Esashi Line

Esashi Line
Overview
Native name	江差線
Owner	JR Hokkaido
Locale	Hokkaido
Termini	Goryōkaku Kikonai
Stations	12
Service
Type	Regional rail
History
Opened	15 September 1913
Closed	26 March 2016 (Transferred to South Hokkaido Railway)
Technical
Line length	37.8 km (23.5 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	20 kV AC
Route map

The Esashi Line (江差線, Esashi-sen) was a Japanese railway line formerly operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). It connected Goryōkaku (near Hakodate) and Esashi.

The section between Kikonai and Esashi closed in May 2014, and the remainder was transferred to third-sector operator South Hokkaido Railway Company in March 2016 following the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen.

All stations are in Hokkaido.

Track: ∥: Double track, ∨: Double track ends, ◇: Passing loop |: No passing loop

The Goryokaku to Kamiiso section opened on 15 September 1913, and was extended to Kikonai on 25 October 1930. The Kikonai to Yunotai section opened on 10 December 1935, and was extended to Esashi on 10 November 1936.

The Goryokaku to Kikonai section was electrified on 13 March 1988 as part of the upgrading of the line associated with the opening of the Seikan Tunnel and associated Kaikyo Line linking Hokkaido to Honshu.

On 7 August 2012, JR Hokkaido announced its intention to close the 42 km (26 mi) non-electrified section of the line between Kikonai and Esashi in spring 2014 due to a lack of financial viability.^[1] In fiscal 2011, the Kikonai to Esashi section was served by six return services daily, with an average patronage of 41 passengers per km daily, the lowest for any of JR Hokkaido's lines.^[2] The Kikonai – Esashi section was closed in 2014, with the last services operating on 11 May.^[3]

Operations on the remaining section of the line between Goryōkaku and Kikonai was transferred from JR Hokkaido to the newly created South Hokkaido Railway Company when the Hokkaido Shinkansen opened on 26 March 2016.^[3]

• Kamiiso station: A 500 m spur line served the Japan Cement Co factory from 1915 to 1989. A private 6.6 km (4.1 mi) line transported limestone to the factory from 1921 to 1956, being electrified at 600 V DC from 1922. A second 3.4 km (2.1 mi) line to a limestone quarry operated from 1949 until replaced by a conveyor belt in 1973.
• Kikonai station: In 1937, the 8 km (5.0 mi) section to Shiriuchi opened, the beginning of a 75 km (47 mi) line to serve a proposed manganese mine at Oshima. The line reached Matsumae (51 km or 32 mi) in 1953, and closed in 1988. The last 24 km (15 mi) to the manganese deposit was not constructed.

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