Shinmei Line
{{Short description|Former railway line in Hokkaido, Japan}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width =
| name = Shinmei Line
| color = 2cb431
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = Syumarinai_eki_kiha53001.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| caption = A single KiHa 53 series DMU on the Shinmei Line in February 1994
| type = Regional rail
| system =
| status = Closed
| locale = 20px JR Hokkaido
| start = {{STN|Fukagawa|x}}
| end = {{STN|Nayoro|x}}
| stations = 21
| routes =
| open = 25 October 1924 (Uryū Line)
10 November 1937 (Meiu Line)
| close = 4 September 1995
| owner = Hokkaido Railway Company
| operator = Hokkaido Railway Company
| character = Rural
| depot =
| stock =
| linelength = {{Convert|121.8|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| tracklength =
| gauge = {{RailGauge|1067mm|lk=on}}
| speed =
| electrification = None
| tracks = Entire line single tracked
| elevation =
| minradius =
| map = 300px
| map_state =
}}
The {{nihongo|Shinmei Line|深名線|Shinmei-sen}} was a Japanese railway line in Hokkaido operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) which connected Fukagawa Station in Fukagawa and Nayoro Station in Nayoro.
Stations
Stops legend: ●: Train meet possible X:Train meet impossible
| class="wikitable" | |
| No.
!Station name !Japanese !Between !Distance !Stop !Transfers !Location | |
|---|---|
| {{rbox|A24 | orange}}
|{{STN|Fukagawa|x}} |深川 | |style="text-align:right;"|0.0 |style="text-align:center;"|● |{{colorbull|orange}} Hakodate Main Line |rowspan="8"|Fukagawa |
| |{{ill|Maruyama Station (Hokkaido)|lt=Maruyama|ja|円山駅}}
|円山 |style="text-align:right;"|4.7 |style="text-align:right;"|4.7 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Kami-Tadoshi Station|lt=Kami-Tadoshi|ja|上多度志駅}}
|上多度志 |style="text-align:right;"|6.1 |style="text-align:right;"|10.8 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Tadoshi Station|lt=Tadoshi|ja|多度志駅}}
|多度志 |style="text-align:right;"|3.2 |style="text-align:right;"|14.0 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Uma Station|lt=Uma|ja|宇摩駅}}
|宇摩 |style="text-align:right;"|5.4 |style="text-align:right;"|19.4 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Horonari Station|lt=Horonari|ja|幌成駅}}
|幌成 |style="text-align:right;"|2.9 |style="text-align:right;"|22.3 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Shimo-Horonari Station|lt=Shimo-Horonari|ja|下幌成駅}}
|下幌成 |style="text-align:right;"|1.8 |style="text-align:right;"|24.1 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Takadomari Station|lt=Takadomari|ja|鷹泊駅}}
|鷹泊 |style="text-align:right;"|3.2 |style="text-align:right;"|27.3 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Numaushi Station|lt=Numaushi|ja|沼牛駅}}
|沼牛 |style="text-align:right;"|10.6 |style="text-align:right;"|37.9 |style="text-align:center;"|X | |rowspan="17"|Uryu District | |
| |{{ill|Shin-Nariu Station|lt=Shin-Nariu|ja|新成生駅}}
|新成生 |style="text-align:right;"|2.0 |style="text-align:right;"|39.9 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Horokanai Station|lt=Horokanai|ja|幌加内駅}}
|幌加内 |style="text-align:right;"|3.8 |style="text-align:right;"|43.7 |style="text-align:center;"|● | | |
| |{{ill|Kami-Horokanai Station|lt=Kami-Horokanai|ja|上幌加内駅}}
|上幌加内 |style="text-align:right;"|3.1 |style="text-align:right;"|46.8 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{ill|Uembetsu Station|lt=Uembetsu|ja|雨煙別駅}}
|雨煙別 |style="text-align:right;"|4.3 |style="text-align:right;"|51.1 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"|All trains passed this station between December 1 and April 20. | |
| |{{ill|Seiwa-Onsen Station|lt=Seiwa-Onsen|ja|政和温泉駅}}
| 政和温泉 |style="text-align:right;"|5.1 |style="text-align:right;"|56.2 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"|All trains passed this station between December 1 and April 20. | |
| |{{ill|Seiwa Station|lt=Seiwa|ja|政和駅}}
|政和 |style="text-align:right;"|2.5 |style="text-align:right;"|58.7 |style="text-align:center;"|X | | |
