Kure Line

Kure Line
The Setouchi Marine View tourist trainset
Overview
Other name(s)	Setouchi Sazanami Line (Mihara to Hiro)
Native name	呉線
Locale	Hiroshima Prefecture
Termini	Mihara Kaitaichi
Stations	28
Operation
Opened	27 December 1903 (1903-12-27)
Owner	JR West
Operator(s)	JR West
Technical
Line length	87.0 km (54.1 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC　overhead
Operating speed	95 km/h (59 mph)

The Kure Line (呉線, Kuresen^?) is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) within Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. It begins at Mihara Station in Mihara and terminates at Kaitaichi Station in Kaita. It is one of the main lines of JR West. The section between Mihara Station to Hiro Station is branded the "Setouchi Sazanami Line" (Seto Inland Sea Ripple Line) as the sightseeing line. On the section between Mihara Station and Hiro Station, most trains operate from Hiro Station through Mihara Station to Itozaki Station. On the section between Hiro Station and Kaitaichi Station, most trains operate from Hiro Station through Kaitaichi Station to Hiroshima Station or Iwakuni Station.

New 2- and 3-car 227 series electric trains are scheduled to be introduced on the Kure Line from around 2015, replacing older 115 series trains.

The Kaitashi - Kure section was opened as a private line in 1903, and leased to the Sanyo Railway Co. the following year, before being nationalised in 1906. Individual section opening dates are given below.

The Mihara - Sumani section opened in 1930, and the two sections were connected in 1935. Work to duplicate the line at Kure commenced in 1940, but was abandoned due to material shortages in 1945.

The entire line was electrified in 1970, and freight services ceased in 1986.