Kagoshima Main Line

Kagoshima Main Line
Local train on the Kagoshima Main Line in August 2017
Overview
OwnerJR Kyushu, JR Freight
LocaleFukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima Prefecture
Termini
Stations90
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR Kyushu, JR Freight, Hisatsu Orange Railway
Rolling stock415 series, 811 series, 813 series, 815 series, 817 series, 783 series, 787 series, 883 series, 885 series, KiHa 72, Hisatsu Orange Railway HSOR-100
History
Opened1889; 135 years ago (1889)
Technical
Line length285.3 km (177.3 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification20 kV AC 60 Hz overhead
Operating speed130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map
Mojikō station (terminus)

The Kagoshima Main Line (鹿児島本線, Kagoshima-honsen) is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) between Mojikō in Kitakyushu, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu. Until March 13, 2004, it extended 393 km (244 mi) between its two termini; however, with the opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen on March 13, the section between Yatsushiro and Sendai was transferred to the third-sector Hisatsu Orange Railway Company. The line is an important line in Kyushu, connecting Fukuoka (Hakata Station) to many other major cities. It is the main line through the Fukuoka urban district, and as such many long-distance express trains from all parts of Kyushu use the section between Kokura Station (Kitakyushu) and Tosu Station, where the Nagasaki Main Line meets the Kagoshima Main Line.

Stations

Mojikō – Arao

Numbering Station name Japanese Total distance (km) Semi rapid[Note 1] Rapid[Note 1] Transfers Location
JA  31  Mojikō 門司港 0.0 + + Mojikō Retro Kankō Line (Kyushu Railway History Museum) Moji-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka
JA  30  Komorie 小森江 4.0 + +
JA  29  Moji 門司 5.5 + + JA San'yō Line
Kitakyūshū Freight Terminal 北九州貨物ターミナル 6.9 - -
Higashi-Kokura Freight Terminal 東小倉(貨) 9.4 - - Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu
JA  28  Kokura 小倉 11.0 + + San'yō Shinkansen
JF Nippō Main Line
Kitakyushu Monorail
JA  27  Nishi-Kokura 西小倉 11.8 + + JF Nippō Main Line
Hama-Kokura Freight Terminal 浜小倉(貨) 13.4 - -
JA  26  Kyūshūkōdai-mae 九州工大前 15.3 - - Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu
JA  25  Tobata 戸畑 17.2 + +
JA  24  Edamitsu 枝光 20.0 - - Yahata Higashi-ku, Kitakyushu
JA  23  Space World スペースワールド 21.1 * *
JA  22  Yahata 八幡 22.2 + +
JA  21  Kurosaki 黒崎 24.9 + + Chikuhō Electric Railroad Line
JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line		 Yahata Nishi-ku, Kitakyushu
Higashi-Orio Yard 東折尾(信) 26.8 - -
JA  20  Jinnoharu 陣原 27.1 - - JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line
JA  19  Orio 折尾 30.1 + + JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
JE Wakamatsu Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
JA  18  Mizumaki 水巻 32.2 + - Mizumaki, Onga
JA  17  Ongagawa 遠賀川 34.3 + - Onga, Onga
JA  16  Ebitsu 海老津 39.4 + * Okagaki, Onga
JA  15  Kyōikudai-mae 教育大前 44.6 + - Munakata
JA  14  Akama 赤間 46.5 + +
JA  13  Tōgō 東郷 50.7 + +
JA  12  Higashi-Fukuma 東福間 53.9 - - Fukutsu
JA  11  Fukuma 福間 56.6 + +
JA  10  Chidori 千鳥 58.5 - - Koga
JA  09  Koga 古賀 60.6 + +
JA  08  Shishibu ししぶ 62.0 - -
JA  07  Shingū-Chūō 新宮中央 63.7 - - Shingū, Kasuya
JA  06  Fukkōdai-mae 福工大前 65.1 + + Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
JA  05  Kyūsandai-mae 九産大前 68.1 - -
JA  04  Kashii 香椎 69.8 + + JD Kashii Line
Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line (Nishitetsu Kashii)
JA  03  Chihaya 千早 71.0 + + Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line (Nishitetsu Chihaya)
Chihaya Yard 千早操車場 71.3 - -
JA  02  Hakozaki 箱崎 75.0 - -
JA  01  Yoshizuka 吉塚 76.4 + + JC Sasaguri Line (Fukuhoku Yutaka Line) Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
 00  Hakata 博多 78.2 + + Logo of Line 1 (Kūkō Line) of the Fukuoka City Subway Kūkō LineLogo of Line 3 (Nanakuma Line) of the Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line
Kyūshū Shinkansen
San'yō Shinkansen
JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line
     Hakata-Minami Line
JB  01  Takeshita 竹下 80.9 - -
JB  02  Sasabaru 笹原 83.3 - - Minami-ku, Fukuoka
JB  03  Minami-Fukuoka 南福岡 84.9 + + Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
JB  04  Kasuga 春日 86.1 - - Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Kasugabaru) Kasuga
JB  05  Ōnojō 大野城 87.4 + + Ōnojō
JB  06  Mizuki 水城 88.8 - -
JB  07  Tofurōminami 都府楼南 91.0 - - Dazaifu
JB  08  Futsukaichi 二日市 92.4 + + Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Nishitetsu Futsukaichi) Chikushino
JB  09  Tenpaizan 天拝山 94.3 - - Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Asakuragaidō)
JB  10  Haruda 原田 97.9 + + JG Haruda Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
JB  11  Keyakidai けやき台 99.9 - - Kiyama, Miyaki Saga
JB  12  Kiyama 基山 101.4 + + Amagi Railway Amagi Line
JB  13  Yayoigaoka 弥生が丘 103.5 - - Tosu
JB  14  Tashiro 田代 105.6 - -
Tosu Freight Terminal 鳥栖貨物ターミナル 105.6 - -
JB  15  Tosu 鳥栖 106.8 + + JH Nagasaki Line
JB  16  Hizen-Asahi 肥前旭 110.4 - -
JB  17  Kurume 久留米 113.9 + + Kyushu Shinkansen
     Kyūdai Main Line (Yufu Kōgen Line)		 Kurume Fukuoka
JB  18  Araki 荒木 118.8 + +
JB  19  Nishimuta 西牟田 122.6 - - Chikugo
JB  20  Hainuzuka 羽犬塚 126.1 + +
JB  21  Chikugo-Funagoya 筑後船小屋 129.7 + + Kyūshū Shinkansen
JB  22  Setaka 瀬高 132.2 + + Miyama
JB  23  Minami-Setaka 南瀬高 135.2 - -
JB  24  Wataze 渡瀬 139.1 - -
JB  25  Yoshino 吉野 141.9 - - Ōmuta
JB  26  Ginsui 銀水 144.3 - - Nishitetsu Tenjin-Ōmuta Line (Nishitetsu Ginsui)
JB  27  Ōmuta 大牟田 147.5 + + Nishitetsu Tenjin-Ōmuta Line
JB  28  Arao 荒尾 151.6 + + Arao Kumamoto

