Nayoro Main Line

In 1962, three services would start using the line - the Monbetsu, which ran between Sapporo and Engaru; the Asahikawa, which was a round trip service that made stops at Engaru and Nayoro before returning to Asahikawa; and the Tento, which ran between Okoppe and Abashiri.

In 1915, the Yubetsu Light Rail Line was extended from Nokkeushi (which was renamed to Kitami in 1942) to Shanabuchi (later {{Interlanguage link|開盛駅|lt=Kaisei|ja}}). The light railroad lines of the national railroads were built with the same gauge of 1067mm as the other lines, but only the Yubetsu Light Rail Line had a gauge of 762mm. In the following year, the gauge was changed to 1067mm.{{Cite book|title=『北海道鉄道百年史 下巻』|publisher=Hokkaido General Bureau, JNR|year=1981|language=ja|trans-title=A Hundred Year History of Hokkaido Railways|chapter=第5編資料/1年表。|trans-chapter=Part 5: Documents/1: Chronological Table.}}

The section of the line from Nayoro to Naka-Yubetsu, on the other hand, was constructed from both sides as the Nayoro West Line and the Nayoro East Line to avoid the difficult Sekihoku and Kitami Passes, and the entire line was opened to traffic as the Nayoro Line between 1919 and 1921. In 1922, with the repeal of the Light Railways Act, the Yubetsu Light Rail Line was renamed to the Yubetsu Line, and in 1923, the Nayoro Line was designated as a main line, and was renamed to the Nayoro Main Line.

In 1932, after the Kitami Pass was overcome and the Sekihoku Line (later the Sekihoku Main Line) became fully operational, the section of the Yubetsu Line between Naka-Yubetsu and Nokkeushi would be transferred to other lines - the section between Engaru and Naka-Yubetsu became part of the Nayoro Main Line, whilst the section between Engaru and Nokkeushi became part of the Sekihoku Line.{{Cite news|date=4 July 2008|title=＜オホーツク 廃止鉄路を訪ねて＞６＊名寄本線＊「札幌日帰り」かなう|language=ja|trans-title=A Tour of Obsolete Railways in Okhotsk - Nayoro Line - "One Day Trip to Sapporo" Comes True|page=25|work=Hokkaido Shimbun|publisher=Hokkaido Shimbun Co. Ltd.}}

When the National Railways Restructuring Act was passed in 1980, the line was designated as a specified local line, but its abolition was delayed along with that of the Tempoku, Chihoku, and {{Interlanguage link|標津線|lt=Shibetsu|ja}} lines due to insufficient alternative transportation at that time, especially in winter. However, in 1985, the approval was given for their abolition as the problem had been fixed.{{Cite news|date=February 28, 1990|title=名寄本線代替バス運営協議会『名寄本線』|language=ja|trans-title=Nayoro Main Line Replacement Bus Operation Council - Nayoro Main Line|pages=158–180|work=Hokkai Minyū Shimbun}}

After the privatization of Japan National Railways in April 1987, the towns of Engaru, Monbetsu, and Shimokawa along the line continued to campaign for the continuation of the line by subsidizing the use of the line by their residents. It was proposed that the sections of the line between Nayoro and Shimokawa and between Monbetsu and Engaru be transferred to third-sector operation, as these sections were used most frequently by passengers. However, the idea of continuing the line as a railroad was eventually abandoned, and the entire line was closed to passengers on April 30, 1989.{{Cite news|date=February 28, 1990|title=名寄本線代替バス運営協議会『名寄本線』|language=ja|trans-title=Nayoro Main Line Replacement Bus Operation Council - Nayoro Main Line|pages=54–55|work=Hokkai Minyū Shimbun}}

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6BXgptPU00 9600 challenges Tenpoku Pass — 1972 short film by Japanese National Railways]

{{Commons category-inline|Nayoro Main Line}}

{{Specified local lines|state=collapsed}}

Category:Rail transport in Hokkaido

Category:Defunct railroads

Category:Closed railway lines in Japan