| Sekihoku Main Line | |
| Native Name: | 石北本線 |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Color: | FFA500 |
| Type: | Heavy rail |
| Status: | In operation |
| Locale: | Hokkaido |
| Start: | Shin-Asahikawa |
| End: | Abashiri |
| Stations: | 31 |
| Open: | 1932 (fully) |
| Owner: | JR Hokkaido |
| Operator: | JR Hokkaido, JR Freight |
| Character: | Rural |
| Stock: | KiHa 283 series DMU, KiHa 40 series DMU, KiHa 54 series DMU, KiHa 150 series DMU |
| Linelength: | 234.0 km (145.4 mi) |
| Tracks: | Entire line single tracked |
| Electrification: | None |
| Speed: | 110 km/h (68 mph) |
is a railway line in Hokkaido, Japan, operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) between in Asahikawa and Abashiri Station in Abashiri. The name comes from the first Kanji characters of and, names of ancient provinces along the line.[1]
On 19 November 2016, JR Hokkaido's President announced plans to rationalise the network by up to 1237km (769miles), or ~50% of the current network,[2] including the proposed conversion to Third Sector operation of the Sekihoku Main Line, but if local governments are not agreeable, the line will face closure.
The Okhotsk limited express train, named after the Sea of Okhotsk, runs from Sapporo to Abashiri with two daily return workings. The Taisetsu limited express train runs from Asahikawa to Abashiri with two return workings daily. The limited rapid train Kitami operates between Asahikawa and Kitami, with one return service daily.
Local services along the line are roughly divided into three segments. In the segment between Asahikawa and Kamikawa, the line functions as a commuter rail of Asahikawa City. There is one local train service per one to two hours. The segment between Kamikawa and Engaru is a sparsely populated area. Between Kamikawa and Shirataki, a local train runs one lap per day. For the segment between Engaru and Abashiri, there is one local train service per one to two hours.
LE: Limited Express Okhotsk/Taisetsu
LR: Limited Rapid Kitami
All non-local trains stop at stations marked +, Some stop at those marked *, No such trains (other than local) stop at those marked -. Local trains may skip stations marked ◌.
| Station | Distance (km) | LE | LR | Transfers | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asahikawa to Shin-Asahikawa: officially Sōya Main Line | |||||||
| Japanese: 旭川 | -3.7 | + | + | Hakodate Main Line Sōya Main Line Furano Line | Asahikawa | ||
| Japanese: 旭川四条 | -1.9 | - | - | Sōya Main Line | |||
| Japanese: 新旭川 | 0.0 | - | - | Sōya Main Line | |||
| Sekihoku Main Line | |||||||
| Japanese: 南永山 | 2.5 | - | - | Asahikawa | |||
| Japanese: 東旭川 | 5.2 | - | - | ||||
| Japanese: 桜岡 | 10.2 | - | - | ||||
| Japanese: 当麻 | 13.9 | - | + | Tōma, Kamikawa | |||
| Japanese: 伊香牛 | 19.5 | - | - | ||||
| Japanese: 愛別 | 25.9 | - | - | Aibetsu, Kamikawa | |||
| Japanese: 中愛別 | 32.0 | - | - | ||||
| Japanese: 安足間 | 38.0 | - | - | ||||
| Japanese: 上川 | 44.9 | + | + | Kamikawa, Kamikawa | |||
| Japanese: 白滝 | 82.2 | + | Engaru, Monbetsu | ||||
| Japanese: 丸瀬布 | 101.9 | + | |||||
| Japanese: 瀬戸瀬 | 109.7 | - | - | ||||
| Japanese: 遠軽 | 120.8 | + | + | ||||
| Japanese: 安国 | 128.8 | - | + | ||||
| Japanese: 生田原 | 137.7 | + | + | ||||
| Japanese: 西留辺蘂 | 156.2 | - | - | ||||
| Japanese: 留辺蘂 | 158.2 | + | + | ||||
| Japanese: 相内 | 169.1 | - | + | ||||
| Japanese: 東相内 | 173.7 | - | + | ||||
| Japanese: 西北見 | 176.3 | - | + | ||||
| Japanese: 北見 | 181.0 | + | + | ||||
| Japanese: 柏陽 | 183.7 | - | |||||
| Japanese: 愛し野 | 185.9 | - | |||||
| Japanese: 端野 | 187.3 | - | |||||
| Japanese: 緋牛内 | 194.6 | - | |||||
| Japanese: 美幌 | 206.1 | + | Bihoro, Abashiri | ||||
| ◌ | Japanese: 西女満別 | 213.1 | - | Ōzora, Abashiri | |||
| Japanese: 女満別 | 218.1 | + | |||||
| Japanese: 呼人 | 225.9 | - | Abashiri | ||||
| Japanese: 網走 | 234.0 | + | Senmō Main Line | ||||
The principal route between Sapporo and Okhotsk Subprefecture has changed several times. Originally, the route was the Hakodate Main Line to Asahikawa, then the southbound Nemuro Main Line and then the northbound line from Ikeda, via the to Kitami. The route shortened by 53.5km (33.2miles) when the section between Takikawa and Furano on the Nemuro Main Line opened in 1913.
Another route, northbound from Asahikawa to Nayoro, then southeast to Kitami was completed as the and in 1921.
A third route was a shortcut between Asahikawa and Engaru, straight through the Kitami Pass. The, completed in 1932, finally completed the main route still used today.
The current Sekihoku Main Line consists of the remnants of these three lines. The section between Shin-Asahikawa and Engaru is from the Sekihoku Line, the section between Engaru and Kitami from the Yūbetsu Line, and the section between Kitami and Abashiri from the Abashiri Main Line.
The first of the abovementioned sections to open was from Abashiri to Kitami in 1912. The Kitami to Engaru line was opened between 1912 and 1915 as a gauge line, but was converted to gauge in 1916.
The Asahikawa to Kamikawa section opened between 1922 and 1923, and the Engaru to Shiritaki section between 1927 and 1929. The final section, including the Ishikita tunnel, opened in 1932.
In July 2015, JR Hokkaido announced that it would be closing four stations line (Shimo-Shirataki Station, Kyu-Shirataki Station, Kami-Shirataki Station, and Kanehana Station) in March 2016, due to low passenger usage.[4]