Wikipedia

Hakodate Main Line

The Hakodate Main Line (函館本線, Hakodate-honsen) is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate and Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines that is operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawara Line, a 35 km (22 mi) loop line from Ōnuma to Mori opened in 1945, is included as part of the Hakodate Main Line.

Hakodate Main Line
A Rapid Airport train running along the coast of the Sea of Japan, near Asari Station in Otaru
Overview
Owner JR Hokkaido
LocaleHokkaido
Termini
Stations78 (main line)
6 (branch line)
Service
TypeRegional rail
Operator(s)JR Hokkaido and JR Freight
Depot(s)Sapporo depot (near Inaho), Naebo Workshop & depot
Technical
Line length423.1 km (262.9 mi)
Number of tracksSingle (Nanae-Mori (include branch), Washinosu signal base-Yamasaki, Kuroiwa-Kita‐Toyotsu signal base and Oshamambe-Otaru)
Double (elsewhere)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification20 kV 50 Hz AC overhead catenary (Hakodate to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, Otaru to Asahikawa)
Operating speed130 km/h (81 mph) (Hakodate to Oshamanbe, Otaru to Asahikawa) 95 km/h (59 mph) (Onuma to Oshima-Sawara to Mori, Oshamanbe to Otaru)
Route map
Route map

The Sapporo—Minami-Otaru section was the first railway line that opened in Hokkaido (including the Minami-Otaru - Temiya Line to the Otaru Port). The line was extended as the first to connect to Hakodate, though today all Sapporo—Hakodate direct passenger and freight services travel via the Chitose and Muroran lines until rejoining the Hakodate line at Oshamambe Station.

The Hokkaido Shinkansen route north of Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto approximately parallels the route of the Hakodate Main Line, with stations proposed to be built at Shin-Yakumo, Oshamambe, Kutchan, Shin-Otaru and Sapporo.

On March 27, 2022, the municipals along the line agreed to abolish the section between Oshamanbe—Otaru after the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen's extension to Sapporo in 2030. The entire section will be converted into a bus route.[1]

Train services edit

 
Rapid Hakodate Liner
 
Limited express Super Kamui

Rapid edit

Special Rapid Airport [jp]
[2] Otaru/Sapporo - Shin-Sapporo - Kita-Hiroshima* - Minami-Chitose - New Chitose Airport
*May only stop for trains toward New Chitose Airport, if there are night events hold in Es Con Field Hokkaido.
Rapid Airport
Otaru/Sapporo - New Chitose Airport
Hakodate Liner
Hakodate - Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto
Home Liner
Teine → Sapporo
Niseko Liner [jp]
Rankoshi → Kutchan - Sapporo

Limited express edit

Hokuto[2]
Hakodate - Oshamambe - Higashi-Muroran - Tomakomai - Sapporo

Until the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, these services usually operated on the 1966 built Nanae to Ōnuma section, bypassing (then) Oshima-Ono and Niyama. Now that Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto (formerly Oshima-Ono) is the major connection between the Hokkaido Shinkansen and zairaisen (local line) services on the Hakodate Main Line, these services have been re-routed accordingly.

Kamui,[2] Lilac[2]
Sapporo - Asahikawa
Sōya[2]
Sapporo - Asahikawa - Wakkanai
Okhotsk[2]
Sapporo - Asahikawa - Abashiri

Former Overnight Express services edit

Until the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, the following sleeping car services operated;

Hokutosei, Cassiopeia
Ueno - (Goryōkaku) - Hakodate - Oshamambe - Higashi-Muroran - (Shiroishi) - Sapporo
Twilight Express
Osaka - (Goryōkaku) - Oshamambe - Higashi-Muroran - (Shiroishi) - Sapporo
Hamanasu
Aomori - (Goryōkaku) - Hakodate - Oshamambe - Higashi-Muroran - (Shiroishi) - Sapporo

Station list edit

Hakodate to Otaru edit

H: Rapid Hakodate Liner
N: Rapid Niseko Liner
Trains stop at stations marked "+" (in both directions) or "↓" (only for trains toward Sapporo), skip at stations marked "-". Local trains toward Sapporo may skip stations marked "◌" via a branch track.

