SÅbu Main Line
As sobu Main Line (Japanese総 武 本 线, Sobu Honsen ) are referred to in Japan railway line and the line between Tokyo Station and Choshi in Chiba Prefecture. The connection to the Chūō Main Line between Ochanomizu and Ryōgoku also heard as a route to sobu Main Line; on their run through trains of the Chūō - sobu line. Route and line operated by the JR Higashi- Nihon (JR East).
In the western part of the route is an important commuter link for Chiba and the eastern suburbs of Tokyo. In the east it passes through less densely populated areas in the Chiba Prefecture to the Pacific coast and also serves the leisure and long distance services.
Name
Sobu is called the region east of the center of Tokyo in Tokyo and Chiba prefectures today. The term sobu derives from the name of the former provinces of Kazusa (上 総) or Shimousa (下 総) and Musashi (武 蔵). The Sino- Japanese reading of the kanji contracted総 武is sobu.
History
The sobu line was originally built as a private line. In July 1894, the sobu tetsudō opened (総 武 鉄 道, " sobu Railroad " ) the route of Ichikawa after Sakura. Back in December of the same year, the portion of Ichikawa to Honjo (now Kinshicho ) was opened. 1897, the route was extended to the east: In May, she was to Naruto, eventually extended in June to Choshi. In 1904, in the west of Ryogokubashi station (now Ryōgoku ) furnished on the banks of the Sumida; simultaneously made the Tōbu tetsudō with the completion of Kameido line, the trains of Hikifune to 1910 also wrong to Ryogokubashi, a transition to its route network in the north of Tokyo possible. In 1907, the section from Ryogokubashi was expanded to double track after Kameido. From the West led trams zoom on the Ryōgoku Bridge people; Cargo could be transported by vessels on the Sumida.
Following the adoption of the "Law on the nationalization of the railways " (鉄 道 国有 法, tetsudō Kokuyū - hō ) was the sobu line 1907 in the possession of the State Railway ( Kokutetsu ) over. By October 1908, the route was through to Chiba, a second track. 1909 gave the state railway route its present name " sobu Main Line ".
1932 the electrified double-track line from Ochanomizu after Ryōgoku - Ryogokubashi the station was renamed in 1931 - opened for passenger traffic. This section connects the Sobu with the Chūō Main Line, by connecting the importance grew as a commuter train, first through trains were used. On the part piece today by the trains of the Chūō - sobu line. Until 1935 the sobu Main Line was electrified in three steps to Chiba.
During the Second World War, many stations were destroyed by Allied air raids. However, the track itself has remained largely intact, and even in the last days of the war the Imperial Army were transported on the sobu main line in anticipation of an invasion force.
In the economic miracle of the postwar period, the importance of sobu main line continued to grow as a commuter train to the peak hours operated on the western portions of trains with up to eight cars now in every few minutes. From 1946 Multiple Units of Series 63 were used, which was refurbished after the fire accident in Sakuragicho station in 1951 and from then on was called Series 73. From 1963 the faster trains of the 100 series were introduced between Ochanomizu and Chiba.
In three sections 1965-1968, the distance between Chiba and Sakura was double-tracked and electrified in 1968. 1974 electrified one also the last part to Choshi. After the completion of the Tozai Line in 1969 after Tsudanuma also through metro trains were used to Tsudanuma for the increase in commuter traffic at peak times.
In 1972 a major expansion of sobu Main Line: An underground route went from Tokyo Station to Ryōgoku. On her only express trains should be used, deployed for the two additional tracks to Tsudanuma. New platforms have been applied only to the breakpoints of the new line. By 1981, the route was extended so to Chiba four tracks (or on the section of Kameido to Shin- Koiwa fünfgleisig ).
For the privatization of the state railway in 1987 was divided, the sobu main line was transferred to the JR Higashi- Nihon. Since then, the route gradually to Sakura ( 2001) with the automatic train control system ATS ( Automatic Train Stop) has been upgraded, the emergency, eg when passing a signal or earthquakes, provides an immediate and automatic maintenance of the trains.
