Kururi Line

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Kururi Line (久留里線) is a rail line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company, it runs from Kisarazu Station in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture to Kazusa-Kameyama Station in Kimitsu, Chiba Prefecture. The railway route extends through 3 cities, Kimitsu, Kisarazu, and Sodegaura. This rail line, like many other local lines in Japan, serves mainly as the traffic for high school students living in this area. It has no double-track section, and trains can pass at only two stations, Yokota Station and Kururi Station.

[edit] Line Information

• Operated by: East Japan Railway Company
• Length: 32.2 km
• Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Number of Stations: 14
• Double Track Section: None
• Electrified Section: Not electrified
• Maximum Operating Speed: 65 km/h
• Interlocking: Tablet interlocking

[edit] History

The construction of Kururi Line was originally planned as the compensation for the underdeveloped network of roads at that time. On 28 December 1928, the light railway (gauge: 762 mm) Chiba Prefecture-run Railway Kururi Line was opened from Kisarazu Station to Kururi Station. In 1922, the Railway Construction Act was amended by Diet of Japan, and a new rail line connecting Kisarazu Station to Ōhara Station via Kururi and Ōtaki, which goes across Bōsō Peninsula, appeared on the list. So, on 1 September 1923, Chiba Prefectural Government disposed of Kururi Line to the Railway Ministry, and this line was named Kururi Line. On 20 August 1930, the gauge of track was altered into 1067 mm, and on 25 March 1936, the line was extended to Kazusa-Kameyama Station. Kihara Line* from Ōhara Station was also opened up to Kazusa-Nakano Station and it was planned that Kururi Line and Kihara Line would be connected to form the projected route ( the name of which was to be Kihara Line ), but due to World War II, the extension of these 2 lines was given up, and Kururi Line was never to be extended into the most mountainous area of the peninsula. The train service from Kururi Station to Kazusa-Kameyama Station was once shut down from 1944 to 1947.

• Kihara Line: The rail line from Ōhara Station of Sotobō Line to Kazusa-Nakano Station. It is modern-day Isumi Tetsudō Isumi Line.

[edit] Stations

Station	Japanese	Distance (km) (from Kisarazu)	Transfers	Location
Kisarazu	木更津	0.0	JR East Uchibō Line	Kisarazu	Chiba Prefecture
Gion	祇園	2.6
Kazusa-Kiyokawa	上総清川	4.2
Higashi-Kiyokawa	東清川	6.1
Yokota	横田	9.3		Sodegaura
Higashi-Yokota	東横田	10.8
Makuta	馬来田	13.9		Kisarazu
Shimogōri	下郡	15.2		Kimitsu
Obitsu	小櫃	18.2
Tawarada	俵田	20.0
Kururi	久留里	22.6
Hirayama	平山	25.7
Kazusa-Matsuoka	上総松丘	28.3
Kazusa-Kameyama	上総亀山	32.2