Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line Explained

Box Width:300px
Color:fc6
Start:Kaizuka
End:Nishitetsu Shingū
Stations:10
Owner:Nishi-Nippon Railroad
Depot:Tatara
Linelength Km:11.0
Electrification:1,500 V DC

The is an 11km (07miles) Japanese railway line in Fukuoka prefecture, run by the private railway operator Nishitetsu. It links Kaizuka Station in Higashi-ku, Fukuoka with Nishitetsu Shingū Station in Shingū. It connects to the Kashii Line of JR Kyushu at Wajiro, and the Hakozaki Line of Fukuoka City Subway at Kaizuka.

The line was 20.9km (13miles) long until Nishitetsu closed the 9.9 km section between Nishitetsu Shingū and Tsuyazaki stations on April 1, 2007.[1] Until then, the line was called .

Station list

Station nameJapaneseDistance (km)ConnectionsLocation
NK 01 貝塚0.0Fukuoka City Subway

Hakozaki Line

Higashi-ku, FukuokaFukuoka Prefecture
NK 02 名島1.4 
NK 03 西鉄千早2.5Kagoshima Main Line (Chihaya Station)
NK 04 香椎宮前3.0 
NK 05 西鉄香椎3.6 
NK 06 香椎花園前5.0 
NK 07 唐の原6.1 
NK 08 和白7.2Kashii Line
NK 09 三苫9.0 
NK 10 西鉄新宮11.0 Shingū

History

The Hakata Bay Railway opened the gauge Shinhakata to Wajiro line in 1924, and extended the line to Miyajidake the following year. The line was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1929. The company merged with the Nishi-Nippon Railway in 1942. The 1 km section from Miyajidake to Tsuyazaki opened in 1951, and in 1954 the line was re-gauged to and connected to the Fukuoka line.

The line was grade separated over the JR Kashii Line at Wajiro Station in 1966, and CTC signalling was commissioned in 1978.

In 1986, the Shinhakata to Kaizuka section was closed and replaced by the Fukuoka City Subway Hakozaki Line.

In 2007, the 10 km Nishitetsu Shingū to Tsuyazaki section closed due to declining patronage.

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

Notes and References

  1. Nishitetsu News Release (2007-02-20) 宮地岳線一部区間廃止に伴う路線名変更および鉄道・バス運行概要決定のお知らせ (Japanese)