La sección de 159,9 kilómetros (99,4 millas) de la línea entre la estación de Tokio y la estación de Kuroiso en Nasushiobara , Tochigi, es denominada por JR East como la línea Utsunomiya , y el resto se denomina línea Tōhoku en servicio regular. Debido a la diferencia de electrificación al sur (1500 V CC) y al norte (20 kV CA) de Kuroiso, no hay servicios de pasajeros programados regularmente que pasen por esa estación.
Lista de estaciones
Estas listas están separadas por patrones de servicio proporcionados en la línea principal de Tōhoku.
Tokio – Kuroiso
El tramo entre Tokio y Kuroiso se conoce como Línea Utsunomiya.
A partir de marzo de 2013, una flota de ocho EMU de 4 vagones de la serie 205-600 renovadas se incorporó gradualmente a los servicios de la línea Utsunomiya entre Koganei y Kuroiso, en sustitución de los equipos de la serie 211. [1]
Unidad de distribución de energía híbrida serie HB-E210
Historia
La línea principal de Tōhoku se empezó a construir en la región de Kantō y se extendió hasta el extremo norte de Honshu y la ciudad de Aomori. Es una de las líneas ferroviarias más antiguas de Japón, cuya construcción comenzó a finales del siglo XIX. Hasta el 1 de noviembre de 1906, la actual línea principal de Tōhoku estaba gestionada por la empresa privada Nippon Railway .
En 1883 se inauguró el primer tramo entre Ueno y Kumagaya . En 1885 se amplió hasta Utsunomiya, pero había que cruzar el río Tone en barco. Tras la construcción del puente sobre el río Tone en 1886, Utsunomiya y Ueno quedaron conectadas directamente. La línea se fue extendiendo gradualmente hacia el norte, hasta Kōriyama , Sendai, Ichinoseki y Morioka. En 1891 se inauguró el tramo entre Morioka y Aomori, creando la línea ferroviaria continua más larga de Japón.
Después de 1906, la línea fue nacionalizada y se convirtió en la línea principal de Tōhoku, operada por el Ministerio de Ferrocarriles. Cuando se inauguró la estación de Tokio en 1925, la línea principal de Tōhoku se extendió desde Ueno hasta la nueva estación. Hasta la década de 1950, este segmento se utilizó y muchos trenes pasaron por la línea principal de Tōkaidō y la línea principal de Tōhoku. Sin embargo, cuando se inauguró el Tōhoku Shinkansen , ocupó un terreno que anteriormente se usaba para las vías de los trenes de la línea principal de Tōhoku de media y larga distancia. Como resultado, solo un pequeño número de líneas de cercanías, como la línea Keihin-Tōhoku, operan ahora hacia Tokio desde el norte, lo que hace que el estatus de la estación de Tokio como parte de la línea principal de Tōhoku sea algo reservado.
In 2002, the Tōhoku Shinkansen was extended from Morioka to Hachinohe and the operations of the local track segment between those two cities was turned over to Iwate Ginga Railway (IGR) and Aoimori Railway.[2] With the extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori station in 2010, the segment between Hachinohe and Aomori was delegated to the Aoimori Railway Company. The shortened Tōhoku Main Line is now the second-longest line in Japan, after the Sanin Main Line.
With the opening of the Ueno–Tokyo Line in March 2015, most longer distance trains once again operate directly through to the Tōkaidō Main Line via Tokyo Station, with the exception of some rush hour trains which terminate at Ueno Station.
Double-tracking
The Tokyo to Omiya section was double-tracked between 1892 and 1896, extended to Furukawa in 1908, Koyama the following year, and to Utsunomiya in 1913.
The Iwanuma - Sendai - Iwakiri section was double-tracked between 1920 & 1923 and the Utsunomiya - Iwanuma section between 1959 and 1964. The Iwakiri - Morioka - Aomori section was double-tracked between 1951 and 1968, including the 17 km (11 mi) realigned section between Iwakiri and Atago in 1962.
Electrification
The 7 km (4.3 mi) Tokyo to Tabata section was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1909, extended to Akabane in 1928, Omiya in 1932 and Kuroiso in 1959. Electrification was then continued north at 20 kV AC, reaching Fukushima in 1960, Sendai in 1961, Morioka in 1965, and Aomori in 1968.
Former connecting lines
The staff of the Bushu Railway in 1927The railcar used on the Tsukinoki to Tateyama lineThe Matsushima-Machi handcar tramwayA train on the Kurihara Railway in April 2006
Saitama Prefecture
Hasuda Station: The Bushu Railway operated a 17 km (11 mi) line to Kamine from 1924 until 1938.
Tochigi Prefecture
Mamada Station: A 2 km (1.2 mi) 610 mm (2 ft) gauge handcar line to Omoigawa operated between 1899 and 1917.
