Wikipedia

Hokuriku Main Line

Not to be confused withHokuriku Shinkansen.

TheHokuriku Main Line(Japanese:Bắc lục bổn tuyến,romanized:Hokuriku-honsen) is a 45.9-kilometer (28.5 mi) railway line owned by theWest Japan Railway Company(JR West) connectingMaibara StationinMaibara, Shiga,withTsuruga StationinTsuruga, Fukui.The line formerly extended as far asNaoetsu StationinJoetsu, Niigata;however, the section between Tsuruga Station and Naoetsu Station is now operated by several third-sector railway companies. The line links theHokuriku regionon the northern central coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, to the regions ofKansai,Tōkai,Kantō,andTōhoku.

Hokuriku Main Line
A521 seriesatTsurugaStation
Overview
Other name(s)Biwako Line(Maibara - Nagahama)
Native nameBắc lục bổn tuyến
StatusOperational
OwnerLogo of the West Railway Company (JR West)JR West
Locale
Termini
Stations12
Service
TypeHeavy rail, Passenger/freight rail
Regional rail,Intercity rail
System
Operator(s)JR West,JR Freight
History
OpenedStages between 1882 and 1902
Closed
  • March 14, 2015(2015-03-14):Kanazawa - Naoetsu (Converted to a third sector railway)
  • March 16, 2024(2024-03-16):Tsuruga - Kanazawa (Converted to a third sector railway)
Technical
Line length45.9 km (28.5 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm(3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 VDC,20 kV/60 HzACoverhead line
Operating speed130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map

TheHokuriku Shinkansenwas opened on 14 March 2015 betweenNaganoandKanazawa,resulting in the section between Kanazawa Station andNaoetsu Stationbeing transferred to a third-sector railway company.Narrow gaugelimited expresses such as theThunderbirdandShirasagiare common sights along the line. A further extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tsuruga opened on 16 March 2024, resulting in this section of the Hokuriku Main Line being transferred from JR West to the third-sector companiesHapi-Line Fukuiand theIR Ishikawa Railway.[1][2]Of the line's original 354 km (220 mi) between Naoetsu and Maibara, just 45.9 km (28.5 mi) remains under the aegis of JR West.

The Hokuriku Main Line is double tracked and completely electrified: the section from Maibara to Tsuruga use 1,500 VDCpower, while the section from Tsuruga to Kanazawa uses 20 kVAC,60 Hz power.

JR Freightoperated a small branch line for freight fromTsuruga Stationto a container facility at the port ofTsuruga,but the services ceased in 2009.

Basic data

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  • Stations:
    • Passenger stations: 43, including those with freight services
    • Freight terminals: 3
  • Double-track line: From Maibara to Kanazawa
  • Electrification: From Maibara to Kanazawa
    • From Maibara to Tsuruga: 1,500 VDC
    • From Tsuruga to Kanazawa: 20,000 VAC,60 Hz
  • Railway signalling:
    • From Maibara to Kanazawa: Automatic train control
  • Maximum line speed: 130 km/h
  • CTCcenter:
    • From Maibara to Ōmi-Shiotsu: Shin-Ōsaka Operation Control Center
    • From Ōmi-Shiotsu to Kanazawa: Kanazawa Operation Control Center
  • CTC system:
    • From Maibara to Ōmi-Shiotsu: Safety Urban Network Traffic System (SUNTRAS)

Stations

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Maibara - Tsuruga

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See also:Biwako LineandWest Japan Railway Company § Urban Network
No. Station Japanese name Distance
(km) 		Transfers Location
Through service to/fromTōkaidō Main Line,further to/fromSan'yō Main LineandAko Line(shirasagiisTōkaido main lineNagoya Station)
Hokuriku Line (Biwako Line)
JR-A12 Maibara Mễ nguyên 0.0 JR Central:
Tōkaidō Shinkansen
Tōkaidō Main Line
JR West:
(Biwako Line)
■Ohmi Railway Main Line		 Maibara Shiga
JR-A11 Sakata Bản điền 2.4
JR-A10 Tamura Điền thôn 4.7 Nagahama
JR-A09 Nagahama Trường bang 7.7
Hokuriku Line
JR-A08 Torahime Hổ cơ 12.8 Nagahama Shiga
JR-A07 Kawake Hà mao 15.6
JR-A06 Takatsuki Cao nguyệt 18.2
JR-A05 Kinomoto Mộc ノ bổn 22.4
JR-A04 Yogo Dư ngô 26.5
JR-A03 Ōmi-Shiotsu Cận giang diêm tân 31.4 Kosei Line(JR-B10)
JR-A02 Shin-Hikida Tân sơ điền 39.2 Tsuruga Fukui
JR-A01 Tsuruga Đôn hạ 45.9 Hokuriku Shinkansen

