Takayama Main Line

Takayama Main Line
Hida limited express train
Overview
Stations	45
Operation
Operator(s)	JR Central, JR West
Technical
Line length	225.8 kilometres (140.3 mi)
No. of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	Not electrified
Route map Line map

Inotani Station covered in snow

The Takayama Main Line (高山本線, Takayama Honsen) is a Japanese railway line between Gifu Station in Gifu and Toyama Station in Toyama, operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line directly links the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area (metropolitan Nagoya) and Hokuriku region in a shorter distance, but with a longer travel time, than by using the combination of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Hokuriku Main Line. Now the line primarily functions as a way to access the scenic areas of Hida (ancient Hida Province), in the rugged mountains of northern Gifu Prefecture, such as Gero onsen (hot spring), Takayama, Shirakawa-gō, and the "Japan Rhine" (Kiso River). The first section of the line, between Gifu and Kagamigahara, opened in 1920 (1920). The whole line was completed in 1934.

Between 2004 and September 8, 2007, the segment between Tsunogawa Station and Inotani Station was closed due to flood damage from Typhoon Tokage.^[1]

History

The Gifu - Mino-Ota section opened in 1920/21, and the line was then extended in sections, opening to Gero in 1930 and Hida-Osaka in 1933. At the northern end the first section from Toyama opened in 1927, reached Inotani in 1930 and Takayama and Hida-Osaka in 1934, completing the line.

CTC signalling was commissioned in 1968/9, and in 1980 a ground-breaking ceremony was held at Takayama for the proposed electrification of the line, but the program was cancelled later that year before any significant work was undertaken.

Freight services ceased on the line in 2007.

Former connecting lines

• Hida-Osaka station - The 762mm (2'6") gauge Kosaka Forest railway commenced operation in 1933, and by 1953 consisted of 7 lines with a total length of 65km. Line closures commenced in 1954, and the system closed in 1971.

• Inotani station - The 610mm (2') gauge 24km line to Kamioka-Cho (which was opened in 1910 by the local government from Sasazu station) was acquired by the Mitsui Mining Co. in 1927. In 1931 a 2km line to alter the connection to Inotani station opened (with the 16km section providing the Sasazu connection closing at the same time) and an 8km branch opened in 1937, connecting to the 762mm gauge Sugoroku-Kanakida Forest railway (which consisted of a 16km 'mainline' and 3 branches between 3-6km in length, and operated from 1930 to 1963). Passenger services ceased in 1962, and the mine and railway closed in 1967.

• Sasazu station -

As mentioned above, the 610mm (2') gauge 24km line to Kamioka-Cho operated from 1910 until altered to connect at Inotani station in 1931.

The Toyama Railway Co. operated a 12km line to Minami-Toyama between 1914 and 1933. In 1943 the Toyama Electric Railway Co. reopened the line, electrified at 600 VDC, and operated it until 1975.

The 20km Kamioka Line to Okuhida-Onsenguchi opened in 1966. Freight services ceased in 1981, and the line closed in 2006.

Basic data

• Operators, distances:
  • Total distance: 225.8 kilometres (140.3 mi)
  • Central Japan Railway Company (Category 1)
    • Gifu - Inotani: 189.2 kilometres (117.6 mi)
  • West Japan Railway Company (Category 1)
    • Inotani - Toyama: 36.6 kilometres (22.7 mi)
  • Japan Freight Railway Company (Category 2)
    • Inotani - Toyama: 36.6 km
• Railway signalling:
  • Gifu - Inotani: Automatic
  • Inotani - Toyama: Special Automatic, a simplified automatic system
• CTC center:
  • Gifu - Inotani: Tōkai Operation Control Center
  • Inotani - Toyama: Kanazawa Operation Control Center

Services

The Hida limited express train operates between Nagoya and Takayama, Hida-Furukawa, and Toyama, with ten return services a day, and between Ōsaka and Takayama with one return service a day.

The line is generally divided to three parts for local services: between Gifu and Takayama; between Takayama and Inotani; and between Inotani and Toyama. There are roughly two trains per one hour between Gifu and Mino-Ōta, while there is no local train for four hours between Gero and Takayama.

Stations

Passing loops

Hisuikyō

In Hichisō, Gifu. (Coordinates: )

Washibara

In Shirakawa, Gifu. (Coordinates: )

Fukurai

In Gero, Gifu. (Coordinates: )

Shōgano

In Gero, Gifu. (Coordinates: )

• Hisuikyō
  A: Kamiasō
  B: Shirakawaguchi

• Washibara
  A: Shirakawaguchi
  B: Shimoyui

• Fukurai.
  A: Yakeishi
  B: Hida-Kanayama

• Shōgano
  A: Yakeishi
  B: Gero

See also

• List of railway lines in Japan

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese WorldHeritage

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JR West lines Shinkansen Sanyō (Hakata-Minami) Hokuriku Main Hokuriku Kansai Kisei San'in San'yō Takayama Tōkaidō Local Akō Bantan Etsumi-Hoku Fukuchiyama Fukuen Gantoku Geibi Hakubi Hanwa Himi Honshi-Bisan Inbi Jōhana JR Tōzai Kabe Kakogawa Kansai Airport Katamachi Kibi Kishin Kisuki Kosei Kure Kusatsu Maizuru Mine Nanao Nara Obama Ōito Onoda Osaka Higashi Osaka Loop Sakai Sakurai Sakurajima Sankō Tsuyama Ube Uno Wakayama Yamaguchi Past Gannichi Kajiya Miki Miyazu Noto Shigaraki Taisha Toyamakō Wakasa