main Line, Koya Line (Namba Station) Osaka Metro: Midōsuji Line (Namba Station), Yotsubashi Line (Namba Station), Sennichimae Line (Namba Station)
Yamatoji Rapid, Regional Rapid: Through service from/to Osaka Loop Line Direct Rapid: Through service from/to Osaka Higashi Line

A 201 series train pulling out of a train station, 2013.

  1. ^ Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [_Station Transition Directory – JNR/JR_] (in Japanese). Vol. I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 182. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
  2. ^ Teramoto, Mitsuteru. "関西本線(大阪方)快速運転ものがたり". The Railway Pictorial. 878 (August 2013): 59.
  3. ^ "近畿エリアの12路線 のべ300駅に「駅ナンバー」を導入します!" ["Station numbers" will be introduced at a total of 300 stations on 12 lines in the Kinki area!]. westjr.co.jp (in Japanese). 20 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  4. ^ "「駅ナンバー」一覧表" ["Station number" list] (PDF). westjr.co.jp (in Japanese). 20 July 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  5. ^ "より便利になる通勤特急を「らくラク~」シリーズに統一します" [Unification of the more convenient commuter express trains into the "Rakuraku" series.] (PDF). West Japan Railway Company (in Japanese). Japan. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.