Rumoi Main Line
The Rumoi Main Line is a Japanese railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company which connects Fukagawa Station in Fukagawa and Ishikari-Numata Station in Numata. Following the discontinuation of service between Rumoi and Ishikari-Numata on 1 April 2023, the Rumoi Main Line is the shortest railway line in Japan to be classified as a 'main line', at just.
On 19 November 2016, JR Hokkaido's president announced plans to further rationalize the network by up to, or approximately 50% of the network, including closure of the remaining section of the Rumoi Main Line. This section of track from Ishikari-Numata to Rumoi was closed on 1 April 2023, with the final train running on 31 March 2023. JR Hokkaido has announced the Fukagawa-Ishikari Numata section will close on 1 April 2026, and the final train will run on 31 March 2026.
History
The initial section of the line, between Fukagawa and Rumoi opened on 23 October 1910, and was extended to Mashike on 5 November 1921. The line was reclassified as a "main line" from 10 October 1931. With the privatization of Japanese National Railways on 1 April 1987, the line came under the control of JR Hokkaido.Closure plans
On 10 August 2015, JR Hokkaido informed the mayors of Rumoi and Mashike of its plans to close the section of the line from Rumoi to Mashike in 2016. In April 2016, it was officially announced that the section from Rumoi to Mashike would close, and the last service operated on 4 December of that year. The four towns and cities along the remaining line, Rumoi, Numata, Chippubetsu and Fukagawa were in discussion with JR Hokkaido regarding the line's future, but Rumoi left the group as the city was already well-equipped so they did not see keeping the railway open as necessary after Rumoi IC opened in Fukagawa-Rumoi Expressway. In September 2022, JR Hokkaido submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to close an additional between Ishikari-Numata and Rumoi. As the closure was approved on 9 December 2022, the end of service was announced for 31 March 2023, and the closure occurred on 1 April 2023.Although the rest of the municipalities proposed that the rest of the line remains open, the proposal failed when JR Hokkaido demanded 300,000,000 yen yearly to keep the line open. As a result, The remaining section to Fukagawa is slated to be closed on 1 April 2026.