The is a Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese railway line between Shimodate Station

Shimodate Station

is a train station in Chikusei, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.- Lines :*East Japan Railway Company**Mito Line*Mooka Railway**Mooka Line*Kantō Railway**Jōsō Line- Adjacent stations :...

, in Chikusei, Ibaraki

Chikusei, Ibaraki

is a city located in Ibaraki, Japan. The city was founded March 28, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Akeno, Kyōwa and Sekijō, and the old city of Shimodate, all from the Makabe District, ....

 and Motegi Station

Motegi Station

is a train station in Motegi, Haga District, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.- Adjacent stations :...

 in Motegi, Tochigi

Motegi, Tochigi

is a town located in Haga District, Tochigi, Japan.As of 2005, the town has an estimated population of 16,403 and a density of 95 persons per km². The total area is 172.71 km²....

. It is the only railway line operated by the . The third sector company took over the former JR East

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

 line in 1988. In addition to regular diesel local trains, the line also operates the SL Mooka steam service for tourists using C11 and C12 class steam locomotive

Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

s.

History

• 1 April 1912: 16.5 km line opens between Shimodate and Mooka.
• 15 December 1920: Entire line opened to Motegi (route length of 42.0 km).
• 2 September 1922: Line renamed Mooka Line.
• 1 November 1982: Freight services discontinued.
• 11 September 1984: Line closure approved.
• 11 April 1988: JR line closes and becomes Mooka Railway Mooka Line. Route length is reduced to 41.9 km.
• 27 March 1994: SL Mooka steam train operation starts.

Rolling stock

(As of October 2008)

• Mooka 14 diesel railcars x9
• E10 class diesel railcar x1
• C11 Class steam locomotive x1
• C12 Class steam locomotive x1
• OHa & OHaFu coaches x3
• DE10 Class diesel locomotive
  JNR Class DE10
  The DE10 is a class of Japanese C-B wheel arrangement diesel-hydraulic locomotives. 708 locomotives were built between 1966 and 1978.-DE10-0 subclass:158 DE10-0 locomotives were built with steam heating boilers for passenger use....
  
   x1

Stations

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	SL Mooka	Transfers	Location
	下館	0.0	●	East Japan Railway Company East Japan Railway Company is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....  (JR East): Mito Line Mito Line The is a railway line between Oyama Station in Tochigi Prefecture and Tomobe Station in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The line is long and is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company .- Station list :* All trains stop at every station.... Kantō Railway Kanto Railway is a private Japanese railway company, which operates two unconnected lines in Ibaraki prefecture. The company is a subsidiary of Keisei Electric Railway.... : Jōsō Line Joso Line The is a railway line operated by the Kanto Railway in Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan. It is a diesel operated line which runs from Toride to Shimodate....	Chikusei Chikusei, Ibaraki is a city located in Ibaraki, Japan. The city was founded March 28, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Akeno, Kyōwa and Sekijō, and the old city of Shimodate, all from the Makabe District, ....	Ibaraki Ibaraki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...
	下館二高前	2.2	｜
	折本	4.6	●
	ひぐち	6.5	｜
	久下田	8.5	●		Mooka Mooka, Tochigi is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 66,988 and the density of 599.39 persons per km²...	Tochigi Tochigi Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...
	寺内	12.6	▲
	真岡	16.4	●
	北真岡	18.0	｜
	西田井	21.2	●
	北山	22.9	｜
	益子	25.1	●		Mashiko Mashiko, Tochigi is a town located in Haga District, Tochigi, Japan. As of October 1, 2009, the town has an estimated population of 24,760 and a density of 277 persons per km². The total area is 89.54 km².-Culture:... , Haga District Haga District, Tochigi Haga is a district located in Tochigi, Japan.As of 2011, the district has an estimated population of 66,852 and a density of 169 persons per km². The total area is 396,72 km².- Towns and villages :*Haga*Ichikai*Mashiko*Motegi-Merger:...
	七井	28.4	●
	多田羅	31.2	●		Ichikai Ichikai, Tochigi is a town located in Haga District, Tochigi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 12,577 and a density of 195.78 persons per km². The total area is 64.24 km².-External links:*... , Haga District
	市塙	34.3	●
	笹原田	38.1	｜
	天矢場	39.2	｜		Motegi Motegi, Tochigi is a town located in Haga District, Tochigi, Japan.As of 2005, the town has an estimated population of 16,403 and a density of 95 persons per km². The total area is 172.71 km².... , Haga District
	茂木	41.9	●

External links

• Mooka Railway official website