Senmō Main Line

linemap

Senmo line near Lake Tōro

The Senmō Main Line (釧網本線, Senmō-honsen) is a Japanese railway line in Hokkaido, operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), between Higashi-Kushiro Station in Kushiro and Abashiri Station in Abashiri. The name comes from Kushiro (釧路) and Abashiri (網走). In 2008, a dual-mode transit vehicle was tested on parts of the line.

Basic data

Operators, distances
- Hokkaido Railway Company (Services and tracks)
  - Whole line, from Abashiri to Higashi-Kushiro: 166.2 km
Stations: 27
Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Track: single
Traction: Diesel
Block system: automatic (special); a simplified automatic system.

Stations

Kitahama station in winter

No.	Station		Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
A69	Abashiri	網走	0.0	Sekihoku Main Line	Abashiri	Hokkaido
B79	Katsuradai	桂台	1.4
B78	Masuura	鱒浦	6.2
B77	Mokoto	藻琴	8.7
B76	Kitahama	北浜	11.5
B75	Genseikaen (Seasonal operation)	原生花園	16.9		Koshimizu
B74	Hama-Koshimizu	浜小清水	20.1
B73	Yamubetsu	止別	25.8
B72	Shiretoko-Shari	知床斜里	37.3		Shari
B71	Naka-Shari	中斜里	41.9
B70	Minami-Shari	南斜里	44.1
B69	Kiyosatochō	清里町	49.2		Kiyosato
B68	Sattsuru	札弦	57.0
B67	Midori	緑	65.3
B66	Kawayu-Onsen	川湯温泉	79.8		Teshikaga
B65	Biruwa	美留和	87.0
B64	Mashū	摩周	95.7
B63	Minami-Teshikaga	南弟子屈	103.9
B62	Isobunnai	磯分内	110.4		Shibecha
B61	Shibecha	標茶	121.0
B60	Gojikkoku	五十石	129.5
B59	Kayanuma	茅沼	134.9
B58	Tōro	塘路	141.9
B57	Hosooka	細岡	149.1		Kushiro (town)
B56	Kushiro-Shitsugen	釧路湿原	151.5
B55	Tōya	遠矢	158.8
B54	Higashi-Kushiro	東釧路	166.2	Nemuro Main Line	Kushiro (city)

History

In 1887 a private 41 km 1067mm gauge line was opened from a sulphur mine at Atsanobori to a refinery at Shibecha, 48 km north of Kushiro. Known as the Kushiro Railway, it closed 9 years later when the sulphur was mined out. 35 years after it closed the 17 km section of the Senmo line between Mashu - Shibecha was built on the formation of the Kushiro Railway.

Construction of the Senmo line started from both Asashiri and Kushiro, with the northern portion opening to Satsutsuru in sections between 1924 and 1929, and the southern portion opening in sections to Kawayu between 1927 and 1930. The Satsutsuru - Kawayu section opened in 1931, completing the line.

Freight services on the line ceased in 2002.

Former connecting lines

Nakashibetsu station, 1986

Bridge from the Shibecha development lines remaining 40 years after closure

Abashiri station - The Yumo Line to Nakayubetsu opened in sections between 1935 & 1952 and closed in 1987.
Mokoto station - A 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line operated to Yamazono (25 km) from 1935 to 1965. A 7 km branch line to Toyo Sawa operated from 1949 to 1962.
Hamakoshimizu station - Another 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line extended 18 km east to service the sugar beet industry between 1941 and 1953.
Yamubetsu station - A 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) private railway operated to Koshimizu (9 km) from 1930 to 1939.
Shari station - In 1938, fears of Russian naval activity resulted in the decision to build a line to Shibubetsu through the Konpokutoge Pass for defence purposes. Construction was suspended in 1941 following the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact. Construction recommenced in 1957 to service forestry activity, but was suspended again when the highway was upgraded. The line was opened 12.8 km to Koshikawa, servicing the local community until closure in 1970. A substantial brick arch bridge was built south of Koshikawa before construction was abandoned.
Shibecha station -

A 39 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line opened to Nakashibetsu in 1932. In 1936 it was replaced by a 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) line, which was extended 40 km to Shibetsu, operating until 1989. A branch from Nakashibetsu connected to the Nemuro Main Line at Attoko between 1933 and 1989, the two branches being known collectively as the Shibetsu Line. A total of 9 separate 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge development lines connected to stations long the Shibetsu Line were built between 1930 and 1963, the last closing in 1971.

Another 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge system connected the Numahoro District to Shibecha, consisting of a 23 km 'main line' opened 1955, and a 6 km branch opened 1966. Both closed in 1971.

References

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

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Senmō Main Line.

JR Hokkaido official website (Japanese)
JR Hokkaido official website (English)

Mass transit in Hokkaido

JR Hokkaido lines	Hokkaido Shinkansen Chitose Esashi Furano Hakodate Hidaka Kaikyō Muroran Nemuro Rumoi Sasshō Sekihoku Sekishō Senmō Sōya Temiya

JR named trains	Hayabusa Hayate Cassiopeia Hakuchō Hamanasu Hokuto Ishikari Kitami Lilac Okhotsk Sarobetsu Super Hakuchō Super Hokuto Super Kamui Super Ōzora Super Sōya Super Tokachi Super White Arrow Suzuran Twilight Express White Arrow

Other railways	Hakodate Streetcar Sapporo Streetcar Sapporo Municipal Subway Namboku Tōzai Tōhō Taiheiyō Coal (freight only) South Hokkaido Railway Company

Terminals	Rail Hakodate Sapporo Ōdōri Shin-Sapporo Asahikawa Airports Asahikawa New Chitose Hakodate Kushiro Memanbetsu Monbetsu Nakashibetsu Okadama Okushiri Rishiri Tokachi-Obihiro Wakkanai Ports Hakodate Otaru Tomakomai Kushiro

Miscellaneous	Cards Kitaca SAPICA Tunnels Seikan Tunnel Ferry Higashi Nihonkai Ferry "Heart Land Ferry"

Japan transit: Tokyo Osaka Nagoya Fukuoka Hakone Fuji Izu Hokkaido Toyama Okayama Shikoku Sendai Hiroden Metro systems Shinkansen trams (list) aerial lifts (list)

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, March 31, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.