Aichi Loop Line

The Aichi Loop Line (愛知環状鉄道線, Aichi Kanjō Tetsudō-sen, "Aichi Loop Railway Line") is a Japanese railway line connecting Okazaki Station in Okazaki and Kōzōji Station in Kasugai, operated by the Aichi Loop Railway (愛知環状鉄道, Aichi Kanjō Tetsudō). The company or the line is abbreviated as Aikan (愛環). This is the only line the company operates. Despite its name, the line is not a true loop, but a north-south line situated east of Nagoya, which can be considered as an unclosed loop.

Aichi Loop Line
Local train at Yakusa Station
Overview
TypeCommuter rail
LocaleAichi Prefecture
TerminiOkazaki
Kōzōji
Stations23
Operation
Opened31 January 1988
Operator(s)Aichi Loop Railway
Rolling stockAichi Loop Railway 2000 series
Technical
Line length45.3 km (28.1 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC
Operating speed110 km/h (70 mph)
Route map
Map of Aichi loop line and other nearby lines

The Aichi Loop Railway is a third sector company, with shares held by public sector such as Aichi Prefecture, the city of Toyota, and also by private companies. Unlike typical third-sector lines in Japan, the Aichi Loop Line makes a profit, since the line functions as a commuter rail line for nearby Toyota Motor factories.

Basic data
  • Operators, distances:
    • Aichi Loop Railway (Category 1)
      • Okazaki - Kōzōji: 45.3 km (ca. 28.1 mi.)
    • Japan Freight Railway Company (Category 2)
      • Okazaki — Kita-Okazaki: 5.3 km (ca. 3.3 mi.)
      • Freight operation ceased in 1999.
  • Track:
    • Double: Naka-Okazaki - Kita-Okazaki, Kitano-Masuzuka - Mikawa-Kamigō, Mikawa-Toyota - Shin-Toyota, Setoshi - Kōzōji
    • Single: the rest
  • Railway signalling: Automatic (ATS-ST)

Services

There are no rapid services. All trains stop at every station. Three or four trains run per hour.

Station list
  • All stations are located in Aichi Prefecture.
  • Trains can pass each other at stations marked "◇", "^", and "v".
Station
No.		 Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers   Location
Between
stations		 Total
01 Okazaki 岡崎 - 0.0 Tōkaidō Main Line ｜ Okazaki
02 Mutsuna 六名 1.7 1.7   ◇
03 Naka-Okazaki 中岡崎 1.7 3.4 Meitetsu Nagoya Line (Okazaki-Kōen-Mae) ^
04 Kita-Okazaki 北岡崎 1.9 5.3   v
05 Daimon 大門 1.2 6.5   ｜
06 Kitano-Masuzuka 北野桝塚 2.2 8.7   ^
07 Mikawa-Kamigō 三河上郷 2.0 10.7   v Toyota
08 Ekaku 永覚 1.7 12.4   ｜
09 Suenohara 末野原 1.6 14.0   ◇
10 Mikawa-Toyota 三河豊田 1.9 15.9   ^
11 Shin-Uwagoromo 新上挙母 1.7 17.6 Meitetsu Mikawa Line (Uwagoromo) ∥
12 Shin-Toyota 新豊田 1.9 19.5 Meitetsu Mikawa Line (Toyotashi) v
13 Aikan-Umetsubo 愛環梅坪 2.0 21.5   ｜
14 Shigō 四郷 2.0 23.5   ◇
15 Kaizu 貝津 2.0 25.5   ｜
16 Homi 保見 1.3 26.8   ◇
17 Sasabara 篠原 2.4 29.2   ◇
18 Yakusa 八草 2.8 32.0 Linimo (L09) ◇
19 Yamaguchi 山口 2.6 34.6   ◇ Seto
20 Setoguchi 瀬戸口 2.1 36.7   ◇
21 Setoshi 瀬戸市 2.4 39.1 Meitetsu Seto Line (Shin-Seto) ^
22 Nakamizuno 中水野 2.8 41.9   ∥
23 Kōzōji 高蔵寺 3.4 45.3 Chūō Main Line[* 1] ∥ Kasugai
  1. (some trains through to/from Nagoya)

Rolling stock

Services are operated by a fleet of 2-car 2000 series EMUs.[1]

History

The first section of the line between Okazaki and Kitano-Masuzuka opened in 1970 as the Okata Line (岡多線), a freight rail line of Japanese National Railways (JNR). The section between Kitano-Masuzuka and Shin-Toyota was extended and the whole line started a passenger service in 1976.

Another part of the line, between Setoshi and Kōzōji, was originally planned as the JNR Seto Line, a (later cancelled) freight line. The Okata Line, merged with the planned Seto Line route and the link between two, was renamed the Aichi Loop Line in 1988.

The newly founded Aichi Loop Line Company took over the line from Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), with services starting on 31 January 1988.[2]

From 1 October 2005, through services began over the JR Chuo Main Line to Nagoya Station.[2]

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See also

References
  1. 私鉄車両編成表 2012 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2012]. Japan: JRR. July 2012. p. 97. ISBN 978-4-330-29911-2.
  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. 110. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.
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