Nambu Line - Nambu Line

The name of the track of East Japan Railway Company. It consists of 35.5 km between Kawasaki-Fuchu-Honmachi (Tokyo)-Tachikawa (Tokyo), 4.1 km between Shitte (Kanagawa Prefecture)-Hamakawasaki (Kanagawa Prefecture), and 5.4 km between Shitte-Tsurumi (Kanagawa Prefecture). The Kawasaki-Tachikawa section is double tracked, and the entire line has been DC electrified since its opening. Between 1927 and 1930 (Showa 2-5), the Nanbu Railway opened the Kawasaki-Tachikawa and Shitte-Hamakawasaki sections. The line runs through the lower and middle reaches of the Tama River, and was mainly used to transport limestone mined in the upper reaches of the Tama River and gravel along the line, connecting with the Ome Electric Railway and Itsukaichi Railway, both of which were part of the same capital group. In 1944, during World War II, the line was nationalized and became the Nanbu Line. Around the time of World War II, factories began to move into Kawasaki City along the line, and from the 1960s onwards, housing development gradually progressed along the entire line, strengthening its role as a commuter railway. In 1987, following the privatization of the Japanese National Railways, the line became part of the East Japan Railway Company.

[Eiichi Aoki and Ryo Aoki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東日本旅客鉄道の線路名称。川崎―府中本町（東京都）―立川(たちかわ)（東京都）間35.5キロメートル、尻手(しって)（神奈川県）―浜川崎（神奈川県）間4.1キロメートル、尻手―鶴見（神奈川県）間5.4キロメートルよりなる。川崎―立川間は複線、全線開業時より直流電化されている。1927～1930年（昭和2～5）南武鉄道によって川崎―立川間と尻手―浜川崎間を開業した。多摩川下流域と中流域に路線が走り、主として同じ資本系列の青梅(おうめ)電気鉄道や五日市(いつかいち)鉄道と結んで、多摩川上流域で採掘される石灰石と沿線の砂利輸送を目的としていた。第二次世界大戦中の1944年に国有化されて南武線となった。第二次世界大戦ごろより沿線の川崎市内に工場が進出し、また1960年代以降は住宅化が全線にわたって逐次進み、通勤鉄道の機能が強くなった。1987年、日本国有鉄道の分割民営化に伴い、東日本旅客鉄道に所属。

［青木栄一・青木　亮］

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