Shin'etsu Main Line

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Shin'etsu Main Line (信越本線 Shin'etsu-honsen?) is a set of lines operated by the East Japan Railway Company. The bulk of the line runs from Shinonoi station in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture to Niigata station in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture with several connections to other lines including Hokuriku Main Line at Naoetsu station in Jōetsu, Niigata Prefecture. The other section of the Shin'etsu Main Line runs from Takasaki station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture to Yokokawa station in Annaka, Gunma Prefecture. Additionally, there are three freight branches, namely from Echigo-Ishiyama station to Niigata Kamotsu Terminal, from the Kami-Nuttari signal to Nuttari station, and from the Kami-Nuttari signal to Higashi-Niigata-kō station.

The separation of the two sections of the line was a result of the abandonment of the section between Yokokawa and Karuizawa and the assignment of business of the section between Karuizawa and Shinonoi to Shinano Railway, both occurred on October 1, 1997 concurrently to the opening of the Nagano Shinkansen between Takasaki and Nagano stations. The abandoned section, called Usui Pass, was famous for its steep slope.


[edit] Stations

Major stations include:

  • Takasaki—Yokokawa Section
    • Takasaki
    • Annaka
    • Yokokawa
  • Shinonoi—Niigata Section
    • Shinonoi
    • Nagano
    • Toyono
    • Myoko-Kogen
    • Naoetsu
    • Kashiwazaki
    • Nagaoka
    • Higashi-Sanjo
    • Niitsu
    • Niigata
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