| |{{STN|Shintomi|x}}
|新富 |style="text-align:right;"|5.5 |style="text-align:right;"|64.2 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"|Closed 1 September 1990 | |
| |{{STN|Soeushinai|x}}
|添牛内 |style="text-align:right;"|4.4 |style="text-align:right;"|68.6 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"| | |
| |{{STN|Ōmagari|x|Hokkaido}}
|大曲 |style="text-align:right;"|3.6 |style="text-align:right;"|72.2 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"|Closed 1 February 1976 | |
| |{{STN|Kyōei|x}}
|共栄 |style="text-align:right;"|3.3 |style="text-align:right;"|75.5 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"| | |
| |{{STN|Shumarinai|x}}
|朱鞠内 |style="text-align:right;"|3.3 |style="text-align:right;"|78.8 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|Meiu Line (Uncompleted) | |
| |Kohan
|湖畔 |style="text-align:right;"|1.9 |style="text-align:right;"|80.7 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"| | |
| |{{STN|Utsunai|x}}
|宇津内 |style="text-align:right;"|4.3 |style="text-align:right;"|85.0 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"|Closure date unknown | |
| |{{STN|Fukinodai|x}}
|蕗ノ台 |style="text-align:right;"|4.5 |style="text-align:right;"|89.5 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"|All trains passed this station between December 1 and April 30. | |
| |{{STN|Shirakaba|x}}
|白樺 |style="text-align:right;"|4.1 |style="text-align:right;"|93.6 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"|All trains passed this station between December 1 and April 30. | |
| |{{STN|Kita-Moshiri|x}}
|北母子里 |style="text-align:right;"|5.4 |style="text-align:right;"|99.0 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"| | |
| |{{STN|Teshio-Yayoi|x}}
|天塩弥生 |style="text-align:right;"|15.6 |style="text-align:right;"|114.6 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"| |rowspan="3"|Nayoro | |
| |{{STN|Nishi-Nayoro|x}}
|西名寄 |style="text-align:right;"|3.2 |style="text-align:right;"|117.8 |style="text-align:center;"|X |style="text-align:center;"| | |
| {{rbox|W48 | brown}}
|{{STN|Nayoro|x}} |名寄 |style="text-align:right;"|4.0 |style="text-align:right;"|121.8 |style="text-align:center;"|● |style="text-align:center;"|Nayoro Main Line (Abolished 1 May 1989) Sōya Main Line |
History
Uryū Line began construction in 1922, to connect Shumarinai and Fukagawa. The construction was split in six phases and the construction was completed by 1932. The line was renamed to Horokanai Line in 1931.
Meiu Line (名雨線) began construction in 1935 to connect Nayoro to Shumarinai. The line was completed in 1939, and the two lines were renamed to Shinmei Line, taking letters from the two terminus.
=Post war=
In 1960s, due to the decline of coal mines and introduction of cheaper foreign woods, the economy of the nearby municipalities began to decline. This led to the slow decrease in the population. Population in Horokonai decreased to 7,283 by 1970 compared to 12,016 in 1960. In areas close to Shirakaba station and Fukinodai, settlements disappeared, and with the ongoing motorization and the improvements in roads, the number of users fell to one-third of its peak.
Following the huge drop in users and operating ratio hitting 2,785, the line was listed as one of the Deficit 83 Lines movement and later Specified local lines. However, due to lack of replacement roads, it was not closed by the movement, the line continued to operate until 1995, when it was closed and switched to bus service by JR Hokkaido Bus Company.
Rolling stock
6 JNR Class C11s were used in the line from 1941 to 1949.青木栄一「特定地方交通線の実態と問題を現地に見る 10 深名線」『鉄道ジャーナル』第183号、成美堂出版（鉄道ジャーナル社）, May 1982, 122-131p. JGR Class 8620 and JNR Class 9600 were used until the 1970s.
KiHa 01 series was used from August 1955, but were slowly replaced by KiHa 05 which were used by 1966.「旧型気動車にお別れ」『広報ほろかない』May 1966 After 1966, KiHa 21 and KiHa 22 DMU made for Hokkaido were used.
From March 1986, KiHa 53, KiHa 54, KiHa 40 was used until the closure of the entire line.