The is a railway route operated by the Japanese private railway in Aomori Prefecture, from Chūō-Hirosaki Station in Hirosaki to Ōwani Station in Ōwani.
History On July 25, 1949, the was established, and connected Ōwani Station with Chuo-Hirosaki Station by January 26, 1952. The company was founded by a combination of capital from the Hirosaki city government, and Mitsubishi Electric, with the line intended by Mitsubishi to be a test platform for future local train systems. On October 1, 1970, the Hirosaki Electric Railway was acquired by the Kōnan Railway Company, and its line became the Kōnan Railway Ōwani Line. At the same time all freight operations were suspended. A new automatic block signal system became operational from November 1, 2003. Express services were suspended from November 2006.
Station numbering was introduced on the Ōwani Line on October 5, 2020.
Future closure
Due to a large decline in ridership, and chronic deficits, the Kōnan Railway Company announced intent to close the line in 2013. A council was established by passing municipalities to keep the line open shortly after, which dissolved in 2020. The company received funding to continue operating the line from passing municipalities in 2021. Suspension of the line was announced in November 2024. Operation on the line is planned to be indefinitely suspended from April 1, 2028.
Station list No.StationJapaneseDistance (km)Transfers Location BetweenStationsTotal KW01 大鰐駅-0.0JR East: Ōu Main LineMinamitsugaru District Ōwani, Aomori Prefecture KW02 宿川原駅0.70.7 KW03 鯖石駅1.52.5 KW04 石川プール前駅0.83.0 Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture KW05 石川駅1.44.4 KW06 義塾高校前駅1.35.7 KW07 津軽大沢駅1.06.7 KW08 松木平駅1.78.4 KW09 小栗山駅0.99.3 KW10 千年駅0.710.0 KW11 聖愛中高前駅1.311.3 KW12 弘前学院大前駅0.712.0 KW13 弘高下駅1.113.1 KW14 中央弘前駅0.813.9
Line Data Length: Number of stations: 14 (including termini) Tracks: single track Block Signal: Automatic Block Signal
References Harris, Ken and Clarke, Jackie. Jane's World Railways 2008-2009. Jane's Information Group (2008).
External links official home page