Ban'etsu West Line
{{Short description|Railway line in Japan}}
{{Expand Japanese|topic=transp|磐越西線|date=October 2024}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width =
| name = Ban'etsu West Line
| other_name =
| native_name = 磐越西線
| native_name_lang = ja
| color = A0522D
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = Ban-etsu monogatari crossing Ichinotogawa river bridge 20090920.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| caption = Joyful Train SL Ban'etsu Monogatari hauled by C57 crossing the Ichinotogawa River bridge in 2009
| type = Regional rail
| system =
| status = In operation
| locale = Fukushima, Niigata prefectures
| start = {{STN|Kōriyama|x|Fukushima}}
| end = {{STN|Niitsu|x}}
| stations = 43
| routes =
| daily_ridership =
| open = 1898
| close =
| character = Rural
| depot =
| stock = 719 series EMU, E721 series EMU, KiHa 100 series DMU, GV-E400 series DMU, AT-700 series DMU
| linelength = {{convert|175.6|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| tracklength =
| tracks = Entire line single tracked
| gauge = {{RailGauge|1067mm|lk=on}}
| old_gauge =
| minradius =
| racksystem =
| routenumber =
| electrification = 20 kV AC, 50 Hz overhead catenary (Kōriyama – Aizu-Wakamatsu )
None (Aizu-Wakamatsu - Niitsu)
| speed = 100 km/h (62 mph)
| elevation =
| map = 200px
| map_state = collapsed
}}
File:JR East Fruitea 101.jpg and Joyful Train FruiTea Fukushima in 2015]]
The {{nihongo|Banetsu West Line|磐越西線|Ban'etsu-sai-sen}} is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Kōriyama Station in Kōriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, and Niitsu Station in Akiha Ward, Niigata, Niigata Prefecture. The name "Banetsu" is taken from the first characters of the names of the ancient provinces of {{nihongo|Iwaki|磐城}} and {{nihongo|Echigo|越後}}, which the Banetsu East and Banetsu West lines connect. {{nihongo|"Sai"|西}} means "west" in Japanese.
The line's nickname is the {{nihongo|Mori to Mizu to Roman no Tetsudō|森と水とロマンの鉄道|lit. "the water, forest, and nostalgia railway"}}.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}
Station list
- Local trains generally stop at all stations, but some trains skip stations marked "▽".
- The column marked "
* " refers to the unnamed rapid service between Kōriyama and Aizu-Wakamatsu/Kitakata using 719 series EMUs. - Trains can pass one another at stations marked "◇", "∨", or "∧"; stations marked "◆" are switchback stations. Trains cannot pass at stations marked "｜".
| class="wikitable" |
| rowspan="2"|Station
!rowspan="2"|Japanese !colspan="2"|Distance (km) !colspan="2"|Rapid !rowspan="2"|Transfers/Other Notes !rowspan="2"| !colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Location |
|---|
| Between stations !Total ! !Agano |
| {{STN|Kōriyama|x|Fukushima}}
|郡山 |style="text-align:right;"| - |style="text-align:right;"|0.0 |style="text-align:center;"|● | |{{Plainlist|
}} |∨ |rowspan="6"|Kōriyama |rowspan="28"|Fukushima |
| {{STN|Kōriyamatomita|x}}
|郡山富田 |style="text-align:right;"|3.4 |style="text-align:right;"|3.4 |style="text-align:center;"|● | | |｜ |
| {{STN|Kikuta|x}}
|喜久田 |style="text-align:right;"|4.5 |style="text-align:right;"|7.9 |style="text-align:center;"|▲ | | |◇ |
| {{STN|Akogashima|x}}
|安子ケ島 |style="text-align:right;"|3.9 |style="text-align:right;"|11.8 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | | |◇ |
| {{STN|Bandai-Atami|x}}
