Akō Line

Akō Line
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213 series EMU on an Akō Line local service at Osafune Station
Overview
Type	Passenger/freight
System	Urban Network (Aioi - Banshū-Akō)
Locale	Hyogo Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture
Termini	Aioi Higashi-Okayama
Stations	19
Operation
Opened	1951
Owner	JR West
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
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 (55 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 Akō, and the segment of the line is part of JR West's Kinki region Urban Network.

Stations

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
				City	Prefecture
Sanyō Main Line
Himeji	姫路		Sanyō Shinkansen, JR Kobe Line, Bantan Line, Kishin Line	Himeji	Hyōgo
Agaho	英賀保
Harima-Katsuhara	はりま勝原
Aboshi	網干
Tatsuno	竜野			Tatsuno
Akō Line
Aioi	相生	0.0	Sanyō Shinkansen, Sanyō Main Line	Aioi	Hyōgo
Nishi-Aioi	西相生	3.0
Sakoshi	坂越	7.8		Ako
Banshū-Akō	播州赤穂	10.5
Tenwa	天和	14.5
Bizen-Fukukawa	備前福河	16.4
Sōgo	寒河	19.6		Bizen	Okayama
Hinase	日生	22.1
Iri	伊里	27.7
Bizen-Katakami	備前片上	31.0
Nishi-Katakami	西片上	32.3
Inbe	伊部	34.5
Kagato	香登	38.5
Osafune	長船	42.3		Setouchi
Oku	邑久	45.9
Odomi	大富	48.0
Saidaiji	西大寺	51.2		Okayama
Ōdara	大多羅	54.1
Higashi-Okayama	東岡山	57.4
Sanyō Main Line
Takashima	高島			Okayama	Okayama
Nishigawara	西川原
Okayama	岡山		Sanyō Shinkansen, Sanyō Main Line, Tsuyama Line, Seto Ohashi Line (Uno Line), Kibi Line Okayama Electric Tramway Higashiyama Main Line

History

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

• Banshu-Ako Station: The Ako Railway operated a 13 km 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 line to Yanahara, to haul iron sulphide ore, between 1923 and 1931. The line 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

Main line alternate routes

• Gotemba Line
• Kure Line
• Ube Line

References

• Miki, Masafumi (July 2004). "Railway Operators in Japan 13: Chugoku Region". Japan Railway & Transport Review (39): 36–43.