Obama Line
Hapi-Line Fukui Line

Tsuruga - Kanazawa

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Effective the 16 March 2024 timetable revision, the section between Kanazawa and Daishoji was transferred to theIR Ishikawa Railway,[3]while the section between Tsuruga and Daishoji was spun off to a new company,Hapi-Line Fukui,on the same day.[4]

Kanazawa to Naoetsu

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Now a third-sector railway, the section from Kanazawa to Kurikara is operated by theIR Ishikawa Railway,Kurikara to Ichiburi is owned by theAinokaze Toyama Railway,and the section from to Naoetsu is theEchigo Tokimeki RailwayNihonkai Hisui Line.

Rolling stock

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Electric

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  • 223 Series

Diesel

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Former rolling stock

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History

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The entire line was built by the Japanese Government Railway, with the first section opened being from Nagahama, on the shore ofLake Biwato Tsuruga in 1882. The Maibara to Nagahama section opened in 1889, and the line was then opened progressively to Fukui (in 1896), Kanazawa (in 1898), and Toyama (in 1899). The next extension opened to Uozu in 1908, and to Tomari in 1910. At the northeastern end, the Naoetsu to Nadachi section opened in 1911, and was extended to Itoigawa the following year. The final section opened in 1913, completing the line.

On 14 March 2015 the name of Terai Station was changed to Nomi-Neagari Station.[5]

Double-tracking and realignments

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The initial section double-tracked was between Kanazawa and Tsubata in 1938, with the Maibara to Tsuruga section duplicated between 1957 and 1958. The rest of the line was double-tracked in stages between 1960 and 1969.

There have been three major line deviations. The first between Kinomoto and Tsuruga involving the 5,170 m (16,960 ft) Fukasaka tunnel opened in 1957 as a new line, with the original line remaining in service until the second new line opened in 1965, including the Shin-fukasaka tunnel at 5,173 m and a spiral section partially in tunnels to ease the ruling grade on the climb from Tsuruga to Biwako.

The second major deviation, between Tsuruga and Imajo opened in 1962 as a dual track line including the 13,870 m (45,510 ft) Hokuriku tunnel, providing a significantly straighter and faster line as well as avoiding numerous coastal sections vulnerable to disruption during severe weather events.

The third major deviation, the 21 km (13 mi) section between Uramoto and Arimagawa stations, was completed in 1969 as a dual track line, including the 11,353 m (37,247 ft) Kubiki tunnel, being the final section to be duplicated.

Electrification

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The Tsuruga to Tamura section was electrified in 1957 at 20 kV AC. As Maibara was electrified at 1,500 V DC, steam locomotives hauled trains over the 5 km (3.1 mi) non-electrified section until it was electrified (at 1,500 V DC, with dual-voltage EMUs being used) in 1962, the year the 20 kV AC electrification was extended to Fukui, extending progressively to Kanazawa (in 1963), Toyama (in 1964), and Itoigawa (in 1965).

The Itoigawa to Naoetsu section was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1969. DC was used in order to match the already-electrifiedShin'etsu Main Line,which the Hokuriku Main Line joined at Naoetsu.

In 1991, in order to allow through-running with DC trains from theTōkaidō Main Lineat Maibara, the Tamura to Nagahama section was converted to 1,500 V DC, and the conversion was extended to Tsuruga in 2006.

