Sagami Line

The Sagami Line (相模線, Sagami-sen) is a railway line in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It approximately parallels the east bank of the Sagami River. The line connects Hashimoto Station in Sagamihara and Chigasaki Station in Chigasaki.

Not to be confused with Sagami Railway.

Sagami Line
A 205 series EMU at Hashimoto
Overview
OwnerJR East
LocaleKanagawa Prefecture
TerminiChigasaki
Hashimoto
Stations18
Service
TypeCommuter rail
Rolling stock205-500 series
History
Opened1921
Technical
Line length33.3 km (20.7 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC Overhead catenary
Route map

Services

While most services are operated inside the line as local trains, some run through onto the Yokohama Line beyond Hashimoto and make four additional stops, terminating at Hachiōji Station.

Rolling stock

All trains are operated with 205-500 series four-car EMUs which were introduced in 1991 after the electrification.

Former Rolling Stock: The Sagami Line formerly operated a series of Diesel Multiple Unit passenger trains before electrification

  • KiHa 4 DMU
  • KiHa 10 DMU (until 1980)
  • KiHa 20 DMU (1958–1982)
  • KiHa 26-400 (under KiHa 55 family)
  • KiHa 30
  • KiHa 35 (1986–1991)
  • KiHa 36

Stations
  • All stations located in Kanagawa Prefecture.
  • All trains stop at every station.
  • Stations marked "o", "v", or "^" allow passing; stations marked"｜" do not.
Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers   Location
Between
stations		 Total
Chigasaki 茅ヶ崎 - 0.0 Tōkaidō Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line v Chigasaki
Kita-Chigasaki 北茅ヶ崎 1.3 1.3   o
Kagawa 香川 2.1 3.4   ｜
Samukawa 寒川 1.7 5.1   o Samukawa, Kōza District
Miyayama 宮山 2.1 7.2   ｜
Kurami 倉見 1.4 8.6   o
Kadosawabashi 門沢橋 1.4 10.0   ｜ Ebina
Shake 社家 1.6 11.6   o
Atsugi 厚木 2.6 14.2 Odakyū Odawara Line ｜
Ebina 海老名 1.7 15.9 Odakyū Odawara Line
Sagami Railway Main Line		 o
Iriya 入谷 3.0 18.9   ｜ Zama
Sōbudaishita 相武台下 1.7 20.6   o Minami-ku, Sagamihara
Shimomizo 下溝 2.9 23.5   ｜
Harataima 原当麻 1.3 24.8   o
Banda 番田 2.1 26.9   o Chūō-ku, Sagamihara
Kamimizo 上溝 1.5 28.4   ｜
Minami-Hashimoto 南橋本 2.9 31.3   o
Hashimoto 橋本 2.0 33.3 Yokohama Line
Keiō Sagamihara Line		 ^ Midori-ku, Sagamihara

History

The Chigasaki to Samukawa section was opened by the Sagami Railway (Sōtetsu) in 1921, primarily to haul gravel. The line was extended to Atsugi in 1926, and to Hashimoto in 1931.

The line was nationalized in 1944 during World War II; the private Sagami Railway began operating the then Jinchū Line (神中線), now the Sagami Railway Main Line.

After privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR) in 1987, the line was electrified in 1991. Before the JNR privatization, there were discussions to transfer the line to the Sagami Railway in order meet the expected demands of passenger traffic in the Tokyo and Yokohama suburbs. Because it had long been left as a non-electrified rural line, the cost to upgrade the line was beyond the ability of then financially constrained JNR; Sagami Railway, on the other hand, was running a profitable operation on its own line. However, the two companies did not agree on a deal, and plans to transfer the line were cancelled.

A short branch to Nishi-Samukawa Station from Samukawa Station was closed in 1984, and freight services ceased in 1998.

References

    Further reading
    • Sato, Makoto (2000). JR相模線物語 [JR Sagami Line Story] (in Japanese). Japan: 230 Club. ISBN 9784931353336.
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