Mooka Line

Mooka Line 真岡線
Mooka 14 DMU at Mashiko Station, April 2006
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
Locale	Ibaraki, Tochigi prefectures
Termini	Shimodate Motegi
Stations	17[1]
Operation
Opened	1912
Owner	Mooka Railway
Technical
Line length	41.9 km (26.04 mi)[1]
Track gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification	None

The Mooka Line (真岡線 Mooka-sen) is a Japanese railway line connecting Shimodate Station, in Chikusei, Ibaraki and Motegi Station in Motegi, Tochigi. It is the only railway line operated by the Mooka Railway (真岡鐵道 Mooka Tetsudō). The third sector company took over the former JR East line in 1988. In addition to regular diesel local trains, the line also operates the SL Mooka steam service for tourists using C11 and C12 class steam locomotives.

History

• 1 April 1912: 16.5 km Mooka Light Railway (真岡軽便線) line opens between Shimodate and Mooka.
• 15 December 1920: Entire line opened to Motegi (route length of 42.0 km). The proposed extension to Nagakura was not constructed.
• 2 September 1922: Line renamed Mooka Line.
• 1 November 1982: Freight services discontinued.
• 11 September 1984: Line closure approved.
• 11 April 1988: JR line closes and becomes Mooka Railway Mooka Line. Route length is reduced to 41.9 km.
• 27 March 1994: SL Mooka steam train operation starts.

Rolling stock

(As of October 2008)^[1]

• Mooka 14 diesel railcars x9
• E10 class diesel railcar x1
• C11 Class steam locomotive x1
• C12 Class steam locomotive x1
• OHa & OHaFu coaches x3
• DE10 Class diesel locomotive x1^[2]

Stations

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	SL Mooka	Transfers	Location
Shimodate	下館	0.0	●	East Japan Railway Company (JR East): Mito Line Kantō Railway: Jōsō Line	Chikusei	Ibaraki
Shimodate-Nikōmae	下館二高前	2.2	｜
Orimoto	折本	4.6	●
Higuchi	ひぐち	6.5	｜
Kugeta	久下田	8.5	●		Mooka	Tochigi
Terauchi	寺内	12.6	▲
Mooka	真岡	16.4	●
Kita-Mōka	北真岡	18.0	｜
Nishidai	西田井	21.2	●
Kitayama	北山	22.9	｜
Mashiko	益子	25.1	●		Mashiko, Haga District
Nanai	七井	28.4	●
Tatara	多田羅	31.2	●		Ichikai, Haga District
Ichihana	市塙	34.3	●
Sasaharada	笹原田	38.1	｜
Ten'yaba	天矢場	39.2	｜		Motegi, Haga District
Motegi	茂木	41.9	●

See also

• List of railway companies in Japan
• List of railway lines in Japan

References

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

1. Mooka Railway company overview. Retrieved on 8 October 2008. (Japanese)
2. "全国の現役機関車をめぐって" Japan Railfan Magazine, October 2008 issue, p.133

External links

• Mooka Railway official website (Japanese)