The Etsumi-Hoku Line (越美北線, Etsumi Hoku-sen, "Etsumi North Line"), also called the Kuzuryū Line (九頭竜線, Kuzuryū-sen), is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The line extends 52.5 km (32.6 mi) from Echizen-Hanandō Station in Fukui to Kuzuryūko Station in Ōno with a total of 22 stations.
| Etsumi-Hoku Line (Kuzuryū Line) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 A JR West KiHa 120 series DMU at Ichijōdani Station | |||
| Overview | |||
| Native name | 越美北線 | ||
| Status | In operation | ||
| Owner | JR West | ||
| Locale | Fukui Prefecture | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 22 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Heavy rail | ||
| Operator(s) | JR West | ||
| Rolling stock | KiHa 120 series DMU | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 1960 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 52.5 km (32.6 mi) | ||
| Number of tracks | Entire line single tracked | ||
| Character | Rural | ||
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | ||
| Electrification | None | ||
| Operating speed | 85 km/h (53 mph) | ||
| |||
The line was originally planned to connect to what is now the Nagaragawa Railway, but the last 24.0 km (14.9 mi) 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.
Route data edit
- 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 edit
- All trains stop at all stations.
- Between Echizen-Hanandō and Fukui trains run on the Hokuriku Main Line.
- All stations located in Fukui Prefecture.
| Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Transfers | Tracks | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between stations |
From Echizen-Hanandō | |||||
| Hokuriku Main Line | ||||||
| Fukui | 福井駅 | - | 2.6 | ∥ | Fukui | |
| Etsumi-Hoku Line | ||||||
| Echizen-Hanandō | 越前花堂駅 | 2.6 | 0.0 | ■ Hokuriku Main Line (for Tsuruga) | Ｙ | Fukui |
| Rokujō | 六条駅 | 2.3 | 2.3 | ｜ | ||
| Asuwa | 足羽駅 | 1.4 | 3.7 | ｜ | ||
| Echizen-Tōgō | 越前東郷駅 | 2.0 | 5.7 | ｜ | ||
| Ichijōdani | 一乗谷駅 | 2.6 | 8.3 | ｜ | ||
| Echizen-Takada | 越前高田駅 | 3.1 | 11.4 | ｜ | ||
| Ichinami | 市波駅 | 1.2 | 12.6 | ｜ | ||
| Kowashōzu | 小和清水駅 | 2.0 | 14.6 | ｜ | ||
| Miyama | 美山駅 | 2.9 | 17.5 | ◇ | ||
| Echizen-Yakushi | 越前薬師駅 | 2.0 | 19.5 | ｜ | ||
| Echizen-Ōmiya | 越前大宮駅 | 2.7 | 22.2 | ｜ | ||
| Hakariishi | 計石駅 | 2.2 | 24.4 | ｜ | ||
| Ushigahara | 牛ヶ原駅 | 3.2 | 27.6 | ｜ | Ōno | |
| Kita-Ōno | 北大野駅 | 1.8 | 29.4 | ｜ | ||
| Echizen-Ōno | 越前大野駅 | 2.0 | 31.4 | ◇ | ||
| Echizen-Tano | 越前田野駅 | 2.9 | 34.3 | ｜ | ||
| Echizen-Tomida | 越前富田駅 | 1.4 | 35.7 | ｜ | ||
| Shimoyuino | 下唯野駅 | 3.1 | 38.8 | ｜ | ||
| Kakigashima | 柿ヶ島駅 | 1.0 | 39.8 | ｜ | ||
| Kadohara | 勝原駅 | 2.5 | 42.3 | ｜ | ||
| Echizen-Shimoyama | 越前下山駅 | 6.5 | 48.8 | ｜ | ||
| Kuzuryūko | 九頭竜湖駅 | 3.7 | 52.5 | ｜ | ||
Legend
- ◇ - stations with passing loops
- ∥ - double-tracked section
- ｜- single-tracked section
- Y - junction station
History edit
- 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.
See also edit
References edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Etsumi-Hoku Line.