JR-Central Transport Service Jōhoku Line
| Jōhoku Line | |
|---|---|
A KiHa 11 series diesel car on the Johoku Line in March 2021 | |
| Overview | |
| Native name | 城北線 |
| Status | Operational |
| Owner | JR Central |
| Locale | Aichi Prefecture, Japan |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 6 |
| Website | www |
| Service | |
| System | JR Central |
| Operator(s) | JR-Central Transport Service Company (TKJ) |
| Rolling stock | KiHa 11 series DMU |
| Daily ridership | 1,384 (FY2009) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1 December 1991 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 11.2 km (7.0 mi) |
| Number of tracks | Double-tracked |
| Character | Urban |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | Not electrified |
The Jōhoku Line (城北線, Jōhoku-sen) is a Japanese commuter rail line between Kachigawa Station in Kasugai and Biwajima Station in Kiyosu, in Aichi Prefecture. Trains are operated by JR-Central Transport Service Company (TKJ), a wholly-owned subsidiary of JR Central. While TKJ operates the line, the rail facilities belong to its parent company, JR Central. The line is not electrified, making it the last remaining non-electrified line in the prefecture.
The line was proposed by the Railway Construction Act in 1962 as a railway line connecting Seto and Inazawa. The construction was then planned by the Japanese National Railways (JNR) in the 1960s as a freight line linking Kachigawa Station and Biwajima Station. The construction started in 1976, but had to be halted due to JNR experiencing a large deficit. The line was completed by the TKJ. The line opened in two sections, in 1991 and 1993.
Because of the line's background as a line constructed by the Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation, JR Central pays fees to Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT) for TKJ to run trains on the line.
Services on the line are operated with four KiHa 11 trains used separately. In the daytime, trains run once an hour, while two to three services run an hour during the morning and the evening.