Arao – Yatsushiro

Station name Japanese Total distance (km) Rapid Kumamoto Liner[Note 2] Rapid Super Orange[Note 3] Transfers Location
Arao 荒尾 151.6 + Arao Kumamoto
Minami-Arao 南荒尾 154.8 -
Nagasu 長洲 159.4 + Nagasu, Tamana
Ōnoshimo 大野下 164.1 - Tamana
Tamana 玉名 168.6 +
Higo-Ikura 肥後伊倉 172.8 -
Konoha 木葉 176.7 + Gyokutō, Tamana
Tabaruzaka[Note 4] 田原坂 180.2 - Kita-ku, Kumamoto
Ueki 植木 184.6 +
Nishisato 西里 188.8 -
Sōjōdaigakumae 崇城大学前 191.7 + Nishi-ku, Kumamoto
Kami-Kumamoto 上熊本 193.3 + ■ Kumamoto City Tram Route 3; Kumamoto City Tram Kami-Kumamoto Line
Kumamoto Electric Railway Kikuchi Line
Kumamoto 熊本 196.6 + + Kyushu Shinkansen
     Hōhi Main Line (Aso Kōgen Line)
■ Kumamoto City Tram Route 2; Kumamoto City Tram Tasaki Line and Kumamoto City Tram Trunk Line (Kumamoto-Ekimae)
Kumamoto Freight Terminal 熊本(貨) 197.9 - -
Nishi-Kumamoto 西熊本 199.8 Minami-ku, Kumamoto
Kawashiri 川尻 201.9 + -
Tomiai 富合 205.3 + -
Uto 宇土 207.5 + -      Misumi Line Uto
Matsubase 松橋 212.3 + - Uki
Ogawa 小川 218.5 + -
Arisa 有佐 223.5 + - Yatsushiro
Senchō 千丁 227.6 + -
Shin-Yatsushiro 新八代 229.5 + - Kyushu Shinkansen
Yatsushiro 八代 232.3 + + Hisatsu Orange Railway Line
     Hisatsu Line (Ebino Kōgen Line)

