Rumoi Main Line

The Rumoi Main Line (留萌本線, Rumoi-honsen) is a Japanese railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) which connects Fukagawa Station in Fukagawa and Rumoi Station in Rumoi. It is the shortest railway line in Japan, which is classified as a 'main line'.

Rumoi Main Line
A single KiHa 54 series DMU on the Rumoi Main Line in September 2011
Overview
StatusIn operation
OwnerJR Hokkaido
Locale JR Hokkaido
TerminiFukagawa
Rumoi
Stations12
Service
TypeRegional rail
Operator(s)JR Hokkaido
Rolling stockKiHa 54 series DMU, KiHa 150 series DMU
History
Opened23 October 1910
Closed4 December 2016 (Rumoi - Mashike)
Technical
Line length50.1 km (31.1 mi)
Number of tracksSingle
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed95 km/h (59 mph)
Route map

On 19 November 2016, JR Hokkaido's President announced plans to further rationalise the network by up to 1,237 km, or approximately 50% of the network,[1] including closure of the remaining section of the Rumoi Main Line (the Rumoi to Mashike section closed on 4 December 2016).

Stations

Stops legend: ●: All trains stop, ◆: some trains stop, ▼: some down trains pass, ▲: some up trains pass

No. Station name Japanese Between
(km)
Distance
(km)
Stop Transfers Location
 A24  Fukagawa 深川 0.0 Hakodate Main Line Fukagawa
Kita-Ichiyan 北一已 3.8 3.8  
Chippubetsu 秩父別 5.0 8.8   Chippubetsu,
Uryū District
Kita-Chippubetsu 北秩父別 2.4 11.2  
Ishikari-Numata 石狩沼田 3.2 14.4   Numata,
Uryū District
Mappu 真布 3.4 17.8  
Ebishima 恵比島 2.9 20.7  
Tōgeshita 峠下 7.6 28.3   Rumoi
Horonuka 幌糠 6.2 34.5  
Fujiyama 藤山 5.5 40.0  
Ōwada 大和田 4.2 44.2  
Rumoi 留萌 5.9 50.1  

Closed section

Station name Japanese Between
(km)
Distance
(km)
Location
Rumoi 留萌 5.9 50.1 Rumoi
Segoshi 瀬越 2.1 52.2
Reuke 礼受 4.0 56.2
Afun 阿分 1.3 57.5 Mashike,
Mashike District
Nobusha 信砂 2.7 60.2
Shaguma 舎熊 0.8 61.0
Shumombetsu 朱文別 1.7 62.7
Hashibetsu 箸別 1.3 64.0
Mashike 増毛 2.8 66.8

History

The initial section of the line, between Fukagawa and Rumoi opened on 23 October 1910, and was extended to Mashike on 5 November 1921.[2] The line was reclassified as a "main line" from 10 October 1931.[2] With the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR) on 1 April 1987, the line came under the control of JR Hokkaido.[2]

Closure plans

On 10 August 2015, JR Hokkaido informed the mayors of Rumoi and Mashike of its plans to close the 16.7 km section of the line from Rumoi and Mashike in 2016.[3] In April 2016, it was officially announced that the section from Rumoi to Mashike would close, and the last service operated on 4 December.[4]

References

  1. "JR Hokkaido says it can't maintain half of its railways". 10 May 2013.
  2. Ishino, Tetsu, ed. (1998). 停車場変遷大辞典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR] (in Japanese). I. Japan: JTB. pp. 83, 129. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
  3. 留萌線(留萌~増毛間)の鉄道事業廃止について [Closure of Rumoi Line between Rumoi and Mashike]. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  4. JR留萌線留萌―増毛間12月4日に廃止 増毛町が同意 [Mashike agrees to closure of JR Rumoi Line between Rumoi and Mashike on 4 December]. Doshin Web (in Japanese). Japan: The Hokkaido Shimbun Press. 8 April 2016. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
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