Sekihoku_Main_Line

Sekihoku Main Line

is a Japanese railway line in Hokkaidō, of JR Hokkaidō, between Shin-Asahikawa in Asahikawa and Abashiri Station in Abashiri. The name comes from and , names of ancient provinces along the line.

Basic Data

Operators, distances

Hokkaidō Railway Company (Services and tracks)

Whole the line, from Shin-Asahikawa to Abashiri: 234.0 km

Japan Freight Railway Company (Services)

From Shin-Asahikawa to Kitami: 181.0 km

Stations: 40
Signal boxes: 4
Gauge: 1067 mm
Track: single
Trction: internal combustion (diesel)
Block system: 閉塞方式#自動閉塞式; a simplified automatic system.

History

Historically, the route between Sapporo and Abashiri Subprefecture has changed for many times. Originally, the route took Hakodate Main Line to Asahikawa, then took southbound Nemuro Main Line and branched off from Ikeda, through to Kitami. The route shortened a little when Nemuro Main Line opened the shortcut segment between Takikawa and Furano in 1913.

Another route, northbound from Nayoro to Kitami was completed as and in 1921.

The third route was a shortcut between Asahikawa and Engaru, straight through the Kitami Pass. , completed in 1932, finally opened the link route still used today.

The current Sekihoku Main Line is consisted of what these three lines have left. The section between Shin-Asahikawa and Engaru is from Sekihoku Line, the one between Engaru and Kitami from Yūbetsu Line, and the one between Kitami and Abashiri from Abashiri Main Line.

Services

The intercity limited express train, named after the Sea of Okhotsk, runs from Sapporo to Abashiri four laps a day in summer, six laps a day in winter. There is also the limited rapid train between Asahikawa and Kitami one lap a day.

As for the local service, the line is roughly divided into three segments. In the segment between Asahikawa and Kamikawa, the line functions as a commuter rail of Asahikawa City. There is one local train service per one to two hours. The segment between Kamikawa and Engaru is a sparsely populated area. Between Kakikawa and Shirataki, a local train runs one lap per day. For the segment between Engaru and Abashiri, there is one local train service per one to two hours.

Stations

LE: Limited Express

LR: Limited Rapid

All the trains stop at stations signed "+". Some trains stop at "*". No trains (other than local) stop at "-".

Station			Distance	LE	LR	Transfers	Location
Sōya Main Line
A28		旭川駅	-3.7	+	+	JR ■ Furano Line ■ Hakodate Main Line	Asahikawa
A29		旭川四条駅	-1.9	-	-
A30		新旭川駅	0.0	-	-	JR: ■ Sekihoku Main Line
Sekihoku Main Line
A30	Shin-Asahikawa	新旭川	0.0	-	-	JR: ■ Sōya Main Line	Asahikawa
A31		南永山駅	2.5	-	-
A32		東旭川駅	5.2	-	-
A33		北日ノ出駅	7.3	-	-
A34		桜岡駅	10.2	-	-
A35		当麻駅	13.9	-	+		Tōma, Kamikawa
A36		将軍山駅	17.4	-	-
A37		伊香牛駅	19.5	-	-
A38		愛別駅	25.9	-	-		Aibetsu, Kamikawa
A39		中愛別駅	32.0	-	-
A40		愛山駅	36.0	-	-
A41		安足間駅	38.0	-	-
A42		東雲駅	40.4	-	-		Kamikawa, Kamikawa
A43		上川駅	44.9	+	+
	Nakakoshi S.B.	中越信号場	57.2	-	-
	Kamikoshi S.B.	上越信号場	64.9	-	-
	Oku-Shirataki S.B.	奥白滝信号場	73.9	-	-		Engaru, Monbetsu
A44		上白滝駅	78.9	-	-
A45		白滝駅	82.2	*	+
A46		旧白滝駅	88.3	-	-
A47		下白滝駅	92.7	-	-
A48		丸瀬布駅	101.9	*	+
A49		瀬戸瀬駅	109.7	-	-
A50		遠軽駅	120.8	+	+
A51		安国駅	128.8	-	+
A52	Ikuno	生野駅	132.7	-	-
A53		生田原駅	137.7	+	+
	Jōmon S.B.	常紋信号場	148.0	-	-		Kitami
A54		金華駅	152.7	-	+
A55		西留辺蘂駅	156.2	-	-
A56		留辺蘂駅	158.2	+	+
A57		相内駅	169.1	-	+
A58		東相内駅	173.7	-	+
A59		西北見駅	176.3	-	+
A60	Kitami	北見駅	181.0	+	+
A61		柏陽駅	183.7	-
A62		愛し野駅	185.9	-
A63		端野駅	187.3	-
A64		緋牛内駅	194.6	-
A65		美幌駅	206.1	+			Bihoro, Abashiri
A66		西女満別駅	213.1	-			Ōzora, Abashiri
A67		女満別駅	218.1	+			Ōzora, Abashiri
A68		呼人駅	225.9	-			Abashiri
A69		網走駅	234.0	+		JR: ■ Senmō Main Line	Abashiri