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Sekihoku Main Line

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Sekihoku Main Line
Taisetsu limited express train from Asahikawa to Abashiri
Overview
Native name石北本線
StatusIn operation
OwnerJR Hokkaido
LocaleHokkaido
Termini
Stations31
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR Hokkaido, JR Freight
Rolling stockKiHa 283 series DMU, KiHa 40 series DMU, KiHa 54 series DMU, KiHa 150 series DMU
History
Opened1932 (fully)
Technical
Line length234.0 km (145.4 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed110 km/h (68 mph)
Route map

Sekihoku Main Line (石北本線, Sekihoku-honsen) is a railway line in Hokkaido, Japan, operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) between Shin-Asahikawa in Asahikawa and Abashiri Station in Abashiri. The name comes from the first Kanji characters of Ishikari Province (石狩国) and Kitami Province (北見国), names of 19th century provinces along the line.[1]

On 19 November 2016, JR Hokkaido's President announced plans to rationalise the network by up to 1,237 km (769 mi), or ~50% of the current network,[2] including the proposed conversion to Third Sector operation of the Sekihoku Main Line, but if local governments are not agreeable, the line will face closure.

Basic data

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Services

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The Okhotsk limited express train, named after the Sea of Okhotsk, runs from Sapporo to Abashiri with two daily return workings. The Taisetsu limited express train runs from Asahikawa to Abashiri with two return workings daily. The limited rapid train Kitami operates between Asahikawa and Kitami, with one return service daily.

Local services along the line are roughly divided into three segments. In the segment between Asahikawa and Kamikawa, the line functions as a commuter rail of Asahikawa City. There is one local train service per one to two hours. The segment between Kamikawa and Engaru is a sparsely populated area. Between Kamikawa and Shirataki, a local train runs one lap per day. For the segment between Engaru and Abashiri, there is one local train service per one to two hours.

Stations

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LE: Limited Express Okhotsk/Taisetsu
LR: Limited Rapid Kitami
All non-local trains stop at stations marked , Some stop at those marked *, No such trains (other than local) stop at those marked -. Local trains may skip stations marked ◌.
Station Distance
(km) 		LE LR Transfers Location
Asahikawa to Shin-Asahikawa: officially Sōya Main Line
A28 Asahikawa 旭川 -3.7 ■ Hakodate Main Line
■ Sōya Main Line
■ Furano Line 		Asahikawa
A29 Asahikawa-Yojō 旭川四条 -1.9 - - ■ Sōya Main Line
A30 Shin-Asahikawa 新旭川 0.0 - - ■ Sōya Main Line
Sekihoku Main Line
A31 Minami-Nagayama 南永山 2.5 - - Asahikawa
A32 Higashi-Asahikawa 東旭川 5.2 - -
A33 Sakuraoka 桜岡 10.2 - -
A34 Tōma 当麻 13.9 -   Tōma, Kamikawa
A37 Ikaushi 伊香牛 19.5 - -
A38 Aibetsu 愛別 25.9 - -   Aibetsu, Kamikawa
A39 Naka-Aibetsu 中愛別 32.0 - -
A41 Antaroma 安足間 38.0 - -
A43 Kamikawa 上川 44.9   Kamikawa, Kamikawa
A45 Shirataki 白滝 82.2 * Engaru, Monbetsu
A48 Maruseppu 丸瀬布 101.9 *
A49 Setose 瀬戸瀬 109.7 - -
A50 Engaru 遠軽 120.8
A51 Yasukuni 安国 128.8 -
A53 Ikutahara 生田原 137.7
A55 Nishi-Rubeshibe 西留辺蘂 156.2 - -

Kitami

A56 Rubeshibe 留辺蘂 158.2
A57 Ainonai 相内 169.1 -
A58 Higashi-Ainonai 東相内 173.7 -
A59 Nishi-Kitami 西北見 176.3 -
A60 Kitami 北見 181.0
A61 Hakuyō 柏陽 183.7 -  
A62 Itoshino 愛し野 185.9 -  
A63 Tanno 端野 187.3 -  
A64 Hiushinai 緋牛内 194.6 -  
A65 Bihoro 美幌 206.1     Bihoro, Abashiri
A66 Nishi-Memambetsu ◌ 西女満別 213.1 -     Ōzora, Abashiri
A67 Memambetsu 女満別 218.1  
A68 Yobito 呼人 225.9 -     Abashiri
A69 Abashiri 網走 234.0   ■ Senmō Main Line

Closed Stations

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History

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The principal route between Sapporo and Okhotsk Subprefecture has changed several times. Originally, the route was the Hakodate Main Line to Asahikawa, then the southbound Nemuro Main Line and then the northbound line from Ikeda, via the Abashiri Main Line (網走本線, Abashiri-honsen) to Kitami. The route shortened by 53.5 km (33.2 mi) when the section between Takikawa and Furano on the Nemuro Main Line opened in 1913.[citation needed]

Another route, northbound from Asahikawa to Nayoro, then southeast to Kitami was completed as the Nayoro Main Line (名寄本線, Nayoro-honsen) and Yūbetsu Line (湧別線, Yūbetsu-sen) in 1921.[citation needed]

A third route was a shortcut between Asahikawa and Engaru, straight through the Kitami Pass. The Sekihoku Line (石北線, Sekihoku-sen), completed in 1932, finally completed the main route still used today.[citation needed]

The current Sekihoku Main Line consists of the remnants of these three lines. The section between Shin-Asahikawa and Engaru is from the Sekihoku Line, the section between Engaru and Kitami from the Yūbetsu Line, and the section between Kitami and Abashiri from the Abashiri Main Line.[citation needed]

The first of the abovementioned sections to open was from Abashiri to Kitami in 1912. The Kitami to Engaru line was opened between 1912 and 1915 as a 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line, but was converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge in 1916.[citation needed]

The Asahikawa to Kamikawa section opened between 1922 and 1923, and the Engaru to Shiritaki section between 1927 and 1929. The final section, including the Ishikita tunnel, opened in 1932.[citation needed]

In July 2015, JR Hokkaido announced that it would be closing four stations line (Shimo-Shirataki Station, Kyu-Shirataki Station, Kami-Shirataki Station, and Kanehana Station) in March 2016, due to low passenger usage.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ JTB Timetable, February 2011 issue
  2. ^ "JR Hokkaido says it can't maintain half of its railways". 10 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Notice on train timetable changes in March 2024" (PDF). Hokkaido Railway Company. Japan. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  4. ^ 上白滝・旧白滝・下白滝の３駅も廃止 ＪＲ石北線、来年３月に [3 JR Sekihoku Line stations Kami-Shirataki, Kyu-Shirataki, and Shimo-Shirataki to close next March]. Doshin (in Japanese). Japan: The Hokkaido Shimbun Press. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
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