Nankō Port Town Line

The Osaka Metro Nankō Port Town Line (南港ポートタウン線, Nankō Pōto-taun-sen), also called New Tram, is an automated guideway transit line in Suminoe-ku, Osaka, Japan. The line is operated by Osaka Metro, and was constructed to serve as the main rapid transit line for newly built Osaka South Port habitations and facilities. An extension of the line from Cosmosquare to Trade Center-mae was once owned and operated by a subsidiary of the City of Osaka, Osaka Port Transport System Co., Ltd. [ja]. The operation of the section was later merged into Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau itself to increase the number of passengers by reducing fares and simplifying the previously separate fare structures.

Osaka Metro Nankō Port Town Line
A 200 series trainset in May 2016
Overview
OwnerOsaka Metro (Trade Center-mae – Suminoekoen)
Osaka Port Transport System Co., Ltd. (Cosmosquare – Trade Center-mae)
Line numberP
LocaleSuminoe-ku, Osaka
Termini
Stations10
Color on map     Aqua (#00A0DE)
Service
TypeAutomated guideway transit
SystemNew Tram
Operator(s)Osaka Metro (2018–present)
Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (1981–2018)
Depot(s)Nanko
Rolling stock200 series EMU
History
Opened16 March 1981; 43 years ago (1981-03-16)
Last extension18 December 1997; 26 years ago (1997-12-18)
Technical
Line length7.9 km (4.9 mi)
Number of tracksDouble-track
Electrification600 V 60 Hz 3-phase AC (third rail, side contact)
Operating speed55 km/h (34 mph)
Route map

Chūō Line (C10)
 
0.0
P09 Cosmosquare
0.6
P10 Trade Center-mae
1.3
P11 Nakafutō
Depot
2.5
P13 Port Town-higashi
4.0
P14 Ferry Terminal
4.8
P15 Nankō-higashi
5.4
P16 Nankōguchi
6.7
P17 Hirabayashi
7.9
P18 Suminoekōen
Yotsubashi Line (Y21)
 

Stations

All stations are in Suminoe-ku, Osaka.

No.Distance
(km)
StationJapaneseConnections
 P 09 0.0Cosmosquareコスモスクエア Chūō Line (C10)
 P 10 0.6Trade Center-maeトレードセンター前 
 P 11 1.3Nakafuto中ふ頭 
 P 12 2.0Port Town-nishiポートタウン西 
 P 13 2.5Port Town-higashiポートタウン東 
 P 14 4.0Ferry Terminalフェリーターミナル 
 P 15 4.8Nankō-higashi南港東 
 P 16 5.4Nankōguchi南港口 
 P 17 6.7Hirabayashi平林 
 P 18 7.9Suminoekōen住之江公園 Yotsubashi Line (Y21)

Rolling stock

As of 1 April 2019, the following train types are used on the line, all formed as four-car sets.[1]

  • 200 series four-car sets (since 29 June 2016)

200 series

The fleet of seven trains in March 2017

A fleet of four-car 200 series trainsets was introduced between 2016 and March 2017, all finished in different colour liveries.[2] The first set, 01, entered revenue service on 29 June 2016,[3] followed by the second set, 02, in October 2016.[4]

As of July 2019, the 200 series fleet consists of twenty sets (numbered 01 to 21 (excluding 13)), and formed as follows.[1][5] The trains have stainless steel bodies.[1]

Set No.Car numbersLiveryManufacture DateNotes
01205-01202-01200-01201-01  Blue[4]November 2015Series Prototype
02205-02202-02200-02201-02  Yellow[4]October 2016
03205-03202-03200-03201-03  Pink[4]November 2016
04205-04202-04200-04201-04  GreenDecember 2016
05205-05202-05200-05201-05  Orange[6]January 2017
06205-06202-06200-06201-06  PurpleFebruary 2017
07205-07202-07200-07201-07  RedMarch 2017
08205-08202-08200-08201-08  BlueJuly 2017
09205-09202-09200-09201-09  YellowAugust 2017
10205-10202-10200-10201-10  PinkSeptember 2017
11205-11202-11200-11201-11  GreenOctober 2017
12205-12202-12200-12201-12  RedNovember 2017
14205-14202-14200-14201-14  GoldMarch 2018Osaka Metro Commemorative colors
15205-15202-15200-15201-15  PinkMay 2018
16205-16202-16200-16201-16  YellowJune 2018
17205-17202-17200-17201-17  PurpleJuly 2018Adwraped
18205-18202-18200-18201-18  PinkJuly 2018Adwraped
19205-19202-19200-19201-19  WhiteSeptember 2018Panda
20205-20202-20200-20201-20  OrangeFebruary 2019Red Panda
21205-21202-21200-21201-21  YellowFebruary 2019Dora


Former rolling stock

  • 100 series (1981–2001)
  • 100A series (1991-2019)

History

  • March 16, 1981 – The Nankō Port Town Line from Nakafuto to Suminoekōen opened, making it the second-oldest AGT line in Japan after Kobe's Port Island Line, and the first licensed application of the Vought Airtrans people mover system outside the United States.[7] Trains run using GoA2 semi-automatic mode with driver on board, and all stations are fitted with full-height platform screen doors, a first in Osaka.
  • October 20, 1991 – 100A series trains begin operations, along with fully automatic GoA4 operations.
  • October 5, 1993 – Operations were suspended due to an accident that occurred at Suminoekōen Station;[8] operations resumed on November 19, 1993 in GoA2 semi-automatic mode.[9]
  • December 18, 1997 – The Osaka Port Transport System Co., Ltd. New Tram Technoport Line (ニュートラムテクノポート線) from Cosmosquare to Nakafutō opened.
  • February 20, 2000 – Unattended GoA4 operations resume.
  • July 1, 2005 – The OTS New Tram Technoport Line was merged to the Nankō Port Town Line.

Statistics

  • Distance: 7.9 km (incl. former OTS Line 1.3 km)
  • Power: 600 V three phase AC, side contact
  • Line color: cerulean blue
  • Symbol letter: P

See also

References