San'in Main Line

Sanin Main Line
Sanin Main Line
	Amarube Viaduct in Kami, Hyōgo
Overview
Other name(s)	Sagano Line (Kyoto - Sonobe)
Native name	山陰本線
Owner	JR West
Locale	Kyoto, Hyōgo, Tottori, Shimane and Yamaguchi Prefectures
Termini	Kyoto; Shimonoseki;
Stations	159
Service
Type	Regional rail
Operator(s)	JR West; JR Freight
History
Opened	15 February 1897; 127 years ago
Last extension	24 February 1933; 91 years ago
Technical
Line length	676.0 km (420.0 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	85 km/h (53 mph); 130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map
Route map
	Legend
Sonobe-Ayabe section
Ayabe-Fukuchiyama section
Fukuchiyama-Wadayama section
Wadayama-Toyooka section
Toyooka-Kinosaki Onsen section
Kinosaki Onsen-Tottori section
Tottori-Kurayoshi section
Kurayoshi-Hōki-Daisen section
Hōki-Daisen-Yonago section
Yonago-Shinji section
Shinji-Izumoshi section

The Sanin Main Line (山陰本線, San'in-honsen) is a railway line in western Japan, which connects Kyoto and Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It is the major railway line of the San'in region, approximately paralleling the Japan Sea, crossing Kyoto, Hyōgo, Tottori, Shimane, and Yamaguchi prefectures. The main portion from Kyoto to Hatabu is the longest single continuous railway line in Japan at 673.8 km (418.7 mi), although no regularly scheduled train operates over the entire line.

The section between Kyoto and Sonobe, connecting Kyoto and its northern suburbs, is a part of JR West's Urban Network and is nicknamed the Sagano Line.

Basic data

Distances: 676.0 km (420.0 mi)
Operators
- West Japan Railway Company (Category 1)
  - Kyoto - Hatabu: 673.8 km (418.7 mi)
  - Nagatoshi - Senzaki: 2.2 km (1.4 mi)
- Japan Freight Railway Company (Category 2)
  - Hōki-Daisen - Higashi-Matsue: 27.1 km (16.8 mi)
    Yonago - Higashi-Matsue temporary closed
  - Okami - Masuda: 16.9 km (10.5 mi)
Track:
- Double: Kyoto – Sonobe, Ayabe – Fukuchiyama, Hōki-Daisen – Yasugi, Higashi-Matsue – Matsue, Tamatsukuri-Onsen – Kimachi
- Single: the rest
Electric supply:
- Kyoto – Kinosaki-Onsen, Hōki-Daisen – Nishi-Izumo: 1,500 V DC
Railway signalling:
- Kyoto – Nishi-Izumo: Automatic
- Nishi-Izumo – Hatabu, including "Senzaki branch line": Special Automatic; a simplified automatic system
Maximum speed in service:
- Kyoto – Saga-Arashiyama: 120 km/h (75 mph)
- Saga-Arashiyama – Umahori: 130 km/h (81 mph)
- Umahori – Ayabe: 120 km/h (75 mph)
- Ayabe – Fukuchiyama: 130 km/h (81 mph)
- Fukuchiyama – Tottori: 95 km/h (59 mph)
- Tottori – Izumoshi: 120 km/h (75 mph)
- Izumoshi – Masuda: 110 km/h (68 mph)
- Masuda – Hatabu: 95 km/h (59 mph)
- Nagatoshi – Senzaki: 85 km/h (53 mph)

Stations

From Kyoto to Sonobe (Sagano Line)

Stations on this segment: Kyoto - Umekōji-Kyōtonishi - Tambaguchi - Nijo - Emmachi - Hanazono - Uzumasa - Saga-Arashiyama - Hozukyo - Umahori - Kameoka - Namikawa - Chiyokawa - Yagi - Yoshitomi - Sonobe

From Sonobe to Kinosaki-Onsen

This section is designated the letter "E".

Rapid trains are operated as local trains and stop at every station between Sonobe and Fukuchiyama.