Kitaca support will be implemented in 2024, for Hakodate to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto section.[3]

Station Distance
(km)		 H N Transfers Location
H75 Hakodate 函館 0.0 +
Hakodate
H74 Goryōkaku 五稜郭 3.4 +   South Hokkaido Railway
H73 Kikyō 桔梗 8.3 -  
H72 Ōnakayama 大中山 10.4 -   Nanae, Kameda
H71 Nanae 七飯 13.8 -  
H70 Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto ◌ 新函館北斗 17.9 +   Hokkaido Shinkansen Hokuto
H69 Niyama ◌ 仁山 21.2 Nanae, Kameda
H68 Ōnuma 大沼 27.0      Hakodate Main Line Branch (Sawara Line)
H67 Ōnuma-Kōen 大沼公園 28.0
H66 Akaigawa 赤井川 31.7 Mori, Kayabe
H65 Komagatake 駒ヶ岳 36.5
H62 Mori 森 49.5      Hakodate Main Line Branch (Sawara Line)
H58 Ishikura 石倉 62.1
H57 Otoshibe 落部 66.1 Yakumo, Futami
H56 Nodaoi 野田生 71.4
H55 Yamakoshi 山越 76.6
H54 Yakumo 八雲 81.1
H52 Yamasaki 山崎 88.3
H51 Kuroiwa 黒岩 94.4
H49 Kunnui 国縫 102.8 Oshamambe, Yamakoshi
H47 Oshamambe 長万部 112.3

     Muroran Main Line

S32 Futamata 二股 120.9
S30 Kuromatsunai 黒松内 132.3 Kuromatsunai, Suttsu
S29 Neppu 熱郛 140.4
S28 Mena 目名 155.8 Rankoshi, Isoya
S27 Rankoshi 蘭越 163.4 ↓  
S26 Konbu 昆布 170.3 ↓  
S25 Niseko ニセコ 179.6 ↓   Niseko, Abuta
S24 Hirafu 比羅夫 186.6 ↓   Kutchan, Abuta
S23 Kutchan 倶知安 193.3 +  
S22 Kozawa 小沢 203.6 +   Kyōwa, Iwanai
S21 Ginzan 銀山 213.4 +   Niki, Yoichi
S20 Shikaribetsu 然別 224.1 +  
S19 Niki 仁木 228.2 +  
S18 Yoichi 余市 232.6 +   Yoichi, Yoichi
S17 Ranshima 蘭島 237.9 +   Otaru
S16 Shioya 塩谷 244.8 +  
S15 Otaru 小樽 252.5 +  

Otaru to Asahikawa edit

SRA: Special Rapid Airport
A: Rapid Airport
N: Rapid Niseko Liner
All trains stop at stations marked "+", some trains stop at stations marked "◌", all skip stations marked "-", and stop at stations marked "*" only during daytime.[2]

With effect of the timetable revision implemented on 16 March 2024, during the daytime, Special Rapid Airport services (one per hour) extend to Otaru and all Rapid Airport and Rapid Niseko Liner services make all stops between Otaru Station and Teine Station.[4] Kitaca is supported within Otaru-Iwamizawa section, it's scheduled that the Iwamizawa-Asahikawa section will also support by 2024.[3]

