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Shin-etsu Line

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Introducing

The Shin-etsu Line connects Takasaki Station in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture with Niigata Station in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture.

In the past, a single line connected Takasaki Station to Niigata Station, but with the opening of the Shinkansen line to Nagano (now Hokuriku Shinkansen) in October 1997, the line between Yokokawa Station and Karuizawa Station, which runs parallel to the Shinkansen line, was discontinued. At that time, the remaining line between Karuizawa Station and Shinonoi Station was also transferred to Shinano Railway. In March 2015, the Hokuriku Shinkansen line extension between Nagano and Kanazawa stations opened for service, and management of the line between Nagano and Naoetsu stations was also transferred to Shinano Railway and Echigo TOKImeki Railway.

Currently, the Shin-etsu Line operating as JR EAST has three sections: between Takasaki Station and Yokokawa Station, between Shinonoi Station and Nagano Station, and between Naoetsu Station and Niigata Station. This DLC includes the section between Naoetsu Station and Niigata Station.

Omigawa (青海川) Station, located on the way to the station, is known as a station adjacent to the sea, along with Umi-Shibaura Station on the Tsurumi Line and Rikuzen-Otsuka Station on the Senseki Line, where you can watch the sun set over the Sea of Japan from the platform.The train runs along the seaside section of the Sea of Japan between Naoetsu Station and Kashiwazaki Station, and between Kashiwazaki Station and Niigata Station, it runs through the rural landscape that symbolizes Niigata as a rice-producing region.

Key data

  • Line length:  136.3 km
  • Number of stations: 42
  • Safety system: ATS-P/ATS-Ps
  • Train model: E129 series
  • Max speed: 
    • Naoetsu～Niigata : 100 km/h
  • Routes:
    • Naoetsu ~ Nagaoka (1327M): "Local" - 4 cars - 23 stations - 73 km
    • Kashiwazaki ~ Niigata (1323M): "Local" - 4 cars - 31 stations - 100 km
    • Nagaoka ~ Niigata (431M): "Local" - 4 cars - 20 stations - 63.3 km
    • Nagaoka ~ Niigata (3481M): "Rapid" - 4 cars - 9 stations - 63.3 km
    • Niitsu ~ Niigata (2523M): "Local" - 4 cars - 6 stations - 15.2 km

A special feature of this DLC is that there is no line allowing you to do Naoetsu ~ Niigata in one go.

When stopping at a station, the brake must be set to level 5 minimum.

As schedules are not available on the TIMS screen, we recommend using the timetables or displaying the STA indicator.

Console detail

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On the left-hand side of the console, you'll find:

  • At the top, various indicators. In this order: 
    1. Emergency short circuit (非常短絡)
    2. 3-phases (三相)
    3. ATS power supply (ATS電源)
    4. ATS operation (ATS動作)
    5. Snow resistant brakes (耐雪ブレーキ)
    6. Safety Brakes (直通予備)
    7. Cruise control (定速)
  • Below is the ATS-P/Ps dial with the following indicators:
    1. Normal operation of safety systems (保安装置正常動作)
    2. P power supply (P電源)
    3. Pattern approach (パターン接近)
    4. Brake operation (ブレーキ動作)
    5. Brake release (ブレーキ開放)
    6. ATS-P
    7. ATS-Ps
    8. P failure (P故障)
    9. Ps failure (Ps故障)
  • Bottom left, brake level (with emergency brake indicator in red and speed limitation indicator in yellow)
  • Then the brake cylinder pressure (black arrow) and compressed air main reservoir pressure (red arrow) dial
  • Then the speed dial
  • And finally, the door-closing indicator and pocket watch.

Note that above the console, on the left, there are dials for supply voltage (in kV) and internal voltage (in V).

TIMS screen

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The line information screen contains the following information:

  • Current time, current speed and distance travelled
  • Train information: train number (3481M), train type (Express 1 - 快速1), route (Nagaoka 長岡 -> Niigata 新潟)
  • The name of the station and the next 2. If it's a through station, there will be a down arrow (otherwise, it's stop 停車).
  • The name of the next station to stop at (次停車駅).
  • The indicator at the top/bottom of each car shows whether the left/right doors are open (yellow) or not. Cars can take 2 colors: blue (engines are running) or yellow (brakes are running).

Personal opinion

The most interesting part (but also the most complex) is the Naoetsu ~ Nagaoka section, with its view of the Sea of Japan and its passage between the mountains. From Nagaoka onwards, the line is much straighter and easier (even if you have to watch out for the occasional switchback). In any case, it's a pleasant line to ride.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin%27etsu_Main_Line 

Driver's guide: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13vyFcd7oDuORK3IjNlnSSNxdTPN-WXtBmYCRsaW8WR0/edit#gid=2085260494

Movies of the line:

Timetables (in japanese):

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