Hoshakuji Station: A 12 km (7.5 mi) line servicing the Utsunomiya Army Airfield operated between 1942 and 1945.
Ujiie Station: An 8 km (5.0 mi) 610 mm (2 ft) gauge handcar line operated to Kitsuregawa between 1902 and 1918.
Yaita Station: The Tobu Railway opened the 24 km (15 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge Tobu Yaita Line to Shin Takatoku (on the Tobu Kinugawa Line) on 1 March 1924.[3] The line was converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge in 1929, and closed on 30 June 1959.[3]
Nishi-Nasuno Station: A 15 km (9.3 mi) line was opened by the Shiobara Railway to Shiobara in 1912. The line was electrified at 550 V DC in 1921, and closed in 1936. The Higashino Railway opened a 24 km (15 mi) line to Nasu Ogawa between 1918 and 1924, the line closing in 1968. At Otawara Station, it connected with the 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) horse-drawn tramway mentioned below for the three years they were both open. A 5 km (3.1 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge handcar line to Otawara opened in 1908. In 1917, it was converted to a horse-drawn tramway, but closed in 1921. At Otawara Station, it connected with the Higashino Railway line mentioned above.
Fukushima Prefecture
Shirakawa Station: A 23 km (14 mi) line to Iwaki Tanakura (on the Suigun Line) was opened by the Shirotana Railway in 1916. The line was nationalized in 1941, and closed in 1944. Plans to reopen the line in 1953 resulted in a decision to convert the line to a dedicated busway, which opened in 1957.
Koriyama Station: The Fukushima Prefectural Government operated a 13 km (8.1 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Miharu between 1891 and 1914.
Matsukawa Station: A 12 km (7.5 mi) line to Iwashiro Kawamata operated from 1926 until 1972.
Miyagi Prefecture
The Miyagi Prefectural Government operated the following three lines, all utilising 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge track:
Ogawara Station: a 27 km (17 mi) line to Toogatta opened between 1917 and 1922, and closed in 1937.
Tsukinoki Station: a 19 km (12 mi) line to Tateyama, opened in 1899 as a horse-drawn tramway. Steam locomotion was introduced in 1917, and the line closed in 1929.
Natori Station: a 6 km (3.7 mi) line to Yurage, operated from 1926 until 1939.
Nagamachi Station: A 16 km (9.9 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge horse-drawn tramway was opened to Akiu Onsen in 1912. In 1925, the Akiho Electric Railway converted the line to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge and electrified it at 600 V DC. The line closed in 1961.
Kofuku-Tagajo Station: When the Tōhoku Main Line was realigned in 1956, the original line to Shiogama Wharf (on the Senseki Line) remained in place as a freight-only line, closing in 1997.
Matsushima Station: The Miyagi Prefectural Government operated a 4 km (2.5 mi), 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge line to Matsushima Kaigan, electrified at 550 V DC, between 1922 and 1944.
Matsushima-Machi Station: A 2 km (1.2 mi) 610 mm (2 ft) gauge handcar line operated between 1923 and 1930.
Kogota Station: Prior to the opening of the Rikuu East Line, a 10 km (6.2 mi) 2 ft 5 in (737 mm) gauge horse-drawn tramway operated to Furukawa between 1900 and 1913.
Semine Station: The Senpoku Railway operated a 41 km (25 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line from Tome to Tsukidate between 1921 and 1968.
Hanamaki Station: An 18 km (11 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Nishinamari Onsen was opened in 1915 by the Hanamaki Electric Railway, which then opened a second line, 8 km to Hanamaki Onsen in 1925. Both lines were electrified at 600 V DC. The latter closed in 1972, and the former in 1976.
Aomori Prefecture
Hachinohe Station: The Gonohe Electric Railway operated a 12 km (7.5 mi) line (not electrified, despite the company name) to Gonohe between 1929 and 1969.
Noheji Station: The Nanbu Jūkan Railway opened a 21 km (13 mi) line to Shichinohe in 1962. Freight services ceased in 1984, and the line closed in 1997.
^日光線、宇都宮線に205系リニューアル車投入 [Refurbished 205 series to be introduced on Nikko and Utunomiya Line]. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
^Tetsudo Hobidas: "JR東日本 東北本線八戸―青森間の廃止を届出 " (27 November 2009). Retrieved 27 November 2009. (in Japanese)
^ a bHanai, Masahiro (April 1998). "東北本線沿線に失われた私鉄の接続駅を訪ねる1 東武鉄道矢板線" [Visiting Lost Private Railway Interchange Stations on the Tōhoku Main Line (1): Tobu Yaita Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 38, no. 444. Japan: Kōyūsha Co., Ltd. pp. 76–81.
