The Tōyoko Line (東横線) is a railway line run by Tokyu Railways (東急電鉄). It runs from Shibuya Station in Shibuya, Tokyo, to Yokohama Station in Nishi ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa.
History
The line began as part of the Tokyo Yokohama Electric Railway (東京横浜電鉄). On 14 February 1926 that company opened the section from Marukomatamagawa (now Tamagawa) to Kanagawa stations. Trains also ran through from Meguro, using the Mekama Line (目蒲線) of the Meguro Kamata Electric Railway. On 28 August 1927 the Shibuya to Marukomatamagawa section opened, so trains ran from Shibuya to Kanagawa. Before opening, the line was called the Shibuya Line. It was named the Tōyoko Line when it opened.
The line was finished in 1932. On 18 May 1928 the Kanagawa to Takashima section opened. In 1929 Kujōbutsu station was renamed Jiyūgaoka. On 31 March 1932 the Takashimachō to Sakuragichō section opened, which completed the line.
Express trains began running on 1 February 1935. In 1939 the Tokyo Yokohama Electric Railway merged into the Meguro Kamata Electric Railway on 1 October, and the merged company took back the Tokyo Yokohama Electric Railway name. On 11 December 1939 Kōgyō Toshi station opened between Shin-Maruko and Motosumiyoshi. Express service ended on 4 August 1941. On 1 May 1942 the company merged with Odakyu Electric Railway and the Keihin Electric Railway (now Keikyu), and took the name Tokyo Kyūkō Electric Railway (東京急行電鉄). In 1945 Namiki-bashi and Shin-Ōta-machi stations were suspended on 1 June, and Musashi-Kosugi station opened on 16 June.
After the war the line was rebuilt in stages. On 8 April 1950 Kanagawa station closed, and express service returned on 1 August 1950. Express trains stopped again on 1 April 1952. On 1 October 1952 the overhead voltage was raised from 600V to 1,500V. On 1 April 1953 Kōgyō Toshi station was closed and merged into Musashi-Kosugi. The first-generation 5000 series began service on 16 October 1954. Express trains returned on weekday daytimes on 1 April 1955. On 10 September 1956 the Yokohama to Sakuragichō section was made double track.
On 29 August 1964 through running began with the Hibiya Line (日比谷線) of the Teito Rapid Transit Authority (帝都高速度交通営団, Eidan; now Tokyo Metro). Trains ran between Kitasenju and Hiyoshi via Nakameguro. ATS came into use on 1 April 1968. The 8000 series entered service on 30 November 1969. On 27 February 1970 the section from Nakameguro to Toritsu-daigaku was elevated. On 19 May 1971 an air-conditioned 8000 series car was put into service. On 31 May 1971 the Hibiya through trains changed from six-car to eight-car trains, and the daytime timetable set that day lasted until express service started in March 2001. In March 1980 the first 5000 and 5200 series were retired after 26 years in service.
On 28 March 2001 express services began, ending the daytime pattern used since 1971. The first 9000 series entered service on 9 March 1986. On 13 March 1986 a derailment occurred at Yokohama station. On 20 March 1997 ATC-P came into use between Shibuya and Kikuna, and on 25 March 1997 the maximum speed was raised to 110 km/h. On 19 March 2003 commuter express services began. The line between Yokohama and Sakuragichō closed on 30 January 2004, and the line was moved underground between Higashi-Hakuraku and Yokohama on 31 January 2004. On 1 February 2004 through running began with the Yokohama Minatomirai Railway (横浜高速鉄道) Minatomirai Line (みなとみらい線).
On 14 June 2008 the underground Shibuya station opened as a station of the Fukutoshin Line (副都心線), and Tokyu managed its station operations from opening. On 11 March 2011 the Great East Japan Earthquake halted most lines in the Tokyo area, and through running with the Hibiya Line stopped. Full through running with the Hibiya Line resumed on 10 September 2011. On 16 March 2013 the line moved underground at Shibuya, and through running with the Fukutoshin Line began, while Hibiya Line through running ended. On 15 February 2014 a rear-end collision occurred at Motosumiyoshi station. On 23 February 2020 platform doors were completed at all stations. On 18 March 2023 the Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Line (東急新横浜線) opened, and through running began with Sotetsu (相鉄) lines.
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Written by an AI from the line's history on Japanese Wikipedia, nothing else, and checked by a program for dates and numbers that are not in those facts. It can still be wrong. Adapted from Japanese Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0; this text is shared under the same licence.