Koya Line

Koya Line

A Rinkan limited express service
Overview
Native name 高野線
Type
Locale Osaka Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture
Termini Shiomibashi
Gokurakubashi
Operation
Owner Nankai Electric Railway
Depot(s) Chiyoda, Oharata
Technical
Line length 64.5 km (40.1 mi)
Number of tracks Double (Shiomibashi - Hashimoto)
Single (Hashimoto - Gokurakubashi)
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed 100 km/h (60 mph)

The Koya Line (高野線 Kōya sen) is a railway line in Osaka Prefecture and Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by the Nankai Electric Railway, a private railway operator. It connects Osaka and Koyasan, the capital of the Japanese Buddhist sect Shingon, via the suburbs of Osaka, such as Sakai, Osakasayama, Tondabayashi and Kawachinagano in Osaka Prefecture and Hashimoto and Kōya in Wakayama Prefecture. To distinguish it from other Nankai Lines, the Kōya Line is indicated with pictograms of coniferous-like trees which bring to mind Mount Koya, or with the line colour, green.

For historical reasons, the line formally begins at Shiomibashi Station in Osaka and crosses the Nankai Main Line, the company's other main line, at Kishinosato-Tamade Station, though operationally it starts at Namba Station together with the Nankai Line, diverges at Kishinosato-Tamade Station and goes to Gokurakubashi Station, to connect to Koyasan through Nankai Cable Line.

The section from Shiomibashi to Kishinosato-Tamade, called the "Shiomibashi Line" (汐見橋線), has trains operating only in between those two stations. The section from Hashimoto to Gokurakubashi and the Koyasan Cable is named the "Koya Flower Railway" (こうや花鉄道) by operating a sightseeing train "Tenku".

Service patterns

Local (各駅停車 Kakueki Teisha) (Lo)
Between Namba and Sakaihigashi, Kitanoda, Kongō, Chiyoda, Kawachinagano, Miikkaichichō, Rinkanden-entoshi or Hashimoto, and between Hashimoto and Kōyashita or Gokurakubashi.
Semi-Express (準急 Junkyū) (SE)
All the southbound trains are operated from Namba to Izumi-Chūō on the Semboku Rapid Railway Line. On weekday mornings, northbound trains for Namba are operated from Kawachinagano and Chiyoda in addition to the through trains from the Semboku Rapid Railway Line.
Sub Express (区間急行 Kukan Kyūkō) (SbE)
Trains are operated between Namba and Kawachinagano, Miikkaichichō, Rinkanden-entoshi or Izumi-Chūō (Semboku Line).
Express (急行 Kyūkō) (Ex)
Trains are operated mainly between Namba and Miikkaichichō, Rinkanden-entoshi or Hashimoto. Several trains are operated between Namba and Kōyashita or Gokurakubashi.
Rapid Express (快速急行 Kaisoku Kyūkō) (RE)
All trains are operated between Namba and Gokurakubashi, and use a special "Zoomcar" rolling stock. On weekday evenings, southbound trains for Hashimoto from Namba are operated using other rolling stock.
Limited Express (特急 Tokkyū) (LE)
The Kōya (こうや) operates between Namba and Gokurakubashi, and the Rinkan (りんかん) between Namba and Hashimoto.
From December 5, 2015, Semboku Liner (泉北ライナー) services also commenced between Namba and Izumi-Chūō (Semboku Line). All seats on Limited Express trains are reserved.
Sightseeing train Tenku (観光列車「天空」) (Tk)
From July 3, 2009, trains operate between Hashimoto and Gokurakubashi daily except Wednesdays and Thursdays from March until November, and on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays from December until February. They stop at Kamuro and Kudoyama.

Stations

Namba - Kishinosato-Tamade - Gokurakubashi

Line name No. Station Stop Location
Nankai Main Line NK01 Namba Lo SE SB Ex RE    LE Chūō-ku, Osaka Osaka Prefecture
NK02 Imamiyaebisu Lo                   Naniwa-ku, Osaka
NK03 Shin-Imamiya Lo SE SB Ex RE    LE Nishinari-ku, Osaka
NK04 Haginochaya Lo                  
NK05 Tengachaya Lo SE SB Ex RE    LE
NK06 Kishinosato-Tamade Lo                  
Kōya Line
NK51 Tezukayama Lo                   Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
NK52 Sumiyoshihigashi Lo                  
NK53 Sawanochō Lo                  
NK54 Abikomae Lo                  
NK55 Asakayama Lo                   Sakai-ku, Sakai
NK56 Sakaihigashi Lo SE SB Ex RE    LE
NK57 Mikunigaoka Lo SE               
NK58 Mozuhachiman Lo SE               
NK59 Nakamozu Lo SE                Kita-ku, Sakai
NK60 Shirasagi Lo SE               
NK61 Hatsushiba Lo SE                Higashi-ku, Sakai
NK62 Hagiharatenjin Lo SE               
NK63 Kitanoda Lo SE SB Ex RE      
NK64 Sayama Lo SE SB             Osakasayama
NK65 Ōsakasayamashi Lo SE SB            
NK66 Kongō Lo SE SB Ex RE    LE
NK67 Takidani Lo SE SB             Tondabayashi
NK68 Chiyoda Lo SE SB             Kawachinagano
NK69 Kawachinagano Lo SE SB Ex RE    LE
NK70 Mikkaichichō Lo SE SB Ex RE      
NK71 Mikanodai Lo    SB Ex RE      
NK72 Chihayaguchi Lo    SB Ex         
NK73 Amami Lo    SB Ex         
NK74 Kimitōge Lo    SB Ex          Hashimoto Wakayama Prefecture
NK75 Rinkanden'entoshi Lo    SB Ex RE    LE
NK76 Miyukitsuji Lo    SB Ex RE      
NK77 Hashimoto Lo    SB Ex RE Tk LE
NK78 Kii-Shimizu Lo       Ex RE      
NK79 Kamuro Lo       Ex RE Tk   
NK80 Kudoyama Lo       Ex RE Tk    Kudoyama, Ito District
NK81 Kōyashita Lo       Ex RE      
NK82 Shimo-Kosawa Lo       Ex RE      
NK83 Kami-Kosawa Lo       Ex RE      
NK84 Kii-Hosokawa Lo       Ex RE       Koya, Ito District
NK85 Kii-Kamiya Lo       Ex RE      
NK86 Gokurakubashi Lo       Ex RE Tk LE

Shiomibashi - Kishinosato-Tamade

The section is known as the Shiomibashi Line (汐見橋線).

No. Station Location
NK06-5 Shiomibashi Naniwa-ku, Osaka Osaka Prefecture
NK06-4 Ashiharachō
NK06-3 Kizugawa Nishinari-ku, Osaka
NK06-2 Tsumori
NK06-1 Nishi-Tengachaya
NK06 Kishinosato-Tamade

History

The Takano Railway opened the Shiomibashi to Sayama section between 1898 and 1900, and extended the line to Kawachinagano in 1902. That section was electrified at 600 V DC in 1912. All further extensions were electrified when opened.

The Kawachinagano - Mikkaichicho section opened in 1914, and the line was extended to Hashimoto the following year. In 1922, the company merged with Nankai, and the Hashimoto to Gokurakubashi section opened in 1929.

Double-tracking of the line commenced in 1924, reaching Kawachinagano in 1938. The line voltage was increased to 1,500 V DC in 1973, and the following year, double-tracking reached Mikkaichicho, and Hashimoto in 1995.

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

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