The initial plan was as follows: bifurcate a feeder line from Morishoji Station on the Keihan Main Line (corresponding to the current Senbayashi Station); at Akagawa, connect it with the line proceeding from the project site of Kami-shinjo Station to the south, and then extend the line to Umeda Station via Sakuranomiya Station and Tenma Station on the Joto Line (later Osaka Loop Line); at Umeda Station, construct a general terminal station (after the inauguration of Tenjinbashi Station; subsequently, the plan was changed to bifurcate the Keihan Main Line at Noe Station and extend the Shinkeihan Line from Tenjinbashi Station, but the plan was abandoned in 1932 and the license lapsed in 1942 (see also the section on the Keihan Umeda Line); however, since the elevation of the Joto Line was postponed due to the investment policy that prioritized the reconstruction of the Great Kanto Earthquake, Keihan, which had anticipated extending the line up to Umeda Station by making use of the site of the Joto Line once it was elevated, decided to look for an alternate site, based on the perspective that this new line project wouldn't be feasible for some time.
当初は京阪本線森小路駅（現在の千林駅に相当）から支線を分岐させて、新京阪線上新庄駅予定地から南へ延長した路線に赤川で合流させ、城東線（後の大阪環状線）桜ノ宮駅・天満駅を経由して梅田まで延伸し、同地に総合ターミナル駅を作ろうという構想（天神橋駅開業後に京阪本線は野江駅分岐、新京阪線は天神橋駅からの延伸に計画変更し、1932年に断念、1942年に免許失効。京阪梅田線も参照）を打ち出したが、城東線の高架化が関東大震災復興工事優先投資の方針から遅れることになったため、梅田延伸に関して高架化に伴う跡地の利用を考えていた京阪では、この新線は当面は実現不可能と考えて、代替地を探すことにした。