Haebaru Main Line
The Haebaru Railway Haebaru Main Line is a railway line in Haebaru Prefecture that runs from Nishi-Haebaru to Haebaru Port. It is operated by the Haebaru Railway Company. Construction of the line began in 1942. However, the line was plagued by numerous delays, and the line was finished 2 years late in 1950, between Reihoku and Ojika. The line features the longest wooden viaduct in the world from Reihoku to Tabuse, and after the absorption of the 2,703m Kamichiiba Tunnel with the handover of the western portion of the Iwate Line.
Unlike most third-sector lines, the Haebaru Main Line made steady profits after the full opening of the line, as the former Haebaru Limited Express used the line, serving as the primary rail link between Lamtsu and West Joban, until the opening of the Seiyo Shinkansen in 2022. The line's former speed limit of 160km/h meant that the Haebaru was the fastest non-shinkansen service in the region, matched only by HRT (Joban)'s Icefire Express. However, following the withdrawal of Haebaru services from the line on 1st June 2022, the line's maximum speed limit was reduced from 160km/h to 120km/h.
Technical Details
- Distance: 8.4km
- Operators
- Track: Fully double-tracked
- Electrification: 1500V DC
- Signalling: Token
- Maximum Speed:
- Haebaru Port-Kamichiba: 60km/h
- Kamichiba-Higashi-Reihoku: 120km/h
- Higashi-Reihoku-Reihoku: 60km/h
- Reihoku-HRT Maglev Technology Research Institute: 120km/h
- HRT Maglev Technology Research Institute-Nishi-Haebaru: 60km/h
Services
After the opening of the Seiyo Shinkansen in 2022, many services have been withdrawn.
| Service | Stops at | Time taken | Tph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | |||
| Local | Ojika, HRT Maglev Technology Research Institute, Tabuse, Reihoku, Higashi-Reihoku, Kamichiiba, Haebaru Port | 12m | 1 |
| Rapid | Nishi-Haebaru, Shin-Haebaru, Ojika, Reihoku, Haebaru Port | 7m | 1 |
| Shuttle | Nishi-Haebaru, Shin-Haebaru, Ojika | 2m | - |
| Haebaru | Shin-Haebaru, Ojika, Iwate, Lamtsu Cliffs, Misato | 18m | 1 |
| Ojika | Shin-Haebaru, Ojika, Misato | 16m | 1 |
| Seasona | |||
| Express | Ojika, Haebaru Port | 6m | 1 |
| Reihoku | Ojika, Reihoku, Haebaru Port | 6m | 1 |
Station List
Legend
●: All trains stop
| : All trains pass
| Jap | Station | Local | Rapid | Express | Shuttle | Chiba Line | Haebaru | Ojika | Ojika Line | Distance from Ojika | Transfers | Locale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 西南風原 | Nishi-Haebaru | N.A. | ● | N.A. | ● | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | Through to Ojika Line | 0.4 | Godo Line | Ojika Town |
| 新南風原 | Shin-Haebaru | N.A. | ● | N.A. | ● | N.A. | ● | ● | ● | 0.2 | Seiyo Shinkansen | |
| 小値賀 | Ojika | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 0.0 | Ojika Line | |
| 調和鉄道輸送リニアモーターカー技術研究所 | NHR Maglev Technology Research Institute | ● | | | | | N.A. | | | | | N.A. | 0.6 | |||
| 田布施 | Tabuse | ● | | | | | N.A. | ● | | | | | N.A. | 2.3 | Chiba Line | Reihoku Town |
| 苓北 | Reihoku | ● | ● | | | N.A. | ● | | | | | N.A. | 4.7 | Chiba Line | |
| 東苓北 | Higashi-Reihoku | ● | | | | | N.A. | | | | | | | N.A. | 5.0 | ||
| 上地伊庭 | Kamichiiba | ● | | | | | N.A. | Service to Chiba Line | N.A. | 7.9 | Chiba Town | |||
| 南風原港 | Haebaru Port | ● | ● | ● | N.A. | N.A. | 8.4 | |||||
History
The Haebaru Main Line was constructed by Nantetsu in 1942, and later was connected to the Iwate Line, connecting the Fung Yuen Main Line to the Ome Line via the Iwate Line. The Haebaru Main Line also would increase transport connections in the Haebaru District. When the permafrost melting due to global warming caused the Iwate Line to be closed from Kawabe to Reihoku, the Haebaru Main Line absorbed the remainder, and a branch was constructed from Higashi-Reihoku to Haebaru Port, allowing for ferries to the Iwate Line.