Kyūdai Main Line Explained

Kyūdai Main Line
Status:In operation
Stations:37
Operator:JR Kyushu
Character:Mostly rural with a few urban areas
Stock:KiHa 71 series DMU, KiHa 72 series DMU, KiHa 185 series DMU, KiHa 40 series DMU, KiHa 200 series DMU, KiHa 125 series DMU, DF200 Diesel locomotive, DE10 Diesel locomotive, 77 series passenger cars
Linelength:141.5km (87.9miles)
Tracks:Entire line single tracked
Electrification:None
Speed:95km/h

The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kurume Station, Kurume in Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Station, Ōita in Ōita Prefecture. It is also known as the Yufu Kōgen Line.

The line crosses the whole of Kyushu, approximately paralleling the Chikugo River and its tributary the Kusu River near Kurume, and along the Ōita River close to Ōita. It also traverses popular tourist resorts such as Hita (known as Little Kyoto) and spa resorts around Yufu.

Stations

StationDistance
(km)
TransfersLocation
Kurume久留米 0.0Kagoshima Main Line, Kyushu ShinkansenKurumeFukuoka
久留米高校前3.4 
南久留米4.9 
久留米大学前6.8 
御井8.0 
善導寺12.6 
筑後草野15.7 
田主丸20.8 
筑後吉井26.4 Ukiha
うきは30.0 
筑後大石33.0 
夜明39.1Hitahikosan Line (No service since July 2017 due to rainstorm damage, was replaced by bus rapid transit in August 2023)HitaŌita
光岡45.2 
日田47.6 
豊後三芳49.4 
豊後中川55.3 
天ケ瀬59.5 
杉河内63.6 Kusu
北山田67.8 
豊後森73.2 
恵良77.3 Kokonoe
引治80.7 
豊後中村83.1 
野矢88.2 
由布院99.1 Yufu
南由布102.5 
湯平109.6 
庄内114.5 
天神山118.1 
小野屋119.6 
鬼瀬124.6 
向之原127.7 
豊後国分131.7 Ōita
賀来133.9 
南大分136.6 
古国府138.9 
大分141.5Nippō Main Line, Hōhi Main Line

History

In 1915, the Daito Railway Co. opened the 22 km Oita - Onoya section. The company was nationalised in 1922, and westerly extensions were undertaken in stages from 1923 until Amagase was reached in 1933. The Kurume - Chikugoyoshi opened in 1928, and easterly extensions to Amagase opened between 1931 and 1934.

CTC signalling was commissioned over the entire line in 1984, and freight services ceased in 1987.

Typhoon damage

In 2012, a landslide disrupted services for 6 weeks.

On 5 July 2017, torrential rainfall washed out the bridge over the Oita River between Chikugo Oisha and Teruoka, resulting in the closure of the section. According to the Japanese language Wikipedia article, the line was fully re-opened on 14 July 2018.

Previous connecting/transfer lines