The Shinano Railway Kita-Shinano Line (しなの鉄道北しなの線, Shinano Tetsudō Kita-Shinano-sen) is a 37.3 km (23.2 mi) railway line operated by the third-sector railway operating company Shinano Railway in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, since 14 March 2015 following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension north of Nagano and transfer of operations of the former Shinetsu Main Line from East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Nagano Station in Nagano with Myōkō-Kōgen Station in Myōkō, Niigata.[1]

Shinano Railway Kita-Shinano Line
A Shinano Railway SR1 series EMU, between Furuma and Kurohime
Overview
Native nameしなの鉄道北しなの線
OwnerShinano Railway
LocaleNagano Prefecture
Termini
Stations8
Service
TypeCommuter rail
Rolling stock115 series EMUs
History
Opened1 May 1888
14 March 2015 (2015-03-14) (As the private railway line)
Technical
Line length37.3 km (23.2 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC
Route map

JR East Hokuriku Shinkansen
JR East Shinetsu Main Line
0.0
Nagano
Nagano Dentetsu Nagano Line
3.9
Kita-Nagano
JR East Hokuriku Shinkansen
6.8
Sansai
10.8
Toyono
JR East Iiyama Line
18.6
Mure
25.1
Furuma
28.9
Kurohime
Nojiri Tunnel
Akagawa Tunnel
37.3
Myōkō-Kōgen
ETR Myōkō Haneuma Line

Service outline

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All services on the line are all-stations "Local" (普通, Futsū) driver-only operation trains. From the start of operations on the line, there are 21 return workings daily between Nagano and Jōetsumyōkō, and three return workings daily between Nagano and Toyono, an increase in two return services daily compared with JR East operations prior to March 2015.[1] A small number of services continue to and from Komoro on the Shinano Railway Line operated by the same company south of Nagano.[1] In addition to Shinano Railway services, JR East Iiyama Line through-running services to and from Nagano also use the section of the line between Nagano and Toyono.[1] At Myōkō-Kōgen, the northern end of the line, a cross-platform transfer is provided to the Echigo Tokimeki Railway Myōkō Haneuma Line continuing northward along the former Shinetsu Main Line, with Shinano Railway trains normally using platform 2 and Echigo Tokimeki Railway trains normally using platform 3.[1]

Stations

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Station Japanese Distance (km) Connections Location
Nagano 長野 0.0 Nagano Nagano Prefecture
Kita-Nagano 北長野 3.9  
Sansai 三才 6.8  
Toyono 豊野 10.8 Iiyama Line
Mure 牟礼 18.6   Iizuna
Furuma 古間 25.1   Shinano
Kurohime 黒姫 28.9  
Myōkō-Kōgen 妙高高原 37.3   ETR Myōkō Haneuma Line Myōkō Niigata Prefecture

Rolling stock

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A Shinano Railway 115 series EMU

Services are operated using 115 series electric multiple unit (EMU) trains transferred from JR East.[1]

History

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The name of the line was chosen in March 2013 following a public ballot.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Osano, Kagetoshi (March 2015). 北陸新幹線並行在来線各社の姿 [Guide to companies operating conventional lines alongside the Hokuriku Shinkansen]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 44, no. 371. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. pp. 28–33.
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