Aichi Loop Line

Aichi Loop Line
Aichi Loop Line
	Local train at Yakusa Station
Overview
Locale	Aichi Prefecture
Termini	Okazaki; Kōzōji;
Stations	23
Service
Type	Commuter rail
Operator(s)	Aichi Loop Railway
Rolling stock	Aichi Loop Railway 2000 series
History
Opened	31 January 1988
Technical
Line length	45.3 km (28.1 mi)
Track gauge	1067
Operating speed	110 km/h (70 mph)*
Route map
Route map
	Map of Aichi loop line and other nearby lines

The Aichi Loop Line (愛知環状鉄道線, Aichi Kanjō Tetsudō-sen, "Aichi Loop Railway Line") is a Japanese railway line between 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 east to central Nagoya, which can be considered as an unclosed loop.

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 is no rapid service. All trains stop at every station. Two trains per an hour run during the daytime, increased to three or four per hour in the morning and evening peaks.

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
Station No.	Station	Japanese	Between stations	Total	Transfers		Location
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	Aichi	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	Aichi	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

^ (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, originally 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 once-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]

References

^ 私鉄車両編成表 2012. Japan: JRR. July 2012. p. 97. ISBN 978-4-330-29911-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 110. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

Official website Template:Ja icon

[1] (some trains through to/from Nagoya)

[jrrprivate2012-2] 私鉄車両編成表 2012. Japan: JRR. July 2012. p. 97. ISBN 978-4-330-29911-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

[terada2013-3] Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 110. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

[* 1]

[1]

[2]

v t e Transit in Chūkyō
Shinkansen	Tokaido
JR Central	Tōkaidō Chūō Kansai Iida Taketoyo Takayama Taita Kisei Sangū Meishō
Nagoya Municipal Subway	Higashiyama Meijō Meikō Tsurumai Sakura-dōri Kamiiida
Meitetsu	Nagoya Toyokawa Mikawa Toyota Nishio/Gamagōri Tokoname/Airport Chikkō Kōwa Chita Tsushima Bisai Takehana/Hashima Inuyama Hiromi Kakamigahara Komaki Seto
Kintetsu	Nagoya Yunoyama Suzuka Yamada/Toba/Shima
Minor private railways	Toyotetsu Azumada Atsumi Sangi Sangi Hokusei Yōrō Jōhoku
Third-sector railways	Aikan (Aichi Loop) Akechi Nagaragawa Etumi-Nan Tarumi Ise Aonami Yokkaichi Asunarou Utsube Hachiōji Linimo Nagoya Guideway Bus Yutorito
Bus	Nagoya City Transportation Bureau Nagoya Municipal Bus Key Route (BRT) Meitetsu Meitetsu Bus Gifu Bus Chita Noriai Kintetsu Mie Kotsu Willer Express Meitetsu Highway Bus Center Sakae JR Bus Terminal
Terminals	Rail Ekimae Gifu Kanayama Kintetsu-Nagoya Meitetsu Gifu Meitetsu Nagoya Nagoya Ōzone Sakae Sakaemachi Shin-toyohashi Toyohashi Airports Centrair Komaki Ports Nagoya Yokkaichi Kinuura Mikawa
Miscellaneous	Gozaisho Ropeway Ferry operators Taiheiyō Ferry Ise Bay Ferry Meitetsu Tourist Ferry Tsu Airport Line IC cards manaca TOICA Rail transport in Japan
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