Jump to content

Jōetsu Line

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Joetsu Line)
Joetsu Line
211 series local train (Kamimoku - Minakami)
Overview
Native name上越線
LocaleGunma, Niigata prefectures
Termini
  • ‹See TfM›Takasaki
  • ‹See TfM›Miyauchi
Stations34
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR East
History
Opened1920; 104 years ago (1920)
Technical
Line length162.6 km (101.03 mi)
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Route map

The Joetsu Line (上越線, Jōetsu-sen) is a major railway line in Japan, owned by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Takasaki Station in Gunma Prefecture with Miyauchi Station in Niigata Prefecture, linking the northwestern Kanto region and the Sea of Japan coast of the Chūbu region. The name refers to the old provinces of Kōzuke (野) and Echigo (後), which the line connects.

Services

[edit]

Before the opening of the Jōetsu Shinkansen in 1982, the Joetsu Line had frequent service by express trains connecting Tokyo and Niigata. With the opening of the Jōetsu Shinkansen, however, the line became dominated by local and freight trains.

The branch of the Jōetsu Shinkansen between Echigo-Yuzawa Station and Gala-Yuzawa Station (the Gala-Yuzawa Line) technically belongs to the Joetsu Line.

Stations

[edit]
Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
Between
Stations
Total
‹See TfM›Takasaki 高崎 - 0.0 Takasaki Gunma
‹See TfM›Takasakitonyamachi 高崎問屋町 2.8 2.8  
‹See TfM›Ino 井野 1.2 4.0  
‹See TfM›Shin-Maebashi 新前橋 3.3 7.3 Ryōmō Line Maebashi
‹See TfM›Gumma-Sōja 群馬総社 4.8 12.1  
‹See TfM›Yagihara 八木原 5.6 17.7   Shibukawa
‹See TfM›Shibukawa 渋川 3.4 21.1 Agatsuma Line
‹See TfM›Shikishima 敷島 6.4 27.5  
‹See TfM›Tsukuda 津久田 3.0 30.5  
‹See TfM›Iwamoto 岩本 5.8 36.3   Numata
‹See TfM›Numata 沼田 5.0 41.3  
‹See TfM›Gokan 後閑 5.2 46.5   Minakami, Tone District
‹See TfM›Kamimoku 上牧 7.1 53.6  
‹See TfM›Minakami 水上 5.4 59.0  
‹See TfM›Yubiso 湯檜曽 3.7 62.7  
‹See TfM›Doai 土合 6.6 69.3  
‹See TfM›Tsuchitaru 土樽 10.8 80.1   Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District Niigata
‹See TfM›Echigo-Nakazato 越後中里 7.3 87.4  
‹See TfM›Iwappara-Skiing Ground 岩原スキー場前 3.7 91.1  
‹See TfM›Echigo-Yuzawa 越後湯沢 3.1 94.2
‹See TfM›Ishiuchi 石打 6.4 100.6   Minamiuonuma
‹See TfM›Ōsawa 大沢 4.0 104.6  
‹See TfM›Jōetsu International Skiing Ground 上越国際スキー場前 1.0 105.6  
‹See TfM›Shiozawa 塩沢 2.3 107.9  
‹See TfM›Muikamachi 六日町 3.9 111.8 Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Line
‹See TfM›Itsukamachi 五日町◇ 6.6 118.4  
‹See TfM›Urasa 浦佐 5.5 123.9 Jōetsu Shinkansen
‹See TfM›Yairo 八色 3.1 127.0  
‹See TfM›Koide 小出 5.2 132.2 Tadami Line Uonuma
‹See TfM›Echigo-Horinouchi 越後堀之内 2.5 134.7  
‹See TfM›Kita-Horinouchi 北堀之内 3.4 138.1  
‹See TfM›Echigo-Kawaguchi 越後川口 4.7 142.8 Iiyama Line Nagaoka
‹See TfM›Ojiya 小千谷 6.6 149.4   Ojiya
‹See TfM›Echigo-Takiya 越後滝谷 7.2 156.6   Nagaoka
‹See TfM›Miyauchi 宮内 6.0 162.6 Shinetsu Main Line (for ‹See TfM›Naoetsu)
Through to ‹See TfM›Nagaoka on the Shin'etsu Main Line
‹See TfM›Nagaoka 長岡 1.6 165.6
Nagaoka Niigata

Rolling stock

[edit]

Present

[edit]

Local

[edit]

Takasaki to Minakami

Minakami to Nagaoka

Takasaki to Shin-Maebashi (Takasaki Line, Ryomo Line through services)

Limited Express

[edit]

Takasaki to Shibukawa (Takasaki Line, Agatsuma Line through services)

SL

[edit]

SL Gunma Minakami and SL YOGISHA Minakami

  • JNR 12 series 6-car Vehicles and C61-20

Yuzawa to Joetsu-Myoko

Former

[edit]

Local

[edit]

Takasaki to Minakami

Minakami to Nagaoka

Limited Express

[edit]

Takasaki to Shibukawa (Takasaki Line, Agatsuma Line through services)

  • 185 series 7-car EMUs (Kusatsu limited express services until March 2014)

Four-car 211-3000 series EMUs entered service on the section between Takasaki and Minakami from 23 August 2016.[1]

History

[edit]
Shimizu Tunnel
Kedosawa Bridge

The Nippon Railway opened the Takasaki to Maebashi (now Shinmaebashi) section in 1884. The company was nationalised in 1906.

The first railway between Niigata and the east coast of Honshu was the Ban'etsu West Line, completed in 1914. In 1920, it was decided to build the Jōetsu Line as a more direct route between Tokyo and Niigata. The Miyauchi to Echigo-Yuzawa section opened in stages between 1920 and 1925, and the Shinmaebashi to Minakami section of the line opened in stages between 1921 and 1928.

In 1931, with the completion of the 9,702 m (31,830 ft 9 in) Shimizu tunnel, the Echigo-Yuzawa - Minakami section of the line opened, including electrification at 1,500 V DC between Echigo-Yuzawa and Ishiuchi. When completed, the line shortened the Ueno to Niigata route by 98 km (61 mi), and included two spiral sections in the tunnels.

In 1947, the Takasaki to Minakami and Ishiuchi to Miyauchi sections were electrified, making this one of the first non-urban JNR lines to be completely electrified.

The Takasaki to Shinmaebashi section was double-tracked in 1957, and the rest of the line was double-tracked between 1961 and 1967, the final section involving the construction of the 13,500 m (44,291 ft 4 in) Arashimizu tunnel. Passengers catching Miyauchi-bound trains at ‹See TfM›Yubiso and ‹See TfM›Doai stations do so from platforms situated within the Arashimizu tunnel.

Service disruptions

[edit]

The 2004 Chūetsu earthquake seriously damaged the Jōetsu Line, closing the Minakami to Miyauchi section for about two months. Single-line operation at speeds limited to 30–45 km/h then resumed, being raised to 45–65 km/h four months after the earthquake, and the second track reopened, also with speed restrictions, 5 months after the quake. Full service was restored 9 months after the line had first closed.

In late July 2011, torrential rainfall damage resulted in the closure of the Echigo-Yuzawa - Muikamachi section for two weeks.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 上越線・吾妻線で211系の営業運転開始 [211 series enter service on Joetsu Line and Agatsuma Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
[edit]