Muroran main line

Muroran main line
Type 711 railcar between Shadai and Nishikioka
Route length:	211.0 km + 7.0 km
Gauge :	1067 mm ( cape track )
Power system :	partly 20 kV 50 Hz  ~
Top speed:	120 km / h
Dual track :	Oshamambe - Tōya Usu - Nagawa Mareppu - Mikawa Yuni - Kuriyama Muroran - Higashi-Muroran
Society:	JR Hokkaido
Legend 0.0 Oshamambe ( 長 万 部 ) 1903– ↑ → Hakodate main line 1903– 5.3 Asahihama ( 旭 浜 ) 1943-2006 10.6 Shizukari ( 静 狩 ) 1923– (2 tunnels) (2 tunnels) Shin Shizukari Tunnel (1924 m) (3 tunnels) Shin Atarikauishi Tunnel (1976 m) 17.5 Koboro ( 小 幌 ) 1943– Rebungesan tunnel (2759 m) Dodge Toriu 1945-1947 23.6 Rebun (礼 文) 1928– Rebunhama Tunnel (1232 m) 27.7 Ōkishi ( 大 岸 ) 1928– Ōkishi tunnel (2154 m) 30.9 Toyoizumi ( 豊 泉 ) 1944-1968 36.1 Toyoura ( 豊 浦 ) 1928– Kuria tunnel (1709 m) 41.5 Tōya ( 洞 爺 ) 1928– → Tōyako Railway 1929-1941 44.5 Dodge Kita-Irie 1994– 46.6 Usu ( 有 珠 ) 1928– Entomo tunnel 51.5 Nagawa ( 長 和 ) 1928– Shimurakako Co. 1957-1985 Osawa-gawa Hokkaido Sugar Co. 1959–? → Iburi line 1940-1986 54.5 Datemombetsu ( 伊達 紋 別 ) 1925– 57.4 Kita-Funaoka ( 北 舟 岡 ) 1963– 60.6 Mareppu ( 稀 府 ) 1925– 65.1 Kogane ( 黄金 ) 1925– Moto Muroran Tunnel (1025 m) 67.3 Sakimori ( 崎 守 ) 1955– Sakimori port 1970– 69.7 Jinyamachi freight yard 2. Jinya tunnel (1063 m) Muroran Wharf Co. 1955-2014 72.7 Moto-Wanishi ( 本輪 西 ) 1925– → Municipal port railway 1960-1985 1.4 # Nishi-Muroran ( 西 室 蘭 ) 1960-1985 8.1 * 0.0 # Muroran 1897-1997 7.0 * Muroran ( 室 蘭 ) 1997– 5.9 * Bokoi ( 母 恋 ) 1935– Japan Steel Works 4.2 * Misaki ( 御 崎 ) 1905– 2.3 * Wanishi ( 輪 西 ) 1928– Nippon Steel 77.2 0.0 * Higashi Muroran ( 東 室 蘭 ) 1892– 78.2 Muroran freight yard 1996– 79.1 Washibetsu ( 鷲 別 ) 1901– Iburihoboribetsu-gawa → Horobetsu-Kōzan small train 1907-1954 86.8 Horobetsu ( 幌 別 ) 1892– Hokkaido Soda Co. 1951– 92.3 Tomiura ( 富 浦 ) 1953– Noboribetsu-gawa 94.7 Noboribetsu ( 登 別 ) 1892– → Noboribetsu tram 1915-1933 Fushikobetsu tunnel 98.1 Kojōhama ( 虎杖 浜 ) 1928– 102.9 Takeura ( 竹 浦 ) 1897– Shikiu-gawa 105.7 Kita-Yoshihara ( 北 吉 原 ) 1965– Nippon Paper Industries Co. 1960-2008 107.8 Hagino ( 萩 野 ) 1907– Shiaoi-gawa 113.6 Shiraoi ( 白 老 ) 1892– 119.1 Shadai ( 社 台 ) 1907– 125.4 Nishikioka ( 錦 岡 ) 1898– 130.6 Itoi ( 糸 井 ) 1917– 132.8 Aoba ( 青葉 ) 1988– Ōji Seishi 135.2 Tomakomai ( 苫 小 牧 ) 1892– → Ōji small train 1908-1951 ← Hidaka main line 1913-1962 ← Urban port railway 1963-1991 138.6 Tomakomai freight yard 1987– Tomakomai port railway 1968-2001 ← Hidaka main line 1962– 144.0 Numanohata ( 沼 ノ 端 ) 1898– ← Tomiuchi line 1922-1943 → Chitose line 1926– 152.9 Toasa ( 遠 浅 ) 1902– 158.3 Hayakita ( 早 来 ) 1894– ← Hayakita Railway 1922-1951 164.0 Abira ( 安平 ) 1902– → Sekishō line 1981– 170.8 Oiwake ( 追 分 ) 1892– ← Sekishō line 1892– 178.8 Mikawa ( 三 川 ) 1897– Dōtō Highway 182.2 Furusan ( 古 山 ) 1943– 186.4 Yuni ( 由 仁 ) 1892– Yūbari-gawa ↔ Yūbari Railway Line 1926-1975 191.5 Kuriyama ( 栗 山 ) 1893– Shinkuriyama tunnel 195.7 Kurioka ( 栗 丘 ) 1943– 199.6 Kurisawa ( 栗 沢 ) 1894– ← Manji Line 1914-1985 203.9 Shibun ( 志 文 ) 1902– → Hakodate main line 1882– 211.0 Iwamizawa ( 岩 見 沢 ) 1884– ← Horonai line 1882-1987 ↓ Hakodate main line 1891–

