Tōbu Isesaki Line

The Isesaki Line (伊勢崎線 "Isesaki-sen") is one of the two main lines of Japanese private railway company Tōbu Railway, extending from Asakusa Station in Tokyo to Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture. It is the longest non-JR "private" railway line in Japan at 114.5 km. Some trains from the line continue to the Tokyo Metro's Hibiya and Hanzōmon lines.

Descriptions

;Track: :qudruple: ja-stalink|Narihirabashi - ja-stalink|Hikifune 1.3 km, ja-stalink|Kita-Senju - ja-stalink|Kita-Koshigaya 18.9 km:single: ja-stalink|Tatebayashi - ja-stalink|Isesaki 39.9 km:double: the rest;Length: 114.5 km (Longest single Japanese non-JR "private" railway line)N.B. ja-stalink|Oshiage is officially an extension or part of Narihirabashi. Double tracks between Oshiage and Hikifune are thus the 3rd and 4th tracks of Narihirabashi - Hikifune.

History

The Isesaki Line was opened in 1899 between ja-stalink|Kita-Senju and ja-stalink|Kuki with steam motive power by the present company. In 1902 Tōbu extended south to have a maritime connection at present ja-stalink|Narihirabashi (then Nihongo|Azumabashi|吾妻橋, later renamed Asakusa) in downtown Tokyo, and north to ja-stalink|Kazo. In the next year further north extension to ja-stalink|Kawamata (then on the south bank of Tone River) was opened. Gradual extension northward was progressed, and in 1910 the line arrived ja-stalink|Isesaki. In 1931, a bridge over Sumida River was built and present Asakusa Station (then Nihongo|Asakusa Kaminarimon|浅草雷門) opened in the upper floors of a department store building, the entire stretch completed.

Electrification was began in 1924 on the section of Asakusa and ja-stalink|Nishiarai, and in 1927 completed til Isesaki. The distance of over 100 km was then one of the longest electrified railway lines together with the present Kintetsu Osaka Line and Yamada Line.

After the World War 2, a great problem emerged that the Tōbu Lines had no connection to the Yamanote Line or other major lines of the then Japan National Railway (present JR) to offer efective transfers to central Tokyo. The sole connection was with the Jōban Line at Kitasenju, which offered poor access to central Tokyo.

To solve the inefficiencies of transfers at Kitasenju and notoriously narrow Asakusa, in 1962 Hibiya Line of the then Nihongo|Teito Rapid Transport Authority|帝都高速度交通営団|Teito Kōsokudo Kōtsū Eidan, known as TRTA or Eidan, present Tokyo Metro) was built, connecting at Kitasenju.

Further growing traffic required Tōbu to make the second through line to Tokyo Metro in 1990s. The answer is the Hanzōmon Line which has longer, wider size carriage allowances. In 2003, the company built new tracks from Hikifune to connect at ja-stalink|Oshiage, officially an annex station of Narihirabashi.

On March 3, 2006, current new timetable changed past operations greatly. Now only less than half trains originate or terminate at Asakusa, i.e. more trains are through to Tokyo Metro underground (subway) lines.

Operation

Through trains

The Isesaki Line has trains through to two lines of Tokyo Metro. One is the Hibiya Line connected at Kitasenju, with Local trains alone. Cars are narrower and shorter, exclusively used for this operation. The other is Hanzōmon Line at Oshiage, with rapid trains of Tōbu. Beyond ja-stalink|Shibuya, the terminus of Hanzōmon Line, nearly all trains go through to Tokyu Corporation's Den-en-toshi Line, down to the terminus ja-stalink|Chūō-Rinkan. Cars are of standard dimensions of Tōbu.

To the north it has trains through the Yagan Railway to the Aizu Railway's Aizutajima Station.

Rapid service

Tōbu operates several types of rapid service on this line.

Stops and operated sections are as of 2006.;Nihongo|Local|普通|Futsū (announced as Nihongo|各駅停車|Kakueki Teisha or Nihongo|各停|kakutei for short) (L):Operated in separate three sections.:*Asakusa - Kitasenju to complement Section Semi Express and Section Express:*ja-stalink|Nakameguro of Hibiya Line - Kitasenju - Tōbu Dōbutsu Kōen. One service per direction per 10 minutes.:*Kuki - Ōta. Connection with Express. Three per hour, with one between Kuki and Tatebayashi.:*Ōta - Isesaki. One per hour per direction, conductorless.;Nihongo|Section Semi-Express|区間準急|Kukan Junkyū (SSE):Between Asakusa and Kuki or Minami-Kurihashi of Nikkō Line.;Nihongo|Semi-Express|準急|Junkyū (SmE):Early morning and late night. Down to Kuki or to Minami-Kurihashi of Nikkō Line halfly through from Chūō-Rinkan of Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line via Hanzōmon Line. 10 cars.;Nihongo|Section Express|区間急行|Kukan Kyūkō (SE):Between Asakusa and Tatebayashi, Ōta or Shin-Tochigi of Nikkō Line.;Nihongo|Express|急行|Kyūkō (Ex):From morning to night. Down to Kuki (nearly half to Minami-Kurihashi of Nikkō Line), through from Chūō-Rinkan of Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line via Hanzōmon Line. 10 cars.;Nihongo|Rapid|快速|Kaisoku, Nihongo|Section Rapid|区間快速|Kukan Kaisoku (R):Non-charged rapid train through to Nikkō Line, Kinugawa Line of Tōbu and Yagan Railway, terminates at ja-stalink|Aizu Tajima of Aizu Railway.;Nihongo|Limited Express|特急|Tokkyū:Stops not shown. Charged for seat reservation and rapid service. Mainly through to Nikkō Line for touristic Nikkō area named Nihongo|"Kegon"|けごん and Nihongo|"Kinu"|きぬ. Some through to Isesaki from Asakusa, sole direct service named Nihongo|Ryōmō|りょうもう. See Tōbu Limited Express for detail.

tations

*S: Stop
*S^h: stop on holidays
**1: To ja-stalink|Naka-Meguro on Hibiya Line.
**2: To ja-stalink|Chūō-Rinkan on Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line via Hanzōmon Line
**3: Stop only terminating train, one service a day
**4: Thru to Nikkō Line

Gallery