Kibi Line
{{Short description|Railway line in Okayama Prefecture, Japan}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name = Kibi Line
| other_name = Momotaro Line
| color = F3AABA
| logo = JRW oka-U.svg
| logo_width = 50
| native_name = 吉備線
| native_name_lang = ja
| image = JRW DC kiha40 kiha47 Kibi line.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| image_alt = Image
| caption = KiHa 40 series and KiHa 47 series DMUs on the Kibi Line between Ashimori and Hattori in October 2010
| type = Heavy rail
| system =
| status = In operation
| locale = Okayama Prefecture
| start = {{STN|Okayama|x}}
| end = {{STN|Sōja|x}}
| stations = 10
| routes =
| open = {{start date and age|11 November 1904|df=y}}
| close =
| owner = {{ric|JR West|name=y}}
| operator = JR West
| character = Urban and rural
| depot =
| stock = KiHa 40 series DMU
KiHa 47 DMU
| linelength = {{cvt|20.4|km|abbr=on}}
| tracklength =
| tracks = Entirely Single-track
| gauge = {{RailGauge|1067mm|lk=on}}
| minradius =
| speed = {{cvt|85|km/h}}
| electrification = None
| elevation =
| map =
| map_name =
| map_state = collapsed
}}
{{Nihongo|Kibi Line|吉備線|Kibi-sen}} is a railway line in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The nickname used by JR West in maps and timetables is the {{Nihongo|Momotaro Line|桃太郎線|}}.
Stations
All stations are in Okayama Prefecture.
| class="wikitable" | |
| No.
!Name !Japanese !Distance !Connections !Location | |
|---|---|
| {{RouteBox|U01 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Okayama|x}} |岡山 |style="text-align: right;"|0.0 |{{Plainlist|
}} |rowspan="7"|Kita-ku, Okayama |
| {{RouteBox|U02 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Bizen-Mikado|x}} |備前三門 |style="text-align: right;"|1.9 | |
| {{RouteBox|U03 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Daianji|x}} |大安寺 |style="text-align: right;"|3.3 | |
| {{RouteBox|U04 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Bizen-Ichinomiya|x}} |備前一宮 |style="text-align: right;"|6.5 | |
| {{RouteBox|U05 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Kibitsu|x}} |吉備津 |style="text-align: right;"|8.4 | |
| {{RouteBox|U06 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Bitchū-Takamatsu|x}} |備中高松 |style="text-align: right;"|11.0 | |
| {{RouteBox|U07 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Ashimori|x}} |足守 |style="text-align: right;"|13.4 | |
| {{RouteBox|U08 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Hattori|x|Okayama}} |服部 |style="text-align: right;"|16.2 | |rowspan="3"|Sōja |
| {{RouteBox|U09 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Higashi-Sōja|x}} |東総社 |style="text-align: right;"|18.8 | |
| {{RouteBox|U10 | #f8aba6}}
|{{STN|Sōja|x}} |総社 |style="text-align: right;"|20.4 |{{Plainlist|
}} |
Rolling stock
History
The line opened in 1904.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} The line is named after the historical Kibi Province ({{Nihongo|"Kibi Province"|吉備国|}}).
On 1 June 1944, the Chugoku Railway was nationalized, becoming part of Japanese National Railways (JNR).{{cite book |script-title=ja: 停車場変遷大辞典 国鉄・JR編 |trans-title=Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR|publisher = JTB | editor1-last = Ishino| editor1-first = Tetsu| year = 1998 |location = Japan |language = ja | volume = I|page = 96|isbn = 4-533-02980-9}} With the privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, the line came under the control of JR West.
From the start of the 26 March 2016 timetable revision, the line was branded the {{Nihongo|"Momotaro Line"|桃太郎線|}}.{{cite web |url= http://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2015/09/page_7661.html|script-title=ja: 岡山・福山エリアの主な路線に「路線記号」「ラインカラー」を導入します|trans-title=Line codes and line colours to be introduced on main lines in Okayama and Fukuyama areas|date= 17 September 2016|work= News release|publisher= West Japan Railway Company|location= Japan|language= ja|access-date= 29 March 2016}}
Leading on from this is the linguistic / phonetic coincidence that "kibi dango" (millet dumplings) is a famous dish associated with the Momotaro legend despite neither the character, nor millet in general, nor millet dumplings specifically have any particular historical connection to Okayama. The coincidence has been commented on for centuries.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{West Japan Railway Company Lines}}
{{Okayama transit}}
Category:Rail transport in Okayama Prefecture
Category:Lines of West Japan Railway Company
Category:1067 mm gauge railways in Japan