The , also known as Konan Tetsudo, is a railway company that provides transportation services in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The company operates two regional railway lines: the Kà Ânan Line, which connects Hirosaki Station in the city of Hirosaki and Kuroishi Station in the city of Kuroishi, and the à Âwani Line, which connects Hirosaki with à Âwani Station on the JR à Âu Main Line. The company also operates an extensive bus network. It is headquartered in the city of Hirakawa.
Between November 1, 1984, and April 1, 1998, the company also operated the Kuroishi Line, a former line of Japanese National Railways.
The company was founded on March 27, 1926, and began operations between Hirosaki and Tsugaru-Onoe Station on September 7, 1927. Bus operations began on June 24, 1931, and were divested to a subsidiary company (the forerunner of the KÃ Ânan Bus Company) on April 17, 1940.
On July 1, 1948, the Konan line was electrified at 600 VDC. The line was extended to Kuroishi Station by July 1, 1950.
On July 25, 1949, the was established, and connected à Âwani Station with Chuo-Hirosaki Station by January 26, 1952.
Voltage on the line was raised from 600 VDC to 750 VDC on April 1, 1954, and to 1500 VDC on September 1, 1961.
On October 1, 1970, the Hirosaki Electric Railway was acquired by the Kà Ânan Railway Company, and its line became the Kà Ânan Railway à Âwani Line.
On November 1, 1984, the former Japan National Railway Kuroshi Line was privatized by the government and acquired by the KÃ Ânan Railway Company, becoming the KÃ Ânan Railway Kuroishi Line, but was subsequently closed in 1998.
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia