San'yō Main Line

The San'yō Main Line (山陽本線, San'yō-honsen) is a major railway line owned by JR Group companies in western Japan, connecting Kōbe Station and Moji Station, largely paralleling the coast of the Inland Sea, in other words the southern coast of western Honshu. The San'yō Shinkansen line largely parallels its route. The name Sanyō derived from the ancient region and highway San'yōdō, the road on the sunny (south) side of the mountains.

This article is about Japan Railways network line. For the Main Line of Sanyo Electric Railway, see Sanyo Electric Railway Main Line.
Sanyō Main Line
JNR 115-3000 in Setouchi yellow livery crossing the Yoshii River Bridge.
Overview
Other name(s)JR Kobe Line (Kobe - Himeji)
Native name山陽本線
TypeHeavy rail, commuter rail
SystemUrban Network
(Kōbe - Kamigōri, Hyōgo - Wadamisaki)
Hiroshima City Network
(Shiraichi - Minami-Iwakuni)
LocaleKansai, Chugoku, Kyushu regions
TerminiKōbe, Hyōgo
Moji, Wadamisaki
Stations124
Operation
Opened1872
OwnerJR West
JR Kyushu
Operator(s)JR West
JR Kyushu
JR Freight
Technical
Line length537.1 km (333.7 mi)
528.1 km (328.1 mi)
(Kōbe - Shimonoseki)
6.3 km (3.9 mi)
(Shimonoseki - Moji)
2.7 km (1.7 mi)
(Hyōgo - Wadamisaki)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead catenary
(Kōbe - Kanmon Tunnel, Hyōgo - Wadamisaki)
20 kV AC 60 Hz overhead catenary
(inside Moji station only)
Operating speed130 km/h (81 mph)
(Kōbe - Okayama)
120 km/h (75 mph)
(Okayama - Shimonoseki)
85 km/h (55 mph)
(Shimonoseki - Moji, Hyōgo - Wadamisaki)

The Sanyō Main Line is operated by the two JR companies West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). The Wadamisaki Line, a short section of line in length of 2.7 km between Hyōgo and Wadamisaki stations in Kobe is technically part of the Sanyō Main Line. A short section connecting Kitakyushu Freight Terminal also forms part of the Sanyō Main Line.

Basic data
  • Operators, distances: 537.1 km / 333.7 mi.
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Stations:
    • Passenger stations: 124
    • Freight terminals: 5
  • Track:
    • Quadruple-track line:
      • From Kobe to Nishi-Akashi: 22.8 km / 14.1 mi.
      • From Kaitaichi to Hiroshima: 6.4 km / 4.0 mi.
    • Double-track line:
      • From Nishi-Akashi to Kaitaichi: 275.5 km / 171.2 mi.
      • From Hiroshima to Moji: 208.0 km / 129.2 mi.
    • Single-track line:
      • From Hyōgo to Wadamisaki
  • Electric supply: Whole the line (1,500 V DC. Excluding inside Moji Station and Kitakyūshū Freight Terminal, which is 20,000 V AC, 60 Hz.)
  • Railway signalling:
    • From Kobe to Moji: Automatic
    • From Hyōgo to Wadamisaki: Special Automatic (Track Circuit Detection); a simplified automatic system.
  • Maximum speed at service:
    • From Kobe to Himeji: 130 km/h
    • From Himeji to Okayama: Tilting trains 130 km/h, others 120 km/h
    • From Okayama to Shimonoseki: 120 km/h
    • From Shimonoseki to Moji: 85 km/h
    • From Hyōgo to Wadamisaki: 85 km/h
  • CTC centers:
    • From Kobe to Kamigōri: Shin-Ōsaka Operation Control Center
    • From Kamigōri to Itozaki: Okayama Transportation Control Room
    • From Itozaki to Shimonoseki: Hiroshima Operation Control Center
    • From Shimonoseki to Moji: Hakata Operation Control Center
  • CTC system:
    • From Kobe to Kamigōri: Safety Urban Network Traffic System (SUNTRAS)

Stations

From Kobe to Himeji (JR Kobe Line)
See the JR Kobe Line article for the list.

