Shinonoi Line

The Shinonoi Line (篠ノ井線) is a railway line in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Shinonoi Station in Nagano with Shiojiri Station in Shiojiri.

The line is a corridor between the Shinetsu Main Line and the Chūō Main Line. All the limited express trains on the Shinonoi Line come from the Chūō Main Line: Azusa from Tokyo and Shinano from Nagoya.

Stations
All stations are located in Nagano Prefecture.


 * ●: All trains stop, ▲: Some trains stop, ｜: non-stop, Rapid Misuzu stops at all stations

Hirase loop
A passing loop is located in Azumino, known as Hirase shingōjō (平瀬信号場). It has two tracks.
 * Coordinates:36.26313°N, 137.94831°W

Haneo switchback
A switchback is located in Azumino, known as Haneo shingōjō (羽尾信号場)
 * Coordinates: 36.48561°N, 138.09856°W

Kuwanohara switchback
A switchback is located in Azumino, known as Kuwanohara shingōjō (桑ノ原信号場)
 * Coordinates: 36.52227°N, 138.07773°W

Limited express

 * E353 series EMU (Azusa, Kaiji)
 * 383 series EMU (Wide View Shinano)

Local

 * E127 series EMU
 * 211 series EMU
 * 313 series EMU

Former rolling stock

 * 115 series EMU
 * 123 series EMU
 * 381 series EMU (Shinano)
 * E257 series EMU (Azusa, Kaiji)
 * E351 series EMU (Super Azusa)

History
The Shinonoi to Nishijo section opened in 1900, and was extended via Matsumoto to Shiojiri in 1902.

The Shiojiri to Matsumoto section was double-tracked between 1961 and 1965, with the Tazawa to Akashina section double-tracked in 1966. The Akashina to Nishijo section was also double-tracked, but the original line was decommissioned in 1988.

The Shiojiri to Matsumoto section was electrified in 1964/5, and extended to Shinonoi in 1973, CTC signalling being commissioned on the entire line the previous year.

Former connecting lines

 * Matsumoto Station: The Chikuma Electric Railway opened a 5 km line, electrified at 600 V DC, to Asama Onsen in 1924. In 1958 the voltage was raised to 750 V DC, but the line closed in 1964.