Sekihoku Main Line

Sekihoku Main Line
石北本線

Okhotsk limited express train from Sapporo to Abashiri
Overview
Type Heavy rail
Status In operation
Locale Hokkaido
Termini Shin-Asahikawa
Abashiri
Stations 40
Operation
Owner JR Hokkaido
Operator(s) JR Hokkaido, JR Freight
Rolling stock KiHa 50, 183 Series, KiHa 54
Technical
Line length 257.8 km (160.19 mi)
Track length 257.8 km (160.19 mi)
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification None
Operating speed 110 km/h (70 mph)

Sekihoku Main Line (石北本線 Sekihoku-honsen?) is a Japanese railway line in Hokkaidō, operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido}} between Shin-Asahikawa in Asahikawa and Abashiri Station in Abashiri. The name comes from Ishikari Province (狩国?) and Kitami Province (見国?), names of ancient provinces along the line.[1]

Contents

Basic data

History

Historically, the route between Sapporo and Okhotsk Subprefecture has changed for many times. Originally, the route took Hakodate Main Line to Asahikawa, then took southbound Nemuro Main Line and branched off from Ikeda, through Abashiri Main Line (網走本線 Abashiri Honsen?) to Kitami. The route shortened a little when Nemuro Main Line opened the shortcut segment between Takikawa and Furano in 1913.

Another route, northbound from Nayoro to Kitami was completed as Nayoro Main Line (名寄本線 Nayoro Honsen?) and Yūbetsu Line (湧別線 Yūbetsu-sen?) in 1921.

The third route was a shortcut between Asahikawa and Engaru, straight through the Kitami Pass. Sekihoku Line (石北線 Sekihoku-sen?), completed in 1932, finally opened the link route still used today.

The current Sekihoku Main Line is consisted of what these three lines have left. The section between Shin-Asahikawa and Engaru is from Sekihoku Line, the one between Engaru and Kitami from Yūbetsu Line, and the one between Kitami and Abashiri from Abashiri Main Line.

Services

The Okhotsk limited express train, named after the Sea of Okhotsk, runs from Sapporo to Abashiri four times a day in summer, six times a day in winter.[2] The limited rapid train Kitami operates between Asahikawa and Kitami, with one return service daily.

As for the local service, the line is roughly divided into three segments. In the segment between Asahikawa and Kamikawa, the line functions as a commuter rail of Asahikawa City. There is one local train service per one to two hours. The segment between Kamikawa and Engaru is a sparsely populated area. Between Kakikawa and Shirataki, a local train runs one lap per day. For the segment between Engaru and Abashiri, there is one local train service per one to two hours.

Stations

LE: Limited Express
R: Rapid
All the trains stop at stations signed "+". Some trains stop at "*". No trains (other than local) stop at "-".
Station Distance
(km)
LE R Transfers Location
Sōya Main Line
A28 Asahikawa 旭川 -3.7 + +

 Furano Line
 Hakodate Main Line

Asahikawa
A29 Asahikawa-Yojō 旭川四条 -1.9 - -
A30 Shin-Asahikawa 新旭川 0.0 - -

 Sekihoku Main Line

Sekihoku Main Line
A31 Minami-Nagayama 南永山 2.5 - - Asahikawa
A32 Higashi-Asahikawa 東旭川 5.2 - -
A33 Kita-Hinode 北日ノ出 7.3 - -
A34 Sakuraoka 桜岡 10.2 - -
A35 Tōma 当麻 13.9 - +   Tōma, Kamikawa
A36 Shōgunzan 将軍山 17.4 - -
A37 Ikaushi 伊香牛 19.5 - -
A38 Aibetsu 愛別 25.9 - -   Aibetsu, Kamikawa
A39 Naka-Aibetsu 中愛別 32.0 - -
A40 Aizan 愛山 36.0 - -
A41 Antaroma 安足間 38.0 - -
A42 Tōun 東雲 40.4 - -   Kamikawa, Kamikawa
A43 Kamikawa 上川 44.9 + +
A44 Kami-Shirataki 上白滝 78.9 - -   Engaru, Monbetsu
A45 Shirataki 白滝 82.2 * +
A46 Kyū-Shirataki 旧白滝 88.3 - -
A47 Shimo-Shirataki 下白滝 92.7 - -
A48 Maruseppu 丸瀬布 101.9 * +
A49 Setose 瀬戸瀬 109.7 - -
A50 Engaru 遠軽 120.8 + +
A51 Yasukuni 安国 128.8 - +
A52 Ikuno 生野 132.7 - -
A53 Ikutahara 生田原 137.7 + +
A54 Kanehana 金華 152.7 - +  

Kitami

A55 Nishi-Rubeshibe 西留辺蘂 156.2 - -
A56 Rubeshibe 留辺蘂 158.2 + +
A57 Ainonai 相内 169.1 - +
A58 Higashi-Ainonai 東相内 173.7 - +
A59 Nishi-Kitami 西北見 176.3 - +
A60 Kitami 北見 181.0 + +
A61 Hakuyō 柏陽 183.7 -  
A62 Itoshino 愛し野 185.9 -  
A63 Tanno 端野 187.3 -  
A64 Hiushinai 緋牛内 194.6 -  
A65 Bihoro 美幌 206.1 +     Bihoro, Abashiri
A66 Nishi-Memambetsu 西女満別 213.1 -     Ōzora, Abashiri
A67 Memambetsu 女満別 218.1 +  
A68 Yobito 呼人 225.9 -     Abashiri
A69 Abashiri 網走 234.0 +  

 Senmō Main Line

See also

References

External links