Hidaka Main Line

File:Hidaka Main Line at Hidaka-Mombetsu coast.jpg

All regular trains are local trains, which stop at all stations.

The first section was opened in October 1913 by the {{nihongo|Tomakomai Light Railway|苫小牧軽便鉄道|Tomakomai Keiben Tetsudō}}, operating between {{STN|Tomakomai|x}} and {{Nihongo|Sarufuto|佐瑠太}} (present-day {{STN|Tomikawa|x}}). The section between Sarufuto and {{STN|Shizunai|x}} was operated by the {{nihongo|Hidaka Takushoku Railway|日高拓殖鉄道|Hidaka Takushoku Tetsudō}}. Both lines were light railways with a track gauge of {{Track gauge|762mm}}.{{cite book |script-title=ja: 停車場変遷大辞典 国鉄・JR編 |trans-title=Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR|publisher = JTB | editor1-last = Ishino| editor1-first = Tetsu| year = 1998 |location = Japan |language = ja | volume = I |page = 128 |isbn = 4-533-02980-9}}

The lines were nationalized on 1 August 1927, and merged into one, becoming the Hidaka Line. The track gauge was widened to {{Track gauge|1067mm}} between Tomakomai and Sarufuto on 26 November 1929, and between Sarafuto and Shizunai on 10 November 1931. The line was extended from Shizunai to {{STN|Hidaka-Mitsuishi|x}} on 15 December 1933, to {{STN|Urakawa|x|Hokkaido}} on 24 October 1935, and to Samani on 10 August 1937.

With the privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, the line came under the control of JR Hokkaido.

Following storm damage between Atsuga and Ōkaribe stations on 8 January 2015,{{cite web |url= http://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/press/2015/150113-3.pdf |script-title=ja: 日高線 厚賀～大狩部間 67k506m 付近における盛土流出について |trans-title=Trackbed damage on Hidaka Line between Atsuga and Ōkaribe |date= 13 January 2015 |work= News release |publisher= Hokkaido Railway Company |location= Japan|language= ja|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122628/http://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/press/2015/150113-3.pdf |archive-date= 4 March 2016 |url-status=live|access-date= 4 April 2017}} rail services had been suspended on the 116.0 km (72.1 mi) section beyond Mukawa station, with buses providing a substitute service. Further damage was caused to the line by Typhoon 17 or Typhoon Kilo on 12 September 2015, and no date had been set for the resumption of rail services beyond Mukawa. In December 2016, JR Hokkaido announced that it had abandoned plans to reopen the suspended section of the line, and was in discussion with the local governments involved.{{cite web |url= https://trafficnews.jp/post/61922/ |script-title=ja: 日高本線・鵡川～様似間の復旧を断念 JR北海道、地元と協議へ |trans-title=JR Hokkaido abandons reopening of Hidaka Main Line between Mukawa and Samani |date= 22 December 2016|work= Traffic News |publisher= Mediavague Co. Ltd.|location= Japan|language= ja |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161222054706/https://trafficnews.jp/post/61922/ |archive-date= 22 December 2016 |url-status=live|access-date= 4 April 2017}}

Due to low ridership and very high repair costs, including coastal defences between Atsuga and Ōkaribe, JR Hokkaido held several meetings with the seven towns along the suspended segment of the line, suggesting to abandon plans to restore the line and replace it with a bus service. In November 2019, six out of the seven towns agreed to replace the damaged section with a bus service. However, the town of Urakawa still strongly requested for the whole line to be restored; Urakawa's mayor reasoned that it would still take a while for the 'developing' Hidaka Expressway to reach the town, therefore it being necessary to retain the rail service.

In September 2020, after five years of meetings and discussions, many of which involved extensive arguments and disagreements, all seven towns eventually agreed with JR Hokkaido to abandon the line's damaged section and replace it with a bus service. The 116.0 km (72.1 mi) section was formally closed on 1 April 2021.{{Cite web|date=5 January 2021|title=鉄道事業の一部廃止の日を繰上げる届出について|url=https://wwwtb.mlit.go.jp/hokkaido/press/presspdf/202101/20210105.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105055746/https://wwwtb.mlit.go.jp/hokkaido/press/presspdf/202101/20210105.pdf|archive-date=5 January 2021|website=MLIT}}

• List of railway lines in Japan

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/ JR Hokkaido official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061129153202/http://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/ |date=29 November 2006 }}

{{Hokkaidō transit}}

Category:Rail transport in Hokkaido

Category:Lines of Hokkaido Railway Company

Category:1067 mm gauge railways in Japan

Category:2 ft 6 in gauge railways in Japan