Ōu Main Line

The Ōu Main Line (奥羽本線, Ōu-honsen^?) is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It runs from Fukushima Station in Fukushima, Fukushima through Akita Station in Akita, Akita to Aomori Station in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yamagata section (as well as the Yamagata–Shinjō section since 1999) is sometimes referred to as the Yamagata Line. The name of the line as a whole refers to the ancient provinces of Mutsu (陸奥) and Dewa (出羽), as it connects both ends of Mutsu by passing north-south through Dewa.

Route data

• East Japan Railway Company
• Total distance: 486.3 km (Fukushima–Aomori, Tsuchizaki–Akitakō)
  • East Japan Railway Company
    • 484.5 km (Fukushima–Aomori)
  • Japan Freight Railway Company
    • 1.8 km (Tsuchizaki–Akitakō)
    • 256.2 km (Yokote–Aomori)
    • 4.8 km (Aomori–Aomori Stoplight Station)
• Rail Gauge:
  • 1,067 mm
    • Shinjō–Ōmagari
    • Akita–Aomori
  • 1,435 mm
    • Fukushima–Yamagata
    • Uzen-Chitose–Shinjō
  • Both (1067, 1435 mm)
    • Yamagata–Uzen-Chitose
    • Ōmagari–Akita
• Stations: 102 (including freight stations)
• Tracks:
  • Dual-track
    • Fukushima–Sekine
    • Akayu–Akayu Stoplight Station
    • Uzen-Nakayama–Uzen-Chitose
    • Ashisawa–Funagata
    • Nozoki–Innai
    • Ōmagari–Oiwake
    • Ugo-Iizuka–Hachirōgata
    • Kado–Moritake
    • Tsurugata–Maeyama
    • Takanosu–Hayaguchi
    • Ōdate–Nagamine
    • Ishikawa–Kawabe
  • Single-track
    • Sekine–Akayu
    • Akayu Stoplight Station–Uzen-Nakayama
    • Uzen-Chitose–Ashisawa
    • Funagata–Nozoki
    • Innai– Ōmagari
    • Oiwake–Ugo-Iizuka
    • Hachirōgata–Kado
    • Moritake–Tsurugata
    • Maeyama–Takanosu
    • Hayaguchi–Ōdate
    • Nagamine–Ishikawa
    • Kawabe–Aomori
• Electrification: All (alternating current 20,000 V 50 Hz)
• Block system: Automatic block system (except Tsuchizaki–Akitakō section (gearing block system))
• Rail yard: Yamagata, Akita

• (The Jingūji–Mineyoshikawa section consists of two 1435mm tracks and one dual-gauge track)

Services

The Ōu Main Line is split into the following four sections. Due to the differences in the tracks of these sections, there are no trains that go through more than one (with the exception of an Akita–Shinjō connection).

Fukushima–Shinjō (148.6 km)

On this section the Ōu Main Line shares the tracks with the Yamagata Shinkansen. The rail gauge is 1435 mm to allow the Yamagata Shinkansen to run on it. The Ōu Main Line is known as the Yamagata Line on this section.

Shinjō–Ōmagari (98.4 km)

Crossing the Yamagata-Akita border, there is little demand in this section, and all trains run as local trains.

Ōmagari–Akita (51.7 km)

On this section the Ōu Main Line shares the tracks with the Akita Shinkansen. Because the Ōu Main Line occasionally runs from Akita to Shinjō as a local train, this section contains one standard gauge track and two narrow gauge tracks. Also, the few Komachi trains running on this section have the priority.

Akita–Aomori (185.8 km)

Together with the Kosei Line, Hokuriku Main Line, Shinetsu Main Line, Hakushin Line, and the Uetsu Main Line, the Ōu Main Line is one of the express lines and freight lines that make up the Nihonkai Jūkan-sen (Sea of Japan Trans-Japan Line).

Timeline

The Ōu North Line began in Aomori, the South Line in Fukushima, and the full line opened in 1905.

Ōu North Line

• December 1, 1894: Aomori–Hirosaki
• October 21, 1895: Hirosaki–Ikarigaseki
• June 21, 1899: Ikarigaseki–Shirasawa
• November 15, 1899: Shirasawa–Ōdate
• October 7, 1900: Ōdate–Takanosu
• November 1, 1901: Takanosu–Noshiro (present-day Higashi-Noshiro)
• August 1, 1902: Noshiro–Gojōme (present-day Hachirōgata)
• October 21, 1902: Gojōme–Akita
• October 1, 1903: Akita–Wada
• August 21, 1904: Wada–Jingūji
• December 21, 1904: Jingūji–Ōmagari
• June 15, 1905: Ōmagari–Yokote

Ōu South Line

• May 15, 1899: Fukushima–Yonezawa
• April 11, 1901: Yonezawa–Yamagata
• August 23, 1901: Yamagata–Tateoka (present-day Murayama)
• October 21, 1901: Tateoka–Ōishida
• July 21, 1902: Ōishida–Funagata
• June 11, 1903: Funagata–Shinjō
• October 21, 1904: Shinjō–Innai
• July 5, 1905: Innai–Yuzawa
• September 14, 1905: Yuzawa–Yokote, completion of Fukushima–Aomori connection

Ōu Main Line

• April 29, 1949: Fukushima–Yonezawa section changed to direct current electrification
• November 1, 1960: Yamagata–Uzen-Chitose section changed to direct current electrification
• September 8, 1968: Yamagata–Uzen-Chitose section changed to alternating current electrification
• September 22, 1968: Fukushima–Yonezawa section changed to alternating current electrification
• September 23, 1968: Yonezawa–Yamagata section changed to alternating current electrification
• August 25, 1971: Akita–Aomori section changed to alternating current electrification
• October 13, 1975: Uzen-Chitose–Akita section changed to alternating current electrification, entire line becomes electric-powered
• April 1, 1987: becomes part of the East Japan Railway Company with the breakup of Japan National Railway
• September 1, 1991: Fukushima–Yamagata section temporarily ceases operations for construction of Yamagata Shinkansen, switch-back between Akaiwa and Ōsawa is abolished
• July 1, 1992: Yamagata Shinkansen begins operation, Fukushima–Yamagata section is known as Yamagata Line
• March 22, 1997: Akita Shinkansen begins operation, Jingūji–Mineyoshikawa section becomes three-track
• March 12, 1999: Tendō–Shinjō section temporarily ceases operations for further construction of Yamagata Shinkansen, Torigoe Stoplight Station is abolished
• October 22, 1999: Uzen-Chitose–Shinjō section temporarily ceases operations for further construction of Yamagata Shinkansen
• December 4, 1999: Yamagata Shinkansen construction finishes, Yamagata–Shinjō section is also known as the Yamagata Line, Kanisawa is renamed Sakurambo-Higashine, Tateoka is renamed Murayama

Station list

External links

• Stations of Ōu Main Line Line (JR East) (Japanese)