Seibu Ikebukuro Line

Infobox rail line
box_width =
name = Seibu Ikebukuro Line
color =
logo =
logo_width =


image_width = 240px
caption = Ikebukuro Station
type =
system =
status =
locale = Kanto region
start = Ikebukuro
end = Agano
stations = 31
routes =
ridership =
open = 15 April 1915
close =
owner = Seibu Railway
operator =
character =
depot = Kotesashi
stock =
linelength = 57.8 km
tracklength =
notrack =
gauge = 1,067 mm
el = 1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
speed =
elevation =


map_state =

The nihongo|Ikebukuro Line|池袋線|Ikebukuro-sen is a commuter railway line of the Japanese private railway operator Seibu Railway. It originates at Ikebukuro Station, a large railway junction in north-western Tokyo, extending to northwest suburbs as far as Tokorozawa, Saitama and nominally terminates at Agano Station.

The Seibu Chichibu Line from Agano to Seibu Chichibu Station is essentially an extension. The operation is however divided at Hannō Station, which has a switchback.

Branch lines

The Ikebukuro Line has three branches with through operation, apart from the Seibu Chichibu Line.;Toshima Line:1.0 km length, with Local trains through from Ikebukuro.;Seibu Yūrakuchō Line:The bypass to Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line, with Semi Expresses and Rapids from Hannō to Shin-Kiba Station, with Locals. The proper name of the line is with the operator's name, to distinguish it from Tokyo Metro.;Sayama Line:Through trains are operated on holidays and days of baseball games of Saitama Seibu Lions.

Line data

* Tracks:
** 4-track: Nerima to Nerima-Takanodai (3.5 km)
** 2-track: Ikebukuro to Nerima (6.0 km), Nerima-Takanodai to Hannō (40.2 km), Kita-Hannō rail yard to Mushashigaoka Rail yard (1.5 km)
** 1-track: the remainder

History

The line opened 15 April 1915 as Nihongo|Musashino Line|武蔵野線|Musashinosen (separate from the Musashino Line of JR East), by the then Nihongo|Musashino Railway|武蔵野鉄道|Musashino Tetsudō, the predecessor of the present Seibu Railway with the first section from Ikebukuro to Hannō. In 1922 the electrification began in three stages from Ikebukuro, until reaching Hannō in 1925. In the late 1920s, a second track was added from Ikebukuro to Hōya Station, and in 1929 the line was extended to Agano Station, the present nominal end. On March 25, 1952, the line was renamed to the Ikebukuro line, and throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the 2-track section was extended in stages until reaching Kasanui yard in 1969.

In 1969, the Seibu Chichibu Line was completed to Seibu Chichibu Station to begin thru operation from Ikebukuro; in 1989, bypass tracks were laid to the Chichibu Railway Main Line; and in 1998, through service via Seibu Yūrakuchō Line of Seibu to the Tokyo Metro's Yūrakuchō Line began to Shinkiba Station.

In 2001, a second track of 350 m was built to complete the double-track section from Ikebukuro to Hannō. At the same time, the elevated 4-track section from Nerima-Takanodai to Nakamurabashi opened. This elevated 4-track section was extended to Nerima in 2003.

Rapid services

The Ikebukuro Line has a number of rapid services to equalize the load of each trains to Ikebukuro especially in the morning hours.

Abbreviations here are for the table below, not formally used.;Nihongo|Local|普通|Futsū:Stops at all stations. The longest operations are Ikebukuro to Hannō, through to Seibu Kyūjō-mae on Sayama Line, through to Toshimaen on Toshima Line. Also through from Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line to Kotesashi. Major sections of service are from Ikebukuro to Toshima-en, Hōya, from Shin-Kiba on Tokyo Metro to Kiyose, Shinsen Ikebukuro on the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line to Kotesashi.;Nihongo|Semi-Express|準急|Junkyū (SE):Operated all day. Longest from Ikebukuro to Hannō and Seibu Kyūjō-mae. Through from Yūrakuchō Line to Hannō.;Nihongo|Comm. Semi-Express|通勤準急|Tsūkin Junkyū (CSE):Morning up and down, evening down on weekdays only. Ikebukuro to Tokorozawa, Kotesashi and Hannō, and Seibu Kyūjō-mae. In English it is shown as Semi-Exp., not distingusihable from the ordinary "Semi-Express" mentioned above.;Nihongo|Rapid|快速|Kaisoku (Ra):Morning and evening hours to/from Ikebukuro, daytime through to Yūrakuchō Line. Longest to Hannō (seasonally one service a day to Seibu Chichibu) and Seibu Kyūjō-mae.;Nihongo|Comm. Express|通勤急行|Tsūkin Kyūkō (CE):Morning hours only, one direction up from Hannō to Ikebukuro. Shown as "Express", in English not distinguishable from "Express" below.;Nihongo|Express|急行|Kyūkō (Ex):All day operation, from Ikebukuro to Hannō.;Nihongo|Rapid Exp.|快速急行|Kaisoku Kyūkō (RE):All day on weekdays from Ikebukuro to Seibu Chichibu. On holidays morning down and evening up, some through to Chichibu Railway.;Nihongo|Ltd. Exp.|特急|Tokkyū (LE):Ikebukuro to Seibu Chichibu, trains named Nihongo|Chichibu|ちちぶ, Nihongo|Musashi|むさし, charged for express service.

Stations

Local not shown.
*S: stop; |: pass; S*: limited stop

References

* Large sections of this article were translated from the Japanese-language article on the Seibu-Ikebukuro line [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%A5%BF%E6%AD%A6%E6%B1%A0%E8%A2%8B%E7%B7%9A]