Abukuma Express Line

Abukuma Express Line
Abukuma Express train at Abukuma Station, August 2006
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Tohoku region
Termini	Fukushima Tsukinoki
Stations	23
Operation
Opened	1 April 1968
Owner	Abukuma Express
Technical
Line length	54.9 km (34.1 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Minimum radius	500 m
Electrification	20 kV AC (50 Hz) overhead catenary
Operating speed	95 km/h (60 mph)

The Abukuma Express Line (阿武隈急行線, Abukuma Kyūkō sen^?) is a railway line in Japan, owned and operated by the third sector operator AbukumaExpress. The line connects Fukushima Station in Fukushima Prefecture and Tsukinoki Station in Miyagi Prefecture. Both of these stations are also on the Tōhoku Main Line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

The line first opened on 1 April 1968 as the Marumori Line (丸森線^?), operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) between Tsukino and Marumori. The original plan was to create a bypass route to relieve overcrowding on the Tōhoku Main Line, but work to extend the line was suspended following the quadrupling of tracks on the Tōhoku Main Line.

In September 1981, the line was proposed for possible closure.

Ownership of the line was transferred to the third-sector Abukuma Express operator from 1 July 1986, initially using former JNR KiHa 22 diesel trains.

The entire line was opened and electrified between Tsukino and Fukushima from 1 July 1988.