Keihan Katano Line

The Katano Line (交野線, Katano-sen^?) is a 6.9 km length railway line of a Japanese private railway company Keihan Electric Railway, in northern Osaka Prefecture from Hirakatashi Station on the Keihan Main Line southbound to Kisaichi Station.

History

The line was built and opened by an independent railway company, Shigi-Ikoma Electric Railway (信貴生駒電鉄, Shigi Ikoma Dentetsu^?) in 1929. The company aimed to build a line to connect its main line, present Ikoma Line of Kintetsu. The company cancelled the plan by financial reason, and commissioned the operation to Keihan. Later the operator changed, namely in 1939 Katano Electric Railway (交野電気鉄道, Katano Denki Tetsudō^?), Keihanshin Express Electric Railway (京阪神急行電鉄, Keihanshin Kyūkō Dentetsu^?) in 1945, finally in 1949 present Keihan Electric Railway.

The line had been single-tracked, but in 1992 the second tracks completed.

Operation

In the line all trains stop all stations. Several trains through to Keihan Main Line are operated on weekdays, as rapid trains. They are exceptionally named "Hikoboshi" and "Orihime", unlike other anonymous rapids of Keihan trains.

Local (普通, Futsū^?) (L)

Between Hirakatashi and Kisaichi. No through service to Keihan Main Line. Exclusively in daytime of weekdays and all day of holidays

Rapid Express (快速急行, Kaisoku Kyūkō^?) "Hikoboshi" (H)

At night on weekdays, from Nakanoshima for Kisaichi, stops at Watanabebashi, Ōebashi and Naniwabashi on the Nakanoshima Line, then Temmabashi, Kyōbashi, Moriguchishi, Neyagawashi, Kōrien and Hirakatashi on the Keihan Main Line, and all stations on the Katano Line

Commuter Rapid Express (通勤快急, Tsūkin Kaikyū^?) "Orihime" (O)

In the morning on weekdays, from Kisaichi for Nakanoshima, stops at all stations on the Katano Line to Hirakatashi, then Kōrien, Neyagawashi, Kyōbashi and Temmabashi on the Keihan Main Line, then Naniwabashi, Ōebashi and Watanabebashi on the Nakanoshima Line

Stations

All stations are in Osaka Prefecture.

• *1: From Nakanoshima
• *2: To Nakanoshima

Rolling stock

EMUs on the line are 4 or 5-car sets.

10000 series

4-car, operated as conductor-less. Newest EMU series of Keihan

2600 series

4-car

1900 series

5-car, retiring