Kita-Osaka Kyūkō Railway

The Kita-Osaka Kyūkō Railway (北大阪急行電鉄, Kita Ōsaka Kyūkō Dentetsu^?) is a railway operator of Osaka, Japan. The sole line named Namboku Line (南北線, Namboku sen^?) is actually an extension of the Midōsuji Line Osaka Municipal Subway. Kitakyū, as it is often abbreviated, also owns various commercial and residential properties along the line.

History

The line was opened on February 24, 1970, to connect the then northern terminus of the Midōsuji Line, Esaka Station, to the grounds of the Expo '70. The Expo link was closed on September 14, and the line was redirected to a new underground terminal of Senri-Chūō Station.

Takeo Miki, then Minister of International Trade and Industry, brokered the deal creating the railway as a joint venture between the City of Osaka and Hankyu Railway. Although the line was originally envisioned as a straightforward extension of the Midosuji Line, the city government was unable to independently complete the extension because it went beyond municipal boundaries, thus raising issues of expropriation and financing.

The tracks between Senri-Chuo and the Expo Park were removed following the Expo, and the right-of-way repurposed as part of the Chugoku Expressway.

The line was planned to extend northward to the city of Minoh, but this extension has yet to be built or funded.

Corporate

Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway Co., Ltd. (北大阪急行電鉄株式会社, Kita Ōsaka Kyūkō Dentetsu Kabushiki Kaisha^?) was founded on December 11, 1967. It is a subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, Inc., headquartered at 2-4-1, Terauchi, Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture.

Stations on the Kitakyu Namboku Line

Rolling stock

Current

• 8000 series (from 1987)

Former

• 2000 series (from 1970 until 1993)
• 7000/8000 series (from 1970 until 1988)

External links

• Official site (Japanese)