Bantan Line

Last updated
Bantan Line
JRW kinki-J.svg
JRW-Series-KIHA189 Bantan-Line.jpg
KiHa 189 series DMU on a Hamakaze limited express service
Overview
Locale Hyōgo Prefecture
Termini
Stations18
Service
Operator(s) JR logo (west).svg JR West
Rolling stock 103 series EMU, 221 series EMU, 223-6000 series EMU, KiHa 40/41 DMU, KiHa 189 series DMU
History
Opened26 July 1894;128 years ago (1894-07-26)
Last extension1 April 1906;116 years ago (1906-04-01)
Technical
Line length65.7 km (40.8 mi)
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 1,500 V DC (overhead lines) (HimejiTeramae)
Operating speed95 km/h (59 mph) (HimejiFukusaki, TeramaeWadayama)
110 km/h (68 mph) (FukusakiTeramae)
Signalling Special automatic closed block
Train protection system ATS-SW

The Bantan Line (播但線, Bantan-sen) is a railway line that connects Himeji and Wadayama station in Asago City, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The line is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and serves as a connector between the Sanyo Main Line and the Sanin Main Line. The name refers to the ancient provinces of Harima (磨) and Tajima (馬), which the line connects.

Contents

The line is 65.7 km (40.8 mi) long, with 18 stations.

Service

Local train operation is divided into the electrified section between Himeji and Teramae, and the non-electrified section between Teramae and Wadayama. All local trains makes every stop on the line, and no local train runs the entire length of the line.

The Hamakaze limited express, which connects the Kinki region to the San'in region, uses the Bantan Line to access the Sanin Main Line.

Stations

StationDistance (km)TransfersLocation
Himeji 1姫路0.0 Himeji Hyōgo Prefecture
Kyōguchi 京口1.7 
Nozato 野里4.3 
Tohori 砥堀6.0 
Nibuno 仁豊野8.2 
Kōro 香呂11.2 
Mizoguchi 溝口13.2 
Fukusaki 1福崎17.1  Fukusaki
Amaji 甘地20.6  Ichikawa
Tsurui 鶴居24.5 
Niino 新野27.7  Kamikawa
Teramae 1寺前29.6 
Hase 長谷35.9 
Ikuno 1生野43.6  Asago
Nii 新井51.9 
Aokura 青倉55.6 
Takeda 1竹田59.9 
Wadayama 1和田山65.7
Notes
  1. Hamakaze stop
  • Local trains stop at all stations. Local trains operate from Himeji to Teramae and from Teramae to Wadayama. Some rapid trains operate from Teramae to Wadayma, stopping at all stations except Hase.

Rolling stock

Former

History

The 29.6km section from Himeji north to Teramae was constructed by the private Bantan Railway (播但鉄道, Bantan Tetsudō) company and opened in 1894, with the 6.3km section to Hase opening in January the following year, and the 7.7km section to Ikuno three months later. The 8.3km section to Nii opened in 1901. The Bantan Railway was purchased by the Sanyō Railway (山陽鉄道, Sanyō Tetsudō) in 1903, which extended the line 13.8km to Wadayama, opening in April 1906, 8 months before the company was nationalised. Individual section opening dates are given below.

The line was named the Bantan Line in anticipation of the Sanyo Railway company being purchased by the Japanese government under the Railway Nationalisation Act of 1906.

The Bantan Railway Co. also built a ~15.7km line from Himeji east to Shikama-Kou (near Kakogawa), opened in 1895 and closed in 1986.

CTC signalling was commissioned between Himeji and Wadayama in 1978, and freight services ceased between 1984 and 1986. The Himeji - Teramae section was electrified in 1998.

Bantan Railway (north of Himeji)

Sanyō Railway

JNR/JR West

Bantan Railway (east of Himeji)

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References