Etsumi-Hoku Line

Etsumi-Hoku Line
(Kuzuryū Line)
A JR West KiHa 120 DMU at Ichijōdani Station
Overview
Type Heavy rail
Locale Fukui Prefecture
Termini Echizen-Hanandō
Kuzuryūko
Stations 22
Operation
Opened 1960
Owner 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 24 km 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

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.
Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Tracks Location
Between
stations		 From Echizen-Hanandō
Hokuriku Main Line
Fukui 福井駅 - 2.6
∥ Fukui
Etsumi-Hoku Line
Echizen-Hanandō 越前花堂駅 2.6 0.0 ■ Hokuriku Main Line (for Tsuruga) Ｙ Fukui
Rokujō 六条駅 2.3 2.3   ｜
Asuwa 足羽駅 1.4 3.7   ｜
Echizen-Tōgō 越前東郷駅 2.0 5.7   ｜
Ichijōdani 一乗谷駅 2.6 8.3   ｜
Echizen-Takada 越前高田駅 3.1 11.4   ｜
Ichinami 市波駅 1.2 12.6   ｜
Kowashōzu 小和清水駅 2.0 14.6   ｜
Miyama 美山駅 2.9 17.5   ◇
Echizen-Yakushi 越前薬師駅 2.0 19.5   ｜
Echizen-Ōmiya 越前大宮駅 2.7 22.2   ｜
Hakariishi 計石駅 2.2 24.4   ｜
Ushigahara 牛ヶ原駅 3.2 27.6   ｜ Ōno
Kita-Ōno 北大野駅 1.8 29.4   ｜
Echizen-Ōno 越前大野駅 2.0 31.4   ◇
Echizen-Tano 越前田野駅 2.9 34.3   ｜
Echizen-Tomida 越前富田駅 1.4 35.7   ｜
Shimoyuino 下唯野駅 3.1 38.8   ｜
Kakigashima 柿ヶ島駅 1.0 39.8   ｜
Kadohara 勝原駅 2.5 42.3   ｜
Echizen-Shimoyama 越前下山駅 6.5 48.8   ｜
Kuzuryūko 九頭竜湖駅 3.7 52.5   ｜

Legend

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

History

A KiHa 120 DMU at Fukui Station
  • 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.

See also

References

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