Uetsu Main Line

The is a railway line in the Tohoku and Chubu regions of Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system, it connects Niitsu Station in the city of Niigata and Akita Station in Akita. The name "Uetsu" refers to the ancient provinces of Dewa (出羽) and Echigo (越後), which the line connects.

Route data

*Total length: 274.4 km (170.5 mi) (Fukushima–Aomori, Tsuchizaki–Akitakō)
*Operators, distances:
** East Japan Railway Company (Services and tracks)
*** Niitsu — Akita: 271.7 km (168.8 mi)
** Japan Freight Railway Company (Services and tracks)
***Sakata — Sakata-Minato: 2.7 km (1.7 mi)
** Japan Freight Railway Company (Services)
*** Niitsu — Akita: 271.7 km (168.8 mi)
*Tracks:
**See station list for details
*Electrification:
** Niitsu — Murakami: 1,500 V DC
** Murakami — Akita: 20 kV AC, 50 Hz
*Railway signalling:
*Maximum speed:
** Niitsu — Murakami: 120 km/h (75 mph)
** Murakami — Imagawa: 100 km/h (62 mph)
** Imagawa — Sanze: 95 km/h (59 mph)
** Sanze — Sakata: 120 km/h (75 mph)
** Sakata — Akita: 95 km/h (59 mph)

Services

;Limited express, Rapid
, the following services are operated.

;Local
:Niitsu – Shibata: every 60-180 minutes
:Shibata – Murakami: every 60-120 minutes
:Murakami – Sakata: every 60-180 minutes
:Sakata – Akita: every 60-180 minutes

Between Shibata and Murakami, most of the local trains travel through to/from via Hakushin Line.

Stations

:A: Limited Express ''Inaho''
:B: Rapid ''Kairi''
:C: Rapid ''Rakuraku Train Murakami'', ''Benibana'' and other Rapid service trains
:Trains stop at stations marked "O", skip at stations marked ", ".

Symbols:
* , - Single-track
* ◇ - Single-track; station where trains can pass
* ^ - Double-track section starts from this point
* ∥ - Double-track
* ∨ - Single-track section starts from this point

Rolling stock

Present

Local

* E129 series 2/4-car DC EMUs (Niitsu—Murakami, since December 2014)
* 701 series 2/3-car AC EMUs (Sakata—Akita)
* KiHa 110 series (Niitsu - Nezugaseki)
* GV-E400 series (Niitsu-Sakata, since August 2019)

''Inaho''/''Rakuraku Train Murakami''

* E653-1000 series 7-car DC/AC EMUs (since September 2013)

Kairi

* HB-E300 series

OmonogawaBridge.jpg, 701 series passing Omonogawa Bridge
E653-1000_U104_Inaho_5_20140731.jpg, E653 series ''Inaho'', near Higashi-Sakata Station
JR_East_HB-E300-KAIRI_Shibata_20200404.jpg, ''Kairi'' at Shibata Station, April 2020

Former

* 115 series DC EMUs (Niitsu—Murakami, until March 2018)
* E127-0 series 2-car DC EMUs (Shibata—Murakami, until March 2015)
* KiHa 40/47/48 series DMUs (Until March 2020)
* KiHa E120 DMUs (Niitsu—Sakata, until March 2018)
* KiHa 58 series DMUs
* KiHa 52 DMUs
* 485 series DC/AC EMUs (until July 2014) - ''Inaho'', ''Hakucho'', ''Rakuraku Train Murakami''

村上駅_-_panoramio_-_くろふね.jpg, E127 series and 115 series at Murakami Station, March 2009
Uetsu line Type47.jpg, KiHa 40/47/48 series, Amarume - Nishibukuro, March 2017
JNR Kiha 47 Niigata livery at Sakata Station .jpg, KiHa 40/47/48 series at Sakata Station, December 2012
KihaE120-1_Kiha110.jpg, KiHa E120 and 110 at Sakamachi Station, July 2009
JNR_485_kanimuttari_hakucho_at_akita.jpg, 485 series ''Hakucho'' limited espress, Akita Station, 1987
UetsuhonsenInaho485Series3000.JPG, 485-3000 series ''Inaho'' limited express, Kosagawa - Kamihama, March 2014

History

The line was opened in sections between 1912 and 1924, and electrified in 1972, the same year CTC signalling was commissioned.

Work to double-track the line in sections commenced in 1957, and continued for 25 years until being suspended due to capital expenditure restrictions in 1983, at which time 51% of the route was double-tracked.

Accidents

On December 25, 2005, all six cars of a limited express train ''Inaho'' No.14 on the Uetsu Line derailed in Yamagata prefecture, about north of Tokyo. The train was headed south towards Kita-Amarume Station. Three of the cars turned over, causing the deaths of five people and injuring 33 others. Three other persons were originally reported missing, but authorities later discovered that they had disembarked from the train before the accident. It is likely that the event was caused by a tornado although it is uncertain whether or not a tornado was involved with this accident.

References

*

External links

Inaho - JR East





Discover Uetsu, tourist website

{{East Japan Railway Company Lines

Lines of East Japan Railway Company
Rail transport in Niigata Prefecture
Rail transport in Yamagata Prefecture
Rail transport in Akita Prefecture
1067 mm gauge railways in Japan
Standard gauge railways in Japan
Railway lines opened in 1912
1912 establishments in Japan