Soya Main Line

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"Super Soya" limited express train.

Local train at Otoineppu Station.

Mizuho Station, one of "Nothing around here" type stations found in Sōya Main Line.

Sōya Main Line (宗谷本線, Sōya Honsen^?) is a railway line in Hokkaidō operated by JR Hokkaidō, between Asahikawa Station, Asahikawa City and Wakkanai Station, Wakkanai City. Its name comes from Sōya Subprefecture. This is the northernmost railway line in Japan.

1 Basic Data
2 History
- 2.1 Timeline
3 Services
4 Stations
5 Gallery
6 See Also
7 External links

[edit] Basic Data

Operators, distances
- Hokkaidō Railway Company (Services and tracks)
  - Whole the line, from Asahikawa to Wakkanai: 259.4 km / Approx. 161.2 mi.
- Japan Freight Railway Company (Services)
  - From Asahikawa to Nayoro: 76.2 km / Approx. 47.3 mi. (In reality, they only use railway tracks between Asahikawa and Kita-Asahikawa. They use motor vehicles between Kita-Asahikawa and Nayoro.)
Stations: 54
Gauge: 1067 mm / 3 ft. 6 in.
Double-track line
- From Asahikawa to Shin-Asahikawa: 3.7 km / Approx. 2.3 mi.
Electric supply:
- From Asahikawa to Shin-Asahikawa: 3.7 km / Approx. 2.3 mi. (20,000 V AC)
- From Shin-Asahikawa to Wakkanai: Not electrified
Block system:
- From Asahikawa to Kita-Asahikawa: Automatic, with CTC and PRC
- From Kita-Asahikawa to Nagayama: Automatic (special), with CTC and PRC; Only one singnal block between each station.
- From Nagayama to Minami-Wakkanai: Special Automatic (Electronic Signal Verification); Signal blocks on each station only, none between stations, with a wireless confirmation from a train.
- From Minami-Wakkanai to Wakkanai: Special Automatic (Track Circuit Detection); Signal blocks on each station only, none between stations, without a confirmation from a train.

[edit] History

The line was originally built as a link line between Mainland Japan and Karafuto (now Sakhalin), Japanese northern frontier at the time. From Wakkanai Port, there was a ship line to Ōdomari (now Korsakov), Sakhalin, until the end of WWII.

The first segment of the railway line, from Asahikawa to Nagayama, was built by Hokkaidō Government Railway, in 1898. The line eventually extended to Nayoro in 1903, and the line to Wakkanai was completed in 1922.

After Japan's defeat of the war, the line lost the function as a link to Sakhalin, but remained important as a trunk line into the northern part of Hokkaido. In recent decades, however, the surrounding area is having a heavily declining population, making networked railway lines around the area disappear one by one. Now Sōya "Main" Line lost all of its branch lines, effectively making itself a long branch line from Hakodate Main Line.