From Himeji to Itozaki
Ra: Rapid (快速, Kaisoku)
SR: Special Rapid (新快速, Shin-Kaisoku)
SL: Rapid Sun Liner (快速サンライナー, Kaisoku Sanrainā)
  • All trains stop at stations signed "+". Some trains stop at "*". No trains (other than local) stop at "-".
  • Rapid trains coming from Osaka/Kobe area become local trains from Akashi and westward.
  • Rapid Sun Liner becomes a local train except between Okayama and Fukuyama.
  • Rapid trains from Hiroshima City Network stop at all the stations in this section. They become local trains from Okayama and eastward.
No. Station name Japanese Total distance (km) Ra SR SL Transfers Location
JR West
Himeji姫路54.8++ San'yō Shinkansen
Sanyo Main Line (JR Kobe Line) ( A85 )
Bantan Line
Kishin Line
Sanyo Railway Main Line (SY 43: Sanyo Himeji Station)		HimejiHyōgo
Agaho英賀保59.4++
Harima-Katsuharaはりま勝原62.2++
Aboshi網干65.1++
Tatsuno竜野71++Tatsuno
Aioi相生75.5++ San'yō Shinkansen
Akō Line		Aioi
Une有年83.1++Akō
Kamigōri上郡89.6++Chizu Express Chizu LineKamigōri, Akō
S11Mitsuishi三石102.4BizenOkayama
S10Yoshinaga吉永109.5
S09Wake和気114.8Wake, Wake
S08Kumayama熊山119.4Akaiwa
S07Mantomi万富123.5Higashi-ku, Okayama
S06Seto瀬戸128.0
S05Jōtō上道132.7
S04Higashi-Okayama東岡山136.1 Akō LineNaka-ku, Okayama
S03Takashima高島138.9
S02Nishigawara西川原140.8
S01
W01		Okayama岡山143.4+ San'yō Shinkansen
Uno Line ( Seto-Ōhashi Line)
Tsuyama Line
Kibi Line(Momotaro Line)
Okayama Electric Tramway (both at Okayama-Ekimae) ;
■ Higashiyama Line
■ Seikibashi Line		Kita-ku, Okayama
Nishi-Okayama Freight Terminal西岡山(貨)145.9-
W02Kitanagase北長瀬146.8-
W03Niwase庭瀬149.9-
W04Nakashō中庄154.6-Kurashiki
W05Kurashiki倉敷159.3+ Hakubi Line
Mizushima Main Line (Kurashikishi)
W06Nishiachi西阿知163.3-
W07Shin-Kurashiki新倉敷168.6+ Sanyō Shinkansen
W08Konkō金光174.9*Asakuchi
W09Kamogata鴨方178.4*
W10Satoshō里庄182.4*Satoshō, Asakuchi
W11Kasaoka笠岡187.1+Kasaoka
W12Daimon大門194.2-FukuyamaHiroshima
W13Higashi-Fukuyama東福山197.5-
W14
X14		Fukuyama福山201.7+ Sanyō Shinkansen
Fukuen Line
X15Bingo-Akasaka備後赤坂207.5
X16Matsunaga松永212.4
X17Higashi-Onomichi東尾道215.3Onomichi
X18Onomichi尾道221.8
X19
G17		Itozaki糸崎230.9Mihara

