Jōshin Dentetsu Jōshin Line

The Joshin Line (上信線, Jōshin-sen) is a Japanese railway line in Gunma Prefecture, between Takasaki Station in Takasaki and Shimonita Station in Shimonita, operated by the private railway operator Joshin Electric Railway (上信電鉄, Joshin Dentetsu). This is the only line operated by the company, although it also operates a few bus lines. The first section of the line opened in 1897.

Joshin Dentetsu Joshin Line
A Joshin Electric Railway 1000 series EMU
Overview
Owner	Joshin Electric Railway
Locale	Gunma Prefecture
Termini	Takasaki Shimonita
Stations	21
History
Opened	10 May 1897
Technical
Line length	33.7 km (20.9 mi)
Number of tracks	Single
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Minimum radius	160 m
Electrification	1,500 V DC, overhead catenary
Operating speed	85 km/h (55 mph)[1]

Rolling stock

As of 1 April 2017^[update], the following rolling stock is used on the line.^[2]

• 150 series 2-car EMUs x3 (former Seibu Railway EMUs)
• 200/250 series single-car and two-car EMUs
• 500 series 2-car EMUs x2 (former Seibu Railway EMUs)
• 700 series 2-car EMUs (former JR East 107 series EMUs; since March 2019)^[3]
• 1000 series 2-car EMU x1
• 6000 series 2-car EMU x1
• 7000 series 2-car EMU x1 (since December 2013)^[4]
• Class DeKi 1 electric locomotives DeKi 1 and 3 (built by Siemens)
• Class ED31 electric locomotive ED31 6 (former JNR Class ED31)

The 1000 and 6000 series EMUs purchased new are unusual in having the driver's seat on the right-hand side facing the direction of travel.^[1]

• 
  A 150 series EMU in November 2009
• 
  A 200 series 2-car EMU in October 2007
• 
  A 500 series EMU in November 2009
• 
  A 700 series EMU in June 2021
• 
  A 1000 series EMU in November 2009
• 
  A 6000 series EMU in October 1989
• 
  A 7000 series EMU in June 2021
• 
  Electric locomotives DeKi 1 and 3 in October 2007
• 
  Electric locomotive ED31 6 in November 2009

History

The line opened on 10 May 1897, as a 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge steam-hauled railway line from Takasaki to Fukushima (present-day Jōshū-Fukushima), operated by the Kōzuke Railway (上野鉄道, Kōzuke Tetsudō).^[1] The entire line to Shimonita was opened on 25 September in the same year.^[1] The line was planned to be extended southward from Shimonita to connect with the Saku Railway (present-day Koumi Line) at Haguroshita, and the owning company was accordingly renamed Joshin Electric Railway (上信電鉄, Jōshin Denki Tetsudō) from 25 August 1921. The line was ultimately never extended, but the track was regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) and electrified with an overhead wire at 1,500 V DC.^[1]

Freight operations on the line were discontinued from 1 October 1994.^[1]

On 30 November 2003, Takasaki Fairy Land^[5] which was a leisure complex being established as "Kappa Pia" in 1961 was discontinued. In this leisure complex, "NAKASONE FESTIVAL" was held during summer^[6] because "Matsugoro Nakasone" who is a father of Yasuhiro Nakasone was a CEO of Joshi Electric Railway.

Stations

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
		Between stations	Total
Takasaki	高崎駅	-	0.0	Joetsu Shinkansen Hokuriku Shinkansen Takasaki Line Shōnan–Shinjuku Line Ueno–Tokyo Line Jōetsu Line Agatsuma Line Ryōmō Line and Shin'etsu Main Line	Takasaki, Gunma
Minami-Takasaki	南高崎駅	0.9	0.9
Sanonowatashi	佐野のわたし駅	1.3	2.2
Negoya	根小屋駅	1.5	3.7
Takasaki-Shōka-Daigakumae	高崎商科大学前駅	1.3	5.0
Yamana	山名駅	1.1	6.1
Nishi-Yamana	西山名駅	0.9	7.0
Maniwa	馬庭駅	2.4	9.4
Yoshii	吉井駅	2.3	11.7
Nishi-Yoshii	西吉井駅	1.7	13.4
Jōshū-Niiya	上州新屋駅	1.2	14.6		Kanra, Gunma
Jōshū-Fukushima	上州福島駅	2.0	16.6
Higashi-Tomioka	東富岡駅	2.7	19.3		Tomioka, Gunma
Jōshū-Tomioka	上州富岡駅	0.9	20.2
Nishi-Tomioka	西富岡駅	0.8	21.0
Jōshū-Nanokaichi	上州七日市駅	0.8	21.8
Jōshū-Ichinomiya	上州一ノ宮駅	1.3	23.1
Kanohara	神農原駅	2.3	25.4
Nanjai	南蛇井駅	2.8	28.2
Sendaira	千平駅	1.7	29.9
Shimonita	下仁田駅	2.7	33.7		Shimonita, Gunma

See also

• List of railway companies in Japan
• List of railway lines in Japan

References

1. Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways]. Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 33. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.
2. 私鉄車両編成表 2017 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2017] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 25 July 2017. p. 16. ISBN 978-4-330-81317-2.
3. "上信電鉄700形が営業運転を開始" [Joshin Dentetsu 700 series starts commercial operation]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 11 March 2019. Archived from the original on 14 March 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
4. 上信電鉄7000形 [Joshin Dentetsu 7000 series]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). 54 (638). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd.: 76–77 2014.
5. This leisure complex was managed by a railway department of Joshin Electric Railway
6. About NAKASONE FESTIVAL

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)