Ōminato Line

Ōminato Line (大湊線)
File:Noheji sta ominatoline.jpg Noheji Station on the Ōminato Line
Overview
Type	Heavy rail Passenger
Termini	Noheji Ōminato
Stations	11
Operation
Opened	1921
Owner	East Japan Railway Company
Rolling stock	KiHa 100 series
Technical
Line length	58.4 km (36.3 mi)
Track gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification	none

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Ōminato Line
Legend Nambu Jūkan Railway (defunct) Aoimori Railway Line 0.0 Noheji 2.8 Kita-Noheji 9.6 Arito 23.0 Fukkoshi 30.1 Mutsu-Yokohama 26.0 Arihata 42.7 Chikagawa 47.7 Kanayasawa 53.2 Akagawa Ōhata Line (defunct) 55.5 Shimokita 58.4 Ōminato

The Ōminato Line (大湊線, Ōminato-sen) is a railway route operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Noheji Station and Ōminato Station on the Shimokita Peninsula in eastern Aomori Prefecture. The line is the only JR line having no connection to other JR lines.

History

On March 20, 1921, the Ōminato Light Railway (大湊軽便線, Ōminato-keibensen) began operations between Noheji Station and Mutsu-Yokohama Station. The line was extended to its present terminus of Ōminato Station by September 25, 1921. In 1922, the line was nationalized, and renamed the Ōminato Line of the Japanese Government Railway (JGR, later JNR).

Express Natsudomari operations from Aomori Station on a seasonal basis began in 1968. The express was later downgraded to rapid service and renamed the Usori, and later the Shimokita. All freight operations were suspended from February 1, 1984. With the dissolution and privatization of the JNR on April 1, 1984, the line came under the control of the East Japan Railway Company. On December 4, 1999 a new centralized traffic control (CTC) system became operational. In 2002, seasonal excursion trains, Kirakira Michinoku operations were started, and a limited number of Shimokita trains were extended to terminate at Hachinohe Station instead of Noheji.

The Tōhoku Main Line section including Noheji was transferred from JR East to Aoimori Railway on December 4, 2010. This resulted in the isolation of the Ōminato Line from other part of JR network.

Former connecting lines

• Akagawa station - The Aomori Prefectural Government operated a 4km 762mm (2'6") gauge line to Tanabu-Yanagicho between 1921 and 1941.

• Shimokita station - The 18km line to Ohata opened in 1939, and construction continued toward Oma to service a proposed naval base to protect the Tsugaru Strait, and was well advanced when work was suspended in 1943 due to a shortage of materials. The Seikan Tunnel was originally proposed to utilise the roadbed of the uncompleted Oma line (as well as that of the uncompleted Toi line near Hakodate) but in 1968 the route was changed to the alignment subsequently built. Freight services ceased on the Ohata line in 1979, and operation of it was transferred to the Prefectural Government in 1985. The line closed in 2001.

Station list

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Rapid Service	Transfers	Location
		Between Stations	Total
Noheji	野辺地	-	0.0	●	Aoimori Railway Line	Noheji	Aomori
Kita-Noheji	北野辺地	2.8	2.8	｜
Arito	有戸	6.3	9.6	｜
Fukkoshi	吹越	13.4	23.0	｜
Mutsu-Yokohama	陸奥横浜	7.1	30.1	●
Arihata	有畑	5.9	36.0	｜		Yokohama
Chikagawa	近川	6.7	42.7	○		Mutsu
Kanayasawa	金谷沢	5.0	47.7	｜
Akagawa	赤川	5.5	53.2	｜
Shimokita	下北	2.3	55.4	●
Ōminato	大湊	2.9	58.4	●

●: All rapid service trains stop, ○: Some rapid service trains stop

Line Data

• Length: 58.4 km (36.3 mi)
• Track gauge: 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
• Number of stations: 11 (including termini)
• Electrification: none
• Tracks: single track
• Block Signal: Automatic Block Signal

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

• JTB Timetable December 2010 issue

External links

• JR East home page (Japanese)