Ome Line - Oumesen

The name of a track operated by East Japan Railway Company. The 37.2 km section between Tachikawa and Okutama in Tokyo is DC-electrified throughout. Only the Tachikawa-Higashi-Ome section is double track, the rest of the line is single track. It runs through the valley of the upper reaches of the Tama River, and along the line are cities such as Akishima, Fussa, and Ome, as well as tourist destinations that are part of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park. Since opening, it was used as a limestone shipping line, but after World War II, with urbanization along the line, the section east of Ome was converted into a commuter line. It is also important as a route for sightseeing in Okutama. Between 1894 and 1895 (Meiji 27 and 28), the Ome Railway opened the Tachikawa-Hinatawada section with a gauge of 762 mm, in 1908 (Meiji 41), it was converted to a gauge of 1067 mm, and between 1920 and 1929 (Taisho 9 and Showa 4), it extended the line between Hinatawada and Mitake, electrified it in 1923, changed its name to Ome Electric Railway in 1929, and was nationalized in 1944. The Mitake-Hikawa (now Okutama) section was constructed by the Okutama Electric Railway, which was electrified and opened in 1944. It was nationalized at the same time, and combined with the former Ome Railway line to form the Ome Line. In 1987 (Showa 62), it became part of East Japan Railway Company after the division and privatization of the Japanese National Railways.

[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。東京都の立川―奥多摩間37.2キロメートルで全線直流電化。立川―東青梅間のみ複線、そのほかは単線。多摩川上流の渓谷を走り、沿線には昭島(あきしま)、福生(ふっさ)、青梅などの都市、秩父多摩甲斐(ちちぶたまかい)国立公園に属する観光地などがある。開業以来、石灰石の積出し線として用いられていたが、第二次世界大戦後は沿線の都市化に伴って、青梅以東の区間は通勤路線化された。また、奥多摩観光の路線としても重要である。1894～1895年（明治27～28）青梅鉄道により立川―日向和田(ひなたわだ)間を軌間762ミリメートルで開業、1908年（明治41）1067ミリメートル軌間に改軌、1920～1929年（大正9～昭和4）日向和田―御嶽(みたけ)間を延長開業、1923年電化して、1929年社名を青梅電気鉄道と改め、1944年国有化された。御嶽―氷川(ひかわ)（現奥多摩）間は奥多摩電気鉄道によって建設が行われ、1944年電化、開業。同時に国有化されて、旧青梅鉄道の路線とあわせて青梅線となった。1987年（昭和62）、日本国有鉄道の分割民営化によって東日本旅客鉄道に所属。

［青木栄一・青木　亮］

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