Sendai – Kagoshima

Station name Japanese Total distance (km) Rapid:[Note 5] Liners[Note 5] Transfers Location
Sendai 川内 0.0 + + Hisatsu Orange Railway Line
Kyūshū Shinkansen		 Satsumasendai Kagoshima
Kumanojō 隈之城 2.6 - +
Kobanchaya 木場茶屋 5.7 - -
Kushikino 串木野 12.0 + + Ichikikushikino
Kamimuragakuenmae 神村学園前 14.2 - -
Ichiki 市来 16.6 - +
Yunomoto 湯之元 20.4 - + Hioki
Higashi-Ichiki 東市来 22.9 - -
Ijūin 伊集院 28.8 + +
Satsuma-Matsumoto 薩摩松元 34.1 - - Kagoshima
Kami-Ijūin 上伊集院 36.5 - -
Hiroki 広木 41.5 - -
Kagoshima-Chūō 鹿児島中央 46.1 + +
  Ibusuki Makurazaki Line

Kyūshū Shinkansen
■ Kagoshima City Tram Route 2; Kagoshima City Tram Dai-Ni-Ki Line and Kagoshima City Tram Toso Line
Kagoshima 鹿児島 49.3      Nippō Main Line
■ Kagoshima City Tram Route 1 and ■ Kagoshima City Tram Route 2; Kagoshima City Tram Dai-Ikki Line

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b All trains stop at stations marked "+". Some trains stop at "*". Most trains do not stop at "-". Some rapid/semi rapid trains, however, make stop at all the stations northward from Hakata or Minami-Fukuoka, or southward from Hakata, Futsukaichi, or Kurume.
  2. ^ All the trains stop at stations marked "+". Some trains stop at "*". Most trains do not stop at "-". Some Kumamoto Liner rapid trains, however, make stop at all the stations southward from Kumamoto.
  3. ^ Through service to Hisatsu Orange Railway Line.
  4. ^ Some local trains do not stop at Tabaruzaka.
  5. ^ a b All the trains stop at stations marked "+". Some trains stop at "*". No trains (other than local) stop at "-". Rapid trains always run from Kagoshima-Chūō to Sendai, never the opposite direction. "Liners" here refers to Sawayaka Liner and Ohayō Liner.

Former Yatsushiro – Sendai section

This section was transferred to the Hisatsu Orange Railway Line from March 13, 2004. Some through services operate over this section.

Yatsushiro - Higo-Kōda - Hinagu (Hinagu-Onsen) - Higo-Futami - Kami-Tanoura - (Tanoura-Otachimisaki-Kōen) - Higo-Tanoura - Uminoura - Sashiki - Yunoura - Tsunagi - (Shin-Minamata) - Minamata - Fukuro - Komenotsu - Izumi - Nishi-Izumi - Takaono - Nodagō - Origuchi - Akune - Ushinohama - Satsuma-Ōkawa - Nishikata - Satsuma-Taki - Kusamichi - Kami-Sendai - Sendai

  • Names in brackets are stations newly built or renamed after the line was transferred.

History

Okura line arch bridge remains over 100 years since the line closed
Chikugogawa Bridge on the Saga line in 1981
The heritage listed Chikugogawa Bridge, Saga line
Kumamoto Light Railway
Satsuma Nagano station on the Miyanojo line, a reversing (or dead end) line arrangement

The Kyushu Railway opened the 197 km Mojiko - Hakata - Kumamoto section between 1889 and 1891, extended the line south to Yatsushiro by 1896 and the company was nationalised in 1907.[1]

At the southern end the line from Kagoshima to Hayato (now part of the Nippo Main Line) opened as part of the Hisatsu Line in 1901. The Hayato to Yoshimatsu section of the Hisatsu line opened in 1903, the Yatsushiro to Hitoyoshi section opened in 1908, and the Hitoyoshi to Yoshimatsu section in 1909, providing the original connection from Kagoshima to Yatsushiro.

The Kagoshima to Sendai line opened between 1913 and 1914, and the Sendai to Yatsushiro section opened between 1922 and 1927, at which time this route replaced the Hisatsu Line to become the southern part of the Kagoshima Main Line.[citation needed]

In 2004, following the opening of the Kagoshima to Shin-Yatsushiro section of the Kyushu Shinkansen, the Yatsushiro to Sendai section was transferred to the third-sector Hisatsu Orange Railway.