Station Distance
(km)		 SRA A N Transfers Location
S15 Otaru 小樽 252.5 * + +   Otaru
S14 Minami-Otaru 南小樽 254.1 * + +  
S13 Otaru-Chikkō 小樽築港 256.2 * + +  
S12 Asari 朝里 259.3 - * +  
S11 Zenibako 銭函 268.1 - * +  
S10 Hoshimi ほしみ 271.0 - * +   Teine-ku, Sapporo
S09 Hoshioki 星置 272.6 - * +  
S08 Inaho 稲穂 273.7 - * +  
S07 Teine 手稲 275.7 * + +  
S06 Inazumi-Kōen 稲積公園 277.0 - - -  
S05 Hassamu 発寒 279.2 - - -   Nishi-ku, Sapporo
S04 Hassamu-Chūō 発寒中央 281.0 - - -  
S03 Kotoni 琴似 282.5 * + +  
S02 Sōen 桑園 284.7 * + +      Sasshō Line (Gakuentoshi Line) Chūō-ku, Sapporo
 01  Sapporo 札幌 286.3 + + +
Kita-ku, Sapporo
H02 Naebo 苗穂 288.5 - -      Chitose Line Chūō-ku/Higashi-ku, Sapporo
H03 Shiroishi 白石 292.1 - ◌      Chitose Line Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo
A04 Atsubetsu 厚別 296.5   Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo
A05 Shinrin-Kōen 森林公園 298.5  
A06 Ōasa 大麻 300.8   Ebetsu
A07 Nopporo 野幌 304.2  
A08 Takasago 高砂 305.5  
A09 Ebetsu 江別 307.3  
A10 Toyohoro 豊幌 313.5  
A11 Horomui 幌向 316.7   Iwamizawa
A12 Kami-Horomui 上幌向 322.6  
A13 Iwamizawa 岩見沢 326.9      Muroran Main Line
A14 Minenobu 峰延 335.3   Bibai
A15 Kōshunai 光珠内 339.8  
A16 Bibai 美唄 343.7  
A17 Chashinai 茶志内 348.1  
A18 Naie 奈井江 354.3   Naie, Sorachi
A19 Toyonuma 豊沼 359.0   Sunagawa
A20 Sunagawa 砂川 362.2  
A21 Takikawa 滝川 369.8      Nemuro Main Line Takikawa
A22 Ebeotsu 江部乙 378.2  
A23 Moseushi 妹背牛 385.7   Moseushi, Uryū
A24 Fukagawa 深川 392.9      Rumoi Main Line Fukagawa
A25 Osamunai 納内 400.3
A27 Chikabumi 近文 419.1   Asahikawa
A28 Asahikawa 旭川 423.1

Sawara branch line edit

Station Distance
(km)		 Transfers Location
H68 Ōnuma 大沼 0.0

     Hakodate Main Line (Main Line)

Nanae, Kameda
N68 Shikabe 鹿部 14.6 Shikabe, Kayabe
N67 Oshima-Numajiri 渡島沼尻 20.0 Mori, Kayabe
N66 Oshima-Sawara 渡島砂原 25.3
N65 Kakarima 掛澗 29.0
N64 Oshironai 尾白内 31.9
N63 Higashi-Mori 東森 33.5
H62 Mori 森 35.3

     Hakodate Main Line (Main Line)

Closed stations edit

Rolling stock edit

Local / Rapid / Semi-Rapid edit

Hakodate to Otaru
KiHa 40 series DMUs
H100 series DEMUs
KiHa 150 DMUs (Oshamambe to Otaru)
KiHa 201 series DMUs (Rankoshi to Ebetsu)
733-1000 series AC EMUs (Hakodate Liner only)
Otaru to Asahikawa
721 series / 731 series / 733 series / 735 series AC EMUs
KiHa 201 series DMUs (Rankoshi to Ebetsu)
737 series AC EMUs (Iwamizawa to Asahikawa)[4]
H100 series DEMUs (Iwamizawa to Asahikawa)

Limited express / Home liner edit

Hokuto / Home Liner
KiHa 281 series DMUs
KiHa 261-1000 series DMUs
Okhotsk
KiHa 183 series DMUs
Sōya
KiHa 261 series DMUs

History edit

Construction of the line by the Japanese Government began with the 32 km Minami-Otaru - Sapporo section in 1880, with the 41 km Sapporo to Iwamizawa section opened in 1882 to provide a link from the significant coalmines near Iwamizawa to the Otaru Port.

The line was sold to the Hokkaido Coal Co in 1889, which extended the line 35 km from Iwamizawa to Sunagawa in 1891, and a further 61 km to Asahikawa in 1898.

The Japanese Government built the 224 km Hakodate - Shikaribetsu section, opened in 1902, with the remaining 28 km section to Otaru opening the following year.

In 1905 a 1.6 km line was built from Otaru - Minami-Otaru to connect the Hokkaido Coal Co owned line to the Hakodate line, and the Government nationalised the Hokkaido Coal Co in 1906.

Duplication edit

Doubling of the line between Minami-Otaru and Iwamizawa opened 1909-11, and was extended to Sunagawa 1924-26, to Takikawa in 1956 and to Asahikawa 1964-68. The Otaru - Minami-Otaru section was duplicated in 1965.

The line from Hakodate was duplicated for 8 km to Kikyo 1941-44, with the 9 km Ishikura to Nodaoi section double-tracked in 1945. The 5 km Kikyo to Nanae section was double-tracked in 1962, and the doubling effectively extended 13 km to Ōnuma in 1966 with the construction of a new alignment for northbound trains to avoid the 1 in 50 (2%) grades between Oshima-Ono and Ōnuma.