From Itozaki to Tokuyama (Hiroshima City Network)
Ra: Rapid Service
  • All trains stop at stations signed "+". No trains (other than local) stop at "-".
  • Rapid Service runs from suburbs to Hiroshima on morning.
No. Station name Japanese Total distance (km) Ra Transfers Location
JR West
X19
G17		Itozaki糸崎230.9MiharaHiroshima
X20
G16		Mihara三原233.3 Sanyō Shinkansen
Kure Line
G15Hongō本郷242.8
G14Kōchi河内255.1Higashihiroshima
G13Nyūno入野259.5
G12Shiraichi白市263.9
G11Nishitakaya西高屋268.3
G10Saijō西条272.9+
G09Jike寺家275.2+
G08Hachihommatsu八本松278.9+
G07Seno瀬野289.5-Skyrail Midorizaka Line (Midoriguchi)Aki-ku, Hiroshima
G06Nakanohigashi中野東292.4-
G05Aki-Nakano安芸中野294.4-
G04Kaitaichi海田市298.3+ Kure LineKaita, Aki
G03Mukainada向洋300.6-Fuchū, Aki
G02Tenjingawa天神川302.4-Minami-ku, Hiroshima
Hiroshima Freight Terminal広島貨物ターミナル303.1-
G01
R01		Hiroshima広島304.7+ San'yō Shinkansen
Geibi Line
Hiroden Main Line;
■ Route 1, ■ 2, ■ 5, ■ 6;
R02Shin-Hakushima新白島306.5+ Kabe Line
Hiroshima Rapid Transit Astram Line		Nishi-ku, Hiroshima
R03Yokogawa横川307.7+■ Route 7 and ■ 8; Hiroden Yokogawa Line
Kabe Line
R04Nishi-Hiroshima西広島310.2+■ Route 2 and ■ 3; Main Line and Hiroden Miyajima Line (Hiroden-nishi-hiroshima)
R05Shin-Inokuchi新井口314.4+■ Route 2; Miyajima Line (Shōkō Center-iriguchi)
R06Itsukaichi五日市316.8+■ Route 2; Miyajima Line (Hiroden-itsukaichi)Saeki-ku, Hiroshima
R07Hatsukaichi廿日市320.2-■ Route 2; Miyajima Line (Hiroden-hatsukaichi)Hatsukaichi
R08Miyauchi-Kushido宮内串戸321.8+■ Route 2; Miyajima Line (Miyauchi)
R09Ajina阿品324.8-■ Route 2; Miyajima Line (Hiroden-ajina)
R10Miyajimaguchi宮島口326.5+■ Route 2; Miyajima Line (Hiroden-miyajima-guchi)
JR Miyajima Ferry
R11Maezora前空328.3-
R12Ōnoura大野浦331.4-
R13Kuba玖波336.4-Ōtake
R14Ōtake大竹340.8+
R15Waki和木342.3-Waki, KugaYamaguchi
R16Iwakuni岩国346.1+■ Gantoku LineIwakuni
Minami-Iwakuni南岩国350.7
Fujū藤生353.4
Tsuzu通津358.6
Yū由宇361.6
Kōjiro神代366.8
Ōbatake大畠371.9Yanai
Yanaiminato柳井港376.4
Yanai柳井379.2
Tabuse田布施385.4Tabuse, Kumage
Iwata岩田390.9Hikari
Shimata島田395.9
Hikari光400.7
Kudamatsu下松406.9Kudamatsu
Kushigahama櫛ヶ浜411.5■ Gantoku LineShūnan
Tokuyama徳山414.9 Sanyo Shinkansen

Tokuyama to Moji
  • Hiroshima City Network Rapid trains stop at all the stations in this section.
Station nameJapaneseTotal distance (km)TransfersLocation
JR West
Tokuyama徳山414.9 Sanyo ShinkansenShūnanYamaguchi
Shinnan-yō新南陽421.9
Fukugawa福川425.7
Heta戸田425.7
Tonomi富海434.2Hōfu
Hōfu Freight Terminal防府(貨)437.2
Hōfu防府441.4
Daidō大道449.2
Yotsutsuji四辻454.0Yamaguchi
Shin-Yamaguchi新山口459.2 Sanyō Shinkansen
■ Ube Line
■ Yamaguchi Line
Kagawa嘉川463.2
Hon-Yura本由良467.7
Kotō厚東478.0Ube
Ube宇部484.5■ Ube Line
Onoda小野田488.0■ Onoda LineSanyōonoda
Asa厚狭494.3 Sanyō Shinkansen
■ Mine Line
Habu埴生502.6
Ozuki小月508.8Shimonoseki
Chōfu長府515.0
Shin-Shimonoseki新下関520.9 Sanyō Shinkansen
Hatabu幡生524.6■ Sanin Main Line
Shimonoseki下関528.1
JR Kyushu
Shimonoseki下関ShimonosekiYamaguchi
Moji門司534.4Kagoshima Main LineMoji-ku, KitakyushuFukuoka

Wadamisaki Line
See the Wadamisaki Line article.