Station		Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Sonobe	園部	34.2	( E16 Sagano Line)	Nantan	Kyoto
Funaoka	船岡	38.2
Hiyoshi	日吉	41.9
Shinkyūdaigakumae	鍼灸大学前	44.3
Goma	胡麻	47.1
Shimoyama	下山	51.9		Kyōtamba, Funai
Wachi	和知	58.6
Aseri	安栖里	60.7
Tachiki	立木	65.5
Yamaga	山家	69.0		Ayabe
Ayabe	綾部	76.2	Maizuru Line
Takatsu	高津	80.3
Isa	石原	82.8		Fukuchiyama
Fukuchiyama	福知山	88.5	Fukuchiyama Line Kyoto Tango Railway (Willer Trains): Miyafuku Line
Kamikawaguchi	上川口	95.2
Shimo-Yakuno	下夜久野	102.4
Kami-Yakuno	上夜久野	109.8
Yanase	梁瀬	115.6		Asago	Hyōgo
Wadayama	和田山	119.0	Bantan Line	Asago
Yabu	養父	124.2		Yabu
Yōka	八鹿	131.2		Yabu
Ebara	江原	138.7		Toyooka
Kokufu	国府	142.4
Toyooka	豊岡	148.4	Willer Trains Miyatoyo Line
Gembudō	玄武洞	153.7
Kinosaki-Onsen	城崎温泉	158.0

From Kinosaki-Onsen to Yonago

This section is designated the letter "A".

Station		Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Kinosaki-Onsen	城崎温泉	158.0		Toyooka	Hyōgo
Takeno	竹野	166.0		Toyooka
Satsu	佐津	173.4		Kami, Mikata
Shibayama	柴山	175.7
Kasumi	香住	180.0
Yoroi	鎧	185.4
Amarube	餘部	187.2
Kutani	久谷	191.8		Shin'onsen, Mikata
Hamasaka	浜坂	197.9
Moroyose	諸寄	199.8
Igumi	居組	204.2
Higashihama	東浜	207.5		Iwami, Iwami	Tottori
Iwami	岩美	211.9
Ōiwa	大岩	214.8
Fukube	福部	219.1		Tottori
Tottori	鳥取	230.3	Inbi Line
Koyama	湖山	234.5
Tottoridaigakumae	鳥取大学前	235.8
Suetsune	末恒	239.6
Hōgi	宝木	244.7
Hamamura	浜村	247.6
Aoya	青谷	252.8
Tomari	泊	258.9		Yurihama, Tōhaku
Matsuzaki	松崎	264.6		Yurihama, Tōhaku
Kurayoshi	倉吉	270.1		Kurayoshi
Shimohōjō	下北条	275.2		Hokuei, Tōhaku
Yura (Conan Station)	由良（コナン駅）	280.1		Hokuei, Tōhaku
Urayasu	浦安	285.8		Kotoura, Tōhaku
Yabase	八橋	287.6
Akasaki	赤碕	291.3
Nakayamaguchi	中山口	295.5		Daisen, Saihaku
Shimoichi	下市	297.7
Mikuriya	御来屋	303.6
Nawa	名和	304.7
Daisenguchi	大山口	308.8
Yodoe	淀江	312.7		Yonago
Hōki-Daisen	伯耆大山	318.2	Hakubi Line
Higashiyama-kōen	東山公園	321.2
Yonago	米子	323.0	Sakai Line

From Yonago to Masuda

This section is designated the letter "D".

TL: Rapid Tottori Liner (快速とっとりライナー)
AL: Rapid Aqua Liner (快速アクアライナー)
CL: Rapid Commuter Liner (快速通勤ライナー)
All the trains stop at stations signed "+". Most trains stop at "‡". Most trains do not stop at "*". No trains (other than local) stop at "-".
Rapid Commuter Liner runs from Nishi-Izumo to Yonago, one direction alone

