Wakayamako Line

The Wakayamakō Line (和歌山港線, Wakayamakō-sen) is a railway line operated by Japanese private railway company Nankai Electric Railway that runs in Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture, between Wakayamashi and Wakayamakō stations.

Nankai Wakayamakō Line
A 7000 series train arriving at Wakayamako Station
Technical
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1500 DC
Route map

 NK01 Namba
UpNankai Main Line
JR West: Kisei Main LineRight
Wakayama Depot
0.0
 NK45 Wakayamashi
Wakayama Tramway Line (Kainan Line)Right
LeftKitajima Branch
 DownWakayamakō Line
 UpOwned by Nankai
0.8
 Prefecture-Company Boundary
(Kubochō)
 DownOwned by Wakayama Prefecture
1.5
 Tsukijibashi
abandoned in 2005
2.3
 Chikkōchō
abandoned in 2005
 Wakayamako (First)
-1971
2.8
 NK45-1 Wakayamakō (Second)
1971-
5.4
 Suiken
abandoned in 2002

The purpose of the line is to provide a railway link to Wakayama Port that has ferry service to Tokushima in Shikoku. The line is jointly owned by Nankai and Wakayama Prefecture.

History

Opened in 1956 by Nankai from Wakayamashi to later Chikkōchō (then Wakayamakō) for rail connection to its ferry to Shikoku. In 1971 the line was extended to Suiken via present Wakayamakō, by Wakayama Prefecture for the expansion of the port and to provide freight access to then planned lumber transport. The section between Wakayamakō and Suiken was closed in 2002, until then freight train had never operated. The stations between Wakayamashi and Wakayamakō were abandoned in 2005 due to few passengers, then Kubochō Station was renamed the "Prefecture-Company Boundary" (県社分界点, Ken-sha Bunkai ten).

Descriptions

Operations

All trains are operated for the connection to and from Nankai Ferry.[1]

Weekdays
Limited express trains named "Southern" and express trains run through to and from Namba, and local trains run between Wakayamashi and Wakayamako. 2 Namba-bound express trains were changed to the local trains to Wakayamashi on October 1, 2012. The 2 express trains start at Wakayamashi.[2]
Weekends and holidays
6 round trips are operated; 4 are limited express trains named "Southern" which run through to and from Namba, and the other 2 are local trains running between Wakayamashi and Wakayamako.

Stations
Number Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Remarks
NK45 Wakayamashi 和歌山市 0.0
Prefecture-Company Boundary (0.8) Until 2005 named "Kubochō" (久保町) with passenger traffic
Tsukijibashi 築地橋 Abandoned in 2005
Chikkōchō 築港町 Abandoned in 2005. Named "Wakayamakō" until 1971
NK45-1 Wakayamakō 和歌山港 2.8
Suiken 水軒 Abandoned in 2002

References
  1. 4月1日から南海線のダイヤを変更します [Diagram revision on April 1] (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd. January 25, 2012. p. 2. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  2. 和歌山港駅発の一部列車の変更について [Information of Trains from Wakayamako Station] (in Japanese). Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd. Retrieved October 14, 2012.


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