Former connecting lines

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  • Tsuruga Station: The 2.7 km (1.7 mi) freight-only line to Tsuruga-minato Port was taken out of service in 2009. The ~300m section of track from the former junction to the Maizakicho level crossing has since been removed to facilitate construction of theHokuriku Shinkansenextension from Kanazawa to Tsuruga. This line utilised aToken systemforsafeworking.
  • Takefu Station: The Takeoka Light Railway opened a 7 km762 mm(2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Gobuichi in 1914, converting the line to1,067 mm(3 ft 6 in) gauge in 1924, and extending it 7 km to Tono-guchi. In 1941, the company merged with the Fukui Railway, which electrified the line at 600 V DC in 1948. The last 5 km closed in 1971, and the rest of the line closed in 1981.
  • Sabae Station: The Ura Electric Railway opened a 20 km line, electrified at 600 V DC, to Oda between 1926 and 1929. The line also connected to theFukubu Lineat Mizuochi. The company merged with the Fukui Railway in 1945. As a result of double-tracking work on the Hokuriku Line at Sabae, the section to Mizuochi closed in 1962, with the rest of the line closing in 1973.
  • Maruoka Station: The Maruoka Railway opened a 4 km 762 mm gauge line to Shin-Maruoka in 1915. In 1930, it was regauged to 1,067 mm and electrified at 600 V DC in conjunction with the opening of the Eiheiji Line to Shin-Maruoka from Arawa Onsen. The following year, a 3 km electrified line was opened from Maruoka to Nishi Nagata on theMikuni Awara Line.The company merged with the Keifuku Railway in 1944, and the entire 7 km line closed in 1968.
  • Awara Onsen Station:

An 8 km line to Mikuni on theMikuni Awara Lineoperated between 1911 and 1972.

The Eiheiji Railway Co. opened a 25 km line to its namesake town in 1929, connecting with theKatsuyama Eiheiji Lineat Higashi-Furuichi. The company merged with the Keifuku Electric Railway Co. in 1944. The Arawa Onsen - Higashi-Furuichi section closed in 1969, and the section to Eijeihi closed in 2002 after a fatal head-on collision resulted in services being suspended and subsequently never resumed.

  • Daishoji Station: A 9 km915 mm(3 ft) gauge horse-drawn tramway opened to Yamanaka between 1898 and 1900. In 1913, the line was converted to 1,067 mm gauge and electrified. The line closed in 1971. The Hokuriku Railway Co. operated an 11 km line (known as the Contact Line) from Awazu Onsen (see Awazu station below) connected to the Uwano Line and this line between 1911 and 1963.
  • Iburihashi Station: The Hokuriku Railway had two separate lines connecting here:

On the western side of the line, the 3 km line to Katayamazu opened in 1914 as a 915 mm gauge horse-drawn tramway. It was converted to 1,067 mm gauge and electrified in 1922, and closed in 1965.

On the eastern side, the 3 km electrified line to Uwano operated between 1911 and 1971.

  • Awazu Station: The Awazu Onsen Railway opened a 4 km 762 mm gauge line to Awazu Onsen in 1911, converting the line to 1,067 mm gauge and electrifying it in 1916. The line closed in 1962.
  • Komatsu Station:

A 17 km 762 mm gauge line opened to the Ogoya copper mine between 1919 and 1920. The Meitetsu Railway took over management of the line in 1962, renaming the terminus Ogoya Onsen. The copper mine closed in 1971, and the line closed in 1977.

A 6 km horse-drawn tramway opened in 1906 to serve the Yusenji copper mine. Steam locomotion was introduced the following year, and the mine and line closed in 1918. In 1929, the line was regauged to 1,067 mm, electrified and reopened by the Hakusen Electric Railway, but it was declared bankrupt the following year. The Komatsu Electric Railway purchased the line at the receiver's auction in 1935, and merged with the Hokuriku Railway in 1945. Patronage declined from 2,126,000 in 1967 to 623,000 in 1983, and as a result the line closed in 1986.

