Tokyo Metro Namboku Line

Tokyo Metro Namboku Line
N
A Tokyo Metro 9000 series EMU near Tamagawa Station on the Tokyu Meguro Line
Overview
Native name	東京メトロ南北線
Locale	Tokyo
Termini	Meguro Akabane-Iwabuchi
Stations	19
Daily ridership	449,267 (FY2010)[1]
Operation
Opened	November 29, 1991
Owner	Tokyo Metro
Depot(s)	Ōji
Rolling stock	Tokyo Metro 9000 series, Saitama Rapid Railway 2000 series, Tokyu 3000 series, Tokyu 5080 series
Technical
Line length	21.3 km (13.2 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Operating speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
Route map

The Tokyo Metro Namboku Line (東京メトロ南北線, Tōkyō Metoro Namboku-sen) is a subway line owned and operated by the Tokyo subway operator Tokyo Metro in Tokyo, Japan. Its name literally means "South-North Line". The line runs between Meguro in Shinagawa and Akabane-Iwabuchi in Kita. The Namboku Line was referred to as Line 7 during the planning stages, thus the seldom-used official name is Line 7 Namboku Line (7号線南北線, Nana-gō-sen Namboku-sen).

Overview

Trains run through onto the Tokyu Meguro Line for Hiyoshi and the Saitama Railway's Saitama Rapid Railway Line (which is essentially a separately-owned extension of the Namboku Line) for Urawa-Misono.

The right-of-way and stations between Shirokane-Takanawa and Meguro are shared with the Toei Mita Line - a unique situation on the Tokyo subway where both operators share common infrastructure. Under an agreement between Tokyo Metro and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the fare for this section is calculated on the Toei fare system for passengers traveling to stations on the Mita Line past Shirokane-Takanawa, on the Metro fare system for passengers traveling to stations on the Namboku Line past Shirokane-Takanawa, and on the system "most beneficial to the passenger" (presently the Metro schedule) for travel solely on the shared sector.

On maps, diagrams and signboards, the Namboku Line is shown using the color "emerald" (▉), and its stations are given numbers using the letter "N".

Station list

All stations are located in Tokyo.

Rolling stock

• Tokyo Metro 9000 series 6-car EMUs
• Saitama Rapid Railway 2000 series 6-car EMUs
• Tokyu 3000 series 6-car EMUs
• Tokyu 5080 series 6-car EMUs

History

The 21.3 km Namboku Line is one of Tokyo Metro's newer lines, featuring advanced technology including full automatic train operation and platform screen doors. Although the line was originally proposed in 1968, construction did not begin until the 1980s, partly due to the right-of-way to Meguro with the Toei Mita Line. The first segment from Komagome to Akabane-Iwabuchi opened on November 29, 1991.

The line initially operated with four-car EMUs. Upon its extension to Yotsuya in March 1996, the formations were extended to six cars. All stations are able to accommodate eight-car trains, but this length is not yet used.

The extension to Tameike-Sannō was completed in September 1997, and the last stretch from Tameike-Sanno to Meguro was completed on September 26, 2000, when through service to the Tokyu Meguro Line started. Through service with the Saitama Rapid Railway Line commenced when it opened in March 2001 and accommodated traffic to and from Saitama Stadium during the 2002 World Cup. Although the Saitama Line is more or less a northern extension of the Namboku Line, it nevertheless remains a private entity to which the Namboku Line offers through services with.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tokyo Metro Namboku Line.

• Tokyo Metro website (in English)