When it was put into practice to have rapid trains stop at Kyuhoji in 1997 (at the time it was only a stop for regional rapid trains), the opportunity was taken advantage of in 1998 by newly establishing passing loops at Kyuhoji, and a main pattern was formed around making revisions to the timetable by putting in island platforms.
1997年に久宝寺での快速停車（当時は区間快速のみ）が実施されたのを機に、1998年に久宝寺に新たに待避線が設けられ緩急接続を行うパターンを主体としたダイヤに改められた。