  • Terai Station (present-day Nomi-Neagari Station): The Nomi Electric Railway opened a 17 km line, electrified at 600 V DC to Tsurugi on theHokuriku Railroad Ishikawa Linein 1927. Flooding destroyed the Tedorigawa bridge in 1934, which was replaced nine months later. The company merged with the Hokuriku Railway in 1942. Freight services ceased in 1968, and the line closed in 1980.
  • Matto station: In 1904, the 8 km, 915 mm gauge Matsukane horse-drawn tramway opened to Nomachi on theHokuriku Railroad Ishikawa Line,and also connected with Nonoichi station on the same line (not the current JR West station of the same name, which opened in 1968), 3 km before the terminus. In 1916, the line was converted to 1,067 mm gauge and electrified at 600 V DC. The line was acquired by the Kanazawa Electric Railway in 1920, which merged with the Hokuriku Railway in 1942. The 3 km Nonoichi to Nomachi section closed in 1944, and the remaining 5 km line closed in 1955.
  • Kanazawa Station: The 5 km 762 mm gauge Jinshi horse-drawn tramway opened in 1898, being converted to 1,067 mm gauge and electrified at 600 V DC in 1914. In 1920, the line was extended to Ono Port, and a further 2 km to Ono Minato in 1923. A 400m branch to Ryokuchi Park opened in 1930, passenger services on the branch ceasing in 1945 though the line remained to service a paper mill. The entire system closed in 1970.
  • Isurugi Station: The Tonami Railway opened a 7 km line to Tsuzawa in 1915, and merged with the Kaetsu Railway in 1919, which extended the line 13 km to Shogawa-Cho in 1922, including a connection to theJohana Lineat Fukuno. The line closed in 1972.
  • Kurobe Station: The Toyo Aluminium Company planned to build Japan's first aluminium refinery near Kurobe, and in 1922 opened a line electrified at 600 V DC to the proposed refinery site. The refinery did not proceed, so the company extended the line to Ishida Minato to serve an Onsen. The line closed in 1940.

Hokuriku Shinkansen

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TheHokuriku Shinkansenextension, fromNaganotoKanazawa,approximately parallels the route of the Hokuriku Main Line. With the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, control of local passenger services on the sections of the Hokuriku Main Line running throughIshikawa,Toyama,andNiigataprefectures was transferred to the following threethird-sectoroperating companies owned by the respective prefectures.[6]An additional extension running between Kanazawa and Tsuruga opened on 16 March 2024.[1][7]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toHokuriku Main Line.
  1. ^ab"Opening Date Set for Hokuriku Shinkansen Extension; Trains to Run between Kanazawa and Tsuruga from March 2024".The Yomiuri Shimbun.30 August 2023.
  2. ^ab"Phúc tỉnh huyện tịnh hành tại lai tuyến chuẩn bị chu thức hội xã thiết đạo tuyến の thiết đạo sự nghiệp tái cấu trúc thật thi kế họa の nhận định について".Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(in Japanese). 19 January 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2023.Retrieved3 February2024.
  3. ^ab"JR bắc lục bổn tuyến の huyện nội khu gian は16 nhật から đệ ３セクターに"[JR Hokuriku Main Line sections within Ishikawa Prefecture will move to third-sector operations from the 16th of March.].NHK NEWS WEB(in Japanese). 16 March 2024.Archivedfrom the original on 16 March 2024.Retrieved16 March2024.
  4. ^ab"Tịnh hành tại lai tuyến “ハピラインふくい” khai nghiệp ký niệm グッズに mục huy かせるファンも "[Parallel conventional line "Hapi-Line Fukui" opens as commemorative goods go on sale].Fukui Keizai Shimbun.16 March 2024.Retrieved16 March2024.
  5. ^"JR tây nhật bổn News Release bình thành 27 niên xuân ダイヤ cải chính について"[West Japan Railway Company News Release. Information regarding the Spring 2015 timetable amendment](PDF).West Japan Railway Company. 19 December 2014. p. 11.Retrieved14 March2015.
  6. ^しなの thiết đạo ( chu ), えちごトキめき thiết đạo ( chu ), あいの phong とやま thiết đạo ( chu ) cập びＩＲいしかわ thiết đạo ( chu ) thân thỉnh の đệ nhất chủng thiết đạo sự nghiệp hứa khả について[Details of railway business approval for Shinano Railway, Echigo Tokimeki Railway Company, Ainokaze Toyama Railway, and IR Ishikawa Railway].News release(in Japanese). Japan: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 26 February 2014.Retrieved21 March2014.
  7. ^"Hokuriku Shinkansen's Kanazawa-Tsuruga Section to Open Sat".nippon.com.14 March 2024.Retrieved15 March2024.
  8. ^"Hội xã tình báo"[About us].hapi-line.co.jp(in Japanese).Archivedfrom the original on 15 December 2023.Retrieved2 February2024.
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