Etsumi-Hoku Line

Etsumi-Hoku Line (Kuzuryū Line)
JR West KiHa 120 DMU at Ichijōdani Station
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
Locale	Fukui Prefecture
Termini	Echizen-Hanandō Kuzuryūko
Stations	22
Operation
Opening	1960
Owner	JR West
Operator(s)	JR West
Technical
Line length	52.5 km
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	None
Route map

The Etsumi-Hoku Line (越美北線, Etsumi-hoku-sen) is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The line extends 52.5 km from Echizen-Hanandō Station in Fukui to Kuzuryūko Station in Ōno with a total of 22 stations. It is also referred to as the Kuzuryū Line (九頭竜線, Kuzuryū-sen).

The line was originally planned to connect to what is now the Nagaragawa Railway, but the last 24km 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

• 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

History

• 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.

KiHa 120 DMU at Fukui Station

Plan for Etsumi Line

There was originally a plan for an Etsumi Line (越美線) to connect the prefectures of Fukui (the ancient province of Echizen (越前)) and Gifu (Mino (美濃) province). The plan was not completed; the Etsumi-Hoku Line is the northern half of what would have been the Etsumi Line. The southern half, Etsumi-Nan Line (越美南線, Etsumi-nan-sen, "Etsumi South Line"), became part of the third-sector Nagaragawa Railway.

Stations

• All trains stop at all stations.
• Between Echizen-Hanandō and Fukui trains run on the Hokuriku Main Line.
• All stations located in Fukui Prefecture.

Legend

• ◇ - stations with passing loops
• ∥ - double-tracked section
• ｜- single-tracked section

See also

• List of railway lines in Japan

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

JR West lines Shinkansen Sanyō (Hakata-Minami) Hokuriku Main Hokuriku Kansai Kisei San'in San'yō Takayama Tōkaidō Local Akō Bantan Etsumi-Hoku Fukuchiyama Fukuen Gantoku Geibi Hakubi Hanwa Himi Honshi-Bisan Inbi Jōhana JR Tōzai Kabe Kakogawa Kansai Airport Katamachi Kibi Kishin Kisuki Kosei Kure Kusatsu Maizuru Mine Nanao Nara Obama Ōito Onoda Osaka Higashi Osaka Loop Sakai Sakurai Sakurajima Sankō Tsuyama Ube Uno Wakayama Yamaguchi Past Gannichi Kajiya Miki Miyazu Noto Shigaraki Taisha Toyamakō Wakasa