Kabe Line

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Kabe Line
A 227 series train at Aki-Kameyama
Overview
OwnerLogo of the West Railway Company (JR West) JR West
LocaleHiroshima Prefecture
Termini
  • Yokogawa
  • Aki-Kameyama
Stations14
Service
TypeRegional rail
SystemHiroshima City Network
History
Opened1909
Technical
Line length15.6 km (9.7 mi)
Number of tracks1
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead lines
Operating speed65 km/h (40 mph)

The Kabe Line (可部線, Kabe-sen) is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) within the city of Hiroshima in Japan. It connects Hiroshima Station and Aki-Kameyama Station in Asakita-ku. The actual junction station is Yokogawa. It is one of the commuter lines to Hiroshima.[1][2][3]

Route data

  • Operator: West Japan Railway Company (Class-1 railroad)
  • Official line length: 14 kilometres (8.7 mi)
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Double track: none (entirely single track)
  • Electrified sections: entire line (1500 VDC)
  • Safeworking system:
    • special automatic occlusive (track circuit detection type)

History

Private railway

The section now in operation of the Kabe Line was originally constructed by a private company and later purchased by Japanese Government Railways.

The section was opened by Dainippon Kidō in four phases.

The line was handed over to Kabe Kidō on 11 March 1919. Kabe Kidō was merged to Hiroshima Denki Kidō on 1 May 1926.

The line was originally built to 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge and not electrified. The line was electrified and re-gauged (to the national standard of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)) in the following steps.

  • 9 November 1928: Yokogawa – Furuichibashi section. Bus service temporary replaces rest of the line. Matsubara Station closes and Taishi Station opens.
  • 10 August 1929: Furuichibashi – Shichikenjaya section.
  • 2 December 1929: Ōtagawabashi – Kabe section.

The line was handed over to the Kōhin Railway on 1 July 1931. On 1 December 1935, the line's legal status was changed from light railway to railway.

After nationalization

The line was nationalized on 1 September 1936, and became a part of Japanese Government Railways as the Kabe Line. Simultaneously, some station names were changed as follows:

The line voltage was raised from 750 V to 1,500 V (JNR standard) on 23 April 1962.

Since 4 September 1968, the line had been on the government's list of deficit-ridden railways where service was to be discontinued.

After JR West took over the line in 1987, wanman driver-only operation was introduced on the Kabe – Sandankyō section.

Beginning in summer 2007, the ICOCA card can be used in all stations in the Hiroshima City Network, including all stations on the Kabe Line.

On 4 February 2011, it was announced that a 1.6 km (0.99 mi) section of the abandoned segment, between Kabe Station and the former Kōdo Station, would be electrified and reopened. This will be the first such reopening by a JR Group company since the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR).[4] Operation was scheduled to resume from fiscal 2015;[5] the two new stations at Kōdo-Homachigawa and Aki-Kameyama finally opened on 4 March 2017.[6]

Discontinued/suspended section

a train for non-electrified section at Kake Station

JGR extended the line beyond Kabe Station. The extended sections were not electrified.

The line was intended to be extended to Hamada station on the Sanin Main Line, and construction on that section commenced in 1974, before being abandoned in 1980.

The Kabe – Sandankyō section was closed on 1 December 2003.[7]

  • Operator: West Japan Railway Company (Class-1 railroad)
  • Official line length: 46.2 km (28.7 mi)
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Double track: none (entirely single track)
  • Electrified sections: none
  • Closure system:
    • section between Kabe Station and Kake Station: Special automatic closure type
    • section between Kake Station and Sandankyō Station: Staff closure type

Stations

Trains can pass at stations marked "||", "◇", "∨", and "∧". Trains cannot pass at stations marked "|".

No. Station Japanese Distance
(km) 		Transfers Tracks Location
Sanyō Main Line
 JR-B01  Hiroshima 広島 Sanyō Shinkansen, Kure Line, Geibi Line, Hiroden Main Line || Minami
 JR-B02  Shin-Hakushima 新白島 Astram Line || Naka
Kabe Line
 JR-B03  Yokogawa 横川 0.0 Sanyō Main Line, Hiroden Yokogawa Line ∨ Nishi
 JR-B04  Mitaki 三滝 1.1 ◇
 JR-B05  Aki-Nagatsuka 安芸長束 2.6 ◇ Asaminami
 JR-B06  Shimo-Gion 下祗園 3.9 ◇
 JR-B07  Furuichibashi 古市橋 5.3 ◇
 JR-B08  Ōmachi 大町 6.5 Astram Line |
 JR-B09  Midorii 緑井 7.3 ◇
 JR-B10  Shichikenjaya 七軒茶屋 8.0 |
 JR-B11  Bairin 梅林 9.6 ◇
 JR-B12  Kami-Yagi 上八木 11.2 |
 JR-B13  Nakashima 中島 12.6 | Asakita
 JR-B14  Kabe 可部 14.0 ◇
 JR-B15  Kōdo-Homachigawa 河戸帆待川 14.8 |
 JR-B16  Aki-Kameyama あき亀山 15.6 ∧

Rolling stock

New 2- and 3-car 227 series electric trains were introduced on the Kabe Line from around 2015,[6] replacing older 115 series trains.[8] By 2019, all Kabe Line services were operated by 227 series trains.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Hiroshima station guide. How to change the trains, Shinkansen and local train to Miyajima. How to catch tram and loop bus Meipuru-pu". JPRail.com - Japan rail and train travel complete guide. 9 October 2016.
  2. ^ "Hiroshima Access Guide: Transport and Getting Around". JapanTravel. 10 August 2020.
  3. ^ "JR Kabe Line(Yokogawa-Aki Kameyama) （横川（広島県）-あき亀山） Route Information / Stop Station List - Navitime Transit". transit.navitime.com.
  4. ^ JR廃線、初の復活…広島市の可部線 [First-ever reopening of an abandoned JR line: the Kabe Line in Hiroshima]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 4 February 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  5. ^ 可部線、15年度に延伸 [Kabe Line to be extended in fiscal 2015]. The Chigoku Shimbun Online (in Japanese). Japan: Chugoku Shimbun. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  6. ^ a b c "JR可部線、コロナ禍を経ても混雑が激化 - 2021年度の混雑率132%に" [JR Kabe Line faces increasing congestion in spite of coronavirus pandemic, with a 132% congestion rate in fiscal 2021]. Mynavi News (in Japanese). 23 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  7. ^ "旧戸河内駅、残るは表示板のモニュメントのみ 実は開通前から廃止検討の声も【廃線20年 可部線今昔】②". Chugoku Shimbun (in Japanese). 5 December 2023. Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  8. ^ JR西日本、広島地区に227系近郊形直流電車を投入 [JR West to introduce 227 series DC suburban trains in Hiroshima area]. The Page (in Japanese). Japan: Wordleaf Corporation. 19 June 2014. Archived from the original on 19 June 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
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