Kashima Railway Line
The Kashima Railway Line (鹿島鉄道線, Kashima Tetsudōsen) was the sole line operated by the Kashima Railway Company in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It operated between Ishioka Station and Hokota Station.[2] It closed on 31 March 2007.
| Kashima Railway Line | |
|---|---|
 Railcars of Kashima Railway at Ishioka Station, January 2007 | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Closed |
| Locale | Ibaraki Prefecture |
| Termini | Ishioka Hokota |
| Stations | 17 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 8 June 1924 |
| Closed | 31 March 2007 |
| Owner | Kashima Railway Company |
| Depot(s) | Ishioka |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 27.2 km (16.9 mi) |
| Number of tracks | Single |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Minimum radius | 300 m |
| Electrification | None |
| Operating speed | 70 km/h (45 mph)[1] |
Stations
The line had 17 stations as shown below. As of 2002, only two stations, Ishioka and Hitachi-Ogawa, were staffed.[1]
| Station name | Japanese | Date opened | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ishioka | 石岡 | 8 June 1924 | 0.0 | Jōban Line | Ishioka, Ibaraki |
| Ishioka-Minamidai | 石岡南台 | 16 June 1987 | 1.5 | ||
| Higashi-Tanaka | 東田中 | 18 November 1964 | 2.5 | ||
| Tamari | 玉里 | 1 November 1951 | 3.6 | Omitama, Ibaraki | |
| Shin-Takahama | 新高浜 | 8 June 1924 | 4.2 | ||
| Shikamura | 四箇村 | 1 October 1951 | 5.1 | ||
| Hitachi-Ogawa | 常陸小川 | 8 June 1924 | 7.1 | ||
| Ogawakōkō-shita | 小川高校下 | 1 April 1988 | 7.8 | ||
| Momoura | 桃浦 | 15 August 1926 | 10.7 | Namegata, Ibaraki | |
| Yakimaki | 八木蒔 | 1 October 1951 | 12.8 | ||
| Hama | 浜 | 15 August 1926 | 14.4 | ||
| Tamatsukurimachi | 玉造町 | 1 February 1928 | 15.8 | ||
| Enokimoto | 榎本 | 6 May 1929 | 19.5 | ||
| Kariyado-mae | 借宿前 | 1 October 1951 | 21.4 | Hokota, Ibaraki | |
| Tomoegawa | 巴川 | 16 April 1929 | 23.7 | ||
| Sakado | 坂戸 | 19 November 1956 | 25.0 | ||
| Hokota | 鉾田 | 6 May 1929 | 27.1 |
History
The line first opened on 8 June 1924 as the steam-operated Kashima Sangu Railway (鹿島参宮鉄道), using steam operation between Ishioka and Hitachi-Ogawa.[1] The full line to Hokota was opened on 16 May 1929.[1]
Diesel operation commenced on 6 September 1930.[1]
From 1 June 1965, the railway became the Kantō Railway Hokota Line, and from 1 April 1979, it became the separate Kashima Railway.[1]
Freight operations ceased in 2002.
In 2006, the company announced the planned closure of the line, and the line finally closed on 31 March 2007.
The section between Ishioka and Shikamura stations was replaced with a BRT on August 2010.[3]
References
- Terada, Hirokazu (July 2002). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 40/190. ISBN 4-87366-874-3.
- MLIT Railway Bureau (2005). Tetsudō Yōran (Heisei 17 Nendo) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Denkisha Kenkyūkai. ISBN 4-88548-106-6.
- "ＢＲＴ：ＪＲ石岡駅東口に専用ターミナル ／茨城". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-03-08.