The Muroran Main Line ( Japanese 室 蘭 本 線 , Muroran-honsen ) is a railway line on the Japanese island of Hokkaidō , which is operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). It runs from Oshamambe to Iwamizawa . A branch line in the city of Muroran also belongs to the main Muroran line . The section between Iwamizawa and Muroran was opened in 1892, the remainder of the route was gradually built in the 1920s. The Muroran main line plays an important role in freight and express train traffic.

description

The Muroran main line includes a main line and a branch line, both of which are laid in Cape gauge (1067 mm). The former is 211.0 km long and runs along the south coast of Hokkaidō from Oshamambe via Muroran to Tomakomai , from where it leads to the center of the island to Iwamizawa . The branch line is 7.0 km long and connects districts of Muroran with each other. 47 train stations and stops will be developed for passenger transport, and JR Freight also operates three freight stations (two in Muroran and one in Tomakomai). The longest straight section of the Japanese rail network (28.7 km) extends between Shiraoi and Numanohata stations .

A total of 176.7 km (or a little more than four fifths) of the Muroran main line are two- lane:

• Oshamambe-Tōya (41.5 km)
• Usu - Nagawa (4.9 km)
• Mareppu - Mikawa (118.2 km)
• Yuni - Kuriyama (5.1 km)
• Muroran - Higashi-Muroran (7.0 km)

The Muroran – Higashi-Muroran-Numanohata section is electrified with 20 kV 50 Hz alternating voltage .

Trains

The section between Oshamambe and Numanohata is part of the main route from Hakodate to Sapporo . All express trains and most of the freight trains between these two cities use the Muroran main line and the subsequent Chitose line instead of the older and steeper route via Otaru .

The diesel-powered Super Hokuto and Hokuto express trains run between Hakodate and Sapporo every one to two hours. This offer is supplemented by the electric Suzuran express trains between Muroran and Sapporo. All sleeper trains were discontinued: Hokutosei and Twilight Express in 2015, Cassiopeia and Hamanasu in 2016.

For the operation of local trains, the Muroran main line is usually divided into four sections. They are: Oshamembe-Higashi-Muroran, Higashi-Muroran-Muroran, Higashi-Muroran-Tomakomai and Tomakomai-Iwamizawa.

• 

  Great Hokuto at Toya Station

• 

  Suzuran express train in Muroran station

• 

  Gützerug between Koboro and Rebun

• 

  Regional train between Kuriyama and Kurioka

history

The mining and railway company Hokkaidō Tankō Tetsudō opened on August 1, 1892, the section from Iwamizawa via Tomakomai to Higashi-Muroran . The primary goal was to connect the Ishikari coalfield around Iwamizawa with the port of Muroran and the steel industry being developed there. On July 1, 1897, the section between Higashi-Muroran and Muroran was opened . According to a law passed by the Reichstag , the Hokkaidō Tankō Tetsudō was nationalized on October 1, 1906.

