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Yodo Line

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Yodo Line
JR Shikoku KiHa 32 series DMU at Ekawasaki Station
Overview
StatusIn operation
OwnerJR Shikoku
LocaleKōchi, Ehime Prefectures
Termini
Stations20
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR Shikoku
Rolling stockKiHa 32 series, KiHa 31 series, KiHa 185 series DMU
History
Opened1914
Technical
Line length76.3 km (47.4 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Old gauge762 mm (2 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed85 km/h (53 mph)
Route map
Yodo Line
Legend
Dosan Line to Kōchi
(4.4)
K26/TK26 Kubokawa
(This section is part of the
Tosa Kuroshio Railway)
0.0
 G27/TK27 Wakai
Tosa Kuroshio Railway
to Nakamura & Sukumo
3.6
Kawaoku Junction
Start of Yodo Line
5.8
 G28 Iejigawa
10.7
 G29 Utsuigawa
17.6
 G30 Tosa-Taishō
26.5
 G31 Tosa-Shōwa
31.0
 G32 Tōkawa
38.9
 G33 Hage
42.7
 G34 Ekawasaki
45.4
 G35 Nishigahō
Kōchi Prefecture
Ehime Prefecture
51.3
 G36 Matsuchi
53.0
 G37 Yoshinobu
55.3
 G38 Matsumaru
58.8
 G39 Izume
60.4
 G40 Chikanaga
62.5
 G41 Fukata
65.4
 G42 Ōuchi
66.9
 G43 Futana
69.1
 G44 Iyo-Miyanoshita
70.0
 G45 Muden
End of Yodo Line
Yosan Line to Matsuyama
76.3
 G46 Kita-Uwajima
(This section is Yosan Line)
77.8
 G47 Uwajima
Trains follow the Shimanto River between Kubokawa and Ekawasaki

The Yodo Line (予土線, Yodo-sen) is a railway line in Shikoku, Japan, operated by Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku). It connects Kubokawa Station, Shimanto, Takaoka District in Kōchi Prefecture and Uwajima in Ehime Prefecture.[1] Its name comes from the ancient provinces of Iyo (伊予) (now Ehime Prefecture) and Tosa (土佐) (now Kōchi Prefecture), which the line connects.

Route Description

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The Yodo line is a quiet, rural single track line with passing places at some stations. The line, which is also known as Shimanto Green Line, is one of the most scenic in Japan running adjacent to the picturesque Shimanto River inland until Ekawasaki. It then winds its way across Ehime Prefecture to Uwajima.[2][3]

Yodo Line and the Shimanto River

Kubokawa Station on the Dosan Line serves as the departure point for nearly all trains heading west. The first part of the line, to Kawaoku Junction just after Wakai, is not owned by JR but by the Tosa Kuroshio Railway. This section makes up a part of the Tosa Kuroshio Railway Nakamura Line, not a JR line and therefore attracts an additional fare. Passengers, especially those using the Seishun 18 Kippu, are reminded of this by conductor announcements.[4]

After Wakai, the Nakamura Line turns off and the Yodo Line officially begins. The Yodo line ends at a junction with the Yosan Line just before Kita-Uwajima and trains continue on the Yosan Line into Uwajima.[1]

Services

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The Yodo Line has only one sort of service, local trains that stop at every station.

In April 2020 there were five trips in each direction between Kubokawa and Uwajima and an additional three trips each way between Uwajima and Ekawasaki & Chikanaga.[5]

Most services are wanman (driver-only) operated.

