Uetsu main line

Route length:

271.1 km

Gauge :

1067 mm ( cape track )

Power system :

Niitsu ↔ Murakami: 1,500 V =

Power system :

Murakami ↔ Akita: 20 kV, 50 Hz ~

Legend

		↑ JR East : Shin'etsu Main Line
		← JR East: Ban'etsu West Line
	0.0	Niitsu ( 新津駅 )
		JR East: Shin'etsu Main Line →


		Agano (river)
	6.1	Kyōgase ( 京ヶ瀬駅 )
	10.2	Suibara ( 水原駅 )
	13.9	Kamiyama ( 神山駅 )
	17.8	Tsukioka ( 月岡駅 )
	21.5	Nakaura ( 中浦駅 )
		JR East: Hakushin Line →
	26.0	Shibata ( 新発田駅 )

	30.3	Kaji ( 加治駅 )
	35.3	Kanazuka ( 金塚駅 )
	39.1	Nakajō ( 中条駅 )
	44.7	Hirakida ( 平木田駅 )
	48.0	Sakamachi ( 坂町駅 )
		← JR East: Yonesaka Line

	51.6	Hirabayashi ( 平林駅 )
	55.2	Iwafunemachi ( 岩船町駅 )
	59.4	Murakami ( 村上駅 )






	66.5	Majima ( 間島駅 )

	71.4	Echigo-Hayakawa ( 越後早川駅 )





	78.3	Kuwagawa ( 桑川駅 )





	82.6	Imagawa ( 今川駅 )




	87.5	Echigo-Kangawa ( 越後寒川駅 )







	92.8	Gatsugi ( 勝木駅 )



	95.9	Fuya ( 府屋駅 )








	101.0	Nezugaseki ( 鼠ヶ関駅 )







	105.4	Koiwagawa ( 小岩川駅 )



	109.8	Atsumi Onsen ( あつみ温泉駅 )




	115.7	Iragawa ( 五十川駅 )
		Ira (river)



	120.1	Kobato ( 小波渡駅 )




	123.2	Sanze ( 三瀬駅 )



	128.9	Uzen-Mizusawa ( 羽前水沢駅 )

	133.4	Uzen-Ōyama ( 羽前大山駅 )

	139.4	Tsuruoka ( 鶴岡駅 )


	146.0	Fujishima ( 藤島駅 )

	151.1	Nishibukuro ( 西袋駅 )
		← JR East: Riku'u West Line
	154.7	Amarume ( 余目駅 )
	157.4	Kita-Amarume ( 北余目駅 )

	160.0	Sagoshi ( 砂越駅 )

	163.7	Higashi-Sakata ( 東酒田駅 )

	166.9	Sakata ( 酒田駅 )
		Freight railway towards Sakata port →


	173.3	Mototate ( 本楯駅 )

	175.9	Minamichōkai ( 南鳥海駅 )
	179.1	Yuza ( 遊佐駅 )
	186.1	Fukura ( 吹浦駅 )

	189.7	Mega ( 女鹿駅 )
	194.8	Kosagawa ( 小砂川駅 )
	198.5	Kamihama ( 上浜駅 )
	203.4	Kisakata ( 象潟駅 )
	209.2	Konoura ( 金浦駅 )
	214.7	Nikaho ( 仁賀保駅 )

	223.1	Nishime ( 西目駅 )

		← Yuri-Kōgen Tetsudō: Chōkai-Sanroku line
	228.9	Ugohonjō ( 羽後本荘駅 )


	236.0	Ugoiwaya ( 羽後岩谷駅 )

	240.7	Oriwatari ( 折渡駅 )
	243.7	Ugokameda ( 羽後亀田駅 )

	250.2	Iwaki Minato ( 岩城みなと駅 )
	251.8	Michikawa ( 道川駅 )
	258.4	Shimohama ( 下浜駅 )
	261.7	Katsurane ( 桂根駅 )
	265.7	Araya ( 新屋駅 )

	269.0	Ugo-Ushijima ( 羽後牛島駅 )
		← JR East: Akita Shinkansen
	271.7	Akita ( 秋田駅 )
		↓ JR East: Ōu Main Line

The Uetsu Main Line ( Japanese 羽越本線 , Uetsu-honsen ) is a Japanese railway line that runs between Niitsu stations in Niigata , Niigata Prefecture and Akita , Akita Prefecture and is operated by the East Japan Railway Company . The name Uetsu is made up of the old names of the provinces Dewa ( 出羽 ) and Echigo ( 越後 ), which connects the main Uetsu line.

history

Today's Uetsu Line was initially built as an originally independent railway line in the prefectures of Niigata, Yamagata and Akita. So opened in 1912 with the 26 km long route between Niitsu and Shibata stations in Niigata prefecture, the first section as the Murakami line. Almost at the same time, the Sakata Line between Shinjo and Sakata was opened in Yamagata Prefecture. In Akita Prefecture, a railway line began to be opened from Akita to the south, in order to combine the three individual lines to form the Uestu main line by 1924.

The many tunnels had to be built using shield driving due to the soft subsoil . On the Uetsu main line, this technology was first used in Japan in 1917 for tunneling.

In 1924, the entire line was opened under the name Uetsu Main Line.

The entire Uetsu main line was electrified in 1972. However, within the Niigata Prefecture, i.e. between Niitsu and Murakami, the 1,500 V direct current that is customary there was introduced, while 20 kV alternating current was installed on the rest of the route.

