Kesennuma Line

The nihongo|Kesennuma Line|気仙沼線|Kesennuma-sen is a local rail line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system, it runs from Maeyachi Station in Ishinomaki, Miyagi to Kesennuma Station in Kesennuma, Miyagi. The route links the north-eastern coast of Miyagi Prefecture, with the Ishinomaki Line (and the Tohoku Main Line a few stops farther) available for transfer in the south, and the Ōfunato Line in the north.

ervice

Although the Kesennuma Line's south end is Maeyachi, it's operational south end should be considered Kogota Station in Misato, as the majority of Kesennuma Line trains either have Kogota as their south terminus or go through it on the way to Sendai. Trains going this far also stop at Kami-Wakuya (local only) and Wakuya Stations in Wakuya, Miyagi on the Ishinomaki Line.

As of April, 2005, there were 22 trips daily using this line (10 south-bound, 12 north-bound). In all cases, the north terminus was Kesennuma, but the south end varied depending on the trip. The south terminus could be Kogota (6 south-bound, 8 north-bound), Sendai (2 south-bound, 2 north-bound, a limited express run called the Minami-Sanriku that does not stop at all stations and runs on the Tohoku Main Line tracks from Kogota to Sendai without stopping), Motoyoshi (1 south-bound, 2 north-bound), or Onagawa (1 south-bound, switching to the Ishinomaki Line tracks at Maeyachi).

Timeline

*April 11, 1956: Ōfunato Line begins operation as a freight line between Kesennuma and Kesennuma-Minato stations
*February 11, 1957: Kesennuma Line operates as a passenger line between Minami-Kesennuma and Motoyoshi stations. Ōfunato Freight Line is merged into the Kesennuma Line. Kesennuma to Minami-Kesennuma is open to the public. Minami-Kesennuma, Matsuiwa, Rikuzen-Hashikami, Ōya, Oganezawa, Motoyoshi stations begin operation
*November 10, 1960: Fudōnosawa station begins operation
*July 20, 1967: Saichi station begins operation
*October 24, 1968: Yanaizu Line begins operation between Maeyachi and Yanaizu stations. Wabuchi, Nonodake, Rikuzen-Toyosato, Mitakedō, and Yanaizu stations begin operation
*December 11, 1977: Kesennuma Line connects Motoyoshi and Yanaizu stations. Rikuzen-Yokoyama, Rikuzen-Togura, Shizugawa, Shizuhama, Utatsu, Rikuzen-Minato, Kurauchi and Rikuzen-Koizumi stations begin operation. The freight line between Motoyoshi and Minami-Kesennuma is abolished. Kesennuma Line merges with the Yanaizu Line and runs from Maeyachi to Kesennuma. The freight line runs from Minami-Kesennuma to Kesennuma-Minato.
*November 1, 1979: The remaining freight line is abolished and Kesennuma-Minato station ceases operation.
*April 1, 1987: Kesennuma Line becomes part of JR East.
*March 22, 1997: Ōya station is renamed Ōya-Kaigan station

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