The Iiyama Line (飯山線, Iiyama-sen) is a railway line in Japan linking Toyono Station in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture and Echigo-Kawaguchi Station in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture. It is operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

Iiyama Line
KiHa 100 series DMU Rapid Oykot at Tōkamachi Station, May 2015
Overview
Native name飯山線
StatusIn operation
Owner JR East
LocaleNagano, Niigata Prefectures
Termini
Stations31
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR East
Rolling stockKiHa 110 series DMU
History
Opened1921
Technical
Line length96.7 km (60.1 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed85 km/h (53 mph)

Stations

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Station Japanese km Connections Location
Toyono 豊野 0.0  Shinano Railway: Kita-Shinano Line Nagano City Nagano
Prefecture
Shinano-Asano 信濃浅野 2.2  
Tategahana 立ヶ花 3.9  
Kamiimai 上今井 6.9   Nakano City
Kaesa 替佐 8.8  
Hachisu 14.6   Iiyama City
Iiyama 飯山 19.2  Hokuriku Shinkansen
Kita-Iiyama 北飯山 20.5  
Shinano-Taira 信濃平 23.8  
Togari-Nozawaonsen 戸狩野沢温泉 27.5  
Kamisakai 上境 31.1  
Kami-Kuwanagawa 上桑名川 35.4  
Kuwanagawa 桑名川 37.6  
Nishi-Ōtaki 西大滝 39.7  
Shinano-Shiratori 信濃白鳥 41.8   Sakae Village,
Shimominochi District
Hirataki 平滝 44.7  
Yokokura 横倉 46.6  
Mori-Miyanohara 森宮野原 49.7  
Ashidaki 足滝 52.5   Tsunan Town,
Nakauonuma District
Niigata
Prefecture
Echigo-Tanaka 越後田中 54.9  
Tsunan 津南 57.9  
Echigo-Shikawatari 越後鹿渡 62.1  
Echigo-Tazawa 越後田沢 64.5   Tōkamachi City
Echigo-Mizusawa 越後水沢 67.5  
Doichi 土市 70.4  
Tōkamachi 十日町 75.3 Hokuhoku Line
Uonuma-Nakajō 魚沼中条 78.4  
Gejō 下条 82.8  
Echigo-Iwasawa 越後岩沢 88.1   Ojiya City
Uchigamaki 内ヶ巻 93.2  
Echigo-Kawaguchi 越後川口 96.7 Jōetsu Line Nagaoka City

Rolling stock

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KiHa 110 series (Iiyama Station)

History

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The Iiyama Railway Co. opened the first section from Toyono to its namesake town in 1921, and extended the line in sections to Tokamachi in 1929, where it connected to the Japanese Government Railways line from Echigo-Kawaguchi which had opened in 1927.

The Iiyama Railway Co. was nationalised in 1944, and freight services ceased in 1987.

The line sees much snow in the winter. The line uses avalanche fences along steep slopes, snow sheds and has a melting system at level crossings to deal with the snow. A record 7.85m of snow fell at Mori-Miyanohara Station in February 1945, an event that is remembered with a pole just outside the station marking the vast amount of snow.[1]

References

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  1. ^ The Long Winter of Discontent: One Railway's Battle against Snow (Web video program). Japan Railway Journal. NHK World-Japan. November 2017. Event occurs at 3:29. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
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