The Ao Line (粟生線, Ao-sen) is a commuter railway line in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Kobe Electric Railway (Shintetsu). It connects Kobe with its northwestern suburb, Ono. The line is 29.2 km (18.1 mi) long, extending from Suzurandai in Kita-ku to Ao, where the line connects with the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) Kakogawa Line, although all trains continue past Suzurandai to Shinkaichi via the Shintetsu Arima Line and Kobe Rapid Railway Namboku Line.

Shintetsu Ao Line
1500 series EMU on the 50 per mil gradient between Omura and Kashiyama, April 2011
Overview
Native name粟生線
OwnerKobe Electric Railway
LocaleHyōgo Prefecture
Termini
Stations20
Service
TypeHeavy rail
History
Opened28 December 1936
Technical
Line length29.2 km (18.1 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC
Operating speed70 km/h (45 mph)

Between Suzurandai Station and Kizu Station, track gradient can reach 50 at most.

History

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The Miki Electric Railway Co. opened the Suzurandai – Hirono Golf-jo-mae on 28 December 1936.[1] DMUs operated until the section was electrified the following year and extended to Miki Uenomaru, with the extension to Miki opening in 1938.

In 1947 the company merged with the Kobe Electric Railway Co., which extended the line to Ono on 28 December 1951, and from Ono to Ao on 10 April 1952.[1]

The Nishi-Suzurandai – Aina section was duplicated in 1982, and the Kizu – Oshibedani section was duplicated between 1979 and 1989.

Former connecting lines

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Stations

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  • S indicates that the service stops at the station
  • | indicates that the service skips the station
No. Station Distance (km) Local
(普通)
Semi-Express
(準急)
Express
(急行)
Transfers Location
↑ Through Service via the   Shintetsu Arima Line and Kobe Kosoku Line to/from Shinkaichi
KB06 Suzurandai 鈴蘭台 0.0 S S S   Arima Line (Through Service) Kita-ku, Kobe
KB41 Suzurandai-nishiguchi 鈴蘭台西口 0.8 S S S  
KB42 Nishi-Suzurandai 西鈴蘭台 1.3 S S S  
KB43 Aina 藍那 3.0 S S  
KB44 Kizu 木津 6.4 S S   Nishi-ku, Kobe
KB45 Kobata 木幡 8.1 S S S  
KB46 Sakae 9.6 S S S  
KB47 Oshibedani 押部谷 11.2 S S S  
KB48 Midorigaoka 緑が丘 12.8 S S S   Miki
KB49 Hirono Golf-jo-mae 広野ゴルフ場前 13.5 S S S  
KB50 Shijimi 志染 15.6 S S S  
KB51 Ebisu 恵比須 17.6 S S S  
KB52 Miki Uenomaru 三木上の丸 18.6 S S S  
KB53 Miki 三木 19.3 S S S  
KB54 Omura 大村 20.8 S S S  
KB55 Kashiyama 樫山 23.2 S S S   Ono
KB56 Ichiba 市場 23.9 S S S  
KB57 Ono 小野 26.2 S S S  
KB58 Hata 葉多 27.7 S S S  
KB59 Ao 粟生 29.2 S S S   Kakogawa Line
Hojo Railway Hojo Line

References

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

  1. ^ a b Terada, Hirokazu (July 2002). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. pp. 263–4. ISBN 4-87366-874-3.