Akō Line
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Akō Line | |
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![]() ![]() | |
213 series EMU on an Akō Line local service at Osafune Station | |
Overview | |
Native name | 赤穂線 |
Owner | ![]() |
Locale | Hyogo Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture |
Termini | |
Stations | 19 |
Service | |
Type | Passenger/freight |
System | Urban Network (Aioi - Banshū-Akō) |
Operator(s) | JR West JR Freight |
Rolling stock | 113 series EMU 115 series EMU 117 series EMU 213 series EMU 221 series EMU 223-1000 series EMU 223-2000 series EMU 223-6000 series EMU 225-0 series EMU 225-100 series EMU |
History | |
Opened | 1951 |
Technical | |
Line length | 57.4 km (35.7 mi) |
Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
Electrification | 1,500 V DC overhead line |
Operating speed | 85 km/h (53 mph) |
Akō Line (赤穂線, Akō-sen) is a railway line owned by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Aioi, Hyōgo to Okayama, Okayama in Japan. A loop line off the Sanyō Main Line, the Akō Line commences at Aioi, is situated south of the main line approximately paralleling the Seto Inland Sea, and rejoins the main line at Higashi-Okayama.
The entire 57.4-kilometre (35.7 mi) line is single track. Only one train runs the entire length of the line, with service divided at Banshū-Akō, and no trains terminate at either of the official terminals. Trains from the east continue from Himeji on the Sanyō Main Line and terminate at Akō, while westbound services originating from Akō continue past Higashi-Okayama and continue on the Sanyō Main Line to Okayama and beyond. "Rapid" and "Special Rapid" trains from Kyoto and beyond make local stops between Aioi and Banshū-Akō, and the segment of the line is part of JR West's Kinki region Urban Network.
Stations
[edit]The line is split into two sections at Banshū-Akō Station, where passengers would have to interchange for train services to/from the Keihanshin region and the Okayama region.
Common name | Official line name | No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) |
Transfers | Location | |
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City | Prefecture | |||||||
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Sanyō Main Line | JR-A85 | Himeji | 姫路 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Himeji | Hyōgo | |
Agaho | 英賀保 | |||||||
Harima-Katsuhara | はりま勝原 | |||||||
Aboshi | 網干 | |||||||
Tatsuno | 竜野 | Tatsuno | ||||||
Aioi | 相生 | 0.0 | ![]() ![]() |
Aioi | Hyōgo | |||
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Akō Line | |||||||
Nishi-Aioi | 西相生 | 3.0 | ||||||
Sakoshi | 坂越 | 7.8 | Ako | |||||
Banshū-Akō | 播州赤穂 | 10.5 | ![]() | |||||
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Tenwa | 天和 | 14.5 | ||||||
Bizen-Fukukawa | 備前福河 | 16.4 | ||||||
JR-N16 | Sōgo | 寒河 | 19.6 | Bizen | Okayama | |||
JR-N15 | Hinase | 日生 | 22.1 | |||||
JR-N14 | Iri | 伊里 | 27.7 | |||||
JR-N13 | Bizen-Katakami | 備前片上 | 31.0 | |||||
JR-N12 | Nishi-Katakami | 西片上 | 32.3 | |||||
JR-N11 | Inbe | 伊部 | 34.5 | |||||
JR-N10 | Kagato | 香登 | 38.5 | |||||
JR-N09 | Osafune | 長船 | 42.3 | Setouchi | ||||
JR-N08 | Oku | 邑久 | 45.9 | |||||
JR-N07 | Odomi | 大富 | 48.0 | |||||
JR-N06 | Saidaiji | 西大寺 | 51.2 | Higashi-ku, Okayama | ||||
JR-N05 | Ōdara | 大多羅 | 54.1 | |||||
JR-N04 | Higashi-Okayama | 東岡山 | 57.4 | ![]() |
Naka-ku, Okayama | |||
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Sanyō Main Line | |||||||
JR-N03 | Takashima | 高島 | ||||||
JR-N02 | Nishigawara | 西川原 | ||||||
JR-N01 | Okayama | 岡山 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Okayama Electric Tramway Higashiyama Main Line |
Kita-ku, Okayama |
History
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Akou_Railway_Banshu_Akou_station.jpg/220px-Akou_Railway_Banshu_Akou_station.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Katakami_kiha312.jpg/220px-Katakami_kiha312.jpg)
The initial section between Aioi and Banshu-Ako opened in 1951, and the line was opened progressively, to Hinase in 1955, Inbe in 1958, and Higashi-Okayama in 1962. The Aioi - Banshu-Ako section was electrified in 1961, and the rest of the line in 1969.
CTC signalling was commissioned between Higashi-Okayama and Banshu-Ako in 1983.
Former connecting lines
[edit]- Banshu-Ako Station: The Ako Railway operated a 13 km (8.1 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Une on the Sanyo Main Line between 1921 and 1951.
- Nishi-Katakami Station: The Dowa Mining Co. opened a 34 km (21 mi) line to Yanahara, to haul iron sulphide ore, between 1923 and 1931. The line is also connected to Wake station on the Sanyo Main Line. Passenger services commenced in 1931, freight services ceased in 1988 and the line closed in 1991.
See also
[edit]Main line alternate routes
References
[edit]This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Miki, Masafumi (July 2004). "Railway Operators in Japan 13: Chugoku Region". Japan Railway & Transport Review (39): 36–43. Archived from the original on 2006-10-07. Retrieved 2007-02-26.