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 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]
Former connecting lines
Japan Cement Co. loco No. 2 was in service at Kamiiso from 1922 until 1975
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.
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Esashi Line.
This article incorporates material translated from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.
^ＪＲ北海道 木古内－江差廃止方針 １４年にもバス転換 来月地元に申し入れ [JR Hokkaido to close line between Kikonai and Esashi – bus substitution from spring 2014]. Doshin Web (in Japanese). Japan: The Hokkaido Shimbun Press. 8 August 2012. Archived from the original on 9 August 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
^江差線の木古内～江差間、廃止へ [Esashi Line Kikonai to Esashi section to close]. Tetsudo.com (in Japanese). Japan: Asahi Interactive Inc. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
^ ab江差線木古内—江差間が廃止される [Esashi Line section between Kikonai and Esashi closes]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