Steam-powered passenger train ( JNR class C57 , 1974)

Collapsed tunnel near Kuriyama (2000)

The now responsible Railway Authority (from 1920 the Ministry of Railways ) expanded the Muroran main line in sections to double lanes: Muroran – Higashi-Muroran (1910), Tomakomai – Toasa (1920), Toasa – Oiwake (1921) and Horobetsu – Noboribetsu (1926). In the 1920s, the Ministry of Railways implemented a new project, the construction of a link between the Hakodate Main Line and Muroran. The first section of the temporarily called Chōrin Line ( 長 輪 線 , Chōrin-sen ) between Oshamambe and Shizukari was opened on December 10, 1923. On August 20, 1925, the section between Higashi-Muroran and Datemombetsu followed . The missing middle section between Shizukari and Datemombetsu went into operation on September 10, 1928. Since 1931, the Chōrin Line has been considered part of the Muroran Main Line.

The first Hokkaidō train pulled by a diesel locomotive ran on July 1, 1934 between Muroran and Higashi-Muroran. During the Second World War , the Ministry of Railways expanded three more sections to double track: Higashi-Muroran-Horobetsu (1943), Oiwake-Mikawa and Moto-Wanishi-Higashi-Muroran (both 1944). After several years of interruption, the Japanese State Railways continued to expand the double track: Itoi – Tomakomai (1953), Nishikioka – Itoi (1954), Shiraoi – Nishikioka and Hagino – Shiraoi (1957), Takeura – Hagino (1958) and Shizukari – Rebun (1964) . Because of a landslide, the Muroran Main Line was interrupted from September 27 to October 20, 1967 between Toyoura and Tōya.

Step by step the state railway expanded further sections to double track: Usu – Nagawa, Yuni – Kuriyama, Mareppu – Jinyamachi and Ōkishi – Toyoura (all 1968), Oshamambe – Shizukari and Kuriyama – Kurioka (both 1969), Toyoura – Tōya (1970) , Rebun – Ōkishi (1975) and finally Jinyamachi – Moto-Wanishi (1978). The last steam-powered passenger train in Japan ran from Iwamizawa to Muroran on December 14, 1975. For the time being, the last expansion step was the electrification of the Muroran – Higashi-Muroran – Numanohata section on October 1, 1980. The 1.4 km long section between Muroran and the Nishi-Muroran freight yard was closed on March 14, 1985.

With the privatization of the state railway, the Muroran main line was transferred to the newly founded JR Hokkaido on April 1, 1987 , while JR Freight took over the freight traffic. On April 23, 1990, one of the two single-lane tunnel tubes collapsed on the two-lane section between Kuriyama and Kurioka; Since the decline of coal mining in the 1970s, fewer trains have run on this section than before, the reconstruction was not carried out. On October 1, 1997, the terminus in Muroran was relocated, which resulted in the shortening of the branch line by a further 1.1 km. Due to violent eruptions of the Usu volcano , the entire route between Higashi-Muroran and Oshamambe had to be closed on March 29, 2000. Freight traffic was resumed to a limited extent on April 27, and passenger traffic two days later; From June 8th, all trains ran again according to the timetable.

In November 2016, JR Hokkaido announced an extensive rationalization program, which affects the Numanohata – Iwamizawa section, among other things. The railway company wants to persuade the neighboring communities to bear part of the operating and maintenance costs. If no agreement is reached by 2019, this section could also be closed.