Stations

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  • All trains run through to Kubokawa on the Dosan Line and Uwajima on the Yosan Line.
  • All trains on the Yodo Line are local trains and stop at all stations.
  • None of the intermediate stations along the line have a staffed ticket office.[1]
  • Trains can pass one another at stations marked "◇" and "^" and cannot pass at those marked "｜".
Station No. Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers   Location
Between
stations 		From
Wakai
TK26 Kubokawa 窪川 - 4.4 Dosan Line (K26) ◇ Shimanto, Takaoka District Kōchi
Via the Tosa Kuroshio Railway Nakamura Line
TK27
G27 		Wakai 若井 4.4 0.0 Tosa Kuroshio Railway Nakamura Line (TK27) (for Nakamura) ｜ Shimanto, Takaoka District Kōchi
  Kawaoku Junction 川奥信号場 - (3.6) Official branch point for Nakamura Line and Yodo Line ◇ Kuroshio, Hata District
G28 Iejigawa 家地川 5.8 5.8   ｜ Shimanto, Takaoka District
G29 Utsuigawa 打井川 4.9 10.7   ｜
G30 Tosa-Taishō 土佐大正 6.9 17.6   ◇
G31 Tosa-Shōwa 土佐昭和 8.9 26.5   ｜
G32 Tōkawa 十川 4.5 31.0   ｜
G33 Hage 半家 7.9 38.9   ｜ Shimanto
G34 Ekawasaki 江川崎 3.8 42.7   ◇
G35 Nishigahō 西ヶ方 2.7 45.4   ｜
G36 Matsuchi 真土 5.9 51.3   ｜ Matsuno, Kitauwa District Ehime
G37 Yoshinobu 吉野生 1.7 53.0   ◇
G38 Matsumaru 松丸 2.3 55.3   ｜
G39 Izume 出目 3.5 58.8   ｜ Kihoku, Kitauwa District
G40 Chikanaga 近永 1.6 60.4   ◇
G41 Fukata 深田 2.1 62.5   ｜
G42 Ōuchi 大内 2.9 65.4   ｜ Uwajima
G43 Futana 二名 1.5 66.9   ｜
G44 Iyo-Miyanoshita 伊予宮野下 2.2 69.1   ◇
G45 Muden 務田 0.9 70.0   ｜
G46 Kita-Uwajima 北宇和島 6.3 76.3 Yosan Line (U27) (for Matsuyama) ◇
Through to Uwajima via the Yosan Line
G47 Uwajima 宇和島 1.5 77.8   ^ Uwajima Ehime

History

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In 1914, the Uji Light Railway Co. opened a 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line 18 km between Uwajima and Chikanaga.[6] In 1923, the line was extended 7 km from Chikanaga to Yoshino.[7] In 1931 the Uwajima Railway began operating a single gasoline-powered locomotive.

The Uwajima Railway was nationalised by Japanese Government Railways in 1933, becoming the Uwajima Line; Miyanoshita Station was renamed Iyo-Miyanoshita Station, Nakano became Futana, and Yoshino was renamed Yoshinobu.[8]

Yodo Line between Tōkawa and Hage Stations

In 1941, the line was re-gauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), the section between Uwajima and Muden replaced by a new route, Kita-Uwajima became the line's starting point and Takagushi and Mitsuma stations on the old section were closed.[9]

The 10 km Yoshinobu - Ekawasaki section opened in 1953, and the 43 km Ekawasaki - Wakai section opened in 1974, linking to the Dosan Line with the line renamed as the Yodo Line. In the same year, CTC signalling was commissioned, and freight operations ceased.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Shikoku Railway Route Map" (PDF). JR Shikoku. p. 16. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  2. ^ Zarifeh, Ramsey (2002), Japan by Rail, Hindhead, surrey: Trailblazer, ISBN 1-873756-23-2
  3. ^ "Train Operation Information". JR Shikoku. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Shikoku Railway Route Map" (PDF). JR Shikoku. p. 6. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Train times and stops - Search for route". Hyperdia. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Light Rail Transport starts". National Diet Library Digital Collections (in Japanese). 22 October 1914. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Regional Rail Transit". National Diet Library Digital Collections (in Japanese). 25 December 1923. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Ministry of Railways Notifications 330 & 331". National Diet Library Digital Collections (in Japanese). 25 July 1933. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Ministry of Railways Notifications 126, 127 & 128". National Diet Library Digital Collections (in Japanese). 10 June 1941. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
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