View source for Mooka Line

{{Short description|Railway line in Ibaraki & Tochigi Prefectures, Japan}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width                       = 
| name                            = Mooka Line<br/>真岡線
| color                           = 
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| image                           = Mashiko Station.jpg
| image_width                     = 
| caption                         = Mooka 14 DMU at Mashiko Station, April 2006
| type                            = Heavy rail
| system                          = 
| status                          = 
| locale                          = [[Ibaraki Prefecture|Ibaraki]], [[Tochigi Prefecture|Tochigi]] prefectures
| start                           = {{STN|Shimodate|x}}
| end                             = {{STN|Motegi|x}}
| stations                        = 17<ref name=annai/>
| routes                          = 
| daily_ridership                 = 
| website                         = https://www.moka-railway.co.jp/
| open                            = 1912
| close                           = 
| owner                           = [[Mooka Railway]]
| operator                        = 
| character                       = 
| depot                           = 
| stock                           = 
| linelength                      = {{convert|41.9|km|mi|2|abbr=on}}<ref name=annai/>
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = 
| gauge                           = {{RailGauge|3ft6in|lk=on}}
| electrification                 = None
| speed                           = 
| elevation                       = 
| map                             = 
| map_state                       = 
}}
The {{nihongo|'''Mooka Line'''|真岡線|Mo-oka-sen}} is a Japanese [[railway]] line connecting [[Shimodate Station]], in [[Chikusei, Ibaraki]] and [[Motegi Station]] in [[Motegi, Tochigi]]. It is the only railway line operated by the {{nihongo|'''Mooka Railway'''|真岡鐵道|Mooka Tetsudō}}. The [[Third-sector railway|third-sector]] company took over the former [[East Japan Railway Company|JR East]] line in 1988. In addition to regular diesel local trains, the line also operates the ''SL Mooka'' steam service for tourists using a [[JNR Class C12|C12]] class [[steam locomotive]].

==History==
* 1 April 1912: 16.5&nbsp;km {{Nihongo|Mooka Light Railway|真岡軽便線}} line opens between Shimodate and Mooka.
* 15 December 1920: Entire line opened to Motegi (route length of 42.0&nbsp;km). The proposed extension to Nagakura was not constructed.
* 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&nbsp;km.
* 27 March 1994: ''SL Mooka'' steam train operation starts.
* 30 July 2020: [[JNR Class C11]] steam locomotive #325 moved to [[Tobu Railway]]. <ref>{{Cite news |date=July 30, 2020 |title=真岡鐵道で運行していたSL(C11形325号機)を2020年7月30日に譲受します! |pages=1 |work=Tobu News Release |url=https://www.tobu.co.jp/cms-pdf/releases/20200720120934fYUWPllo2KeWvQVUiEdU5g.pdf |access-date=October 17, 2022}}</ref>

==Rolling stock==
''(As of October 2022)''<ref name=annai>[http://www.city.moka.tochigi.jp/mokasl/annai00.php Mooka Railway company overview] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202024523/http://www.city.moka.tochigi.jp/mokasl/annai00.php |date=2008-12-02 }}. Retrieved on 8 October 2008. {{in lang|ja}}</ref>
* Mooka 14 diesel railcars x9
*[[JNR Class DE10|DE10 Class]] diesel locomotive #1535<ref>"全国の現役機関車をめぐって" Japan Railfan Magazine, October 2008 issue, p.133</ref>
* JNR Class C12 steam locomotive #66
* OHa & OHaFu coaches x3

==Stations==
* The SL Mooka stops at stations marked with "●" and passes stations marked "｜".
* To take the ''SL Mooka'', passengers must purchase the SL ticket (500 yen) via [https://www.moka-railway.co.jp/sl-guide/ Mooka Railways SL Guide] and [https://www.moka-railway.co.jp/sl-yoyaku/?ym=2020-7 reserve their seats] at least a day in advance.
* There is "SL・DL Rapid" service only on days '''SL Mooka''' is  operated. And, boarding on this service costs only fares.<ref>[https://www.moka-railway.co.jp/stations/shimodate-station/ Holidays timetable from/to Shimodate Station around 15 p.m. and 16 p.m.]</ref>
{| class="wikitable" rules="all"
|-
!Station
!Japanese
!style="width:2.5em;"|Distance (km)
!''SL Mooka''
!''SL・DL Rapid''
!Transfers
!colspan="2"|Location
|-
|{{STN|Shimodate|x}}
|下館
|style="text-align:right"|0.0
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|●
|[[East Japan Railway Company]] (JR East): [[Mito Line]]<br />[[Kantō Railway]]: [[Jōsō Line]]
|rowspan="4"|[[Chikusei, Ibaraki|Chikusei]]
|rowspan="4"|[[Ibaraki Prefecture|Ibaraki]]
|-
|{{STN|Shimodate-Nikōmae|x}}
|下館二高前
|style="text-align:right"|2.2
|style="text-align:center"|｜
|style="text-align:center"|↓
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Orimoto|x}}
|折本
|style="text-align:right"|4.6
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Higuchi|x|Ibaraki}}
|ひぐち
|style="text-align:right"|6.5
|style="text-align:center"|｜
|style="text-align:center"|↓
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Kugeta|x}}
|久下田
|style="text-align:right"|8.5
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|●
|&nbsp;
|rowspan="6"|[[Mooka, Tochigi|Mooka]]
|rowspan="13" style="width:1.5em;"|[[Tochigi Prefecture|Tochigi]]
|-
|{{STN|Terauchi|x}}
|寺内
|style="text-align:right"|12.6
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|↓
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Mooka|x}}
|真岡
|style="text-align:right"|16.4
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|●
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Kita-Mooka|x}}
|北真岡
|style="text-align:right"|18.0
|style="text-align:center"|｜
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Nishidai|x|Tochigi}}
|西田井
|style="text-align:right"|21.2
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Kitayama|x|Tochigi}}
|北山
|style="text-align:right"|22.9
|style="text-align:center"|｜
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Mashiko|x}}
|益子
|style="text-align:right"|25.1
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|rowspan="2"|[[Mashiko, Tochigi|Mashiko]], [[Haga District, Tochigi|Haga District]]
|-
|{{STN|Nanai|x}}
|七井
|style="text-align:right"|28.4
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Tatara|x|Tochigi}}
|多田羅
|style="text-align:right"|31.2
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|rowspan="3"|[[Ichikai, Tochigi|Ichikai]], Haga District
|-
|{{STN|Ichihana|x}}
|市塙
|style="text-align:right"|34.3
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Sasaharada|x}}
|笹原田
|style="text-align:right"|38.1
|style="text-align:center"|｜
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
|{{STN|Ten'yaba|x}}
|天矢場
|style="text-align:right"|39.2
|style="text-align:center"|｜
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|rowspan="2"|[[Motegi, Tochigi|Motegi]], Haga District
|-
|{{STN|Motegi|x}}
|茂木
|style="text-align:right"|41.9
|style="text-align:center"|●
|style="text-align:center"|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|}

==See also==
*[[List of railway companies in Japan]]
*[[List of railway lines in Japan]]

==References==
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia
{{Reflist}}
{{Specified local lines|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Railway lines in Japan]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Tochigi Prefecture]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Ibaraki Prefecture]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1912]]
[[Category:1067 mm gauge railways in Japan]]
[[Category:1912 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Japanese third-sector railway lines]]
[[Category:Heritage railways in Japan]]