Kashima Railway Line Explained

Kashima Railway Line
Status:Closed
Stations:17
Open:8 June 1924
Close:31 March 2007
Owner:Kashima Railway Company
Depot:Ishioka
Linelength:27.2km (16.9miles)
Tracks:Single
Electrification:None
Speed:70abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Minradius:300 m

The was the sole line operated by the Kashima Railway Company in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It operated between Ishioka Station and Hokota Station.[1] It closed on 31 March 2007.

Stations

The line had 17 stations as shown below. As of 2002, only two stations, Ishioka and Hitachi-Ogawa, were staffed.

Station name Japanese Date opened Distance (km) Transfers Location
石岡8 June 1924align = right 0.0Jōban LineIshioka, Ibaraki
Ishioka-Minamidai 石岡南台16 June 1987align = right 1.5
Higashi-Tanaka 東田中18 November 1964align = right 2.5
Tamari 玉里1 November 1951align = right 3.6Omitama, Ibaraki
Shin-Takahama 新高浜8 June 1924align = right 4.2
Shikamura 四箇村1 October 1951align = right 5.1
Hitachi-Ogawa 常陸小川8 June 1924align = right 7.1
Ogawakōkō-shita 小川高校下1 April 1988align = right 7.8
Momoura 桃浦15 August 1926align = right 10.7Namegata, Ibaraki
Yakimaki 八木蒔1 October 1951align = right 12.8
Hama 15 August 1926align = right 14.4
玉造町1 February 1928align = right 15.8
Enokimoto 榎本6 May 1929align = right 19.5
Kariyado-mae 借宿前1 October 1951align = right 21.4Hokota, Ibaraki
Tomoegawa 巴川16 April 1929align = right 23.7
坂戸19 November 1956align = right 25.0
鉾田6 May 1929align = right 27.1

History

The line first opened on 8 June 1924 as the steam-operated, using steam operation between Ishioka and Hitachi-Ogawa.[2] The full line to Hokota was opened on 16 May 1929.[2]

Diesel operation commenced on 6 September 1930.[2]

From 1 June 1965, the railway became the Kantō Railway Hokota Line, and from 1 April 1979, it became the separate Kashima Railway.[2]

Freight operations ceased in 2002.

In 2006, the company announced the planned closure of the line, and the line finally closed on 31 March 2007.

The section between Ishioka and Shikamura stations was replaced with a BRT on August 2010.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Book: MLIT Railway Bureau. Tetsudō Yōran (Heisei 17 Nendo). 2005. Japanese. Denkisha Kenkyūkai. Tokyo. 4-88548-106-6.
  2. Book: Terada, Hirokazu . データブック日本の私鉄 . Databook: Japan's Private Railways . Neko Publishing . July 2002 . Japan . 40/190. 4-87366-874-3.
  3. Web site: BRT:JR石岡駅東口に専用ターミナル /茨城. 毎日新聞. ja. 2020-03-08.