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.

Akō Line
213 series EMU on an Akō Line local service at Osafune Station
Overview
Native name赤穂線
OwnerLogo of the West Railway Company (JR West) JR West
LocaleHyogo Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture
Termini
Stations19
Service
TypePassenger/freight
SystemUrban Network (Aioi - Banshū-Akō)
Operator(s)JR West
JR Freight
Rolling stock113 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
Opened1951
Technical
Line length57.4 km (35.7 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead line
Operating speed85 km/h (53 mph)

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

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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
City Prefecture
  Sanyō Main Line Sanyō Main Line  JR-A85  Himeji 姫路   Sanyō Shinkansen
  JR Kobe Line ( A85 )
  Bantan Line
  Kishin Line
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   Sanyō Shinkansen
  Sanyō Main Line
Aioi Hyōgo
  Akō Line Akō Line
Nishi-Aioi 西相生 3.0
Sakoshi 坂越 7.8 Ako
Banshū-Akō 播州赤穂 10.5   Akō Line (for Okayama)
  Akō Line   Akō Line (for Himeji)
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   Sanyō Main Line Naka-ku, Okayama
  Sanyō Main Line Sanyō Main Line
 JR-N03  Takashima 高島
 JR-N02  Nishigawara 西川原
 JR-N01  Okayama 岡山   Sanyō Shinkansen
    Sanyō Main Line
  Tsuyama Line
  Uno Line (  Seto-Ōhashi Line)
  Kibi Line (Momotaro Line)
Okayama Electric Tramway Higashiyama Main Line
Kita-ku, Okayama

History

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Opening ceremony for the Ako Railway at Banshu-Ako station, 14 April 1921
 
Dowa Mining Co. diesel rail car

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

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  • 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

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Main line alternate routes

References

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This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

  • 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.