Rolling stock
JR West 117 series EMU
JR Kyushu 415 series EMU
Freight train with Class EF67 bank engine

JR West

Limited Express

Local trains

New 2- and 3-car 227-0 series electric trains are scheduled to be introduced in the Hiroshima area on the Sanyo Main Line during fiscal 2014, replacing older 115 series trains.[1]

JR Kyushu

History

The entire line between Kobe Station and Shimonoseki Station was originally opened by the private Sanyō Railway company. The section between Hyōgo Station (in Kobe) and Akashi Station (in Akashi, Hyōgo) opened first in 1888. In 1889 the line was extended to the east to Kobe Station (as a dual track section) and Tatsuno Station (in Tatsuno, Hyōgo Prefecture) to the west. The Sanyō Railway was progressively extended to the west, reaching Okayama and then Fukuyama in 1891, Hiroshima in 1894 and in 1901 it reached Bakan (now Shimonoseki) Station. Under the Railway Nationalization Act of 1906 it was purchased by the Japanese government and renamed Sanyō Main Line.

Duplication

The Hyogo - Himeji section was duplicated in 1899, and the Hiroshima - Kaitaichi section in 1903. After the line was nationalised, further duplications occurred between Kamigori - Yoshinaga in 1910/11, Hatabu - Shimonoseki in 1915 and Himeji - Agaho in 1917. Work to duplicate the remainder of the line commenced in 1921, and opened in stages until completed in 1930, with the exception of the section between Iwakuni and Kushigahama, where construction of a new direct line had commenced. This direct line, which bypassed the coastal section via Yanai involved significant tunnelling, and unexpected geological instability delayed completion of the line until 1934, and then as a single track. Although the new line became the Sanyo Main Line at that time, in 1944 the original coastal alignment was duplicated and returned to the formal Sanyo Main Line, with the former bypass line becoming the Gantoku Line.

Electrification

The Kobe - Akashi section was electrified in 1934, extended to Himeji in 1958, Hiroshima in 1962 and (except for the Wadamisaki Line, which was electrified in 2001) the entire line was electrified in 1964, to coincide with the opening of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka the same year.

Deviation/extension

The Sanyō Main Line approximately parallels the Inland Sea but some sections could be shortened by tunnels. In 1934, the Gantoku Line between Iwakuni and Tokuyama was opened and replaced the former line which traverses Yanai adjacent to the Inland Sea. In 1944, this new alignment was replaced again by the previous coastal alignment because the coastal line was upgraded to dual tracks.

The Sanyō Main Line was connected to Kyushu by ferry from Shimonoseki and Shimonosekiko Station (Port Shimonoseki). In 1942, the Kanmon Tunnel under the Kanmon Straits was completed and the Sanyō Main Line was extended to Moji Station. A second tunnel duplicating the section opened in 1944.

Service variations

Prior to the opening of the Sanyo Shinkansen, many expresses operated on the Sanyō Main Line and it serves as a major transport corridor through Western Honshu and connecting to Kyushu. The Shinkansen was extended as the Sanyō Shinkansen line, first to Okayama Station in 1972, and then to Hakata Station in 1975. On both occasions many express services on the Sanyo Main Line were withdrawn, and since 1972, the line has been mainly used by local and freight services. CTC signalling was commissioned between Mihara and Shimonoseki in 1984.

Service disruptions

The section between Kobe and Nishi Akashi was severely damaged by the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, and took ten weeks to repair.

The 2018 Japan floods resulted in the Okayama - Shimonoseki section closing on 6 July 2018.[2] The majority of services were restored between 8 July - 18 July, but the Yanai - Tokuyama section remains out of service.

