Kurobe Gorge Railway
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2024) |
 | |
 Kurobe Gorge Railway | |
Native name | 黒部峡谷鉄道株式会社 |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Kurobe Kyōkoku Tetsudō Kabushiki Kaisha |
| Company type | Public-private KK |
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 4 May 1971 |
| Website | Official website |
The Kurobe Gorge Railway (黒部峡谷鉄道株式会社, Kurobe Kyōkoku Tetsudō Kabushiki Kaisha), or Kurotetsu (黒鉄) for short, is a private, 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) narrow gauge railway company operating the Kurobe Gorge Main Line along the Kurobe River in the Kurobe gorge area of Toyama Prefecture, Japan. The railway was built to serve the construction of the Kurobe dam for the Kansai Electric Power Company, which was completed in 1963; Kurotetsu was spun off from the power company in June 1971, but remains a wholly owned subsidiary. At its terminus, the Main Line links to Kurobe Senyō Railway, which is not open to general public.
As of 2006[update], the company operated 25 locomotives, 139 passenger carriages and 204 freight wagons.[1]
History
The Unazuki - Nekomata section opened in 1926, electrified at 600 VDC and was extended to Keyakidaira in 1937.
The passenger service started in 1953.
Stations
All stations are in Kurobe, Toyama.
- Key
●: Served by passenger trains
▲: Served by passenger trains only during April–May
｜: Closed to passengers
| Name | Japanese | Distance | Train stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unazuki | 宇奈月 | 0.0 | ● |
| Yanagibashi | 柳橋 | 2.1 | ｜ |
| Moriishi | 森石 | 5.1 | ｜ |
| Kuronagi | 黒薙 | 6.5 | ● |
| Sasadaira | 笹平 | 7.0 | ▲ |
| Dashidaira | 出平 | 9.1 | ｜ |
| Nekomata | 猫又 | 11.8 | ｜ |
| Kanetsuri | 鐘釣 | 14.3 | ● |
| Koyadaira | 小屋平 | 17.5 | ｜ |
| Keyakidaira | 欅平 | 20.1 | ● |
Equipment
Electric locomotives
- EB class (Nos. 1–3, 5–7): withdrawn from service in 1984.
- ED class (Nos. 8–11): 9–11 survive.
- EDS class (Nos. 13, 15–17): No. 13 survives.
- EDM class (Nos. 22, 23, 30–32)
- EDR class (Nos. 17–21, 24–29, 33)
- EHR class (Nos. 101, 102)
Battery electric locomotives
- BB class (Nos. 1, 2)
Diesel locomotives
- DB class (No. 11): withdrawn 1985
- DD21: withdrawn 1979
- DD22, DD23: DD23 withdrawn 2000
- DD24
Passenger cars
- Ha (ハ) class: 2-axle open car.
- 1000 class: open car
- 2000 class: heated car with fixed, widthwise seats, extra charge to ride
- 2500 class: heated car with reversible seats so that passengers can always ride facing forward, extra charge to ride
- 2800 class: lounge car, heated, reversible seats, extra charge to ride
- 3000 class: panoramic observation car, extra charge to ride
The cars are manufactured by Alna Koki. The 2000 class cars have drivers cabs at their front end.
Freight cars
- wa (ワ) class (boxcar)
- oshi (オシ) class depressed center flatcar
- muchi (ムチ) class flatcar
- nachi (ナチ) class flatcar
- ochi (オチ) class flatcar
- oto (オト) class gondola
- to (ト) class gondola
- chi (チ) class flatcar
- shi (シ) class depressed center flatcar
See also
References
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia
- ^ Bushell, Chris, ed. (2006). Railway Directory 2006 (111th ed.). Reed Business Information. p. 122. ISBN 0-617-01031-5.
External links
- Official website
Transit in Toyama Prefecture | |||||||||
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 JR West | |||||||||
| Ainokaze Toyama Railway | |||||||||
| Toyama Chihō Railway (Chitetsu) |
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| Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route |
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| Other operators |
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| Misc. |
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