|磐梯熱海 |style="text-align:right;"|3.6 |style="text-align:right;"|15.4 |style="text-align:center;"|● | | |◇ |
| {{STN|Nakayamajuku|x}}
|中山宿 |style="text-align:right;"|5.4 |style="text-align:right;"|20.8 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | | |｜ |
| {{STN|Jōko|x}}
|上戸 |style="text-align:right;"|6.5 |style="text-align:right;"|27.3 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | | |｜ |rowspan="6"|Inawashiro, Yama District |
| style="background-color:#CCC;"|Inawashirokohan (closed)
|style="background-color:#CCC;"|猪苗代湖畔 |style="text-align:right;"|2.0 |style="text-align:right;"|29.3 |style="text-align:center;"| |style="text-align:center;"| |style="background-color:#CCC;"|Closed in 2007 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |
| {{STN|Sekito|x}}
|関都 |style="text-align:right;"|1.7 |style="text-align:right;"|31.0 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | | |◇ |
| {{STN|Kawageta|x}}
|川桁 |style="text-align:right;"|2.4 |style="text-align:right;"|33.4 |style="text-align:center;"|▲ | | |◇ |
| {{STN|Inawashiro|x}}
|猪苗代 |style="text-align:right;"|3.3 |style="text-align:right;"|36.7 |style="text-align:center;"|● | | |◇ |
| {{STN|Okinashima|x}}
|翁島 |style="text-align:right;"|4.4 |style="text-align:right;"|41.1 |style="text-align:center;"|▲ | | |◇ |
| {{STN|Bandaimachi|x}}
|磐梯町 |style="text-align:right;"|10.1 |style="text-align:right;"|51.2 |style="text-align:center;"|● | | |◇ |Bandai, Yama District |
| {{STN|Higashi-Nagahara|x}}
|東長原 |style="text-align:right;"|6.0 |style="text-align:right;"|57.2 |style="text-align:center;"|▲ | | |◇ |rowspan="4"|Aizuwakamatsu |
| {{STN|Hirota|x}}
|広田 |style="text-align:right;"|2.8 |style="text-align:right;"|60.0 |style="text-align:center;"|▲ | | |◇ |
| {{STN|Aizu-Wakamatsu|x}}
|会津若松 |style="text-align:right;"|4.6 |style="text-align:right;"|64.6 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |{{Colorbull|DodgerBlue}}Tadami Line |◆ |
| {{STN|Dōjima|x}}▽
|堂島 |style="text-align:right;"|5.5 |style="text-align:right;"|70.1 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Oikawa|x}}▽
|笈川 |style="text-align:right;"|3.1 |style="text-align:right;"|73.2 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Shiokawa|x}}
|塩川 |style="text-align:right;"|1.9 |style="text-align:right;"|75.1 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● | |◇ |rowspan="6"|Kitakata |
| {{STN|Ubadō|x}}▽
|姥堂 |style="text-align:right;"|2.4 |style="text-align:right;"|77.5 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Aizu-Toyokawa|x}}▽
|会津豊川 |style="text-align:right;"|2.0 |style="text-align:right;"|79.5 |style="text-align:center;"|｜ |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Kitakata|x}}
|喜多方 |style="text-align:right;"|1.7 |style="text-align:right;"|81.2 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|● |{{Colorbull|grey}}Nitchuu LineNitchuu Line closed 1984. |◇ |
| {{STN|Yamato|x|Fukushima}}
|山都 |style="text-align:right;"|9.9 |style="text-align:right;"|91.1 | |style="text-align:center;"|● | |◇ |
| {{STN|Ogino|x|Fukushima}}
|荻野 |style="text-align:right;"|6.1 |style="text-align:right;"|97.2 | |style="text-align:center;"|● | |｜ |
| {{STN|Onobori|x}}
|尾登 |style="text-align:right;"|3.8 |style="text-align:right;"|101.0 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |rowspan="4"|Nishiaizu, Yama District |
| {{STN|Nozawa|x}}
|野沢 |style="text-align:right;"|5.2 |style="text-align:right;"|106.2 | |style="text-align:center;"|● | |◇ |
| {{STN|Kami-Nojiri|x}}
