Tsugaru Railway

The Tsugaru Railway Line (津軽鉄道線, Tsugaru Tetsudō-sen) is a railway line in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, connecting Tsugaru-Goshogawara in the city of Goshogawara and Tsugaru-Nakasato in the town of Nakadomari, in central-southern Tsugaru Peninsula. The line is the only railway line operated by the Tsugaru Railway Company, which is locally referred to as Tsutetsu (津鉄). The Tsugaru Railway Line is notable for its seasonal trains that are run during the summer, autumn and winter.[1][2] The Tsugaru Railway Line should not be confused with the former government Tsugaru Line, now operated by JR East.

This article is about the private railway line. For the railway line operated by JR East, see Tsugaru Line.
Tsugaru Railway Line
A train on the Tsugaru Railway Line with Mount Iwaki in the background, July 2023
Overview
Native name津軽鉄道線
StatusIn operation
OwnerTsugaru Railway Company
LocaleAomori Prefecture
Termini
Stations12
Service
TypeRegional rail
Operator(s)Tsugaru Railway Company
History
Opened1930
Technical
Line length20.7 km (12.9 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track (entire line)
CharacterRural
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed70 km/h (44 mph)
Route map
Goshogawara
0.0
 Tsugaru-Goshogawara
UpGonō LineRight
1.3
 Togawa
3.2
 Gonōkōmae
4.2
 Tsugaru-Iizume
7.4
 Bishamon
10.1
 Kase
12.8
 Kanagi
14.3
 Ashino-Kōen
16.0
 Kawakura
17.7
 Ōzawanai
19.0
 Fukōda
20.7
 Tsugaru-Nakasato

Operation

The Tsugaru Railway Line is single-track for its entire length, and its sole passing loop is located at Kanagi Station. Railway signaling of the line consists of two staff tokens; one token controls access between Tsugaru-Goshogawara and Kanagi, while the other token controls access between Kanagi and Tsugaru-Nakasato.

As of 1 July 2023, there are 12 round-trip trains daily that run between Tsugaru-Goshogawara and Tsugaru-Nakasato. This is down from 14 round-trip trains daily that ran before the Coronavirus pandemic. An additional 2 trains that run between Kanagi and Tsugaru-Nakasato (one of which does not run on holidays), providing a service every 60-90 minutes during the day.[3] All train services on the line are officially classified by the company as Local services, and most trains stop at all stations; however, some trains are timetabled to skip several stations.[3] Historically, such trains were classified separately as Semi-Express services,[4] and are referred to as such in the station list below.

During the summer (from 1 July to 31 August), locally-made wind chimes and haiku strips are hung from the ceiling of all trains in operation.[5] These are replaced with baskets of Suzumushi during the autumn (1 September to mid-October).[5]

Stove train

During the winter (from 1 December until 31 March the following year), a 'stove train' is generally operated three times per day.[6] The 'stove train' features a traditional passenger car heated using a potbelly stove.[5] A supplementary 'stove train' ticket, which costs ¥500, is required to board the 'stove train'.[5] 'Stove trains' follow the Semi-Express stopping pattern.

Station list
Station Japanese Distance
(km)		 Semi-Express[7] Transfers Location
Tsugaru-Goshogawara 津軽五所川原 0.0 ● Gonō Line (Goshogawara) Goshogawara Aomori
Togawa 十川 1.3 ●  
Gonōkōmae 五農校前 3.2 ●
Tsugaru-Iizume 津軽飯詰 4.2 ●
Bishamon 毘沙門 7.4 |
Kase 嘉瀬 10.1 ●
Kanagi 金木 12.8 ●
Ashino-Kōen 芦野公園 14.3 ●
Kawakura 川倉 16.0 |
Ōzawanai 大沢内 17.7 ● Nakadomari
Fukōda 深郷田 19.0 |
Tsugaru-Nakasato 津軽中里 20.7 ●

History

The Tsugaru Railway Company was founded in 1928, and the first section of the line was opened on July 15, 1930, from Goshogawara to Kanagi. This was extended to Ōzawanai by October 4, 1930, and to its present terminus of Tsugaru-Nakasato by November 13, 1930. All freight operations were discontinued on February 1, 1984.

  • The company's head office in Goshogawara
    The company's head office in Goshogawara

Former connecting lines
  • Kanagi station - The Tsugaru Forest Railway, utilising a Shay locomotive and consisting of a 67 km main line (including two tunnels) and four branches between 2 and 8 km in length, operated between 1906 and 1970.

See also

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

  1. "The Tsugaru Railway Line". All Nippon Airways. August 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  2. "津軽鉄道株式会社 | 日本民営鉄道協会". www.mintetsu.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  3. "時刻表 | 津軽鉄道 株式会社". 津軽鉄道 株式会社 | 奥津軽を走る風物列車～津軽鉄道。愛称：津鉄（つてつ） (in Japanese). 11 March 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  4. 『JTB時刻表』2016年4月号（JTBパブリッシング）p.793
  5. "ストーブ列車 | 津軽鉄道 株式会社". 津軽鉄道 株式会社 | 奥津軽を走る風物列車～津軽鉄道。愛称：津鉄（つてつ） (in Japanese). Tsugaru Railway Company. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  6. During weekdays in December, 'stove trains' are operated twice per day instead.
  7. Including 'stove trains' during winter.
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