Sekishō Line

nihongo|Sekishō Line|石勝線|Sekishō-sen is a railway line of Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaidō) in Japan. The main Sekishō Line run between Minami-Chitose in Chitose and Shintoku Station in the town of Shintoku. A branch line run in Yūbari from Shin-Yūbari to Yūbari. The name of the line comes from subprefectures in the route, namely nihongo|Ishikari|石狩 and nihongo|Tokachi|十勝.

Basic Data

*Distances
**The main line, Minami-Chitose - Shintoku: 132.4 km
**The branch line, Shin-Yūbari - Yūbari: 16.1 km
*Operators
**Hokkaidō Railway Company (category 1)
***Minami-Chitose - Shintoku: 132.4 km
***Shin-Yūbari - Yūbari: 16.1 km
**Japan Freight Railway Company (category 2)
***Minami-Chitose - Kami-Ochiai Junction: 108.3 km
*Stations: 15
*Signal locations: 12 ( 1 Junction, 11 Passing loops )
*Gauge: 1067 mm
*Track: single
*Traction: internal combustion (diesel)
*Block system:
**Minami-Chitose - Shintoku: Automatic
**Shin-Yūbari - Yūbari: Special Automatic (track circuit detection); simplified automatic system

History

In 1892, nihongo|Hokkaidō Colliery Railway|北海道炭砿鉄道|Hokkaidō Tankō Tetsudō opened nihongo|Yūbari Line|夕張線|Yūbari-sen, the line from Oiwake to Yūbari for coal mining.

In the late 20th century, the plan to make a line between Shin-Yūbari (of Yūbari Line) and Shintoku (of Nemuro Main Line) came up, as a shortcut line between central and eastern Hokkaidō. The new line was completed in 1981 as nihongo|Sekishō Line|石勝線|Sekishō-sen. Yūbari Line was split up to two segments, the segment between Oiwake and Shin-Yūbari to be incorporated into the main Sekishō Line, and the one between Shin-Yūbari and Yūbari to become Yūbari Branch Line of Sekishō Line. The new line made the main route to eastern Hokkaidō much shorter. Until then, people had to go through Takikawa or Asahikawa.

ervices

The line is a part of the trunk route between Sapporo and eastern Hokkaidō. Limited express trains nihongo|Super Ōzora|スーパーおおぞら run between Sapporo and Kushiro 6 laps a day, while nihongo|Super Tokachi|スーパーとかち runs 2, nihongo|Tokachi|とかち 4, both between Sapporo and Obihiro. There also is the sleeper train nihongo|Marimo|まりも between Sapporo and Kushiro.

The local train service, on the other hand, doesn't exist between Shin-Yūbari and Shintoku, since the line goes through practically unpopulated area. The fact that there are more signal grounds than ordinary stations on the main line is something extraordinal among Japanese railway lines. There still is a local train service between Minami-Chitose and Yūbari (via Shin-Yūbari), approximately once for 2 hours.

tations

ignal Locations

Kami-Ochiai Junction

Passing Loops between Minami-Chitose and Kami-Ochiai Junction

Komasato Signal Location

Nishi-Hayakita Signal Location

Takinoshita Signal Location

Kaede Signal Location

Osawa Signal Location

Higashi-Osawa Signal Location

eifūzan Signal Location

Onitōge Signal Location

Higashi-Shimukappu Signal Location

Takinosawa Signal Location

Horoka Signal Location

Nihongo|Horoka Signal Location|ホロカ信号場|Horoka Shingōjō is a passing loop in Shimukappu, Hokkaidō with 2 tracks and 2 snow shelters. In 1981 this signal location was opened as Tomamu Signal Location. In 1987 its name was changed because the name Tomamu was used for Tomamu Station.

Kushinai Signal Location

Passing Loops between Kami-Ochiai Junction and Shintoku

Sekishō Line and Nemuro Main Line share 3 signal locations between Kami-Ochiai Junction and Shintoku Station.

hin-Karikachi Signal Location

Nihongo|Shin-Karikachi Signal Location|新狩勝信号場|Shin-Karikachi Shingōjō is a passing loop in Shintoku, Hokkaidō with 2 tracks and 2 snow shelters. This signal location is located next to the east mouth of 5,790m long Shin-Karikachi tunnel.

Hirouchi Signal Location

Nishi-Shintoku Signal Location

ee also

*List of railway lines in Japan

External links

* [http://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/ JR Hokkaidō official website]
* [http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/ JR Hokkaidō official website]