Station		Distance (km)	TL	AL	CL	Transfers	Location
Yonago	米子	323.0	+	+	+	Sakai Line	Yonago	Tottori
Yasugi	安来	331.8	+	+	+		Yasugi	Shimane
Arashima	荒島	336.6	+	+	+		Yasugi
Iya	揖屋	342.2	+	+	+		Matsue
Higashi-Matsue	東松江	345.3	+	+	+
Matsue	松江	351.9	+	+	+
Nogi	乃木	354.6	+	+	-
Tamatsukuri-Onsen	玉造温泉	358.5	+	+	-
Kimachi	来待	364.5	+	+	-
Shinji	宍道	368.9	+	+	+	Kisuki Line
Shōbara	荘原	373.0	+	+	+		Izumo
Naoe	直江	379.1	+	+	+
Izumoshi	出雲市	384.6	+	+	+	Kita-Matsue Line (Dentetsu-Izumoshi)
Nishi-Izumo	西出雲	389.4		‡
Izumo-Jinzai	出雲神西	391.4		*
Kōnan	江南	393.5		*
Oda	小田	400.1		*
Tagi	田儀	404.0		*
Hane	波根	411.5		*			Ōda
Kute	久手	413.7		*
Ōdashi	大田市	417.2		+
Shizuma	静間	420.2		*
Isotake	五十猛	422.8		*
Nima	仁万	428.9		+
Maji	馬路	431.9		*
Yusato	湯里	434.8		*
Yunotsu	温泉津	437.9		+
Iwami-Fukumitsu	石見福光	440.8		*
Kuromatsu	黒松	443.6		*			Gōtsu
Asari	浅利	448.0		*
Gōtsu	江津	454.3		+		Sankō Line (closed 1 April 2018)
Tsunozu	都野津	458.7		+
Uyagawa	敬川	460.5		*
Hashi	波子	463.3		+
Kushiro	久代	465.6		*			Hamada
Shimokō	下府	469.7		*
Hamada	浜田	473.3		+
Nishi-Hamada	西浜田	478.7		+
Sufu	周布	482.8		*
Orii	折居	487.6		+
Miho-Misumi	三保三隅	492.6		+
Okami	岡見	497.6		*
Kamate	鎌手	502.7		*			Masuda
Iwami-Tsuda	石見津田	507.2		*
Masuda	益田	514.5		+		Yamaguchi Line

From Masuda to Shimonoseki

Station		Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Sanin Main Line
Masuda	益田	514.5	Yamaguchi Line	Masuda	Shimane
Todakohama	戸田小浜	524.3
Iinoura	飯浦	528.0
Esaki	江崎	533.8		Hagi	Yamaguchi
Susa	須佐	540.4		Hagi
Utagō	宇田郷	549.2		Abu, Abu
Kiyo	木与	555.6
Nago	奈古	560.2
Nagato-Ōi	長門大井	564.5		Hagi
Koshigahama	越ヶ浜	569.1
Higashi-Hagi	東萩	572.0
Hagi	萩	575.8
Tamae	玉江	578.2
Sammi	三見	583.9
Ii	飯井	588.1
Nagato-Misumi	長門三隅	594.5		Nagato
Nagatoshi	長門市	599.6	Mine Line, Sanin Main Line "Senzaki branch line"
Kiwado	黄波戸	604.9
Nagato-Furuichi	長門古市	609.0
Hitomaru	人丸	613.5
Igami	伊上	617.9
Nagato-Awano	長門粟野	622.1		Shimonoseki
Agawa	阿川	627.4
Kottoi	特牛	631.1
Takibe	滝部	635.1
Nagato-Futami	長門二見	639.9
Ukahongō	宇賀本郷	643.5
Yutama	湯玉	645.7
Kogushi	小串	650.2
Kawatana-Onsen	川棚温泉	652.9
Kuroimura	黒井村	655.4
Umegatō	梅ヶ峠	658.8
Yoshimi	吉見	662.7
Fukue	福江	665.6
Yasuoka	安岡	668.2
Kajikuri-Gōdaichi	梶栗郷台地	679.6
Ayaragi	綾羅木	670.7
Hatabu	幡生	673.8	Sanyō Main Line
Shimonoseki	下関	677.3

Senzaki Branch Line

Station		Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Nagatoshi	長門市	0.0	Mine Line, Sanin Main Line	Nagato	Yamaguchi
Senzaki	仙崎	2.2		Nagato	Yamaguchi

History

The line was built by three different private companies, which were subsequently nationalised and connected by the Japanese Government Railway (JGR). The Kyoto Railway opened the section to Sonobe between 1897 and 1899. The Bantsuru Railway opened the Ayabe to Fukuchiyama section (as part of the current Maizuru Line) in 1904. Both companies were nationalised in 1907.

The first section opened by the JGR was between Yonago and Mikuriya in 1902, and the line was then progressively extended eastward, reaching Tottori in 1907 and Iwami in 1908, the same year the current Bantan Line opened to Wadayama and Yoka. Construction of that line continued westward, and the two lines were connected in 1912. In the meantime, the Sonobe to Ayabe section was opened in 1910, and the Fukuchiyama to Wadayama section the following year. In addition, construction from Yonago progressed westward, opening to Matsue in 1908 and Izumoshi in 1910, resulting in the 385 km (239 mi) continuous line upon the 1912 connection mentioned above. At the western end, the Choshu Railway opened the Hatabu to Kogushi section in 1914.

