Etsumi-Hoku Line

Etsumi-Hoku Line (Kuzuryū Line)
A JR West KiHa 120 series DMU at Ichijōdani Station
Overview
Native name	越美北線
Status	In operation
Owner	JR West
Locale	Fukui Prefecture
Termini	Echizen-Hanandō Kuzuryūko
Stations	22
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	JR West
Rolling stock	KiHa 120 series DMU
History
Opened	1960
Technical
Line length	52.5 km (32.6 mi)
Number of tracks	Entire line single tracked
Character	Rural
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	None
Operating speed	85 km/h (53 mph)
Route map

The Etsumi-Hoku Line (越美北線, Etsumi Hoku-sen, "Etsumi North Line"), also called the Kuzuryū Line (九頭竜線, Kuzuryū-sen), is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The line extends 52.5 km (32.6 mi) from Echizen-Hanandō Station in Fukui to Kuzuryūko Station in Ōno with a total of 22 stations.

The line was originally planned to connect to what is now the Nagaragawa Railway (previously Etsumi-Nan Line), but the last 24.0 km (14.9 mi) 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

Stations

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

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers	Tracks	Location
		Between stations	From Echizen-Hanandō
Hapi-Line Fukui Line
Fukui	福井駅	-	2.6	■ Hapi-Line Fukui Line (for Kanazawa) Echizen Railway Katsuyama Eiheiji Line Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line Fukui Railway Fukubu Line (Fukui-eki)	∥	Fukui
Etsumi-Hoku Line
Echizen-Hanandō	越前花堂駅	2.6	0.0	■ Hapi-Line Fukui 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

• List of railway lines in Japan

References