Since the route follows the coastline, which at the same time rises very steeply, it is not possible in many sections to completely double-track the Uetsu main line. Due to increasing capacities, consideration was given to closing the line and building a new one inland for a long time. These plans have now been discarded.

Route information

The 271.7 km long Uetsu main line follows the coastline of the Sea of Japan .

railway station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfer options	place
Niitsu	新津	0.0	JR East : Shin'etsu Main Line , Ban'etsu West Line	Niigata	Niigata
Kyōgase	京ヶ瀬	6.1		Agano
Suibara	水原	10.2
Kamiyama	神山	10.2
Tsukioka	月岡	17.8		Shibata
Nakaura	中浦	21.5
Shibata	新発田	26.0	JR East: Hakushin Line
Kaji	加治	30.3
Kanazuka	金塚	35.3
Nakajō	中条	39.1		Tainai
Hirakida	平木田	44.7		Tainai
Sakamachi	坂町	48.0	JR East: Yonesaka Line	Arakawa
Hirabayashi	平林	51.6		Kamihayashi
Iwafunemachi	岩船町	55.2		Kamihayashi
Murakami	村上	59.4		Murakami
Majima	間島	66.5
Echigo-Hayakawa	越後早川	71.4
Kuwagawa	桑川	78.3		Sanpoku
Imagawa	今川	82.6
Echigo-Kangawa	越後寒川	87.5
Gatsugi	勝木	92.8
Fuya	府屋	95.9
Nezugaseki	鼠ヶ関	101.0		Tsuruoka	Yamagata
Koiwagawa	小岩川	105.4
Atsumi Onsen	あつみ温泉	109.8
Iragawa	五十川	115.7
Kobato	小波渡	120.1
Sanze	三瀬	123.2
Uzen-Mizusawa	羽前水沢	128.9
Uzen-Ōyama	羽前大山	133.4
Tsuruoka	鶴岡	139.4
Fujishima	藤島	146.0
Nishibukuro	西袋	151.1		Shonai
Amarume	余目	154.7	JR East: Rikuu West Line
Kita-Amarume	北余目	157.4
Sagoshi	砂越	160.0		Sakata
Higashi-Sakata	東酒田	163.7
Sakata	酒田	166.9
Mototate	本楯	173.3
Minamichōkai	南鳥海	175.9
Yuza	遊佐	179.1		Yuza
Fukura	吹浦	186.1
Mega	女鹿	189.7
Kosagawa	小砂川	194.8		Nikaho	Akita
Kamihama	上浜	198.5
Kisakata	象潟	203.4
Konoura	金浦	209.2
Nikaho	仁賀保	214.7
Nishime	西目	223.1		Yurihonjō
Ugohonjō	羽後本荘	228.9	Yuri-Kōgen Tetsudō: Chōkai-Sanroku line
Ugoiwaya	羽後岩谷	236.0
Oriwatari	折渡	240.7
Ugokameda	羽後亀田	243.7
Iwaki-Minato	岩城みなと	250.2
Michikawa	道川	251.8
Shimohama	下浜	258.4		Akita
Katsurans	桂根	261.7
Araya	新屋	265.7
Ugo-Ushijima	羽後牛島	269.0
Akita	秋田	271.1	JR East: Akita Shinkansen , Ōu Main Line

Connections and fleet

Freight trains , local trains and the Inaho ( いなほ ) express connection and the Nihonkai ( 日本海 ) and Akebono ( あけぼの ) night train connections operate on the Uetsu main line .

The Kirakira Uetsu ( きらきらうえつ ) special tourist train has been operating since November 2001 for the tourist development of the areas along the route . A specially painted train from the 485 series is used.

connection	Operating section	Breakpoints	Vehicle fleet
Local	Niitsu ↔ Murakami	all	115 series, E127 series
Local	Tsuruoka ↔ Akita	all	Series 701
Local	Niitsu ↔ Sakamatchi	all	Series キハ 52
Local	Niitsu ↔ Sakata	all	Series キハ 40, series キハ 110
Local	Niistu ↔ Nezugaseki	all	Series キハ E120
Inaho Limited Express	Niigata ↔ Akita or Aomori	Shibata, Nakajō, Sakamachi, Murakami, Fuya, Atsumi Onsen, Tsuruoka, Amarume, Sakata, Yuza, Kisakata, Nikaho, Ugo-Honjō, Akita	Series 485
Nihonkai night train	Osaka ↔ Aomori	Niitsu, Tsuruoka, Sakata, Ugo-Honjō, Akita	Electric locomotive series EF81
Akebono night train	Ueno ↔ Aomori	Niitsu, Shibata, Murakami, Atsumi Onsen, Tsuruoka, Amarume, Sakata, Yuza, Kisakata, Nikaho, Ugo-Honjō, Akita	Electric locomotive series EF81
Kirakirauetsu Tourist Promotion Train	Niigata or Shibata ↔ Sakata or Kisakata		Series 485

Accidents

On December 25, 2005 the express train Inaho No. 18 shortly before the Kita-Amarume train station. The train derailed and three wagons overturned. Five people died in the accident, 33 were injured.

Web links

Commons : Uetsu main line - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ Official statement on the accident at JR East

[1] Official statement on the accident at JR East