Etsumi-Nan Line

Etsumi-Nan Line
Etsumi-Nan Line
	A Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 3 series train
Overview
Native name	越美南線
Status	Operational
Owner	Nagaragawa Railway
Locale	Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Termini	Mino-Ōta; Hokunō;
Stations	38
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	Nagaragawa Railway
Rolling stock	Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 2 Series DMU, Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 3 Series DMU, Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 500 Series DMU
History
Opened	5 October 1923
Last extension	1934
Technical
Line length	72.1 km (44.8 mi)
Number of tracks	Entire line single tracked
Character	Rural
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	Not electrified
Operating speed	80 km/h (50 mph)

The Etsumi-Nan Line (越美南線, Etsumi Nan-sen, "Etsumi South Line") is a railway line in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, operated by the third-sector operator Nagaragawa Railway (長良川鉄道, Nagaragawa Tetsudō). The line connects Mino-Ōta Station in Minokamo with Hokunō Station in Gujō. It is the only railway line operated by Nagaragawa Railway, and was originally operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR).

History

Construction

The original goal of Japanese National Railways (JNR) was to build a railway line to the Sea of Japan northward through the Nagara River valley. However, due to the resource requirements of the First World War and the Pacific War, this objective was never achieved and only 72.1 km (44.8 mi) was ever built. The first section to open was between Mino-Ōta and Minoshi on 5 October 1923. The JNR then proceeded to extend the line progressively northwards until it reached Hokunō in 1934. Although a ¼-mile section of track was laid beyond Hokunō, no further construction on the line was ever undertaken. The line was used by trolley cars. Freight services ceased in 1974.

The picturesque line is now popular with visitors and tourists. Beginning in April 2016, a two-car sightseeing train Nagara (ながら), which was created by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka, runs weekly services between Mino-Ota and Hokunō. Passengers are served a selection of bento dishes created from locally-sourced seasonal ingredients from Gifu Prefecture.^[1]

Recent history

JNR planned to connect the Etsumi-Nan Line and Etsumi-Hoku Line ("Etsumi North Line"), but the plan was never realized. The north line was later succeeded by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), while the south line was taken by third-sector company Nagaragawa Railway in 1986.^[2] As the company name suggests, the line runs along Nagara River. As a consequence of Japan's declining population and frequent natural disasters (such as typhoons and heavy snowfall), the company is facing financial difficulties.

Beginning in spring 2016, two of the line's Nagara 300 series diesel cars were rebuilt as the Nagara sightseeing train. The rebuilding work on the two cars was overseen Don Design Associates, headed by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka.^[3]

Stations

No.	Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
No.	Station	Japanese	Between stations	Total	Transfers	Location
0	Mino-Ōta	美濃太田	-	0.0	Taita Line Takayama Main Line	Minokamo	Gifu
1	Maehira-Kōen	前平公園	1.7	1.7
2	Kamono	加茂野	2.0	3.7
3	Tomika	富加	2.2	5.9		Tomika, Kamo District
4	Seki-Tomioka	関富岡	2.3	8.2		Seki
5	Seki-guchi	関口	1.5	9.7
6	Sekiterasumae	せきてらす前	1.5	11.2
7	Seki	関	0.8	12.0
8	Seki-Shiyakusho-mae	関市役所前	1.0	13.0
9	Seki-Shimouchi	関下有知	1.6	14.6
10	Matsumori	松森	1.5	16.1		Mino
11	Minoshi	美濃市	1.6	17.7
12	Umeyama	梅山	1.1	18.8
13	Yunohora-Onsen-guchi	湯の洞温泉口	3.5	22.3
14	Suhara	洲原	2.4	24.7
15	Hanno	母野	1.4	26.1		Gujō
16	Konno	木尾	1.2	27.3
17	Yasaka	八坂	2.1	29.4
18	Minami-Kodakara-Onsen	みなみ子宝温泉	1.2	30.6
19	Ōya	大矢	1.2	31.8
20	Fukuno	福野	1.1	32.9
21	Minami-Kariyasu	美並苅安	1.9	34.8
22	Akaike	赤池	1.5	36.3
23	Fukado	深戸	2.2	38.5
24	Aioi	相生	4.5	43.0
25	Gujō-Hachiman	郡上八幡	3.9	46.9
26	Shizen'en-mae	自然園前	4.0	50.9
27	Yamada	山田	3.1	54.0
28	Tokunaga	徳永	1.9	55.9
29	Gujō-Yamato	郡上大和	1.4	57.3
30	Mamba	万場	2.4	59.7
31	Kami-Mamba	上万場	1.4	61.1
32	Ōnaka	大中	1.3	62.4
33	Ōshima	大島	1.9	64.3
34	Mino-Shirotori	美濃白鳥	1.8	66.1
35	Shirotori-Kōgen	白鳥高原	3.5	69.6
36	Hakusan-Nagataki	白山長滝	1.3	70.9
37	Hokunō	北濃	1.2	72.1

References

^ "長良川鉄道ながら川風号運転". www.tetsudo.com. 20 March 2018. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021.
^ Bushell, Chris, ed. (2006). Railway Directory 2006 (111th ed.). Reed Business Information. p. 123. ISBN 0-617-01031-5.
^ 長良川鉄道，観光列車「ながら」を導入 [Nagaragawa Railway to introduced "Nagara" sightseeing train]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 27 November 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2015.

External links

Nagaragawa Railway official website (in Japanese)

[1] "長良川鉄道ながら川風号運転". www.tetsudo.com. 20 March 2018. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021.

[RD2006-2] Bushell, Chris, ed. (2006). Railway Directory 2006 (111th ed.). Reed Business Information. p. 123. ISBN 0-617-01031-5.

[railfan20151127-3] 長良川鉄道，観光列車「ながら」を導入 [Nagaragawa Railway to introduced "Nagara" sightseeing train]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 27 November 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2015.

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