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Aichi Loop Line
Aichi Loop Line
	Local train approaching Mutsuna 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	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC
Operating speed	110 km/h (68 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 connecting 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 situated east of Nagoya, 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, and also by private companies. Unlike typical third-sector lines in Japan, the Aichi Loop Line makes a profit,^{[citation needed]} 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 are no rapid services. All trains stop at every station. Three to four trains run per hour.

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	Daimon	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	Yamaguchi	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 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 (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.^[2]

Beginning on 1 October 2005, through-service began over the JR Chuo Main Line to Nagoya Station.^[2] This service has since been discontinued.^[when?]

References

^ 私鉄車両編成表 2012 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2012]. Japan: JRR. July 2012. p. 97. ISBN 978-4-330-29911-2.
^ ^a ^b Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 110. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.