|上野尻 |style="text-align:right;"|5.1 |style="text-align:right;"|111.3 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Tokusawa|x}}
|徳沢 |style="text-align:right;"|6.7 |style="text-align:right;"|118.0 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |◇ |
| {{STN|Toyomi|x}}
|豊実 |style="text-align:right;"|3.3 |style="text-align:right;"|121.3 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |rowspan="7"|Aga, Higashikanbara District |rowspan="15"|Niigata |
| {{STN|Hideya|x}}
|日出谷 |style="text-align:right;"|7.1 |style="text-align:right;"|128.4 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Kanose|x}}
|鹿瀬 |style="text-align:right;"|5.2 |style="text-align:right;"|133.6 | |style="text-align:center;"|● | |｜ |
| {{STN|Tsugawa|x}}
|津川 |style="text-align:right;"|3.4 |style="text-align:right;"|137.0 | |style="text-align:center;"|● | |◇ |
| {{STN|Mikawa|x|Niigata}}
|三川 |style="text-align:right;"|7.4 |style="text-align:right;"|144.4 | |style="text-align:center;"|● | |｜ |
| {{STN|Igashima|x}}
|五十島 |style="text-align:right;"|4.2 |style="text-align:right;"|148.6 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |◇ |
| {{STN|Higashi-Gejō|x}}
|東下条 |style="text-align:right;"|3.9 |style="text-align:right;"|152.5 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Sakihana|x}}
|咲花 |style="text-align:right;"|3.1 |style="text-align:right;"|155.6 | |style="text-align:center;"|● | |｜ |rowspan="5"|Gosen |
| {{STN|Maoroshi|x}}
|馬下 |style="text-align:right;"|2.8 |style="text-align:right;"|158.4 | |style="text-align:center;"|▲ | |◇ |
| {{STN|Saruwada|x}}
|猿和田 |style="text-align:right;"|3.5 |style="text-align:right;"|161.9 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Gosen|x}}
|五泉 |style="text-align:right;"|3.8 |style="text-align:right;"|165.7 | |style="text-align:center;"|● | |◇ |
| {{STN|Kita-Gosen|x}}
|北五泉 |style="text-align:right;"|1.8 |style="text-align:right;"|167.5 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Shinseki|x}}
|新関 |style="text-align:right;"|2.5 |style="text-align:right;"|170.0 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |◇ |rowspan="3"|Akiha-ku, Niigata |
| {{STN|Higashi-Niitsu|x}}
|東新津 |style="text-align:right;"|2.8 |style="text-align:right;"|172.8 | |style="text-align:center;"|｜ | |｜ |
| {{STN|Niitsu|x}}
|新津 |style="text-align:right;"|2.8 |style="text-align:right;"|175.6 | |style="text-align:center;"|● |{{Plainlist|
}} |∧ |
{{Reflist|group="*"}}
Rolling stock
{{As of|2020|04}}, the following rolling stock is used on the Banetsu West Line.
=Kōriyama—Kitakata=
- E721-0 series EMUs (since 4 March 2017){{cite web |url= http://railf.jp/news/2017/03/08/180000.html |script-title=ja: 磐越西線でE721系の運転開始 |trans-title=E721 series enter service on the Banetsu West Line |date= 9 March 2017 |work= Japan Railfan Magazine Online|publisher= Koyusha Co., Ltd.|location= Japan|language= ja |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170309073145/http://railf.jp/news/2017/03/08/180000.html |archive-date= 9 March 2017 |url-status=live |access-date= 9 March 2017}}
- HB-E300 series For Aizu SATANO (since 2024) belonging to the Sendai Vehicle Center.
- AT700/AT750 series For Aizu Mountain Express. Primary runs on weekends, between Aizu Wakamatsu and Kitaca. Going through the Tadami Line then to the Aizu Railway Line to Kinugawa Onsen station
=Aizu-Wakamatsu—Niitsu=
- KiHa 110 series DMUs most being replaced by GV-E400 series. These sets belongs to the Niigata Vehicle Center Niitsu Branch.