Freight and operating systems
For freight transport, an extension line from Kanamachi station was opened in 1926 on the Joban Line. In 1963, the 3.1 km long connection with the goods station Etchūjima was opened, which was electrified a year later. The train station Shin- Koiwa a third track was created in 1971. Own freight stations were located in Shin- Koiwa and until 2000 the branch line to the Etchūjima Onagigawa station (小名 木 川).
In freight transport, was recently especially the connection to the two branch lines from the freight station Etchūjima to Shin- Koiwa station and from there to Kanamachi station of importance. Since then, the JR Freight has their freight traffic in 2000 moved to the Musashino and Keiyo lines, but also go there only work trains for track construction and maintenance. The transport of goods between Shin- Koiwa and Sakura had been set in 1984.
East of the station Sakura was a large depot (佐 仓 机关 区, Sakura -ku kikan ) at the track, which supplied in Chiba in 1950 for freight and passenger trains of the state railway. After privatization diesel trains of JR Freight from the region Kantō were waiting there yet. In 1997 the plant was closed after the construction of the new railway operations work Chiba.
At Makuhari Station Hongō another operating plant, the " Waggonzenrtum Makuhari " is (幕張 車両 センター, Makuhari Sharyo Senta ) of JR Higashi- Nihon. There are many trains running through Chiba lines of the Company are summarized. A little further west branches behind Tsudanuma station the access to a depot from, the Narashino Un'yū -ku (习 志 野 运输 区), where trains of sobu - express, Chūō - sobu and of Tozai Line be parked.
Lines
The Chūō - sobu - line serves on the Chūō Main Line, take the route of Ochanomizu after Ryōgoku, holds then at all stations of the route and ends in Chiba. Fast trains (快速, kaisoku ) use the underground route from Tokyo Station and from Ryōgoku the two northern tracks; they just keep to the advanced stations of 1972/81 upgraded route. In addition, there are " commuter express trains " (通勤 快速, tsūkin kaisoku ) holding between Kinshicho and Chiba, Funabashi only. In the West, the quick trains run as sobu - Yokosuka Line in the direction of Yokohama. In the east, some express trains continue to Naruto, Sakura and others up on the Narita Line Narita. The airport shuttle Narita Express to Tokyo - Narita airport used this route, but without intermediate stops; only during peak hours, he also acts as a commuter train and holds partly also in Chiba and Yotsukaido. Between Nishi- Funabashi and Tsudanuma run in the morning on weekdays through subway trains the Tozai Line.
The Home Liner Chiba, an express train with reserved seats, operates mainly on weekends and holidays. He keeps starting in Tokyo to Chiba only in Tsudanuma and Inage, other trains coming from Shinjuku and Akihabara. Home of the liner Tsudanuma of Shinjuku to Tsudanuma holds only in Akihabara. The express trains Shiosai ( Tokyo / Shinjuku Choshi ), Ayame ( Tokyo Choshi ), Azusa ( Chiba Matsumoto ), Sazanami ( Tokyo / Shinjuku Tateyama ) and the Shinjuku Kawashio ( Shinjuku Awakamogawa ) use partially or totally the sobu main Line.
The train service east of Chiba is a line in contrast to sobu - express train line and the Chuo Line sobu in the West - referred to as actual sobu Main Line - together sobu line. There, run fewer trains, apart from the through trains to Naruto and express trains that stop at all stations. The sections of Chiba to Naruto and Matsugishi after Choshi are also used by trains of the Narita Line.
Fleet
Most common are on the Main Line sobu the multiple units of the Series 211 and the older 113 found for the local trains and the E217 series as fast. The through trains of the Chūō - sobu line are yellow-painted models of series 209 and E231. The Express connections use their own models.
Series 211 on the eastern stretch
Narita Express ( 253 series )
Shiosai (Series 183)
E231 of the Chūō - sobu - line