Doubling of the 41 km section between Nodaoi and Oshamambe (excluding two gaps totalling 8 km) was undertaken in sections between 1965 and 1984, with the 13 km Mori - Ishikura section doubled between 1974 and 1979. Although the Sawara Line provides an alternative route between Ōnuma and Mori, it is operated as a local line, with all express passenger and freight trains travelling via Ōnuma-Kōen.

Electrification edit

The Otaru – Sapporo – Takikawa section was electrified in 1968, and extended to Asahikawa the following year with the opening of the 4,523m Kamuikotan tunnel and associated deviation.

The 3 km Hakodate – Goryōkaku section was electrified in conjunction with the Seikan Tunnel project in 1988.

The 15 km Goryōkaku – Oshima-Ono section was electrified in conjunction with the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, with the latter station renamed Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.

Former connecting lines edit

Hakodate – Otaru section edit

  • Goryōkaku Station - the uncompleted Toi Line [ja] junctioned here, proposed to service a naval base to protect the Tsugaru Strait. Construction commenced in 1937, and the 29 km line was well advanced when works were suspended in 1943 due to a shortage of materials. The Seikan Tunnel was originally proposed to utilised the roadbed of the Toi Line (as well as that of the uncompleted Oma line on Honshu) until the route was altered in 1968 to that subsequently constructed.
  • Two private railways near Hakodate were affected by the opening of the Sawara branch line between Ōnuma and Mori in 1945;

- The 17 km Ōnuma-Kōen to Shikabe line opened in 1929, and had the misfortune to be affected by a volcanic eruption just six months later, which closed it for two months. It closed in 1945 when the Shikabe Station on the Sawara line opened, but as the new station was some distance from the township, locals agitated for re-establishment of services to the original station. This occurred in 1948 when the last 11 km of the line from Choshiguchi was reopened by the local government, but competition from bus services resulted in the line being permanently closed in 1952.

- A line was built from Mori 9.4 km south to Sunahara in 1928. The first 3.1 km of that line was rebuilt as part of the Sawara line, and the remaining 6.3 km closed when the parallel JR line opened.

  • Nakanosawa Station - The 48 km line to Setana opened in 1929/32, closing in 1987.
  • Kuromatsunai Station - The local government built the line to the port of Suttsu (17 km) in 1920. It introduced the first diesel locomotive used in Hokkaido in 1952, and was closed as a result of flood damage in 1968.
  • Kutchan Station - In 1919 a 13 km line opened to Kyogoku, where it connected to the private Japan Steel Works 7 km line to a mine at Wakikata. The JR line was extended 11 km to Kimobetsu in 1928, and a further 60 km to Date Monbetsu on the Muroran Main Line in 1940/41. The Wakikata branch closed in 1970 when the mine closed, and the JR line closed in 1986.
  • Ozawa Station - A 762 mm (2'6") gauge horse-drawn tramway opened to the port at Iwanai in 1905. In 1912 it was replaced by a 1067 mm (3'6") gauge line, which closed in 1985. Near Iwanai the first tramway in Hokkaido, and possibly Japan, opened in 1869 as a 2.8 km gravity line linking a coal mine to the port of Kayanuma. It used timber rails and a ~1050 mm gauge, with brakemen riding the loaded wagons, and horses and cattle hauling the empty wagon back to the mine. In 1881 the line was rebuilt to 762 mm gauge with iron rails, and steam locomotives were introduced in 1927. In 1931 the tramway was replaced by a 10 km cableway linking the mine to Iwanai port, which in 1946 was replaced by a 6.3 km 1067 mm gauge line. A bridge on the new line collapsed during a typhoon in 1962, and the line was closed, with the coal mine closing two years later.
  • Yoichi Station - The local government operated a 2.8 km line to the waterfront from 1933-43.