Former connecting lines
Iwakuni Electric Railway train
A Nagato Railway train
  • Hyogo station - A 5km lne to the Hyogo Port operated between 1911 and 1984.
  • Kakogawa station - The Banshu Railway Co. opened an 8km line to Takasago-Minato in 1913/14. The line was nationalised in 1943, and closed in 1984.
  • Himeji station - The Bantan Railway Co. built a 16km line east to Shikama-Kou (near Kakogawa), opened in 1895 and closed in 1986.
  • Aboshi station -

The Tatsuno Electric Railway Co. opened a 17km 1435mm gauge line electrified at 600 VDC from Shingu-Cho to Aboshiko between 1909 and 1915 which connected at this station. The line closed in 1934.

A 6km line to Hamadako operated between 1943 and 1989.

  • Une station - The Ako Railway operated a 13 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Banshu-Ako on the Ako Line between 1921 and 1951.
  • Wake station - The Dowa Mining Co. opened a 34 km line between Nishi-Katakamito on the Ako Line and Yanahara, to haul iron sulphide ore, between 1923 and 1931. Passenger services commenced in 1931, freight services ceased in 1988 and the line closed in 1991.
  • Takashima station - The Saidaiji Railway Company operated a 915mm gauge line between its namesake town and Korakuen between 1911 and 1962.
  • Kasaoka station - The Ikasa Railway Co. operated a 19km 762mm gauge line to Ihara between 1913 and 1971. It had a 6km branch from Kitagawa to Yakage that operated between 1921 and 1967. At Ihara it connected to the company's line to Kannabe on the Fukuen Line.
  • Fukuyama station - The Tomo Light Railway Co. operated a 13km 762mm gauge line to its namesake town between 1913/14 and 1954.
  • Onomichi station - The Hiroshima Prefectural Government opened a 17 km line electrified at 600 VDC to Shoharachi in 1925/26. It closed between 1957 and 1964.
  • Hiroshima station -

The Sanyo Railway Co. was commissioned by the Japanese Army to build a 6km line to Ujina Port following the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894. In 1897 the company leased the line from the Army and commenced a passenger service, and when the company was nationalised in 1906, ownership of the line transferred from the Army to JGR. The Army leased the line in 1915 for use during WW1 and subsequent hostilities in China, and passenger services were suspended between 1919 and 1930. The line was not damaged by the atomic bomb attack, but was damaged by Typhoon Marurazaki which hit the area 6 weeks later. Passenger service ceased in 1972, and the line closed in 1986.

The Kirin Brewery operated a 2km line to its complex between 1937 and 1986.

  • Iwakuni station - The Iwakuni Electric Railway Co. opened a 6km line to Shinmachi, electrified at 600 VDC, between 1909 and 1912. The line closed in 1929 when the parallel Gantoku Line opened.
  • Hofu station - A 19km line to Hori operated 1919/20 to 1964.
  • Shin-Yamaguchi station - The Dainippon Railway Co. opened a 13km line from Ogori (as Shin-Yamaguchi was called until 2003) to Yamaguchi in 1908, which closed in 1913 when the JGR opened its parallel line.
  • Ube station - The Funaki Railway Co. opened a 6km 762mm gauge line in 1916. The line was converted to 1067mm gauge in 1922, and extended 12km to Kibe in 1926. The last 8km closed in 1944, and the balance of the line in 1961.
  • Ozuki station - The Nagato Railway Co. opened an 18km line to Nishi-Cho in 1918. JGR assumed control of the line as a wartime measure in 1942, a situation which continued until 1949. The line closed in 1956.
  • Hatabu station - The Choshu Railway Co. opened a 27km line from Higashi-Mozeki to Kogushi in 1914. A proposed extension to Nagato was not built due to funding constraints, but the line was electrified at 600 VDC in 1926. The company merged with the Sanyo Electric Railway in 1928, and the line closed in 1971.
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See also

References
  1. "JR西日本、広島地区に227系近郊形直流電車を投入" [JR West to introduce 227 series DC suburban trains in Hiroshima area]. The Page (in Japanese). Japan: Wordleaf Corporation. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  2. "10 rail sections out of service for over a month in flood-hit region：The Asahi Shimbun".
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