Agatsuma Line

The Template:Nihongo is a local rail line in Gunma, Japan, and is part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network. Approximately following the Agatsuma River, it is 55.6 km between Template:STN and Template:STN stations.

Operations

Although the official start of the line is at Shibukawa, all trains run through on the Jōetsu Line to/from either Template:STN or Template:STN.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Local trains run approximately once every hour, terminating at either Template:STN or Template:STN.<ref name=":0" />

Limited Express Kusatsu/Shima<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> trains operate between Template:STN in Tokyo and Template:STN on the Agatsuma Line, stopping only at Template:STN and Template:STN. Depending on the day of the week, between 2 and 4 round trips operate each day, operating towards Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi in the morning, and towards Ueno in the afternoon.<ref name=":0" />

Stations

File:Agatsumasen-55.6kp.jpg

55.6 km post marking the end of the line at Ōmae Station

All stations are in the Gunma Prefecture. Local trains stop at all stations.

Legend:

• ● : Limited Express Kusatsu/Shima stops
• ｜: Limited Express Kusatsu/Shima does not stop
• ∥ : Limited Express Kusatsu/Shima does not travel within this section

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Limited Express Kusatsu/Shima	Transfers	Location
		Between stations	Total
Template:STN	渋川		0.0	●	Jōetsu Line (all trains through service to Template:STN or Template:STN)	Shibukawa
Template:STN	金島	5.5	5.5	｜
Template:STN	祖母島	2.2	7.7	｜
Template:STN	小野上	4.2	11.9	｜
Template:STN	小野上温泉	1.8	13.7	｜
Template:STN	市城	2.3	16.4	｜		Nakanojō, Agatsuma District
Template:STN	中之条	3.4	19.8	●
Template:STN	群馬原町	3.1	22.9	｜		Higashiagatsuma, Agatsuma District
Template:STN	郷原	3.4	26.3	｜
Template:STN	矢倉	1.7	28.0	｜
Template:STN	岩島	2.5	30.5	｜
Template:STN	川原湯温泉	5.9	36.4	｜		Naganohara, Agatsuma District
Template:STN	長野原草津口	5.9	42.3	●
Template:STN	群馬大津	2.2	44.5	∥
Template:STN	羽根尾	2.2	46.7	∥
Template:STN	袋倉	2.9	49.6	∥		Tsumagoi, Agatsuma District
Template:STN	万座・鹿沢口	2.9	52.5	∥
Template:STN	大前	3.1	55.6	∥

Rolling stock

Present

• 211-3000 series 4-car EMUs (since August 2016)
• E257-5000 series
• E257-5500 series

Former

• 115-1000 series 4-car EMUs (until March 2018)
• 185 series 7-car EMUs (Kusatsu limited express services until March 2014)
• 651-1000 series

Four-car 211 series EMUs entered service on the line from 22 August 2016.<ref name="railfan20160824">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• JNR 211-3000 02.JPG

  A 211-3000 series EMU

History

The line opened on 2 January 1945 as the freight-only Template:Nihongo operating between Template:STN and Template:Nihongo (present-day Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station).<ref name="teishajo1998">Template:Cite book</ref> Passenger services were introduced as far as Template:STN from 5 August 1945, to Template:STN from 20 November 1945, and to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi from 20 April 1946.<ref name="teishajo1998"/>

File:Ooshi station.jpg

The remains of the former Ōshi Station in June 2013

On 1 October 1952, the line was extended to Template:Nihongo, initially for freight only, but passengers services were also introduced from 21 June 1954.<ref name="teishajo1998"/> Freight services between Shibukawa and Ōshi ceased as of 1 October 1966.<ref name="teishajo1998"/>

Services on the section between Naganohara and Ōshi were suspended as of 1 November 1970, and on 7 March 1971, a new line was opened beyond Naganohara to Template:STN, with the entire line renamed Agatsuma Line at the same time.<ref name="teishajo1998"/> The Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi to Ōshi line was formally closed as of 1 May 1971.<ref name="teishajo1998"/> CTC signalling on the entire line was also commissioned at the same time.Template:Citation needed

With the privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, the Agatsuma Line came under the ownership of JR East.<ref name="teishajo1998"/>

It had been proposedTemplate:When to extend the line to Nagano, but geological exploratory drilling revealed extensive faulting beyond Ōmae, and as any extension would have required extensive tunnelling, this was considered impractical.Template:Citation needed

Yamba Dam construction

The construction of the Yamba Dam required the realignment of the Agatsuma line between Template:STN and Template:STN. Work on the diversion was well advanced when a change of government in 2009 resulted in the project being halted. Another change of government in 2012 revived the project. Services on the old section of the line were suspended following the last scheduled service on 24 September 2014 to allow commissioning of the new alignment.<ref name="railfan20140929">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The new alignment opened for passenger services on 1 October 2014.<ref name="railfan20140929"/> The new route is Template:Convert shorter, resulting in the shortest tunnel in Japan, the Template:Convert Tarusawa Tunnel, being abandoned, although it is not inundated by the new dam.<ref>"Japan’s shortest railway tunnel sees its last days", AsiaOne, September 19, 2014.</ref><ref>"Farewell to Japan’s shortest rail tunnel", Nippon TV, September 25, 2014 (video).</ref>

Points of interest

The Agatsuma Line is noted for numerous onsen hot springs along the route. The famous hot springs at Kusatsu are some distance north of the line, but several rural onsen such as those at Shima, Sawatari, Kawarayu, and Shiriyaki are more accessible.

Mount Asama, Mount Kusatsu-Shirane, and the Agatsuma Canyon can all be seen from the Agatsuma Line, though the canyon will be inundated when the Yamba Dam is commissioned.