The Yokohama Line (横浜線) is a main line run by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It runs from Higashi-Kanagawa Station in Yokohama to Hachioji Station in Hachioji, Tokyo.
History
The Yokohama Line began in 1908 as a private railway called the Yokohama Railway (横浜鉄道). It opened on 23 September 1908 between Higashi-Kanagawa and Hachioji. Its purpose was to carry raw silk from Hachioji and the Koshin region to the port of Yokohama. In 1910 the Railway Agency (鉄道院) leased the line and named it the Happin Line (八浜線). A freight branch from Higashi-Kanagawa to Umikanagawa opened on 10 December 1911. On 1 October 1917 the line was nationalised as the Railway Agency's Yokohama Line (鉄道院横浜線). On 1 September 1923 the Great Kanto Earthquake collapsed Kozukue and Haramachida stations. Electric test running began on 30 March 1925 between Higashi-Kanagawa and Haramachida, using electric locomotives only, as a test for electrifying the Tokaido Line. Kikuna station opened on 1 September 1926. From 1 October 1932 electric trains ran between Higashi-Kanagawa and Haramachida, and some continued to Sakuragicho. The service was split at Haramachida.
On 1 October 1933 diesel railcars were brought in between Haramachida and Hachioji. In January 1936 the Sagami Railway (相模鉄道, now the Sagami Line 相模線) began running into Hachioji from Hashimoto. On 5 April 1941 the Haramachida to Hachioji section was electrified, so the whole line became electric, and through services were restored. Sagamihara station opened at that time. On 14 November 1942 Katakura signal station opened between Aihara and Hachioji. In 1945 Higashi-Kanagawa station burned down in the Yokohama air raid. Oguchi station opened on 20 December 1947. On 1 June 1949 the Japanese National Railways (国鉄) was set up, and the line became the JNR Yokohama Line. On 1 September 1950 a temporary stop was opened at Sagami, to carry staff for the US forces' Sagami General Supply Depot. Automatic signals were added from Higashi-Kanagawa to Haramachida on 1 November 1952, and from Haramachida to Hachioji on 25 March 1954. On 1 October 1957 the Sagami temporary stop became Yabe station. On 25 December 1962 Kamoi signal station became Kamoi station. On 19 May 1964 the through section was extended to Isogo, when the Negishi Line (根岸線) opened between Sakuragicho and Isogo. On 1 October 1964 the Tokaido Shinkansen opened, and Shin-Yokohama station opened where the Shinkansen crosses the Yokohama Line.
From 22 October 1967 the Kikuna to Shin-Yokohama section was doubled. Double track was then added in stages through 1968 and 1980. Steam locomotives were fully withdrawn from the line in March 1968. The 103 series began service on 2 October 1972. On 30 May 1978 the first air-conditioned car on the line, a converted 103 series car, entered service. The 72 series made a farewell run on 30 September 1979, when the 103 series had been fully introduced. On 1 April 1980 Haramachida station moved 0.4 km toward Fuchinobe and was renamed Machida station. On 1 June 1981 the cars were consolidated at Kamata Electric Train Depot, and the Higashi-Kanagawa depot assignment ended.
On 14 March 1985 the through service to the Negishi Line was extended to Ofuna. On 1 April 1987 the national railways were split up and privatised, and East Japan Railway Company (JR East) took over the line. Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) became the freight operator from Nagatsuta to Hachioji, and freight service from Higashi-Kanagawa to Nagatsuta ended. On 6 March 1988 the Aihara to Hachioji section was doubled, which completed the double track on the whole line. Kobuchi station opened on 13 March 1988, when rapid service began. On 22 September 1988 the 205 series began service, and on 26 February 1989 the 103 series ended regular service. Around 1991 the Hachioji platform was made an island platform, with a sixth track added. On 16 March, after the Sagami Line was fully electrified, regular trains from the Sagami Line began running through to the Yokohama Line. In 1994 six-door cars were added to the trains, and all sets were made eight-car. Daytime rapid trains were increased, with an interval of 40 minutes, and Nagatsuta became a rapid stop. On 27 April 1996 a temporary limited express called Hamakaiji (はまかいじ) began running. From 1 October 1996 the Yokohama branch office covered the line from Higashi-Kanagawa to Hashimoto, and from 1 December 1996 all cars moved to Ofuna Electric Train Depot. Hachioji-Minamino station opened on 1 April 1997 and became a rapid stop.
Through running to Zushi began on 2 May 1998. On Saturdays and holidays, trains ran through the Negishi Line to Zushi on the Yokosuka Line. Sagamihara became a rapid stop on 14 March 1998. On 4 December 1999 rapid trains were increased, and the interval changed from 40 minutes to 30 minutes. On 18 March 2006 local trains through to the Yokosuka Line were abolished, and rapid trains began stopping at Kikuna. On 18 March 2007 the conductor crew office at Hachioji was abolished, and conductors on all trains were assigned from Higashi-Kanagawa. On 15 March 2008 the rapid trains through to the Yokosuka Line were discontinued. The Zushi through service had run for ten years, and it ended because of the longer route and the increase in Shonan-Shinjuku Line trains. In September 2008 special trains marked the line's 100th anniversary, including the Bay Dream Yokohama. On 1 April 2009 all stations in the Tokyo area, including the Yokohama Line, became non-smoking all day. On 13 March 2010 the rapid interval changed from 30 minutes to 20 minutes.
The 2011 Tohoku earthquake (東北地方太平洋沖地震) struck on 11 March 2011, and trains stopped until the last train of the day. On 14 and 15 March 2011 the Tokyo Electric Power Company's rotating planned blackouts meant trains were suspended all day. On 16 February 2014 E233 series 6000 番台 trains began service. On 23 August 2014 the 205 series ended all its service. On 12 July 2015 the Tokyo area train management system (ATOS) began to be introduced. On 17 December 2016 a smart platform door was trialled at Machida station for one car. On 23 September 2017 Machida station's platform doors for one train set were completed and began use. On 3 January 2019 the temporary limited express Hamakaiji ended. On 25 December 2020 the platform doors at Machida, which had been removed for improvement, were reinstalled and began use again.
On 12 March 2022 the through running with the Sagami Line between Hashimoto and Hachioji ended, in the timetable change. From 14 March 2026 the line became one-man operation. At all stations the departure melodies were stopped, and the melodies moved onto the trains. On 1 July 2026 the regional branch offices were replaced by business divisions. The Yokohama area came under the Yokohama Business Division, and the Hachioji area came under the Hachioji Business Division.
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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.