List of train stations

Surname		km	Connecting lines	location	place
Main line
H47	Oshamambe ( 長 万 部 )	000.0	Hakodate main line	Coord.	Oshamambe
H46	Shizukari ( 静 狩 )	010.6		Coord.
H45	Koboro ( 小 幌 )	017.5		Coord.	Toyoura
H44	Rebun ( 礼 文 )	023.6		Coord.
H43	Ōkishi ( 大 岸 )	027.7		Coord.
H42	Toyoura ( 豊 浦 )	036.1		Coord.
H41	Tōya ( 洞 爺 )	041.5		Coord.	Tōyako
H40	Usu ( 有 珠 )	046.6		Coord.	Date
H39	Nagawa ( 長 和 )	051.5		Coord.
H38	Datemombetsu ( 伊達 紋 別 )	054.5		Coord.
H37	Kita-Funaoka ( 北 舟 岡 )	057.4		Coord.
H36	Mareppu ( 稀 府 )	060.6		Coord.
H35	Kogane ( 黄金 )	065.1		Coord.
H34	Sakimori ( 崎 守 )	067.3		Coord.	Muroran
H33	Moto-Wanishi ( 本輪 西 )	072.7		Coord.
H32	Higashi Muroran ( 東 室 蘭 )	077.2	Muroran branch line	Coord.
H31	Washibetsu ( 鷲 別 )	079.1		Coord.	Noboribetsu
H30	Horobetsu ( 幌 別 )	086.8		Coord.
H29	Tomiura ( 富 浦 )	092.3		Coord.
H28	Noboribetsu ( 登 別 )	094.7		Coord.
H27	Kojōhama ( 虎杖 浜 )	098.1		Coord.	Shiraoi
H26	Takeura ( 竹 浦 )	102.9		Coord.
H25	Kita-Yoshihara ( 北 吉 原 )	105.7		Coord.
H24	Hagino ( 萩 野 )	107.8		Coord.
H23	Shiraoi ( 白 老 )	113.6		Coord.
H22	Shadai ( 社 台 )	119.1		Coord.
H21	Nishikioka ( 錦 岡 )	125.4		Coord.	Tomakomai
H20	Itoi ( 糸 井 )	130.6		Coord.
H19	Aoba ( 青葉 )	132.8		Coord.
H18	Tomakomai ( 苫 小 牧 )	135.2	Hidaka main line	Coord.
H17	Numanohata ( 沼 ノ 端 )	144.0	Chitose line	Coord.
	Toasa ( 遠 浅 )	152.9		Coord.	Abira
	Hayakita ( 早 来 )	158.3		Coord.
	Abira ( 安平 )	164.0		Coord.
K15	Oiwake ( 追 分 )	170.8	Sekishō line	Coord.
	Mikawa ( 三 川 )	178.8		Coord.	Yuni
	Furusan ( 古 山 )	182.2		Coord.
	Yuni ( 由 仁 )	186.4		Coord.
	Kuriyama ( 栗 山 )	191.5		Coord.	Kuriyama
	Kurioka ( 栗 丘 )	195.7		Coord.	Iwamizawa
	Kurisawa ( 栗 沢 )	199.6		Coord.
	Shibun ( 志 文 )	203.9		Coord.
A13	Iwamizawa ( 岩 見 沢 )	211.0	Hakodate main line	Coord.
Muroran branch line
H32	Higashi Muroran ( 東 室 蘭 )	000.0			Muroran
M33	Wanishi ( 輪 西 )	002.3		Coord.
M34	Misaki ( 御 崎 )	004.2		Coord.
M35	Bokoi ( 母 恋 )	005.9		Coord.
M36	Muroran ( 室 蘭 )	007.0		Coord.

Web links

Commons : Muroran main line  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ^ Muroran Main Line. jisho.org, accessed July 10, 2016 . 
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Kazuo Tanaka: 写真 で 見 る 北海道 の 鉄 道 (Hokkaidō's railroad in photos) . tape 1 . Hokkaidō Shinbunsha, Sapporo 2002, ISBN 978-4-89453-220-5 , pp. 60-61 .
3. ↑ ^{a b c} Tanaka: 写真 で 見 る 北海道 の 鉄 道, pp. 58–59.
4. ^ The Last Days of Japanese Steam Engines. (No longer available online.) In: A profile of Japanese steam locomotives. Good Old Rail, archived from the original on September 13, 2016 ; accessed on July 9, 2016 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
5. ↑ Tanaka: 写真 で 見 る 北海道 の 鉄 道, p. 315.
6. ↑ JR Hokkaido says it can't maintain half of its railways. The Japan Times , November 19, 2016, accessed January 16, 2017 . 

 Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap