Watarase Keikoku Line

The Watarase Keikoku Line (わたらせ渓谷線, -sen) is a Japanese railway line connecting Kiryū Station in Kiryū, Gunma and Matō Station in Nikkō, Tochigi. This is the only railway line that the third-sector company Watarase Keikoku Railway (わたらせ渓谷鐵道, Watarase Keikoku Tetsudō) operates. The company and line are also known as Watakei (わた渓) or Watetsu (わ鐵). The company acquired the line from the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in 1989. As the name suggests, the line runs along the Watarase River through a deep valley.

Watarase Keikoku Railway Wa 89-313 train.


History

The Ashio Railway Co. opened the line to Ashio-Motoyama (2km beyond Mato) in 1911/12 to service the Ashio Copper Mine, and leased the line to JNR in 1913. Passenger services were introduced in 1914, and the line was nationalised in 1918.

The copper mine closed in 1973, the same year the line was deviated for the construction of the Kusaki Dam, including the 5242m Kusaki Tunnel.

In 1989 the Ashio-Motoyama - Mato section was closed and the operation of the balance of the line was transferred to the Watarase Keikoku Railway Co.

Basic data
  • Distance: 44.1 km
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm
  • Stations: 17
  • Double-tracking: None
  • Electrification: None
  • Railway signalling:
    • Kiryū — Shimo-Shinden: Automatic
    • Shimo-Shinden — Matō: Simplified Automatic

Station list
  • Trains stop at stations marked "●" and pass those marked "｜".
  • Local trains stop at all stations (other than Shimo-Shinden Signal Box).
Station Japanese Watarase Keikoku-gō Transfers Location
Kiryū 桐生   East Japan Railway Company (JR East): Ryōmō Line
Jōmō Electric Railway: Jōmō Line (Nishi-Kiryū)		 Kiryū Gunma
Shimo-Shinden Signal Box 下新田信号場    
Shimo-Shinden 下新田    
Aioi 相老 ※ Tōbu Railway: Kiryū Line
Undō-Kōen 運動公園 ｜ Jōmō Electric Railway: Jōmō Line (Kiryū-Kyūjō-Mae)
Ōmama 大間々 ● Tōbu: Kiryū Line (Akagi)
Jōmō Electric Railway: Jōmō Line (Akagi)		 Midori
Kami-Kambai 上神梅 ｜  
Motojuku 本宿 ｜   Kiryū
Mizunuma 水沼 ●  
Hanawa 花輪 ｜   Midori
Nakano 中野 ｜  
Konaka 小中 ｜  
Gōdo 神戸 ●  
Sōri 沢入 ●  
Haramukō 原向 ｜   Nikkō Tochigi
Tsūdō 通洞 ●  
Ashio 足尾 ●  
Matō 間藤    
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References

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

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