Tosa Kuroshio Railway Asa Line

Tosa Kuroshio Railway Asa Line
A 9640 series car on the Asa Line, May 2010
Overview
Other name(s)	Gomen-Nahari Line
Native name	土佐くろしお鉄道阿佐線
Type	Regional rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Kōchi Prefecture
Termini	Gomen Nahari
Stations	20
Operation
Opened	1 July 2002
Owner	Tosa Kuroshio Railway
Technical
Line length	42.7 km (26.5 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	none
Operating speed	110 km/h (70 mph)

The Tosa Kuroshio Railway Asa Line (土佐くろしお鉄道阿佐線, Tosa Kuroshio Railway Asa-sen^?) is a 42.7 km Japanese railway line operated by the third-sector railway operator Tosa Kuroshio Railway. It connects Gomen Station in the city of Nankoku with Nahari Station in the city of Nahari in Kōchi Prefecture. The line is also commonly known as the Gomen-Nahari Line (ごめん・なはり線^?).

Limited-stop "Rapid" services and some all-stations "Local" services inter-run over the JR Shikoku Dosan Line to and from Kochi Station. Trains are formed of single or two-car diesel multiple units.

A fleet of 11 9640 series ("9640" can be read as "Kuroshio" in Japanese) stainless steel-bodied diesel multiple unit cars are used on the line, including two cars, 9640-1S and 9640-2S with rounded front ends in a whale motif and an open observation balcony on one side.

9640 series car 9640-6

9640 series car 9640-1S

9640 series car 9640-2S

The Tosa Kuroshio Railway was established on 8 May 1986 for the purpose of resuming construction of the Sukumo and Asa lines, which had been planned by JNR but abandoned. The company acquired a license to operate the Asa Line in January 1988, and commenced construction of the line, which opened on 1 July 2002.