Sapporo area edit

  • Teine Station - An 8 km 762 mm gauge line to Ban'naguro operated 1922-40. A proposed 10 km extension to the Ishikari river was not built.
  • Sapporo Station - A horse drawn 762 mm gauge 11 km line operated north west to Kawabata, opening 1911/17 and crossing the Sassho Line near Shinkotoni. Petrol locomotives were introduced in 1922. The line was replaced by buses in 1943.
  • Shiraishi Station - An electrified (1.5 kV DC) private 27 km line opened to Jozankei in 1918 for passenger service. In 1939 two branch lines totalling 8.3 km opened to link a silver/zinc/lead mine with a refinery. The ore traffic was lost to road transport in 1963, and the passenger service was replaced by buses in 1969.
  • Nopporo Station - The private 57 km Yubari line was operated by the Hokkaido Colliery & Steamship Co. The initial 34 km line from Kuriyama on the Muroran Main Line (including a bridge over that line) to Yubari opened in 1926, including a switch-back (or zig-zag) section at Nishikisawa. A 23 km extension opened from Kuriyama - Nopporo in 1930. At its peak in 1965 the line carried annual tonnage of 1.5M tonnes of coal and another 0.5M tonnes of general freight, as well as 2M passengers. The entire line closed in 1975 after the closure of the mine in 1972. A 4.7 km branch to the Tsunoda mine operated 1927-70.
  • Ebetsu Station - An 11 km 762 mm gauge line operated to Tobetsu, on the Sassho Line, although at each terminus the 762 mm gauge stations were on the opposite banks of the Ishikarigawa and Tobetsugawa rivers (respectively) to the JR stations.

Iwamizawa-Asahikawa section edit

 
Utashinai Station in 1986
 
Bridge built on the Former Shinmei Line[6]
  • Iwamizawa Station - in 1882 the Hokkaido government opened an 11 km line to Mikasa, known as the Horonai line. In 1888 a 7 km extension to Ikushunbetsu and ~3 km branch line from Mikasa to the Horonai coal mine opened, and the line was sold to the Hokkaido Coal Co. in 1889. The line was nationalised in 1906, and closed in 1987. At Ikushunbetsu a forest railway comprising a 15 km 'main line' and a 3 km branch opened in 1938, and closed in 1955 to allow for the construction of the Katsurasawa dam.
  • Bibai Station;

- The 3 km branch to Minami-Bibai opened in 1931 to service a coal mine, closing in 1973. Passenger services operated 1944-71.

- The Mitsubishi Mining Co. (MMC) opened an 8 km line to Sumiyama mine in 1914, extending the line 3 km to Tokiwadai in 1924. The line closed when the mine closed in 1972. The MMC also operated a 2 km line from Chashinai Station to a coal mine 1952-67.

  • Naie Station - The Mitsui Mining Co. operated a 5 km line to Higashi Naie 1949/51 to 1968.
  • Sunagawa Station;

- The Mitsui Mining Co. also opened the 7.3 km branch to Kamisunagawa in 1918. The line was nationalised in 1926, with passenger services introduced the same year. The line closed in 1994.

- A 15 km branch to Utashinai, opened by the Hokkaido Coal Co. in 1891, nationalised in 1906 and closed in 1988.

  • Fukagawa Station - The first section of the Shinmei Line to Nayoro on the Soya Line opened in 1924, opening to Nayoro in 1941 and closing in 1995. A 51.2 km line was proposed from Shumarinai [ja] on that line to Chikubetsu [ja] on the Haboro Line [ja] north of Rumoi with construction commencing in 1959. A substantial steel truss bridge was constructed before work was abandoned in 1962.

Accidents edit

In August 2013, three cars of a 20-car freight train derailed on the line near Yakumo after striking a two-meter piece of wood that obstructed the tracks. Although there were no injuries, the line was temporarily closed, impacting rail service to and from Hakodate Station.[7]

References edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hakodate Main Line.
  1. ^ "長万部―小樽間の在来線廃止へ…北海道新幹線延伸でバスの運行に : 経済 : ニュース : 読売新聞オンライン". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 27 March 2022. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Train Guide". Hokkaido Railway Company. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b "ICカードKitacaエリアを拡大します! ～2024年春、函館・旭川各エリアでKitacaサービスを開始します～" (PDF). JR Hokkaido. 14 September 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "JR北海道，3月16日にダイヤ改正を実施" [JR Hokkaido to implement timetable revision on 16 March]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  5. ^ "2022年3月ダイヤ改正について" (PDF). JR Hokkaido (in Japanese). 17 December 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  6. ^ "旧深名線 第三雨竜川橋梁". Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  7. ^ "ＪＲ函館線で貨物列車脱線 帰省の足に影響、けが人なし". 共同通信. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hakodate_Main_Line&oldid=1220675416"