The is a railway line in Osaka, Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line connects Ōsaka Station in northern Osaka with Kyūhōji Station in Yao, forming an arc around the northern and eastern suburbs of the city. Before being named on August 23, 2007, the line was constructed with the tentative name .
The line is constructed and owned by as a Category 3 railway business under the Railway Business Act of Japan. JR West and JR Freight run trains as Category 2 operators. The Kita-Umeda extension opened on March 18, 2023, replacing the above-ground Umeda Freight Line.
History Conceived in the 1950s during Japan's explosive postwar economic growth, it was planned as a grand "outer loop" of the city, using existing freight lines to link Amagasaki with Shin-Ōsaka, Suita, Awaji, Hanaten, Kami, Uriwari and Sugimotochō, with a newly constructed segment into Osaka's (then primarily industrial) Nankō Port Town. However, with JNR's financial situation deteriorating catastrophically (culminating in its privatization) and continuing issues surrounding land acquisition and squatting by local residents on railway property, the plan was cut back to Shin-Osaka and Kami, terminating at Kyūhōji in the south. (The Hanwa Freight Line, which would have carried the southern segment from Kami to Sugimotochō, was officially abandoned by JR Freight in 2009.) The line connects Shin-Osaka Station in northern Osaka with Kyūhōji Station in Yao, forming an arc around the northern and eastern suburbs of the city.
The southern part opened on March 15, 2008. Due to problems with the illegal occupation of a site, construction of the northern part was delayed. Construction of the northern segment started in 2011, and the section between Shin-Ōsaka and Hanaten opened on March 16, 2019.
Incorporated into the second phase of the Osaka Higashi Line project is the construction of underground platforms at Osaka Station (known as Umekita). The project provides the basis for the future Naniwasuji Line while also providing a small shortcut on current services on the Haruka and Kuroshio limited express trains.
In February 2023, track switching work took place between the 11th and 13th of that month. The underground platforms began operation later in the year on March 18.
Stations ● : Direct Rapid service stops here | : Direct Rapid service does not stop here Local trains stop at all stations. For limited express Mahoroba, see the respective article.
No.StationJapaneseDistance (km)Direct RapidTransfersLocationBetween StationsTotal大阪 3.83.8 ● JR Kōbe Line (JR-A47)
JR Takarazuka Line (JR-G47)
Osaka Loop Line (JR-O11)
From Osaka-umeda Station:
Hankyū Kōbe Main Line, Hankyu Takarazuka Main Line, Hankyu Kyoto Main Line (HK-01)
From Osaka-Umeda Station:
Hanshin Main Line (HS 01)
From Umeda Station:
Midōsuji Line (M16)
From Higashi-Umeda Station:
Tanimachi Line (T20)
From Nishi-Umeda Station:
Yotsubashi Line (Y11)
From Kitashinchi Station:
JR Tōzai Line (JR-H44)Kita-ku, Osaka新大阪 -0.0● JR Kyoto Line (JR-A46)
Tokaido・Sanyo Shinkansen
Osaka Metro Midōsuji Line (M13)Yodogawa-ku, Osaka南吹田2.02.0 | SuitaJR淡路1.33.3●From Awaji Station:
Hankyu Kyoto Line (HK-63)
Hankyu Senri Line (HK-63)Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka城北公園通2.15.4● Miyakojima-ku, OsakaJR野江2.27.6 |From Noe Station:
Keihan Main Line (KH-05)
From Noe-Uchindai Station:
Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line (T16)Joto-ku, Osaka鴫野1.89.4 | Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line, JR-H40)
Osaka Metro Imazatosuji Line放出1.611.0 ● Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line, JR-H39)Tsurumi-ku, Osaka高井田中央1.712.7●From Takaida Station: Osaka Metro Chūō Line (C22)Higashiosaka, OsakaJR河内永和1.614.3●From Kawachi-Eiwa Station Kintetsu Nara Line (A07)JR俊徳道0.614.9 |From Shuntokumichi Station: Osaka Line (D07)JR長瀬1.015.9 | 衣摺加美北1.317.2 | 新加美1.418.6 | Hirano-ku, Osaka久宝寺1.620.2 ● Yamatoji Line (Kansai Main Line)Yao, OsakaDirect Rapid service through to Nara via the Yamatoji Line
Notes
Rolling stock
Passenger 221 series (used for Local services from March 12, 2022 and Direct Rapid services from March 18, 2023)
Former 103 series (until 2018) 201 series (until March 11, 2022) 207 series (used for Direct Rapid Services from March 12, 2011, until March 17, 2023) 223-6000 series (used for Direct Rapid Services from March 15, 2008, until March 11, 2011) 321 series (Used for Direct Rapid Services until March 17, 2023)
The 103 and 201 series trains are based at Nara Depot, the 207 series trains are based at Aboshi Depot, while the 223-6000 series trains were based at Miyahara Depot.
Freight Locomotives seen hauling freight trains include the DD51, DE10, EF66, EF81 and EF210.
See also Musashino Line, in the Tokyo area Aichi Loop Line and JR-Central Transport Service Jōhoku Line in the Nagoya area
References
External links Osaka Soto-Kanjo Railway Co., Ltd.