The is a Japanese railway line in

Gifu Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,910,511 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture ...

connecting

Ena Ena or ENA may refer to: Education * École nationale d'administration, French Grande école, for civil service * Education Networks of America, Internet service provider Government and politics * English National Association, a former poli ...

and Akechi stations, which are both located in

. There are stations located in

Nakatsugawa Magome-juku on the Nakasendō is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 78,930, and a population density of 120 persons per km2 in 30,788 households. The total area of the city was . Geography Nakatsugawa is in ...

city as well. This is the only railway line operates. The third-sector company took over the former

Japanese National Railways The , abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pre ...

line in 1985.

History

The line opened on 24 May 1933, between Oi Station (present-day

Ena Station is a railway station in the city of Ena, Gifu, Ena, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and by the Public–private partnership#Japan, third-sector railway operator Akechi Railway. Lines Ena Station is ...

) and . It was extended to Iwamura on 26 January 1934 and to on 24 June of the same year.

Iibama Station The is a Japanese railway line in Gifu Prefecture connecting Ena Station, Ena and Akechi Station (Gifu, Ena), Akechi stations, which are both located in Ena, Gifu, Ena. There are stations located in Nakatsugawa, Gifu, Nakatsugawa city as well. ...

was opened on 10 January 1959. Hanashiro Station was opened on 15 November 1967. Freight services were discontinued from 1 February 1981. The line was one of the

Deficit 83 Lines Deficit 83 Lines (赤字83線, Akaji-Hachijyusansen) is a list of railway lines owned by Japanese National Railways (JNR) proposed for abolishment or transferring to third sector companies as it has fulfilled its goals in 1968. Criteria The crit ...

selected by the Japanese National Railways for closure in 1968, although the line was not closed due to the movement ending without making much progress. However, it was brought up for closure again in 1981 during the

Specified local lines The were the railway lines specified by Japanese National Railways (JNR) under the 1980 to be closed. All of 83 lines were closed and substituted by buses or transferred to other railway operators between 1983 and 1990. Selection Article 8 of ...

movement, where it was transferred to a third-sector company in 1985. Iinuma Station opened on 28 October 1991. Noshi Station opened on 15 December 1994. Gokuraku Station opened on 25 December 2008. Hanashiro Station was renamed to Hanashiroonsen Station on 12 March 2011.

Services

Special services

Akechi Railway allows riders to experience local cuisine from the region throughout different times of the year by running one round-trip service per day with a

dining car A dining car (American English) or a restaurant car (British English), also a diner, is a passenger railroad car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant. These cars provide the highest level of service of any rai ...

, featuring dishes made from ingredients such as '' kanten'', '' jinenjo'', and mushrooms. ''

Sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

'' tasting trains also operate. The company holds monthly events where kids and adults can experience driving a

diesel locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover (locomotive), power source is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is con ...

. Steam locomotives also operate on the line, and private trains may be chartered for special events.

Stations

All stations are located in

. *Stations marked "▲" are stopped by the Inbound Rapid service, which runs only on weekdays). *Stations marked "●" are stopped by Express service , which runs on all days excluding Mondays. An express fare is not required, but advance reservations and tickets are required to ride in the seasonal Dining Car.

Ridership

Reference: Akechi Railway Taisyo roman

Rolling stock

, the line is operated using a fleet of five Akechi 10 series diesel railcars and one Akechi 6 series diesel railcar. A new Akechi 100 series diesel railcar (number 101) entered service on 8 April 2017, replacing the former Akechi 6 series car.

References

External links

* {{Specified local lines, state=collapsed Railway lines in Japan Rail transport in Gifu Prefecture Railway lines opened in 1933 1067 mm gauge railways in Japan Japanese third-sector railway lines 1933 establishments in Japan