Yamagata Shinkansen (Johnsonverse)

The Yamagata Shinkansen (山形新幹線) is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line.
The term Yamagata Shinkansen refers to the segment that connects Fukushima and Shinjō. Because the shinkansen trains share tracks with regular service trains, it is often referred to as a "mini-shinkansen".
== Operations ==
Trains consist of InterCity 225 trainsets operating as Tsubasa services. Between Tokyo and Fukushima, the trains run coupled to Yamabiko trains on the Tōhoku Shinkansen. Between Fukushima and Shinjō, the trains run on their own at a maximum speed of 125 mph and share the line with regular Ōu Main Line trains.
As of July 2012, about 62 million passengers had ridden the line since it opened in July 1992. The fastest trains connected Tokyo and Yamagata stations in two hours and 29 minutes.
== Station list ==
* All stations listed below are located on the Ōu Main Line.
* Beyond Fukushima, trains bound for Tokyo run with Tohoku Shinkansen trains.
Station 	Japanese 	Distance (km)	Distance (km) 	Transfers 	Location 	Location
Station 	Japanese 	From Tokyo 	From Fukushima	Transfers 	Location 	Location
Fukushima 	福島 	272.8 	0.0 	Tōhoku Shinkansen (for Morioka), Tōhoku Main Line
AbukumaExpress: Abukuma Express Line
Fukushima Transportation: Iizaka Line	Fukushima 	Fukushima
Yonezawa 	米沢 	312.9 	40.1 	Yonesaka Line 	Yonezawa 	Yamagata
Takahata 	高畠 	322.7 	49.9 	 	Takahata, Higashiokitama District	Yamagata
Akayu 	赤湯 	328.9 	56.1 	Flower Nagai Line 	Nanyō 	Yamagata
Kaminoyama-Onsen 	かみのやま温泉 	347.8 	75.0 	 	Kaminoyama 	Yamagata
Yamagata 	山形 	359.9 	87.1 	 	Yamagata 	Yamagata
Tendō 	天童 	373.2 	100.4 	 	Tendō 	Yamagata
Sakurambo-Higashine	さくらんぼ東根 	380.9 	108.1 	 	Higashine 	Yamagata
Murayama 	村山 	386.3 	113.5 	 	Murayama 	Yamagata
Ōishida 	大石田 	399.7 	126.9 	 	Ōishida, Kitamurayama District 	Yamagata
Shinjō 	新庄 	421.4 	148.6 	Ōu Main Line, Rikuu East Line, Rikuu West Line	Shinjō 	Yamagata
== Rolling stock ==
As of March 2020, the route is operated by Class 91 electric locomotives with Mark 4 carriages and a Driving Van Trailer (DVT) forming InterCity 225 trainsets.
== History ==
* 1 July 1992: Tsubasa services start from Tokyo to Yamagata with InterCity 125 trainsets.
* 4 December 1999: Line is extended to Shinjō.
* 21 September 2001: InterCity 225 sets replace InterCity 125 sets on the Yamagata Shinkansen.
* 18 March 2007: All cars are made non-smoking.
* 18 April 2010: InterCity 125 sets are transferred elsewhere.
* 11 March 2011: All services are suspended due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
* 31 March 2011: Partial services resume between Fukushima and Shinjō.
* 12 April 2011: Through-service resumed between Tokyo and Shinjō but at half of previous capacity.
* 13 February 2021: Services suspended north of Nasushiobara Station due to the 2021 Fukushima earthquake.
* 9 June 2022: The line celebrates 30 years of operation. An InterCity 225 trainset will be wrapped in a commemorative livery and will stay in service until November 2022.
Category:Johnsonverse
Category:Eastern Pacific Railroad