Meitetsu Chita New Line

The Meitetsu Chita New Line (名鉄知多新線, Meitetsu Chita-shin-sen) is a Japanese railway line connecting Taketoyo with Minamichita within Aichi Prefecture. It is owned and operated by the private railway operator Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu). The line features seven tunnels and a maximum grade of 3.4% (approximately 1 in 29). It is the fourth railway line to be constructed in the Chita Peninsula, and the only railway line owned by Meitetsu to be named as a "New Line".

Meitetsu Chita New Line
An image of a Meitetsu 6800 series electric multiple unit.
A 6800 series EMU at Chita Okuda Station
Overview
Other name(s)Chita Line
Native name名鉄知多新線
OwnerMeitetsu
LocaleTaketoyo
Mihama
Minamichita
Termini
Stations6
Service
TypeCommuter rail
History
OpenedJune 5, 1980 (1980-06-05)
Technical
Line length13.9 km (8.64 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed100 km/h (60 mph)
Route map

0.0
Fuki (富貴)
5.8
Kami Noma (上野間)
6.7
Mihama-ryokuen (美浜緑苑)
8.1
Chita Okuda (知多奥田)
9.8
Noma (野間)
13.9
Utsumi (内海)

History

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Before construction

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There has been several attempts to build a railway line into southern Chita peninsula before World War II,[1] such as Japan Governmental Railways' attempt to extend the Taketoyo Line to Morozaki, Aichi Electric Railways' (Current Meitetsu) attempt to build a line to Utsumi, and the local investors' plan to build a light railway from Taketoyo in 1913.[2] However, due to the low population density in the area, and the lack of industry,[1] none of the plans came to fruition.[2]

Meitetsu, in a part of an effort to develop the southern Chita peninsula, planned building a line to Utsumi.[3] Three potential routes were suggested: extending the Meitetsu Tokoname Line down south, extending the Meitetsu Kōwa Line southwest from Kōwa Station, and the route branching off Kōwa Line southwest.[clarification needed] The Tokoname route was rejected due to the length of the line needed to extend to Utsumi, and the Fuki route was preferred by the line as it was easier to develop the central part of the peninsula. For the route running west of the peninsula, the hillside route was taken to allow housing developments.[3] In 1969, Meitetsu gained permits to construct the first section of the line from Fuki Station to Bessouike signaling station.[1] Meitetsu gained permit to build the rest of the line from Bessouike to Utsumi in 1971, and started extending the line. The line was extended to Kaminoma Station in 1974.

Network and operations

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Stations

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No. Station Japanese Between (km) Distance (km) Local Express Rapid Express Limited Express Transfers Location
  Fuki 富貴 - 0.0 Meitetsu Kōwa Line Taketoyo,
Chita District
  Kami Noma 上野間 2.8 5.8   Mihama,
Chita District
  Mihama-ryokuen 美浜緑苑 0.9 6.7  
  Chita Okuda 知多奥田 1.4 8.1  
  Noma 野間 1.7 9.8  
  Utsumi 内海 4.1 13.9   Minamichita, Chita

References

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  1. ^ a b c Meitetsu 1994, pp. 499.
  2. ^ a b Nakamura 1995, pp. 247.
  3. ^ a b Nakamura 1995, pp. 243.

Bibliography

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  • 名古屋鉄道百年史 [Hundred years of Nagoya Railroad] (in Japanese). Nagoya Railroad. 1994.
  • Nakamura, Takeyoshi (1995). 鉄路風雪の百年―なるほど・ザ・名鉄 [100 years of railways-The Meitetsu] (in Japanese). Chubu Economic Newspaper.