A map of the completed San'in 1933 route.

From Izumoshi, construction continued progressively westward, opening to Masuda in 1923, and to Todakohama in 1925, the year that the Choshu Railway was nationalised and the Kogushi to Takibe section opened, with construction then continuing from both directions until the two sections were connected in 1933, completing the current line.

Double-tracking

The Yonago to Hoki-Daisen section was double-tracked between 1962 and 1966, with the Ayabe to Fukuchiyama section double-tracked in between 1968 and 1969, and the Tamatsukuri-Onsen to Kimachi section in 1970. The Matsue to Higashi-Matsue section was double-tracked in 1979, and the Yonago to Yasugi section in 1980. The original Saga-Arashiyama to Umahori section was built on the banks of the Hozugawa in a narrow gorge. A new double-track alignment was opened in 1989, and the original alignment became the Sagano Scenic Railway. Further double-tracking occurred in stages, with the entire Kyoto to Sonobe section double-tracked by 2010.^{[citation needed]}

Electrification

The Hoki-Daisen to Izumoshi section was electrified in 1982 in conjunction with the electrification of the Hakubi Line. The Fukuchiyama to Kinosaki section was electrified in 1986 in conjunction with the electrification of the Fukuchiyama Line. The Sonobe to Fukuchiyama section was electrified between 1985 and 1986, and the Kyoto to Sonobe section in 1990.^{[citation needed]}

Former connecting lines

An Izushi Railway train

Yamamori Station circa 1981

Fukuchiyama Station: The Hokutan Railway operated a 12 km (7.5 mi) line to Koumori between 1923 and 1971.
Ebara Station: The Izushi Railway operated an 11 km (6.8 mi) line to Izushi between 1929 and 1970.
Iwami Station: The Iwai Prefectural Government opened a 3 km (1.9 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Iwai Onsen in 1925. In June 1934, 149 of the 216 buildings at Iwai Onsen burnt down, and then in September that year Typhoon Muroto caused such extensive damage to the line that it was out of service until February 1936. In 1944, the line was closed and materials recycled for the Japanese war effort.^{[citation needed]}
Kurayoshi Station: In 1912, a 4 km (2.5 mi) line to Kamii opened, and was extended 11 km (6.8 mi) to Sekigane in 1941 and a further 5 km (3.1 mi) (as a passenger-only section) to Yamamori in 1958. Freight services ceased in 1974 and the line closed in 1985.
Yonago Station: The Hakuhi Electric Railway operated a 12 km (7.5 mi) line, electrified at 600 V DC, to Hosshoji between 1924 and 1967. A 6 km (3.7 mi) electrified branch from Aga to Mori operated between 1930 and 1944.
Arashima Station: The Hirose Railway opened an 8 km (5.0 mi) line, electrified at 600 V DC to Izumo Hirose in 1928. In 1954, the company merged with the Ichibata Electric Railway, and the line closed in 1960.
Izumoshi Station: On the northern side of the station, the 8 km (5.0 mi) Taisha Line opened in 1912, on the opposite bank of the Ogamogawa to the Izumo-Taisha Station on the Ichibata Electric Railway line. Freight services ceased in 1974, and the line closed in 1990.
Gotsu Station: The Sanko Line operated 1930 - 2018.
Nishi-Hamada Station: A 2 km (1.2 mi) freight-only line to Hamada Minato to service the port operated between 1955 and 1982.
Hatabu Station: The Choshu Railway opened a 27 km (17 mi) line from Higashi-Shimonoseki to Kogushi via Hatabu in 1914. A proposed extension to Nagato was not built due to funding constraints. The part from Hatabu to Kogushi was nationalised in 1925, with the Hatabu station being moved to its present location in 1928, and the line becoming a part of the San'in Main Line in 1933. The remaining 2.2 km (1.4 mi) Choshu Railway line from Hatabu to Higashi-Shimonoseki was electrified at 600 V DC in 1926. The company merged with the Sanyo Electric Railway (today Sanden Kotsu, not to be confused with the eponymous company operating in the Hyōgo Prefecture) in 1928, and the line was extended to Karato in 1932 in order to connect it to the Sanyo Electric Chōfu to Hikoshima-Guchi line. The line was closed in 1971.

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.