[edit] Timeline

August 12, 1898: Opens as Hokkaidō Government Railway Teshio Line (北海道官設鉄道天塩線, Hokkaidō Kansetsu Tetsudō Teshio-sen^?), between Asahikawa and Nagayama.
November 25, 1898: Teshio Line extended from Nagayama to Ranru.
September 1, 1899: Hokkaido Government Railway opens a new line from Asahikawa to Biei, which later becomes Furano Line (富良野線, Furano-sen^?).
November 15, 1899: Teshio Line extended from Ranru to Wassamu.
August 5, 1900: Teshio Line extended from Wassamu to Shibetsu.
September 3, 1900: Teshio Line extended from Shibetsu to Nayoro.
April 1, 1905: The line operator is changed to Imperial Japanese Government Railways (官設鉄道, Kansetsu Tetsudō^?), which later becomes Japanese National Railways (日本国有鉄道, Nihon Kokuyū Tetsudō^?).
November 3, 1911: Teshio Line extended from Nayoro to Onnenai.
September 21, 1912: Teshio Line changes its name to Sōya Line (宗谷線, Sōya-sen^?).
November 5, 1912: Sōya Line extended from Onnenai to Otoineppu.
November 7, 1914: Sōya Line extended from Otoinppu to Shōtonbetsu.
October 1, 1916: Sōya Line extended from Shōtonbetu to Nakatonbetsu.
August 25, 1918: Sōya Line extended from Nakatonbetsu to Hamatonbetsu.
October 20, 1919: Sōya Line changes its name to Sōya Main Line (宗谷本線, Sōya Honsen^?). Nayoro Line (名寄線, Nayoro-sen^?) opens from Nayoro, which later becomes Nayoro Main Line (名寄本線, Nayoro Honsen^?).
November 1, 1919: Sōya Main Line extended from Hamatonbetsu to Asajino.
November 1, 1920: Sōya Main Line extended from Asajino to Onishibetsu.
October 5, 1921: Sōya Main Line changes its name back to Sōya Line (宗谷線, Sōya-sen^?).
November 1, 1922: Soya Line extended from Onishibetsu to Wakkanai (which is now Minami-Wakkanai).
November 4, 1922: Sōya Line changes its name back to Sōya Main Line (宗谷本線, Sōya Honsen^?) again. Sekihoku Line (石北線, Sekihoku-sen^?) opens from Shin-Asahikawa, which later becomes Sekihoku Main Line (石北本線, Sekihoku-honsen^?).
November 8, 1922: Teshio Line (天塩線, Teshio-sen^?), different from the former Teshio Line, opens between Otoineppu and Ponpira (which is now Teshio-Nakagawa).
May 1, 1923: Chihaku Ship Line (稚泊連絡船, Chihaku Renrakusen^?), a ship line from Wakkanai to Ōdomari, Karafuto (now Korsakov of Sakhalin) opens.
November 10, 1923: Teshio Line extended from Ponpira to Toikanbetsu.
June 25, 1924: Teshio North Line (天塩北線, Teshio-hokusen^?) opens between Wakkanai and Kabutonuma. Teshio Line changes its name to Teshio South Line (天塩南線, Teshio-nansen^?).
July 20, 1925: Teshio South Line extended from Toikanbetsu to Horonobe.
September 25, 1926: The section connecting Teshio South Line and North Line opens, and the whole line changes its name to Teshio Line (天塩線, Teshio-sen^?), from Otoineppu to Wakkanai.
December 26, 1928: Soya Line extended from Wakkanai to Wakkanaikō ("Wakkanai Port", which is the current Wakkanai Station).
April 1, 1930: The whole part of Teshio Line becomes a part of Sōya Main Line. The former section of Sōya Main Line between Otoineppu and Wakkanai is separated as Kitami Line (北見線, Kitami-sen^?), which later becomes Tenpoku Line (天北線, Tenpoku-sen^?).
June 30, 1935: Teshio Line (天塩線, Teshio-sen^?), again different from former Teshio Lines, opens from Horonobe, which later becomes Haboro Line (羽幌線, Haboro-sen^?).
November 10, 1937: Meiu Line (名雨線, Meiu-sen^?) opens from Nayoro, which later becomes Shinmei Line (深名線, Shinmei-sen^?).
August 25, 1945: Chihaku Ship Line ceases its operation.
1957: Asahikawa-Yojō Temporal Station (now Asahikawa-Yojō Station) opens, allowing transfer to Asahikawa Electric Tram (旭川電気軌道, Asahikawa Denki Kidō^?) Lines.
1960: The semi express train Sōya (宗谷, Sōya^?) begins its operation.
1961: Sōya becomes an express train.
October 5, 1964: Bikō Line (美幸線, Bikō-sen^?) opens from Bifuka.
January 1, 1973: Asahikawa Electric Tram lines cease their operations.
November 10, 1984: As the block system is automated, most stations of Sōya Main Line stop manned ticket collecting.
November 1, 1986: As CTC is implemented, most stations become completely unmanned.
April 1, 1987: Japanese National Railways is privatized and split up. Hokkaido Railway Company (北海道旅客鉄道, Hokkaidō Ryokaku Tetsudō^?) becomes the operator of the whole Sōya Main Line, while Japan Freight Railway Company (日本貨物鉄道, Nihon Kamotsu Tetsudō^?) becomes the service-only operator between Asahikawa and Nayoro. All the temporal stations (仮乗降場) JNR stalled become "true" stations.
September 17, 1985: Bikō Line ceases its operation.
March 30, 1987: Haboro Line ceases its operation.
May 1, 1989: Tenpoku Line and Nayoro Main Line cease their operations.
1995: The ferry line between Wakkanai and Korsakov "resumes" its operation after 50 years, although not directly connected to the railway line.
September 4, 1995: Shinmei Line ceases its operation.
March, 2000: The section between Asahikawa and Nayoro upgrades its tracks, allowing faster services. The limited express train Super Sōya (スーパー宗谷, Sūpā Sōya^?) begins its operation.

