Aizu Line

Aizu Line
Aizu Railway AT-150 series DMU at Ashinomaki-Onsen Station, April 2001
Overview
StatusIn operation
OwnerAizu Railway
LocaleFukushima Prefecture
Termini
Stations21
Service
TypeHeavy rail
OperatorAizu Railway
History
Opened1 November 1927; 99 years ago (1 November 1927)
Technical
Line length57.4 km (35.7 mi)
Num of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC (Aizu-Tajima — Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi)
Operating speed
85 km/h (53 mph)

The Aizu Railway Aizu Line (会津鉄道会津線, Aizu Tetsudō Aizu-sen) is a 57.4 km (35.7 mi) long railway line from Nishi-Wakamatsu Station in Aizuwakamatsu to Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi Station in Minamiaizu, Fukushima, Japan. It is owned and operated by Aizu Railway.

Services

The train operation is controlled from Aizu-Tajima Station. The electrified southern part goes beyond the Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi terminus onto the Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line, Tobu Railway and JR East all the way to Tokyo. The non-electrified northern part runs a diesel service beyond Nishi-Wakamatsu Station to Aizu-Wakamatsu Station on the JR East Tadami Line.

Stations

Tatami and Kotatsu (winter) seat
Aizu Mount Express
Dome Car
Station Japanese Distance (km) Rapid Relay Revaty Aizu Aizu Mount Express Open-car
"torokko"
Ozatoro Tenbō Ressha
Transfers Location
Between
stations
Total
↑through service to/from Aizu-Wakamatsu on the Tadami Line↑
Nishi-Wakamatsu 西若松 - 0.0 ●   ● ● ■ Tadami Line (for Koide) Aizuwakamatsu
Minami-Wakamatsu 南若松 3.0 3.0 ↕   ● ↕  
Monden 門田 1.9 4.9 ↕   ● ↕  
Amaya あまや 2.8 7.7 ↕   ● ↕  
Ashinomaki-Onsen 芦ノ牧温泉 2.8 10.5 ●   ● ●  
Ōkawadamukōen 大川ダム公園 5.7 16.2 ↕   ● ↕  
Ashinomaki-Onsen-Minami 芦ノ牧温泉南 1.5 17.7 ↕   ● ↕  
Yunokami-Onsen 湯野上温泉 5.0 22.7 ●   ● ●   Shimogō, Minamiaizu District
Tō-no-Hetsuri 塔のへつり 3.8 26.5 ●   ● ●  
Yagoshima 弥五島 1.5 28.0 ↕   ● ↕  
Aizu-Shimogō 会津下郷 3.1 31.1 ●   ● ●  
Furusato-Kōen ふるさと公園 1.4 32.5 ↕   ● ↕  
Yōson-Kōen 養鱒公園 2.6 35.1 ↕   ● ↕  
Aizu-Nagano 会津長野 2.2 37.3 ↕   ● ↕   Minamiaizu, Minamiaizu District
Tajimakōkōmae 田島高校前 2.2 39.5 ↕   ● ↕  
Aizu-Tajima 会津田島 2.5 42.0 ● ● ● ●  
Nakaarai 中荒井 3.8 45.8   ↕ ◆ ↑  
Aizu-Arakai 会津荒海 3.4 49.2   ↕ ◆ ↑  
Aizu-Sanson-Dōjō 会津山村道場 0.9 50.1   ↕ ◆ ↑  
Nanatsugatake-Tozanguchi 七ヶ岳登山口 3.0 53.1   ↕ ◆ ↑  
Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi 会津高原尾瀬口 4.3 57.4   ● ● ● ■ Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line (through operation)
↓through service to/from Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line↓

History

The Aizu Line was constructed between 1927 and 1953 by the Japanese National Railways (JNR) as part of a plan to build a direct line from Aizu-Wakamatsu to Tokyo. The Aizu Line was the northern section, whilst the Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line was to be the southern section. Despite the Kinugawa line connecting to the Aizu Line in 1986, the Aizu Line was deemed an unprofitable secondary line and transferred to a company established by local governments in 1987.

The Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi - Aizu-Tajima section was electrified at 1500V DC in 1990 to facilitate through-running onto the Kinugawa line.

Timeline

  • November 1, 1927: Nishi-Wakamatsu - Kamimiyori (Ashinomaki Onsen since 1987) section (10.5 km) opens as Yagan'u Line
  • December 22, 1932: Kamimiyori (Ashinomaki Onsen) - Yunokami (Yunokami Onsen since 1987) section opens
  • December 27, 1934: Yunokami - Aizu-Tajima section opens
  • by 1942: Yagan'u Line and Aizu Line (Aizu-Wakamatsu – Aizu-Miyashita via Nishi-Wakamatsu) merged under the name Aizu Line
  • December 12, 1947: Aizu-Tajima - Arakai (Aizu-Arakai since 1987) section opens
  • November 8, 1953: Arakai - Aizu-Takinohara (Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi since 1987) section opens
  • by 1971: Aizu Line split, with Aizu-Wakamatsu – Aizu-Miyashita – Tadami section becoming the Tadami Line, and the Nishi-Wakamatsu – Aizu-Takinohara section retaining the Aizu Line name
  • December 1, 1980: The 12.2 km deviation between Kamimiyori and Yunokami opens as part of the construction of the Okawa Dam
  • April 1, 1987: Line transferred to East Japan Railway Company (JR East) upon privatization of JNR
  • July 16, 1987: Line transferred to Aizu Railway
  • October 12, 1990: Aizu-Tajima — Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi section electrified (1500 V DC), direct service to the Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line begins
  • April 1, 1999: Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) ends operations
  • April 22, 2017: Revaty Aizu uses Tobu 500 series which belongs to Tobu Railway has been commenced operating.
  • March 12, 2022: Revaty Aizu has been the only electric train as a train, which runs on Aizu Line because Aizu Railway stopped interconnecting with Yagan Railway except for Revaty Aizu. Simultaneously, Aizu Railway lost the only electric train that Tobu 6050-100 series.