Kōnan Railway Kōnan Line

The Kōnan Line (弘南線, Kōnan-sen) is a railway route operated by the Japanese private railway operator Kōnan Railway in Aomori Prefecture, from Hirosaki Station in Hirosaki to Kuroishi Station in Kuroishi.

Kōnan Railway Kōnan Line
Kōnan Line train and Mount Iwaki in January 2021
Overview
Native name弘南線
StatusOperational
OwnerKōnan Railway Company
LocaleAomori Prefecture
Termini
Stations13
Service
TypeHeavy rail passenger
History
Opened7 September 1927 (1927-09-07)
Technical
Line length16.8 km (10.4 mi)
Number of tracks1
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Minimum radius240 m
Electrification1,500 V DC with Overhead catenary
Operating speed65 km/h (40 mph)

Station list

No. Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
Between
stations
Total
KK01 Hirosaki 弘前 - 0.0 Ou Main Line, Gono Line Hirosaki
KK02 Hirosaki-Higashikōmae 弘前東高前 0.9 0.9  
KK03 Undōkōenmae 運動公園前 1.2 2.1  
KK04 Nisato 新里 1.5 3.6  
KK05 Tachita 館田 1.6 5.2   Hirakawa
KK06 Hiraka 平賀 2.3 7.5  
KK07 Hakunōkōkōmae 柏農高校前 2.0 9.5  
KK08 Tsugaru-Onoe 津軽尾上 1.6 11.1  
KK09 Onoekōkōmae 尾上高校前 1.4 12.5  
KK10 Tamboāto* 田んぼアート 0.9 13.4   Inakadate, Minamitsugaru District
KK11 Inakadate 田舎館 0.4 13.8  
KK12 Sakaimatsu 境松 1.5 15.3   Kuroishi
KK13 Kuroishi 黒石 1.5 16.8  
  • Tamboāto Station is open from April to November only.[1]

Rolling stock

A Konan 7000 series EMU at Kuroishi Station

Rolling stock on the line consists of former Tokyu 6000 and 7000 series EMUs.[2] Ex-Nankai Railway 1521 series 4-door EMUs were also previously used, but these were withdrawn in 2008 following the discontinuation of limited-stop "Rapid" services.[2] An electric locomotive is also available for use on winter snow-clearing duties.[2]

History

The Kōnan Railway was founded on March 27, 1926, and began operations between Hirosaki and Tsugaru-Onoe Station on September 7, 1927.[2] On July 1, 1948, the line was electrified at 600 volts DC.[2] The line was extended to Kōnan-Kuroishi Station (present-day Kuroishi Station) on July 1, 1950.[2] Voltage on the line was raised to 750 volts on April 1, 1954, and to 1,500 volts on September 1, 1961.

Freight services ceased in 1984.

Former connecting lines

  • Kuroishi station - The 7 km (4.3 mi) line to Kawabe on the Ou Main Line was opened in 1912 by the JGR, transferred to the Konan Railway Co. in 1984, the year that freight services ceased, and closed in 1998.

Accidents

A train derailed at Hiraka Station on June 12, 2007, but no injuries were reported.

References

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

  • Harris, Ken and Clarke, Jackie. Jane's World Railways 2008-2009. Jane's Information Group (2008). ISBN 0-7106-2861-7
  1. Suga, Yoshitaka (November 2013). 弘南鉄道弘南線に「たんぼアート駅」開業 [Tamboāto Station opens on KOnan Railway Konan Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 53, no. 631. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. p. 159.
  2. Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.
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