Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Etsumi Hoku Line

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Type
  
Heavy rail

Stations
  
22

Line length
  
52.5 km

Locale
  
Fukui Prefecture

Opened
  
1960

Track gauge
  
1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Etsumi-Hoku Line httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Owner
  
West Japan Railway Company

Terminis
  
Echizen-Hanandō Station, Kuzuryūko Station

Jr 120 jr etsumi hoku line kiha 120 series 2014 12 26


The Etsumi-Hoku Line (越美北線, Etsumi-hoku-sen) is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The line extends 52.5 km from Echizen-Hanandō Station in Fukui to Kuzuryūko Station in Ōno with a total of 22 stations. It is also referred to as the Kuzuryū Line (九頭竜線, Kuzuryū-sen).

Contents

The line was originally planned to connect to what is now the Nagaragawa Railway, but the last 24 km section that would have involved extensive tunneling was never commenced. A bus service provided a connection between the two lines until it ceased in 2002.

Jr jr etsumi hoku line kuzury line from rokuj to fukui 2016 8


Route data

  • Operating Company:
  • West Japan Railway Company (Services and tracks)
  • Distance:
  • Echizen-Hanandō — Kuzuryūko: 52.5 km / 32.6 mi.
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Stations: 22
  • Double-tracking: None
  • Electrification: Not electrified
  • Railway signalling:
  • Echizen-Hanandō — Echizen-Ōno: Simplified automatic
  • Echizen-Ōno — Kuzuryūko Station: Staff token

    • Stations

  • All trains stop at all stations.
  • Between Echizen-Hanandō and Fukui trains run on the Hokuriku Main Line.
  • All stations located in Fukui Prefecture.

    • Legend

  • ◇ - stations with passing loops
  • ∥ - double-tracked section
  • ｜- single-tracked section
  • Y - junction station

    • History

  • December 15, 1960: Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Hanandō — Kadohara section (43.1 km) opens. Freight operations begin between Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Ōno.
  • Echizen-Hanandō, Rokujō, Echizen-Tōgō, Ichijōdani, Ichinami, Kowashōzu, Miyama, Echizen-Yakushi, Echizen-Ōmiya, Hakariishi, Ushigahara, Echizen-Ōno, Echizen-Tomida, Shimo-Yuino, Kakigashima, Kadohara stations open.
  • May 20, 1964: Asuwa, Echizen-Takada, Echizen-Tano stations open.
  • October 15, 1965: Freight operations begin between Echizen-Ōno — Kadohara.
  • March 25, 1968: Kita-Ōno Station opens.
  • October 1, 1968: Freight operations end at Kadohara Station.
  • December 15, 1972: Extension from Kadohara to Kuzuryūko (10.2 km) opens, including the 5251m Arashima tunnel.
  • April 1, 1973: Freight operations end between Echizen-Ōno — Echizen-Tomida
  • October 1980: Seasonal rapid train "Okuetsu-gō" begins operation.
  • November 15, 1982: Freight operations end between Minami-Fukui — Echizen-Ōno, ending freight service on the entire line.
  • April 1, 1987: With the breakup and privatization of Japan National Railways, line becomes part of West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Beginning of line moved 800 meters to Echizen-Hanandō Station.
  • June 1, 1990: Driver-only operation begins.
  • September 1, 1992: Regular rapid service begins.
  • September 12, 1995: "Kuzuryū Line" name goes into use.
  • September 1, 1997: Seasonal rapid train "Okuetsu-gō" ceases operation.
  • March 3, 2001: Regular rapid service ends.
  • July 18, 2004: Due to heavy rains, five railway bridges are washed away, forcing operations to stop.
  • July 20, 2004: Service restored between Echizen-Ōno — Kuzuryūko.
  • September 11, 2004: Service restored between Echizen-Hanandō — Ichijōdani, Miyama — Echizen-Ōno.
  • June 30, 2007: Service restored between Ichijōdani — Miyama, allowing full service on the line to resume.

    • References

    Etsumi-Hoku Line Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA