Fukuen Line

The Fukuen Line (福塩線, Fukuen-sen) is a railway line in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It connects Fukuyama Station in Fukuyama to Miyoshi Station in Miyoshi.

Fukuen Line
105 series EMUs at Yokoo Station, July 2011
Overview
Native name	福塩線
Owner	JR West
Locale	Hiroshima Prefecture
Termini	Fukuyama Shiomachi
Stations	27
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	JR West
Technical
Line length	78.0 km (48.5 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC, overhead lines (Fukuyama–Fuchū)

Stations

Line	Name		Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Fukuen Line	Fukuyama	福山	0.0	Sanyō Shinkansen Sanyō Main Line	Fukuyama	Hiroshima
	Bingo-Honjō	備後本庄	1.8
	Yokoo	横尾	6.1
	Kannabe	神辺	8.4	Ibara Railway Ibara Line
	Yudamura	湯田村	10.4
	Michinoue	道上	11.3
	Managura	万能倉	13.4
	Ekiya	駅家	14.6
	Chikata	近田	16.0
	Tode	戸手	17.0
	Kamitode	上戸手	18.8
	Shin-ichi	新市	20.0
	Takagi	高木	21.7		Fuchū
	Ukai	鵜飼	22.7
	Fuchū	府中	23.6
	Shimo-Kawabe	下川辺	27.9
	Nakahata	中畑	31.8
	Kawasa	河佐	34.9
	Bingo-Mikawa	備後三川	42.4		Sera, Sera
	Bingo-Yano	備後矢野	46.6		Fuchū
	Jōge	上下	50.3
	Kōnu	甲奴	54.7		Miyoshi
	Kajita	梶田	57.1
	Bingo-Yasuda	備後安田	62.3
	Kisa	吉舎	67.3
	Mirasaka	三良坂	73.6
	Shiomachi	塩町	78.0	Geibi Line
Geibi Line
	Kamisugi	神杉	79.5
	Yatsugi	八次	82.8
	Miyoshi	三次	85.1	Geibi Line

Former connecting lines

• Sankō Line (closed 1 April 2018) – Miyoshi Station

Rolling stock

• 105 series 2-car EMUs (Fukuyama–Fuchū)
• KiHa 120-300 single-car DMUs (Fuchū–Miyoshi)

History

The Ryobi Light Railway opened a 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Fuchu in 1914, and electrified it at 750 V DC in 1927. The company was nationalised in 1933, the same year the Japanese Government Railway opened the Shiomachi to Kisa section of the line (then as an extension of the Geibi Line). The Fukuyama to Fuchu section was regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) in 1935, the year the Kisa to Joge section opened. The two sections were connected with the opening of the Fuchu to Joge section in 1938.

The Fuchu to Shimo-Kawabe section was electrified in 1954, and whilst the voltage on the Fukuyama to Fuchu section was increased to 1500 V DC in 1961, the Fuchu to Shimo-Kawabe electrification was decommissioned the following year.

Freight services ceased in 1986, and in 1989, the 6,123 m Hattabara Tunnel and associated deviation were commissioned, shortening the route by 1.4 km.

Wanman driver only operation commenced on the non-electrified section between Fuchū and Miyoshi on 1 April 1991, using KiHa 120-300 DMUs. Driver-only operation commenced on the electrified section between Fukuyama and Fuchū on 14 March 1992, using 105 series EMUs.