Nevertheless, none of these railway lines served the purpose as arterial railroad connecting east and west, and, rather, they functioned as south-north network lines or as secondary lines of the east-west main lines, connecting cities and rural communities within various regions such as the Pacific coastal areas (Kanto and Tokai Regions), interiors (Koshin Region) and the Japan Sea coastal areas (Hokuriku Region).
しかし、いずれも東西の幹線という意味を持たず、太平洋側（関東地方、東海地方）・内陸側（甲信地方）・日本海側（北陸地方）の都市や村落を結ぶ、南北の連絡線や、東西の幹線の裏道というルートとなった。