Rikuu West Line

Rikuu West Line
DMU train on the Rikuu West Line crossing the Tsunokawa River in Tozawa, Yamagata, Japan.
Overview
Native name陸羽西線
StatusOperation temporarily suspended
Owner JR East
LocaleYamagata Prefecture
Termini
Stations10
Service
Operator(s)JR East
Depot(s)Kogota
Rolling stockKiHa 110 series DMU
History
Opened1913
Technical
Line length43.0 km (26.7 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed95 km/h (59 mph)
Route map

Legend
Ou Main Line
（Yamagata Shinkansen）
Rikuu East Line
0.0
 Shinjō
Ou Main Line
7.5
 Masukata
10.6
 Uzen-Zennami
Sakegawa River
12.9
 Tsuya
Mogami River
17.0
 Furukuchi
Tsunokawa River
Kutsuodaki Tunnel
24.8
 Takaya
Haramaki Tunnel
31.1
 Kiyokawa
34.9
 Karikawa
38.9
 Minamino
Uetsu Main Line
43.0
 Amarume
Uetsu Main Line
Sakata
Line map
Red: Rikuu West Line
Blue: Uetsu Main Line (Amarume - Sakata)

The Rikuu West Line (陸羽西線, Rikuu-sai-sen) is a railway line in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East).[1] It connects Shinjō Station to Amarume Station, and trains continue on to Sakata Station, even though it is not officially a part of the Rikuu West Line.

Its name refers to the ancient provinces of Mutsu (陸奥) and Dewa (出羽) (or alternatively, the Meiji-era provinces of Rikuzen (陸前) and Uzen (羽前)), although strictly speaking, only the Rikuu East Line connects both areas.

Station list

Station Japanese Distance (km) Rapid Transfers   Location
Between
stations 		Total
Shinjō 新庄 - 0.0 ●
∨ Shinjō
Masukata 升形 7.5 7.5 ▼ ｜
Uzen-Zennami 羽前前波 3.1 10.6 ▼ ｜
Tsuya 津谷 2.3 12.9 ▼ ｜ Tozawa
Furukuchi 古口 4.1 17.0 ● ◇
Takaya 高屋 7.8 24.8 ▼ ｜
Kiyokawa 清川 6.3 31.1 ▼ ｜ Shōnai
Karikawa 狩川 3.8 34.9 ● ｜
Minamino 南野 4.0 38.9 ▼ ｜
Amarume 余目 4.1 43.0 ● ■ Uetsu Main Line ^
Through to the Uetsu Main Line (via Kita-Amarume, Sagoshi and Higashi-Sakata)
Sakata 酒田 - 55.3 ● ■ Uetsu Main Line ∥ Sakata

Symbols:

  • | - Single-track
  • ◇ - Single-track; station where trains can pass
  • ^ - Double-track section starts from this point
  • ∥ - Double-track
  • ∨ - Single-track section starts from this point

Rolling stock

History

The line was opened in sections between 1913 and 1914. Freight services ceased in 1987, and CTC signalling was commissioned in 1991.

Due to the construction of a tunnel, that is part of Shinjo Sakata Road of National Route 47, the Rikuu West Line has temporarily suspended services since 14 May 2022 until at least 2024~2025, with replacement buses operating in the neighbour towns of stations.[2]

References

  1. ^ "ＪＲ陸羽西線、廃線に危機感 国道トンネル工事で２年運休". 河北新報オンライン (in Japanese). 2022-05-14. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  2. ^ "国土交通省による「（仮称）高屋トンネル」の施工に伴う 陸羽西線全線の運転取りやめとバスによる代行輸送のお知らせ" (PDF). JR East (in Japanese). 22 February 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2022.
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