Senzan Line

The nihongo|Senzan Line|仙山線|Senzan sen is a rail line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system, it runs from Sendai Station in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture to Yamagata Station in Yamagata, acting as a connector between the Tōhoku Main Line/Tōhoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line in southern Tōhoku. It also provides access to western Miyagi Prefecture and eastern Yamagata Prefecture. It connects with the Tōhoku Shinkansen, Tōhoku Main Line and Senseki Line at Sendai Station, the Ōu Main Line at Uzen-Chitose, Kita-Yamagata, and Yamagata Stations in Yamagata, Yamagata, the Aterazawa Line at Kita-Yamagata and Yamagata Stations, and the Yamagata Shinkansen at Yamagata Station.

Route Data

* East Japan Railway Company
* Total distance: 58.0 km (Sendai — Uzen-Chitose)
* Rail gauge: 1,067 mm
* Stations: 21 (including temporary stations)
* Tracks: Single-track
* Electrification: All (Alternating Current 20,000 V 50 Hz)
* Block system: Special Automatic Block System
* Suica availability: Sendai — Ayashi

ervice

Rapid

Most Senzan Line trains run as rapid trains. All trains stop at the following stations:
*Sendai
*Kita-Sendai
*Kunimi
*Rikuzen-Ochiai
*Ayashi
*Omoshiroyama-Kōgen
*Yamadera
*Uzen-Chitose
*Kita-Yamagata
*YamagataIn addition to these stops, the various Rapid trains will stop at all stations between:
*Rapid A: N/A
*Rapid B: Okunikkawa — Yamagata
*Rapid C: Sendai — Ayashi
*Rapid D: Rikuzen-Ochiai — Sakunami
*Rapid E: Ayashi — Yamagata

At one point, there was a G-Rapid that stopped at the most stations out of all rapid trains, but was considered too confusing by passengers and soon put out of service. Instead, the number of Local Trains were increased. Until 2004, there were only three types of rapids (A, B, C). Also, until September 302003, there was a Special Rapid "Holiday Senzan" that used to run on Saturdays and weekends.

With the opening of the Sendai Airport Line (scheduled to open in 2006), the Senzan Line is expected to have Sendai Airport-bound trains.

Local

Today, local trains arrive in and depart from Sendai. When rapid trains aren't running, there are mainly Sendai — Yamagata local trains. There is also Sendai — Ayashi and Sendai — Sakunami service.

endai — Ayashi

Since this part of the line is located in the suburban area of Sendai, there are many commuters, and there are typically 2-4 Sendai — Ayashi trains every hour. Although there were fewer trains going from Ayashi to Sendai, the numbers have increased in recent years. However, because the section is single-track and the only interchange stations are Kita-Sendai, Kunimi, and Rikuzen-Ochiai, it has been difficult to increase those numbers. Due to the tight schedule, periodic express trains (such as the "Gerende-Zaō" and "Goron-to-Sakurambo Yamagata") are forced to coincide with rapid trains, often making them take more time than local trains. Presently, parts of the track are being elevated and there are plans to build a new station near the Shin-Ishinomaki Highway railroad crossing. Also, there are plans to build a new station in between Kita-Sendai and Kokumi as well as constructing a new welfare facility nearby.

Ayashi — Yamagata

Unlike the large amount of Sendai — Ayashi trains in service, only about 1-2 Ayashi — Yamagata trains run each hour. Similarly, there used to be a large amount of returning trains from Sakunami, but the numbers of round-trips have diminished to two per day. Also, before the abolition of the Saturday/weekend schedule, there was one Saturday/weekend return train from Sakunami that stopped at Nishi-Sendai Hi-Land, however, there have been no stops at Nishi-Sendai Hi-Land Station since 2004.

Local trains are scheduled around the rapid train schedules. Since the advancement of regular express bus service between Sendai and Yamagata, there have been fewer passengers riding the line. However, trips to the Sakunami Hot Springs as well as the Yamadera temple well-known from Matsuo Bashō's Oku no Hosomichi are popular. Also, during the ski-season, the only way to get to places such as Omoshiroyama is the train and there are a great number of passengers during the tourist season.

There are two temporary stations, but as there have been no stops at Nishi-Sendai Hi-Land and Yatsumori since October 2004 and June 2003, respectively. They are now considered 'long-term inoperative' stations, and unlikely to be reactivated soon.

Tōhoku Main Line

There are only two trains that share both the Senzan and Tōhoku Main Lines' tracks: Senzan Line 2832M, which runs from Sakunami Station to Sendai where it becomes 1428M and continues on the Tōhoku Main Line tracks until Iwanuma, and Tōhoku Main Line 425M, which originates in Shiroishi, changes to 1831M at Sendai, and continues on the Senzan Line tracks to Ayashi. The Sakunami — Iwanuma train only runs on Saturdays and weekends.

