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Ban'etsu West Line

Railway line in Japan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ban'etsu West Line
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The Ban'etsu West Line (磐越西線, Ban'etsu-sai-sen) is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Kōriyama Station in Kōriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, and Niitsu Station in Akiha Ward, Niigata, Niigata Prefecture. The name "Banetsu" is taken from the first characters of the names of the ancient provinces of Iwaki (磐城) and Echigo (越後), which the Banetsu East and Banetsu West lines connect. "Sai" (西) means "west" in Japanese.

Quick facts Overview, Native name ...
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Mount Bandai and Joyful Train FruiTea Fukushima in 2015

The line's nickname is the Mori to Mizu to Roman no Tetsudō (森と水とロマンの鉄道, lit. "the water, forest, and nostalgia railway").[citation needed]

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Station list

  • Local trains generally stop at all stations, but some trains skip stations marked "▽".
  • The column marked "*" refers to the unnamed rapid service between Kōriyama and Aizu-Wakamatsu/Kitakata using 719 series EMUs.
  • Trains can pass one another at stations marked "◇", "∨", or "∧"; stations marked "◆" are switchback stations. Trains cannot pass at stations marked "｜".
More information Station, Japanese ...
  1. [1]
    Although the official start of the Suigun Line is Asakanagamori, all trains run through to/from Kōriyama.
  2. [2]
    Although the official start of the Aizu Line is Nishi-Wakamatsu, all trains run through to/from Aizu-Wakamatsu.
  3. [3]
    Nitchuu Line closed 1984.
  4. [4]
    Most Banetsu West Line trains travel through to/from Niigata.
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Rolling stock

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As of April 2020, the following rolling stock is used on the Banetsu West Line.

Kōriyama—Kitakata

  • E721-0 series EMUs (since 4 March 2017)[1]
  • HB-E300 series For Aizu SATANO (since 2024) belonging to the Sendai Vehicle Center.
  • AT700/AT750 series For Aizu Mountain Express. Primary runs on weekends, between Aizu Wakamatsu and Kitaca. Going through the Tadami Line then to the Aizu Railway Line to Kinugawa Onsen station

Aizu-Wakamatsu—Niitsu

  • KiHa 110 series DMUs most being replaced by GV-E400 series. These sets belongs to the Niigata Vehicle Center Niitsu Branch.
  • GV-E400 series DEMUs Belonging to Niigata Vehicle Center Niitsu Branch(since August 2019[2])

Past

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    A Banetsu West Line 455 series EMU in December 2006
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    485 series Aizu Liner rapid service at Koriyama Station in March 2012
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    KiHa 40/47/48 series at Tokusawa Station in June 2013
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    KiHa E120 and 110 at Gosen Station in December 2009
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    A Banetsu West Line 719 series EMU in January 2008
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    The 719–700 series FruiTea trainset in April 2015
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History

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Agano River Taima Bridge

The private Ganetsu Railway opened the initial section from Kōriyama to Nakayamajuku on July 26, 1898, and extended the line to Aizu-Wakamatsu the following year.[citation needed]

Japanese National Railways (JNR) started to modernize the line in the 1960s, introducing the line's first limited express service (as a part of the Yamagata-bound Yamabata) in 1965 between Ueno Station in Tokyo and Aizu-Wakamatsu via the Tōhoku Main Line. In 1968 the train was renamed Aizu Yamabata, but from 1993 onward it was renamed Viva Aizu and ran only between Koriyama and Aizu-Wakamatsu. The train was finally discontinued as a limited express service in 2003.[citation needed]

In 1967, JNR electrified the section between Kōriyama and Kitakata at 20 kV AC.[citation needed]

In 2011 the line was closed for 15 days in March following the Tohoku earthquake, two days in April as a result of aftershocks, and for 10 weeks following torrential rain at the end of July.[citation needed]

A new station, called Kōriyamatomita, opened on 1 April 2017 between and Kōriyama and Kikuta stations.[3]

The railway bridge connecting Kitakata and Yamato collapsed due to heavy rain on 4 August 2022. Services were temporarily suspended between Kitakata and Nozawa. [4] Full service was restored on 1 April 2023.[5] In the timetable revision at December 3rd 2022, Rapid Ageo services ceased operations.

Electric services between Aizu-Wakamatsu and Kitakata ceased on 12 March 2022,[6] and the section was deelectrified by May 2024.[7]

See also

References

External links

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