Seishin-Yamate Line

The Seishin-Yamate Line (西神山手線, Seishin-Yamate-sen), also known as the "U-Line", is one of two lines of Kobe Municipal Subway that links the central district and suburbs of Kobe. The line color is       green.

Seishin-Yamate Line
A 3000 series train in 2015
Overview
Other name(s)U-Line
Native name西神山手線
TypeRapid transit
System Kobe Municipal Subway
StatusOperational
LocaleKobe
TerminiShin-Kobe
Seishin-Chuo
Stations16
Operation
OpenedMarch 13, 1977
OwnerKobe Municipal Transportation Bureau
Technical
Line length22.7 km (14.1 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed90 km/h (55 mph)[1]
Route map
Kobe subway lines

Service pattern

The line has a reciprocal through service with the Hokushin Kyuko Electric Railway; all trains run between either Tanigami or Shin-Kobe and Seishin-chūō, stopping at every station. During rush hours, additional trains run between Shin-Kobe and Myōdani.

History

On October 15, 1971, a railway license was issued to the Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau to build a subway line linking the Myōdani district to the Shin-Kobe Shinkansen station; construction on the first segment of that line began on November 25 of that year. The first segment of the subway (between Shin-Nagata and Myodani, known as the Seishin Line) opened on March 13, 1977; a second segment of the line (between Shin-Nagata and Okurayama, known as the Yamate Line) opened on February 17, 1982. The line was extended to Shin-Kobe on June 18, 1985; a western extension to Gakuen-toshi (from Myodani) opened that same day. On March 18, 1987, the final segment of the subway line opened between Gakuen-toshi and Seishin-chūō.

The Hokushin Kyuko Electric Railway opened on April 2, 1988, providing service between Tanigami and Shin-Kobe. An infill station (Seishin-minami) opened in between Seishin-chūō and Ikawadani stations on March 20, 1993, expanding the line to a total of 16 stations. On January 17, 1995, the subway line was shut down due to damage caused by the Great Hanshin earthquake; the line resumed operation with limited service between Seishin-chūō and Itayado the following day, along with the entirety of the Hokushin Kyuko line. Limited service was resumed across the entire line on February 16, and full service was restored in March 1995 after repairs were completed, albeit with speed restrictions remaining in place until July 21 of that year.

The subway began to accept the Surotto Kansai smart card in October 1999; it would start accepting PiTaPa in October 2006.

Women-only cars began to be used on the subway line from December 16, 2002. Currently, one car heading in the direction of Seishin-chūō (car number 4) is reserved for women only; the restriction applies throughout the entire day.

Women-only car
←Seishin-chūōShin-Kobe
Tanigami→
1 2 3 4 5 6

Stations
Name No. Name Japanese Distance (km)
from
Shin-Kobe		 Transfers Location
Hokushin Line  S01  Tanigami 谷上 –7.5 Shintetsu Arima Line Kita-ku
Seishin-Yamate Line  S02  Shin-Kobe 新神戸 0.0 Sanyo Shinkansen Chuo-ku
 S03  Sannomiya 三宮 1.3
 S04  Kenchōmae 県庁前 2.2  
 S05  Ōkurayama 大倉山
（湊川神社前）		 3.3  
 S06  Minatogawa-Kōen 湊川公園
（川崎病院前）		 4.3
Hyōgo-ku
 S07  Kamisawa 上沢 5.3  
 S08  Nagata (Nagatajinjamae) 長田（長田神社前） 6.1 Kobe Kosoku Line (Kosoku-Nagata Station) Nagata-ku
 S09  Shin-Nagata 新長田（鉄人28号前） 7.6
  • Kaigan Line (K10)
  • JR Kobe Line (Sanyo Main Line)
 S10  Itayado 板宿
（滝川中学・高等学校前）		 8.8 Sanyo Railway Main Line
 S11  Myōhōji 妙法寺 11.7   Suma-ku
 S12  Myōdani 名谷 13.3  
 S13  Sōgō Undō Kōen 総合運動公園 15.1  
 S14  Gakuen-Toshi 学園都市 16.8   Nishi-ku
 S15  Ikawadani 伊川谷 18.4  
 S16  Seishin-Minami 西神南 20.1  
 S17  Seishin-Chuo 西神中央 22.7  

Rolling stock
A 1000 series train in January 2008
A 2000 series train in 2015
  • 1000 series (since 1977) (18 sets)
  • 2000 series (since 1988) (4 sets)
  • 3000 series (since 1992) (6 sets)
  • 6000 series (2018 debut)
  • Hokushin Kyuko Electric Railway 7000 series (since 1988) (5 sets)

All trains are based at Tanigami and Myōdani Depots.

A fleet of new trains (known as the 6000 series) is to be introduced on the line between fiscal 2018 and 2022; these trains will replace all existing trains on the line. Built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, the design of the new trains will be overseen by Ken Okuyama Design.[2]

See also

References
  1. Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways] (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 154. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.
  2. 神戸市交通局，新形車両デザインのデザイン案を公開 [Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau publishes proposed designs for new trains]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 17 October 2016. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.