There used to be many more trains that utilized the Tōhoku Main Line's tracks, but the numbers have decreased in recent years. Past trains went to such places as Fukushima, Matsushima, and Kogota. After 2001, the numbers began going down until they reached two trains, which is the number today. It is expected that that number will increase in 2006, though, when the Sendai Airport Line opens.

Timeline

*September 291929: Senzan East Line begins operation (Sendai — Ayashi). Kita-Sendai, Rikuzen-Ochiai, and Ayashi Stations open.
*August 301931: Ayashi — Sakunami connection opens. Rikuzen-Shirasawa, Kumagane, and Sakunami Stations open.
*October 171933: Senzan West Line begins operation (Uzen-Chitose — Yamadera). Yamadera Station opens.
*November 101937: Sakunami — Yamadera connection opens. Senzan Line connects Sendai and Uzen-Chitose Stations. Sakunami — Yamadera tracks are electrified (1,500 V DC). Okunikkawa Station opens. Omoshiroyama signal box begins operation. Temporary stations Yatsumori and Omoshiroyama open.
*July 11950: Takase Station opens.
*August 101955: Rikuzen-Ochiai — Kumagane tracks are electrified (20 kV 50 Hz AC).
*September 51957: Sendai — Rikuzen-Ochiai, Kumagane — Sakunami tracks are electrified (20 kV 50 Hz AC). ED45 (ED91) electric locomotive enters service.
*November 11960: Yamadera — Uzen-Chitose (— Yamagata) is electrified (1,500 V DC). "Asahi" and "Gassan" semi-expresses begin operation.
*October 11963: "Senzan" semi-express begins operation.
*March 51966: "Asahi" and "Gassan" become expresses.
*September 81968: Sakunami — Uzen-Chitose (— Yamagata) switched to 20 kV 50 Hz AC electrification. ED78 electric locomotive begins operation
*October 11968: "Senzan" semi-express becomes an express.
*1971: Kumagane Station becomes unmanned.
*October 21978: "Senzan" express begins making stops at Ayashi station.
*May 11982: "Asahi" express becomes "Benibana".
*November 151982: "Senzan" express becomes a rapid train. "Gassan" ceases operations within the Senzan Line.
*February 11984: Kitayama and Kunimi Stations open. Third platform built at Ayashi Station.
*March 141985: Senzan Line utilizes CTC. Rikuzen-Ochiai, Rikuzen-Shirasawa, Sakunami, Okunikkawa, and Tateyama Stations become unmanned.
*March 11987: Some staff from Sendai Station are transferred to Kitayama and Rikuzen-Ochiai Stations.
*March 201987: Some staff from Sendai Station are transferred to Kunimi Station.
*March 211987: Nishi-Sendai Hi-Land Station opens as a temporary station.
*April 11987: Senzan Line becomes part of JR East and JR Freight.
*June 201987: Train exchange equipment service is started at Kunimi Station.
*March 131988: Omoshiroyama Temporary Station becomes a station and is renamed Omoshiroyama-Kōgen Station.
*November 181988: Tōshōgū Station opens.
*March 101990: 719 series EMUs enter service on the Senzan Line.
*September 11990: The "Tsugaru" express continues operations on the Senzan Line due to construction of the Yamagata Shinkansen.
*March 161991: Kuzuoka Station opens.
*August 271991: "Tsubasa" express is diverted over the Senzan Line due to construction of the Yamagata Shinkansen.
*July 11992: Diversion of the "Tsubasa" express over the Senzan Line ceases with the completion of the Yamagata Shinkansen.
*December 11993: "Tsugaru" express ceases operations.
*October 1998: Freight services temporarily stop.
*December 1999: The Senzan Line up to Uzen-Chitose is converted to double-track with the expansion of the Yamagata Shinkansen.
*April 12001: The "Senzan" Weekend Rapid becomes the "Holiday Senzan". 455 series EMUs are replaced by 719 series trains formerly used on the Tōhoku Main Line.
*December 12001: ATS-Ps emergency train stop system is introduced in the Sendai — Ayashi area.
*April 12002: Freight services cease on the Senzan Line.
*October 162004: The names "Senzan" and "Holiday Senzan" for the rapid trains are discontinued. Rapid trains make more frequent stops at Kunimi, Rikuzen-Ochiai, and Uzen-Chitose.

tation List

Notes

*Nishi-Sendai Hi-Land and Yatsumori Stations are not fully operational stations and are only open during certain times of the year.
*From Uzen-Chitose to Yamagata, the Senzan Line operates on the tracks of the Ōu Main Line.
*The D-Rapid is Sendai-bound, while the E-Rapid is Yamagata-bound