Jōetsu Shinkansen

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Jōetsu Shinkansen (上越 新幹線, Jōetsu Shinkansen^?) is a high-speed railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company. It is one of the most complex lines in the Shinkansen network, as it has to cross the mountainous backbone of Honshū Island.

The program was initiated in 1971 by Niigata-born prime minister Tanaka Kakuei. Trial runs over the line began in November 1980, reaching a record 210 km/h in 1981. Regular service began on 1982-11-15. The line was initially planned to terminate at Shinjuku Station, but economic considerations pushed JNR to merge the line with the existing Tōhoku Shinkansen line at Ōmiya.

In September 1991, a 400 Series Shinkansen train set a speed record of 345 km/h on the Jōetsu Shinkansen line, and in December 1993, the STAR21 experimental train managed 425 km/h. The maximum speed for regular services on the line is currently 240 km/h.

[edit] Trains and services

• 200 Series Toki (express) - Commenced December 2002
• E4 series Max Toki (express) - Commenced December 2002
• 200 Series Tanigawa - Commenced October 1997
• E1 Series Max Tanigawa - Commenced October 1997

Four services have been discontinued:

• 200 Series Toki (local)
• 200 Series Asahi - Discontinued December 2002
• E1 Series Max Asahi - Discontinued December 2002

[edit] Stations

Station name	in Japanese	Distance	Location	Connections
Tokyo Station	東京	0	Chiyoda, Tokyo	Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Chūō Main Line, Tōkaidō Main Line, Yokosuka Line, Sōbu Main Line, Keiyō Line
Ueno Station	上野	3.6	Taitō, Tokyo	Jōban Line, Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Tōhoku Main Line (Utsunomiya Line), Takasaki Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Keisei Main Line (Keisei Ueno Station)
Ōmiya Station	大宮	31.3	Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture	Tōhoku Shinkansen, Tōbu Noda Line, New Shuttle, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Saikyō Line, Kawagoe Line, Tōhoku Main Line(Utsunomiya Line), Takasaki Line, Shonan-Shinjuku Line
Kumagaya Station	熊谷	67.9	Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture	Chichibu Railway, Takasaki Line
Honjō-Waseda Station	本庄早稲田	88.0	Honjō, Saitama Prefecture	(none)
Takasaki Station	高崎	108.6	Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture	Nagano Shinkansen(Hokuriku Shinkansen), Joshin Electric Railway, Takasaki Line, Hachikō Line, Ryōmō Line, Jōetsu Line, Shin'etsu Line, Agatsuma Line
Jomo-Kogen Station	上毛高原	150.4	Minakami, Gunma Prefecture	(none)
Echigo-Yuzawa Station	越後湯沢	182.7	Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture	Jōetsu Line, Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Line
Urasa Station	浦佐	212.3	Minamiuonuma, Niigata Prefecture	Jōetsu Line
Nagaoka Station	長岡	245.1	Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture	Shin'etsu Line, Jōetsu Line
Tsubame-Sanjō Station	燕三条	268.7	Tsubame and Sanjō, Niigata Prefecture	Yahiko Line
Niigata Station	新潟	300.8	Niigata, Niigata Prefecture	Shin'etsu Line, Hakushin Line, Echigo Line, Uetsu Main Line(limited express), West Ban'etsu Line

There is also a 1.8 km spur from Echigo-Yuzawa to Gala-Yuzawa Station, which is used in the winter months to bring passengers to a nearby ski resort.

v • d • e Shinkansen Lines: Tōkaidō • Sanyō • Tōhoku • Jōetsu • Hokuriku • Kyushu Mini-Shinkansen: Yamagata • Akita • Future lines: Chūō • Hokkaidō • Cancelled lines: Narita Trainsets: 0 Series • 100 Series • 200 Series • 300 Series • 400 Series • 500 Series • 700 Series • N700 Series • 800 Series • E1 Series • E2 Series • E3 Series • E4 Series • E5 Series Export trainsets: 700T Series • CRH2 • Experimental trainsets: Fastech 360 Maglev trainsets: MLX-01