The is a Japanese railway line connecting

Okazaki Station 450px, Track layout is an interchange railway station in the city of Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, jointly operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tōkai) and the Aichi Kanjō Railway (Aikan). Lines Okazaki Station is served by the ...

in Okazaki and Kōzōji Station in Kasugai, operated by the . The company or the line is abbreviated as . 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 is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...

, which can be considered as an unclosed loop (with the JR Tokaido line and Chuo Line serving as the portions of the circle). The Aichi Loop Railway is a third sector company, with shares held by public sector such as Aichi Prefecture, the city of

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

, 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 Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Downtown, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter r ...

line for nearby

Toyota Motor is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the Automotive industry#By ...

factories.

Basic data

*Operators, distances: **

Aichi Loop Railway The is a Japanese railway line connecting Okazaki Station in Okazaki and Kōzōji Station in Kasugai, operated by the . The company or the line is abbreviated as . This is the only line the company operates. Despite its name, the line is not ...

(Category 1) ***Okazaki - Kōzōji: 45.3 km (ca. 28.1 mi.) **

Japan Freight Railway Company , or , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It provides transportation of cargo nationwide throughout Japan. Its headquarters are in Shibuya, Tokyo near Shinjuku Station. The Japan Railways Group was fou ...

(Category 2) ***Okazaki — Kita-Okazaki: 5.3 km (ca. 3.3 mi.) ***

Freight Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including tran ...

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 Railway signalling (), also called railroad signaling (), is a system used to control the movement of railway traffic. Trains move on fixed rails, making them uniquely susceptible to collision. This susceptibility is exacerbated by the enormo ...

: 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".

Rolling stock

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

History

The first section of the line between Okazaki and Kitano-Masuzuka opened in 1970 as the , a freight rail line of

Japanese National Railways The abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pref ...

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

References

External links

* {{Nagoya transit Rail transport in Aichi Prefecture Rail transport in Nagoya 1067 mm gauge railways in Japan Japanese third-sector railway lines Railway lines opened in 1988 1988 establishments in Japan