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Watarase Keikoku Line

{{Short description|Railway line in Gunma and Tochigi prefectures, Japan}}

{{Use British English |date=February 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates |date=February 2024}}

{{more citations needed|date=April 2024}}

{{infobox rail line

|name=Watarase Keikoku Line

|native_name=わたらせ渓谷線

|color={{rcr|Watarase Keikoku Railway|Watarase Keikoku}}

|image=Wa89-313.jpg

|caption=Watarase Keikoku Railway Wa 89-313 train.

|gauge={{RailGauge|1067mm|allk=on}}

|start=Kiryū

|end=Matō

|tracks=1

| stations = 17

|open={{start date and age|1911|04|15|df=y}}

|linelength_km=44.1

|trainprotection=ATS-P
ATS-S N

|speed={{cvt|75|km/h|mph}} (Maximum)

}}

The {{nihongo|Watarase Keikoku Line|わたらせ渓谷線|Watarase Keikoku-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 {{nihongo|Watarase Keikoku Railway|わたらせ渓谷鐵道|Watarase Keikoku Tetsudō}} operates. The company and line are also known as {{nihongo|Watakei|わた渓}} or {{nihongo|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.

History

The Ashio Railway Co. opened the line to Ashio-Motoyama ({{convert|2|km|disp=or}} beyond Mato) in 1911–12{{clarify |reason= says the Ashio-Ashio Honzan section (Ashio-Motoyama Station) opened (all-way) on 25 August 1914, so should this not be 1911–14, in which case what was leased in 1913? |date=February 2024}} to service the Ashio Copper Mine, and leased the line to JNR in 1913. Passenger services were introduced in 1914. In 1918 the line was nationalised.{{Cite web |title=沿革・歴史 |trans-title=Company History |url=https://www.watetsu.com/company/history.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207115203/https://www.watetsu.com/company/history.php |archive-date=7 December 2023 |access-date=9 February 2024 |website=watetsu.com |language=ja}}

The copper mine closed in 1973, the same year the line was deviated for the construction of the Kusaki Dam, including the {{convert|5242|m|adj=on}} Kusaki Tunnel.

Operation of the line between Kiryū and Matō was transferred to the Watarase Keikoku Railway, a third-sector company, in 1989.{{cite book |editor-last=Bushell |editor-first=Chris |title=Railway Directory 2006 |edition=111th |page=127 |language=English |date=2006 |publisher=Reed Business Information |isbn=0-617-01031-5}} Also in 1989, the Ashio-Motoyama{{snd}}Mato section was closed.

Basic data

  • Distance: {{cvt|44.1|km}}
  • Gauge: {{track gauge |1067mm}}
  • 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).

class="wikitable" rules="all"
Station No.

! style="width:10em;"| Station

! style="width:7em;"| Japanese

! style="width:2em;"|Watarase Keikoku-gō

! Transfers

! colspan="2"|Location

{{WKSN|01}}

|{{STN|Kiryū|x}}

|桐生

| 

|East Japan Railway Company (JR East): Ryōmō Line
Jōmō Electric Railway: Jōmō Line ({{STN|Nishi-Kiryū|x}})

| rowspan="4" |Kiryū

| rowspan="13" |Gunma

{{WKSN|02}}

|{{STN|Shimo-Shinden|x}}

|下新田

| 

| 

{{WKSN|03}}

|{{STN|Aioi|x|Gunma}}

|相老

|style="text-align:center;"|※

|Tōbu Railway: Kiryū Line

{{WKSN|04}}

|{{STN|Undō-Kōen|x|Gunma}}

|運動公園

|style="text-align:center;"|｜

|Jōmō Electric Railway: Jōmō Line ({{STN|Kiryū-Kyūjō-Mae|x}})

{{WKSN|05}}

|{{STN|Ōmama|x}}

|大間々

|style="text-align:center;"|●

|Tōbu: Kiryū Line ({{STN|Akagi|x|Gunma}})
Jōmō Electric Railway: Jōmō Line (Akagi)

|rowspan="2"|Midori

{{WKSN|06}}

|{{STN|Kami-Kambai|x}}

|上神梅

|style="text-align:center;"|｜

| 

{{WKSN|07}}

|{{STN|Motojuku|x|Gunma}}

|本宿

|style="text-align:center;"|｜

| 

|rowspan="2"|Kiryū

{{WKSN|08}}

|{{STN|Mizunuma|x}}

|水沼

|style="text-align:center;"|●

| 

{{WKSN|09}}

|{{STN|Hanawa|x}}

|花輪

|style="text-align:center;"|｜

| 

|rowspan="5"|Midori

{{WKSN|10}}

|{{STN|Nakano|x|Gunma}}

|中野

|style="text-align:center;"|｜

| 

{{WKSN|11}}

|{{STN|Konaka|x}}

|小中

|style="text-align:center;"|｜

| 

{{WKSN|12}}

|{{STN|Gōdo|x|Gunma}}

|神戸

|style="text-align:center;"|●

| 

{{WKSN|13}}

|{{STN|Sōri|x}}

|沢入

|style="text-align:center;"|●

| 

{{WKSN|14}}

|{{STN|Haramukō|x}}

|原向

|style="text-align:center;"|｜

| 

|rowspan="4"|Nikkō

|rowspan="4"|Tochigi

{{WKSN|15}}

|{{STN|Tsūdō|x}}

|通洞

|style="text-align:center;"|●

| 

{{WKSN|16}}

|{{STN|Ashio|x}}

|足尾

|style="text-align:center;"|●

| 

{{WKSN|17}}

|{{STN|Matō|x}}

|間藤

| 

| 

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{commonscat|Watarase Keikoku Railway}}

  • [http://www.watetsu.com/ Watarase Keikoku Railway official website] {{in lang|ja}}

Category:Railway lines in Japan

Category:Rail transport in Gunma Prefecture

Category:Rail transport in Tochigi Prefecture

Category:1067 mm gauge railways in Japan

Category:Japanese third-sector railway lines

{{Japan-rail-line-stub}}