Dosan Line


Dosan Line is a railway line in Shikoku, Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company. It connects Tadotsu Station in Tadotsu, Kagawa, and Kubokawa Station in Shimanto, Kōchi. The line links the city of Kōchi with northern Shikoku and the island of Honshū via the Seto-Ōhashi Line. The first section of the line between Tadotsu and Kotohira opened in 1889, Kochi was connected to the northern section of the line in 1935, and the western extension of the line was completed in 1951. The name of the line comes from "Tosa Province and "Sanuki Province, the old provincial names of present-day Kōchi Prefecture and Kagawa Prefecture, respectively.

History

The first section opened, between Tadotsu and Kotohira, was constructed by the Sanuki Railway Co. in 1889. The company was nationalised in 1906.
The Kotohira - Awa Ikeda section was opened in 1914 and connected to the Tokushima line.
The Susaki - Kochi - Kusaka section opened in 1924, and was extended north in sections 1925-35, where it connected to the northern section at Minawa, the line from Awa Ikeda having been extended there in 1931.
The Susaki - Tosakume section opened 1939, with extensions to Kageno opening 1947 and to Kubakawa in 1951.
CTC signalling was commissioned between Tadotsu - Kochi in 1967, and the 4,180m Oboke tunnel and associated realignment opened the following year.
The 2,583m Osugi tunnel and associated realignment opened in 1973. CTC signalling was extended to Kubokawa in 1986, and the Tadotsu - Kotohira section was electrified the following year.
Freight trains ceased operating between Tadotsu - Kochi in 2005.

Former connecting lines

Nanpū limited express trains make 14 round-trips per day between Okayama and Kōchi, Nakamura, or Sukumo. Shimanto limited expresses make five round trips per day between Takamatsu and Kōchi, Nakamura, or Sukumo. The Sunport'' rapid service trains link Kotohira and Takamatsu once an hour.
The line is generally divided into three parts for local services at Awa-Ikeda and Kōchi. For the segment between Tadotsu and Kotohira, there are through services to/from Okayama and Takamatsu. The Tosa Kuroshio Railway Gomen-Nahari Line has through service to/from Kōchi.

Stations