Duplication

The Moji to Kokura section was double-tracked in 1897. The 14 km Kokura to Kurosaki section (on a new alignment to the west of the original line) opened in 1908, and was completed to Hakata by 1913. The line was double-tracked south of Hakata to Tosu between 1917 and 1921, with Tosu to Hizen Asahi opening 1934, and to Kurume in 1942.[citation needed]

The next section to Araki was double-tracked in 1961, to Kumamoto in 1968 and Yatsushiro in 1970. The Yunoura to Tsunagi section was double-tracked between 1966 and 1968. The line was double-tracked from Kagoshima to Higashichiki between 1969 and 1980.[citation needed]

Former connecting lines

The original Kokura to Kurosaki alignment avoided the coastline due to the Japanese army expressing concern at the vulnerability of a coastal route to enemy naval gunfire.[citation needed] A 3 km "Kokura Bypass" line (junctioning 2 km north of Kokura) to the Nippo Main Line was opened in 1903 for the same reason. However, following Japan's success in the 1904 Russo-Japanese War, this concern diminished and the Kokura to Kurosaki section was rebuilt (and duplicated) on a new easier (though 3 km longer) alignment to the west of the original line in 1908. The original 11 km section was then renamed the Okura Line and operated until 1911, when it closed together with the Kokura Bypass line.[citation needed]

  • Ongagawa Station: An 11 km line to Muroki operated between 1908 and 1985. A 6 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Nishiashiya operated from 1915 to 1932. The Ashiya airfield was occupied by the USAF in 1945, and a 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge line was built on the formation of the 762 mm gauge line to serve the airfield in 1947. Trains were mixed (i.e. freight wagons with a passenger car attached) and only available to US military personnel until 1950. The Korean War extended the use of the airfield by the USAF, and the line closed in 1961.[citation needed]
  • Yoshizuka Station: A 14 km line to Chikuzenkatsuta opened between 1918 and 1919, hauling coal until the mine closed in 1965. The line closed in 1985.[citation needed]
  • Futsukaichi Station: A 26 km light railway to Amagi operated between 1908 and 1940.[citation needed]
  • Hainuzuka Station: The 20 km Yabe Line to Kuroki opened as a 915 mm (3 ft) gauge line in 1903, closing in 1940. The line was rebuilt as a 1,067 mm gauge line in 1945. Freight services ceased in 1978, and the line closed in 1985.[citation needed]
  • Setaka Station: A 24 km line to Saga (on the Nagasaki Main Line) opened between 1931 and 1935, and closed in 1987. This line crossed three major watercourses by substantial bridges. The Kyushu Fertiliser Co. operated a 14 km line to Nankan from 1921 until 1938. The 8 km 915 mm (3 ft) gauge line to Yanagawa line operated from 1911 until 1932.[citation needed]
  • Omuta Station: The Mitsui Mining Co. opened a 19 km line to Miike-ko coal mine in 1891. Two branch lines, 4 and 3 km long, were subsequently opened, closing in 1985 and 1969 respectively.[citation needed] Passenger services ceased in 1984. The majority of the system closed in 1997, when the coal fired power stations at Omuta supplied by the line converted to oil, with a 2 km section to Miyaura freight yard remaining to serve a chemical plant.[citation needed]
  • Arao Station: A 5 km line to Midorigaoka, electrified at 500 V DC, operated from 1949 until 1964.[citation needed]
  • Ueki Station: A 20 km line to Yamaga operated from 1917 until 1965.[citation needed]
  • Kamikumamoto: The 22 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge Kumamoto Light Railway to Otsu opened between 1907 and 1914, with a 2.4 km branch to Suizenji. Despite proposals to regauge the line to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge and electrify it, the anticipated development of the area did not occur at an acceptable rate and the line was closed in 1921.[citation needed]
  • Minamata Station: The first section of the Yamano line was opened from Kurino (on the Hisatsu Line) 24 km to Yamano in 1921. The 14 km Minamata to Kugino section opened in 1934, and the 10 km Yamano to Satsuma section the following year. In 1937, the 8 km Kugino to Satsuma section, including the Okawa spiral opened. Freight services ceased in 1986, and the line closed in 1988.[citation needed]
  • Sendai Station: The Kawamiya Railway commenced construction of a line towards Satsumaoguchi (on the Yamano line) in 1917. Construction was suspended in 1921, and the company was nationalised in 1923. Construction (as the Miyanojo Line) recommenced that year, and the 66 km line opened in stages between 1924 and 1937, closing in 1987.[citation needed]
  • Kami Ijuin Station: The Kagoshima Prefectural Government opened a 50 km line to Makurazaki between 1914 and 1931. The JR Ibusuki Makurazaki Line connected when it opened in 1963. The line was closed in 1984 following landslides caused by torrential rain. It had two branch lines: the 16 km Ata to Chiran line opened between 1927 and 1930, and closed by landslides in 1965; and the 3 km Kaseda to Satsuma Man-sei line operated between 1916 and 1962.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Free, Dan (2008). Early Japanese Railways 1853–1914: Engineering Triumphs That Transformed Meiji-era Japan. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-4805310069.
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