Furusato Ginga Line

The Furusato Ginga Line (ふるさと銀河線, Furusato Ginga-sen) was a railway line most recently operated by Hokkaidō Chihoku Kōgen Railway Company in Hokkaidō, Japan. The 140 kilometres (87 mi) line connected the municipalities of Ikeda and Kitami until its closure in 2006.

Furusato Ginga Line
Furusato Ginga Line CR70 series DMU
February 2006, near Nishitomi Station
Overview
StatusCeased operation
LocaleHokkaidō, Japan
TerminiIkeda
Kitami
Stations33
Service
TypeHeavy rail
SystemHokkaidō Chihoku Kōgen Railway
History
OpenedSeptember 22, 1910
ClosedApril 21, 2006
Technical
Line length140.0 km (87.0 mi)
Number of tracksSingle
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNot electrified

History

The first segment of the line, originally called the Abashiri Line (網走線, Abashiri-sen) and operated by Japanese Government Railways, was opened on September 22, 1910, and ran for 77.4 km, connecting Ikeda and Rikunbetsu (later renamed to Rikubetsu). The line was then extended further north, and on September 25, 1911, the segment connecting Rikunbetsu and Nokkeushi (present-day Kitami) was opened. In 1912 the Abashiri Line was further extended to Abashiri, and the line was renamed the Abashiri Main Line (網走本線, Abashiri-honsen).[1]

Once the Sekihoku Line was extended to Nokkeushi in 1932, traffic largely shifted to the shorter Sekihoku Line. On April 1, 1961, the section of the Abashiri Main Line from Ikeda to Kitami (renamed from Nokkeushi in 1942) was named the Chihoku Line (池北線, Chihoku-sen), and the rest of the Abashiri Main Line was absorbed into the Sekihoku Main Line. The name "Chihoku Line" was created from the on'yomi of each of the first characters for Ikeda (池田) and Kitami (北見).[1]

In 1987 Japanese National Railways (JNR), the successor to Japanese Government Railways, was privatized and JR Hokkaido took over management of the line. However, on June 4, 1989, JR Hokkaido ceased operation of the Chihoku Line. Unlike all other lines shut down by JNR and JR Hokkaido, in the Chihoku Line's case a successor company was established by local governments and private investors. The new company, Hokkaidō Chihoku Kōgen Railway Company, renamed the Chihoku Line to the Furusato Ginga Line ("Hometown Galaxy Line") and introduced new cars. However 17 years later, the company came to the decision to close the line, which thus ceased operations on April 21, 2006.[2]

Stations
Station Distance
(km)		 Connections Location
Ikeda 池田駅 0.0 JR Hokkaido: Nemuro Main Line Ikeda Hokkaidō
Samamai 様舞駅 5.7
Takashima 高島駅 11.5
Ōmori 大森駅 16.5
Yūtari 勇足駅 20.8 Honbetsu
Minami-Honbetsu 南本別駅 23.5
Okamedō 岡女堂駅 27.3
Honbetsu 本別駅 29.8
Senbiri 仙美里駅 36.2
Ashoro 足寄駅 44.6 Ashoro
Aikappu 愛冠駅 50.7
Nishiissen 西一線駅 54.0
Shiohoro 塩幌駅 55.9
Kamitoshibetsu 上利別駅 58.4
Sasamori 笹森駅 62.2
Oyochi 大誉地駅 66.5
Kunbetsu 薫別駅 70.7 Rikubetsu
Rikubetsu 陸別駅 77.4
Bunsen 分線駅 83.1
Kawakami 川上駅 87.2
Shōtoshibetsu 小利別駅 93.5
Oketo 置戸駅 109.4 Oketo
Toyozumi 豊住駅 113.8
Sakaino 境野駅 116.6
Nishi-Kunneppu 西訓子府駅 118.4 Kunneppu
Nishitomi 西富駅 121.4
Kunneppu 訓子府駅 123.5
Honami 穂波駅 125.3
Hinode 日ノ出駅 127.4
Hirosato 広郷駅 129.4 Kitami
Kami-Tokoro 上常呂駅 132.2
Hokkōsha 北光社駅 135.5
Kitami 北見駅 140.0 JR Hokkaido: Sekihoku Main Line

References
  1. Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR] (in Japanese). I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 249. ISBN 4533029809.
  2. "4/20，"ふるさと銀河線"，最後の日を迎える" [April 20, Furusato Ginga Line's last day]. Japan Railfan Magazine. No. July 2006. p. 166.

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