Agatsuma Line (Johnsonverse)

The Agatsuma Line (吾妻線, Agatsuma-sen) is a local rail line in Gunma County, Kanto, and is part of the Eastern Region of Eastern Pacific Railroad. Approximately following the Agatsuma River, it is 34.5 miles between Shibukawa and Ōmae stations.
== Operations ==
Although the official start of the line is at Shibukawa, all trains run through on the Jōetsu Line to/from Takasaki.
== Stations ==
Station 	Japanese 	Distance (km)	Distance (km)	Transfers 	Location 	Location
Station 	Japanese 	Between
stations	Total 	Transfers 	Location 	Location
Shibukawa 	渋川 	 	0.0 	Jōetsu Line (all trains through to Takasaki)	Shibukawa 	Gunma
Kanashima 	金島 	5.5 	5.5 	 	Shibukawa 	Gunma
Ubashima 	祖母島 	2.2 	7.7 	 	Shibukawa 	Gunma
Onogami 	小野上 	4.2 	11.9 	 	Shibukawa 	Gunma
Onogami-Onsen 	小野上温泉 	1.8 	13.7 	 	Shibukawa 	Gunma
Ichishiro 	市城 	2.3 	16.4 	 	Nakanojō, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
Nakanojō 	中之条 	3.4 	19.8 	 	Nakanojō, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
Gunma-Haramachi 	群馬原町 	3.1 	22.9 	 	Higashiagatsuma, Agatsuma District	Gunma
Gōbara 	郷原 	3.4 	26.3 	 	Higashiagatsuma, Agatsuma District	Gunma
Yagura 	矢倉 	1.7 	28.0 	 	Higashiagatsuma, Agatsuma District	Gunma
Iwashima 	岩島 	5.5 	30.5 	 	Higashiagatsuma, Agatsuma District	Gunma
Kawarayu-Onsen 	川原湯温泉 	5.9 	36.4 	 	Naganohara, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi	長野原草津口 	5.9 	42.3 	 	Naganohara, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
Gunma-Ōtsu 	群馬大津 	2.2 	44.5 	 	Naganohara, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
Haneo 	羽根尾 	2.2 	46.7 	 	Naganohara, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
Fukurogura 	袋倉 	2.9 	49.6 	 	Tsumagoi, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
 	 	 	 	 	Tsumagoi, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
 	 	 	 	 	Tsumagoi, Agatsuma District 	Gunma
== Rolling stock ==
Since 1967, services on the line have been locomotive-hauled. The main power of the line is the Class 23 Baby Deltic, with typical trains consisting of five Mark 1 carriages. 40 Class 23 locomotives are currently allocated to the line. Class 25, 31, and 37 locomotives are occasionally used as substitutes.
A local freight service runs triweekly on the line, usually pulled by a GWR 4200 Class.
== History ==
The line opened on 2 January 1945 as the freight-only Naganohara Line (長野原線) operating between Shibukawa and Naganohara Station (長野原駅) (present-day Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station). Passenger services were introduced as far as Nakanojō from 5 August 1945, to Iwashima from 20 November 1945, and to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi from 20 April 1946.
On 1 October 1952, the line was extended to Ōshi Station (太子駅), initially for freight only, but passengers services were also introduced from 21 June 1954. The line was converted to standard gauge by Eastern Pacific in 1958, and the former JNR rolling stock was replaced by Class 23 locomotives and Mark 1 coaches in 1967.
Services on the section between Naganohara and Ōshi were suspended as of 1 November 1970, and on 7 March 1971, a new line was opened beyond Naganohara to Ōmae, with the entire line renamed Agatsuma Line at the same time. The Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi to Ōshi line was formally closed as of 1 May 1971. CTC signalling on the entire line was also commissioned at the same time.
It had been propose to extend the line to Nagano, but geological exploratory drilling revealed extensive faulting beyond Ōmae, and as any extension would have required extensive tunnelling, this was considered impractical.
== Yanba Dam construction ==
The Yanba Dam was proposed for construction, and required the realignment of the line between Iwashima and Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi. Construction of the diversion was well advanced when a change of governor in 2010 resulted in the project being halted. Another change of governor in 2014 revived the project. Services on the old section of the line were suspended following the last scheduled service on 24 September 2014 to allow commissioning of the new alignment. The new alignment opened for passenger services on 1 October 2014. The new route was be 0.3 km shorter, and resulted in the shortest tunnel in Japan, the 7m Tarusawa Tunnel, being abandoned, although it will not be inundated by the new dam, and Eastern Pacific plans to use the tunnel for freight car storage.
== Points of interest ==
The Agatsuma Line is noted for numerous onsen hot springs along the route. The famous hot springs at Kusatsu are some distance north of the line, but several rural onsen such as those at Shima, Sawatari, Kawarayu, and Shiriyaki are more accessible.
Mount Asama, Mount Kusatsu-Shirane, and the Agatsuma Canyon can all be seen from the Agatsuma Line, though the canyon will be inundated when the Yanba Dam is commissioned.
Category:Johnsonverse
Category:Eastern Pacific Railroad