- GV-E400 series DEMUs Belonging to Niigata Vehicle Center Niitsu Branch(since August 2019{{Cite press release|url=https://www.jrniigata.co.jp/press/20190627SLibento.pdf|language=ja|title=「SLばんえつ物語」号運行開始!祝・20 周年! 7月27日(土) 新津駅でお祝いのイベントを開催します!|publisher=JR East Niigata Branch|date=2019-06-27|access-date=2020-07-19|archive-date=2019-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627102134/https://www.jrniigata.co.jp/press/20190627SLibento.pdf|url-status=dead}})
JRNiigataUsage_Latest.svg|Operations in Niigata area
C57-180 Banetsu Monogatari 20061022.JPG|SL "Banetsu Monogatari"
=Past=
- 455 series EMUs (from 1967 until March 2008)
- 485 series EMUs (Aizu Liner rapid services)
- KiHa 40/47/48 DMUs (until March 2020)
- 583 series EMUs ( ‘’Aizu Liner’’)
- KiHa 52 DMUs (until 2009)
- KiHa 58 DMUs (until 2009)
- KiHa E120 DMUs (until March 2020)
- 719 series EMUs (Until 2023)
JNR455(JR East) Banetsu West Line Akabe at Koriyama 2006 1224size.jpg|A Banetsu West Line 455 series EMU in December 2006
485-G55・G58 Aizu-LINER.JPG|485 series Aizu Liner rapid service at Koriyama Station in March 2012
Tokusawa_1.JPG|KiHa 40/47/48 series at Tokusawa Station in June 2013
Gosen_Station_-E120.jpg|KiHa E120 and 110 at Gosen Station in December 2009
File:719 train at Aizuwakamatsu Station.jpg|A Banetsu West Line 719 series EMU in January 2008
File:719-700 Fruitea 20150425.jpg|The 719–700 series FruiTea trainset in April 2015
History
File:Agano River Taima Bridge 001.JPG Taima Bridge]]
The private Ganetsu Railway opened the initial section from Kōriyama to Nakayamajuku on July 26, 1898, and extended the line to Aizu-Wakamatsu the following year.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}
Japanese National Railways (JNR) started to modernize the line in the 1960s, introducing the line's first limited express service (as a part of the Yamagata-bound Yamabata) in 1965 between Ueno Station in Tokyo and Aizu-Wakamatsu via the Tōhoku Main Line. In 1968 the train was renamed Aizu Yamabata, but from 1993 onward it was renamed Viva Aizu and ran only between Koriyama and Aizu-Wakamatsu. The train was finally discontinued as a limited express service in 2003.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
In 1967, JNR electrified the section between Kōriyama and Kitakata at 20 kV AC.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}
In 2011 the line was closed for 15 days in March following the Tohoku earthquake, two days in April as a result of aftershocks, and for 10 weeks following torrential rain at the end of July.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}
A new station, called {{STN|Kōriyamatomita|x}}, opened on 1 April 2017 between and Kōriyama and Kikuta stations.{{cite web |url=https://www.minpo.jp/news/detail/2017040240363 |script-title=ja: ＪＲ郡山富田駅開業 県内の新駅３０年ぶり |trans-title=JR Koriyamatomita Station opens - First new station in prefecture for 30 years |date=2 April 2017 |work=Fukushima Minpo |location=Japan |language=ja |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170403014958/https://www.minpo.jp/news/detail/2017040240363 |archive-date=3 April 2017 |url-status=dead |access-date=3 April 2017 }}
The railway bridge connecting Kitakata and Yamato collapsed due to heavy rain on 4 August 2022. Services were temporarily suspended between Kitakata and Nozawa. {{Cite web |date=2022-08-05 |title=福島・喜多方 橋りょう崩落、線路宙づり 通勤・通学に打撃 |url=https://kahoku.news/articles/20220804khn000051.html |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=河北新報オンラインニュース |language=ja}} Full service was restored on 1 April 2023.{{cite news |title=磐越西線4月1日再開通へ 22年大雨被災、不通の喜多方－山都間 |url=https://www.minyu-net.com/news/news/FM20230217-758765.php |language=ja |work=福島民友新聞 |publisher=福島民友新聞社 |date=17 February 2023}} In the timetable revision at December 3rd 2022, Rapid Ageo services ceased operations.
Electric services between Aizu-Wakamatsu and Kitakata ceased on 12 March 2022,{{cite web |title=2022年3月ダイヤ改正について |url=https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2021/sendai/20211217_s01.pdf |language=ja |publisher=JR東日本 仙台支社 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217064304/https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2021/sendai/20211217_s01.pdf|archivedate=2021-12-17}} and the section was deelectrified by May 2024.『令和6年度 鉄道要覧』電気車研究会・鉄道図書刊行会、p.30
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/joyful/fruitea.html FruiTea Fukushima - JR East]
- [http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/joyful/c57.html SL Banetsu Monogatari - JR East]
{{East Japan Railway Company Lines}}
{{Niigata transit}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ban'etsu West Line}}
Category:1067 mm gauge railways in Japan
Category:Lines of East Japan Railway Company
Category:Rail transport in Fukushima Prefecture