[edit] Services

The Super Sōya (スーパー宗谷, Sūpā Sōya^?) intercity limited express train run from Sapporo to Wakkanai 2 laps a day. There also is the limited express train Sarobetsu (サロベツ, Sarobetsu^?) 1 lap a day. Between Asahikawa and Nayoro, there is one local train service per 1 to 2 hours, as well as the rapid train Nayoro (なよろ, Nayoro^?) 4 laps a day. Between Nayoro and Wakkanai, there is one local train service per 3 to 4 hours.

[edit] Stations

Station name	Japanese	Distance from Asahikawa	Rapid ¹	Limited express ¹	Transfers	Location (all in Hokkaido)
Asahikawa ²	旭川	0 km	+	+	JR Hakodate Main Line, JR Furano Line	Asahikawa
Asahikawa-Yojō	旭川四条	1.8 km	*	-
Shin-Asahikawa	新旭川	3.7 km	-	-	JR Sekihoku Main Line
Kita-Asahikawa (freight)	北旭川	6.6 km	-	-
Nagayama ^{2 3}	永山	9.3 km	+	-
Kita-Nagayama	北永山	11.4 km	-	-
Minami-Pippu	南比布	14.7 km	-	-		Pippu, Kamikawa
Pippu ³	比布	17.1 km	+	-
Kita-Pippu	北比布	20.2 km	-	-
Ranru ³	蘭留	22.8 km	-	-
Shiokari ³	塩狩	28.4 km	-	-		Wassamu, Kamikawa
Wassamu ³	和寒	36.3 km	+	+		Wassamu, Kamikawa
Higashi-Rokusen	東六線	41.4 km	-	-		Kenbuchi, Kamikawa
Kenbuchi ³	剣淵	45.2 km	+	-
Kita-Kenbuchi	北剣淵	50.2 km	-	-
Shibetsu ^{2 3}	士別	53.9 km	+	+		Shibetsu
Shimo-Shibetsu	下士別	58.3 km	-	-
Tayoro	多寄	61.7 km	*	-
Mizuho	瑞穂	64.5 km	-	-
Fūren ³	風連	68.1 km	*	-		Nayoro
Higashi-Fūren	東風連	72.6 km	-	-
Nayoro ^{2 3}	名寄	76.2 km	+	+
Nisshin	日進	80.2 km		-
Hokusei	北星	89.3 km		-
Chiebun	智恵文	91.2 km		-
Chihoku	智北	93.3 km		-
Minami-Bifuka	南美深	95.6 km		-		Bifuka, Nakagawa
Bifuka ^{2 3}	美深	98.3 km		+
Hatsuno	初野	101.9 km		-
Monponai	紋穂内	105 km		-
Onnenai	恩根内	112.1 km		-
Toyoshimizu ³	豊清水	117.9 km		-
Teshiogawa-Onsen	天塩川温泉	121.5 km		-		Otoineppu, Nakagawa
Sakkuru	咲来	124.7 km		-
Otoineppu ^{2 3}	音威子府	129.3 km		+
Osashima	筬島	135.6 km		-
Saku ³	佐久	153.6 km		-		Nakagawa, Nakagawa
Teshio-Nakagawa ³	天塩中川	161.9 km		+
Utanai	歌内	170.3 km		-
Toikanbetsu	問寒別	175.8 km		-		Horonobe, Teshio
Nukanan	糠南	178 km		-
Onoppunai ³	雄信内	183.7 km		-
Yasuushi	安牛	189.7 km		-
Minami-Horonobe	南幌延	191.6 km		-
Kami-Horonobe	上幌延	194.6 km		-
Horonobe ^{2 3}	幌延	199.4 km		+
Shimonuma	下沼	207.2 km		-
Toyotomi ³	豊富	215.9 km		+		Toyotomi, Teshio
Tokumitsu	徳満	220.9 km		-
Kabutonuma ³	兜沼	230.9 km		-
Yūchi	勇知	236.7 km		-		Wakkanai
Bakkai ³	抜海	245 km		-
Minami-Wakkanai ^{2 3}	南稚内	256.7 km		+
Wakkanai ²	稚内	259.4 km		+

¹: All the trains stop at stations signed "+". Some trains stop at "*". No trains (other than local) stop at "-". There is no rapid train service between Nayoro and Wakkanai.

²: Manned stations.

³: Stations with passing loops.

[edit] Gallery

Asahikawa Station	Nayoro Station	The "main street" approaching Hokusei Station.	Toikanbetsu Station, a typical reused-train-car type station.
Onoppunai Station, one of the few original station buildings that survive from the line's opening.	Wakkanai Station, the northernmost railway station in Japan.	The northernmost point of Japanese railway, in Wakkanai Station.