Takayama Main Line

The Takayama Main Line (高山本線, Takayama Honsen) is a Japanese railway line between Gifu Station in Gifu and Toyama Station in Toyama, operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line directly links the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area (metropolitan Nagoya) and Hokuriku region in a shorter distance, but with a longer travel time, than by using the combination of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Hokuriku Main Line. Now the line primarily functions as a way to access the scenic areas of Hida (ancient Hida Province), in the rugged mountains of northern Gifu Prefecture, such as Gero onsen (hot spring), Takayama, Shirakawa-gō, and the Kiso River. The first section of the line, between Gifu and Kagamigahara, opened in 1920 (1920). The whole line was completed in 1934.

Takayama Main Line
Local train running on the Takayama Main Line in May 2022
Overview
Native name高山本線
StatusOperational
OwnerJR Central, JR West
LocaleJapan
Termini
  • Gifu
  • Toyama
Stations45
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR Central, JR West
Rolling stockJR Central: KiHa 75 series DMU, HC85 series DEMU, KiHa 25 series DMU
JR West: KiHa 120 series DMU
History
Opened25 October 1934
Technical
Line length225.8 km (140.3 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNot electrified
Operating speed110 km/h (68 mph)
Route map
Line map

Basic data

Services

The Hida limited express train operates between Nagoya and Takayama, Hida-Furukawa, and Toyama, with ten return services a day, and between Ōsaka and Takayama with one return service a day, with trains to and from Nagoya reversing direction at Gifu en route.

The line is generally divided to three parts for local services: between Gifu and Takayama; between Takayama and Inotani; and between Inotani and Toyama. There are roughly two trains per one hour between Gifu and Mino-Ōta, while there is no local train for four hours between Gero and Takayama.

Stations

Legend:

  • ●: All trains stop
  • ▲: Some trains stop
  • |: All trains pass
  • Local trains stop at all stations.
No. Station Distance Limited Express Hida Transfers Location
JR Central
CG00 Gifu 岐阜 0.0 GifuGifu
CG01 Nagamori 長森 4.2
CG02 Naka 那加 7.2 Kakamigahara
CG03 Sohara 蘇原 10.4
CG04 Kagamigahara 各務ヶ原 13.2
CG05 Unuma 鵜沼 17.3
CG06 Sakahogi 坂祝 22.5 Sakahogi, Kamo
CG07 Mino-Ōta 美濃太田 27.3 Minokamo
Kobi 古井 30.3
Nakakawabe 中川辺 34.1 Kawabe, Kamo
Shimoasō 下麻生 37.9
Kamiasō 上麻生 43.2 Hichisō, Kamo
Shirakawaguchi 白川口 53.1 Shirakawa, Kamo
Shimoyui 下油井 61.7
Hida-Kanayama 飛騨金山 66.7 Gero
Yakeishi 焼石 75.7
Gero 下呂 88.3
Zenshōji 禅昌寺 93.5
Hida-Hagiwara 飛騨萩原 96.7
Jōro 上呂 100.8
Hida-Miyada 飛騨宮田 105.4
Hida-Osaka 飛騨小坂 108.8
Nagisa 115.9 Takayama
Kuguno 久々野 123.2
Hida-Ichinomiya 飛騨一ノ宮 129.5
Takayama 高山 136.4
Hozue 上枝 141.0
Hida-Kokufu 飛騨国府 147.6
Hida-Furukawa 飛騨古川 151.3 Hida
Sugisaki 杉崎 153.6
Hida-Hosoe 飛騨細江 156.0
Tsunogawa 角川 161.7
Sakakami 坂上 166.6
Utsubo 打保 176.5
Sugihara 杉原 180.5
Inotani 猪谷 189.2 ToyamaToyama
JR West
Inotani 猪谷 189.2 ToyamaToyama
Nirehara 楡原 196.2
Sasazu 笹津 200.5
Higashi-Yatsuo 東八尾 205.0
Etchū-Yatsuo 越中八尾 208.7
Chisato 千里 213.6
Hayahoshi 速星 217.9
Fuchū-Usaka 婦中鵜坂 219.6
Nishi-Toyama 西富山 222.2
Toyama 富山 225.8

Passing loops

Hisuikyō

In Hichisō, Gifu. (Coordinates: 35°32′43″N 137°08′39″E )

Washibara

In Shirakawa, Gifu. (Coordinates: 35°36′06″N 137°10′24″E )

Fukurai

In Gero, Gifu. (Coordinates: 35°40′51″N 137°10′00″E )

Shōgano

In Gero, Gifu. (Coordinates: 35°47′42″N 137°15′13″E )

Rolling stock

JR Central

  • KiHa 75 series DMUs
  • HC85 series hybrid Diesel-Electric multiple units (Hida limited express services)
  • KiHa 25 series DMUs (from March 2015)

JR West

Former rolling stock

From the start of the March 2015 timetable revision, JR Central KiHa 25 series diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains displaced from the Taketoyo Line were phased in on Takayama Line services, with the last remaining KiHa 40 series DMU trains withdrawn from the line on 30 June 2015.[1]

History

The Gifu to Mino-Ota section opened in 1920, and the line was then extended in sections, opening to Gero in 1930 and Hida-Osaka in 1933. At the northern end the first section from Toyama opened in 1927, reached Inotani in 1930 and Takayama and Hida-Osaka in 1934, completing the line.

CTC signalling was commissioned in 1968, and in 1980, a ground-breaking ceremony was held at Takayama for the proposed electrification of the line, but the program was cancelled later that year before any significant work was undertaken. Freight services ceased on the line in 2007.

Between 2004 and September 8, 2007, the section between Tsunogawa Station and Inotani Station was closed due to flood damage from Typhoon Tokage.[2]

Former connecting lines

  • Hida-Osaka Station: The 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge Kosaka Forest railway commenced operation in 1933, and by 1953 consisted of seven lines with a total length of 65 km. Line closures commenced in 1954, and the system closed in 1971.
  • Inotani Station: The 610 mm (2 ft) 24 km line to Kamioka-Cho (which was opened in 1910 by the local government from Sasazu station) was acquired by the Mitsui Mining Co. in 1927. In 1931, a 2 km line to alter the connection to Inotani Station opened (with the 16 km section providing the Sasazu connection closing at the same time) and an 8 km branch opened in 1937, connecting to the 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge Sugoroku-Kanakida Forest railway (which consisted of a 16 km main line and three branches between 3 and 6 km in length, and operated from 1930 to 1963). Passenger services ceased in 1962, and the mine and railway closed in 1967.
  • Sasazu Station: As mentioned above, the 610 mm gauge 24 km line to Kamioka-Cho operated from 1910 until altered to connect at Inotani station in 1931. The Toyama Railway operated a 12 km line to Minami-Toyama between 1914 and 1933. In 1943, the Toyama Electric Railway reopened the line, electrified at 600 V DC, and operated it until 1975. The 20 km Kamioka Line to Okuhida-Onsenguchi opened in 1966. Freight services ceased in 1981, and the line closed in 2006.

See also

References

  1. 高山本線からキハ40系が引退 [KiHa 40 series withdrawn from Takayama Main Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  2. 高山線全線の運転再開について (About resuming the operation of the whole Takayama Line), news release by JR Central. Archived 23 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
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