Abukuma Express Line

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).

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)[1]

Abukuma Express Line
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

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]

References

1. 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.

External links

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