Sekihoku Main Line

Sekihoku Main Line (石北本線, Sekihoku-honsen) is a Japanese 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 ancient provinces along the line.[1]

Sekihoku Main Line
Okhotsk limited express train from Sapporo to Abashiri
Overview
Native name石北本線
TypeHeavy rail
StatusIn operation
LocaleHokkaido
TerminiShin-Asahikawa
Abashiri
Stations40
Operation
OwnerJR Hokkaido
Operator(s)JR Hokkaido, JR Freight
CharacterRural
Rolling stockKiHa 40, KiHa 183, KiHa 54, KiHa 150
Technical
Line length145.4 mi (234.0 km)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed110 km/h (70 mph)
Route map
Sekihoku line map

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
  • Operators, distances
  • Signal boxes: 4
  • Track: single
  • Block system: Automatic

Services

The Okhotsk limited express train, named after the Sea of Okhotsk, runs from Sapporo to Abashiri twice a day. 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
Nishi-Rubeshibe station platform
LE: Limited Express
R: Rapid
All trains stop at stations marked +. Some trains stop at those marked *. No trains (other than local) stop at those marked -.
Station Distance
(km)		 LE R 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 Kita-Hinode北日ノ出7.3--
 A34 Sakuraoka桜岡10.2--
 A35 Tōma当麻13.9-+ Tōma, Kamikawa
 A36 Shōgunzan将軍山17.4--
 A37 Ikaushi伊香牛19.5--
 A38 Aibetsu愛別25.9-- Aibetsu, Kamikawa
 A39 Naka-Aibetsu中愛別32.0--
 A40 Aizan愛山36.0--
 A41 Antaroma安足間38.0--
 A42 Tōun東雲40.4-- Kamikawa, Kamikawa
 A43 Kamikawa上川44.9++
 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-+
 A52 Ikuno生野132.7--
 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

Since 26 March 2016:

History

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.[3]

See also

References
  1. JTB Timetable, February 2011 issue
  2. "JR Hokkaido says it can't maintain half of its railways". 10 May 2013.
  3. 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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