Abukuma Express Line

Abukuma Express Line
Abukuma Express Line
	Abukuma Express train at Abukuma Station, August 2006
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Abukuma Express
Locale	Tohoku region
Termini	Fukushima; Tsukinoki;
Stations	23
Service
Type	Heavy rail
History
Opened	1 April 1968
Technical
Line length	54.9 km (34.1 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Minimum radius	500 m
Electrification	20 kV AC (50 Hz) overhead catenary
Operating speed	95 km/h (60 mph)

The Abukuma Express Line (阿武隈急行線, Abukuma Kyūkō sen) is a railway line in Japan, owned and operated by the third sector operator AbukumaExpress. The line connects Fukushima Station in Fukushima Prefecture and Tsukinoki Station in Miyagi Prefecture. Both of these stations are also on the Tōhoku Main Line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

Legend

	Tōhoku Main Line
	Tōhoku Shinkansen
0.0	Fukushima
	Yamagata Shinkansen
	Yamagata Line
	＝Ōu Main Line



	Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka Line
4.7	Yanome Signal
	Tōhoku Main Line
	Tōhoku Shinkansen
5.6	Oroshimachi
6.5	Fukushima Gakuin-mae
7.5	Senoue
	Abukuma River
8.6	Mukaisenoue
	Tsukinorin Tunnel
	Takakonuma Tunnel
10.1	Takako
11.5	Kamihobara
12.8	Hobara]
13.9	Ōizumi
15.4	Niida
17.0	Nitta
18.3	Yanagawa
20.0	Yanagawa Kibōnomori Kōen-mae
22.1	Tomino
25.2	Kabuto
	Hadeniwa Tunnel	2281m
29.4	Abukuma

	Abukuma River

37.5	Marumori
39.2	Kita-Marumori

41.6	Minami-Kakuda

43.3	Kakuda
45.2	Yokokura
47.7	Oka

51.3	Higashi-Funaoka
	Momoishi River
	Tōhoku Main Line
54.9	Tsukinoki
	Tōhoku Main Line

Station list

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Fukushima	福島	0.0	Tōhoku Main Line, Tōhoku Shinkansen, Ōu Main Line, Yamagata Shinkansen, Iizaka Line	Fukushima	Fukushima Prefecture
Oroshimachi	卸町	5.6
Fukushima Gakuin-mae	福島学院前	6.5
Senoue	瀬上	7.5
Mukaisenoue	向瀬上	8.6
Takako	高子	10.1		Date
Kamihobara	上保原	11.5
Hobara	保原	12.8
Ōizumi	大泉	13.9
Niida	二井田	15.4
Nitta	新田	17.0
Yanagawa	梁川	18.3
Yanagawa Kibōnomori Kōen-mae	やながわ希望の森公園前	20.0
Tomino	富野	22.1
Kabuto	兜	25.2
Abukuma	あぶくま	29.4		Marumori	Miyagi Prefecture
Marumori	丸森	37.5
Kita-Marumori	北丸森	39.2
Minami-Kakuda	南角田	41.6		Kakuda
Kakuda	角田	43.3
Yokokura	横倉	45.2
Oka	岡	47.7
Higashi-Funaoka	東船岡	51.3		Shibata
Tsukinoki	槻木	54.9	Tōhoku Main Line	Shibata

History

The line first opened on 1 April 1968 as the Marumori Line (丸森線), operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) between Tsukinoki and Marumori.^[1] The original plan was to create a bypass route to relieve overcrowding on the Tōhoku Main Line, but work to extend the line was suspended following the quadrupling of tracks on the Tōhoku Main Line.^[1]

In September 1981, the line was proposed for possible closure.^[1]

Ownership of the line was transferred to the third-sector Abukuma Express operator from 1 July 1986, initially using former JNR KiHa 22 diesel trains.^[1]

Festival Celebrating the Abukuma Express Line's 30th Anniversary.

The entire line was opened and electrified between Tsukino and Fukushima from 1 July 1988.^[1]

On 14 February 2021, all services were suspended due to the 2021 Fukushima earthquake.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Terada, Hirokazu (July 2002). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 19. ISBN 4-87366-874-3.
^ "東北新幹線運転見合わせ全線での再開は10日前後かかる見込み" [Tohoku Shinkansen operation suspension It is expected that it will take about 10 days to restart all lines.]. NHK Japan (in Japanese). February 14, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.

External links

Official website (in Japanese)
Video of the "Masamune Date ni Kuru" anime themed train wrapping in 2016

[terada2002-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Terada, Hirokazu (July 2002). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 19. ISBN 4-87366-874-3.

[:4-2] "東北新幹線運転見合わせ全線での再開は10日前後かかる見込み" [Tohoku Shinkansen operation suspension It is expected that it will take about 10 days to restart all lines.]. NHK Japan (in Japanese). February 14, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.

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