Shimabara Railway Line Explained

Box Width:350px
Shimabara Railway Line
Color:ffff22
End:
(until 31 March 2008)
Stations:24
Stock:Kiha 2500 type
Linelength Km:43.2
Tracks:single
Map State:collapsed

The is a Japanese railway line connecting Isahaya Station, Isahaya and Shimabarakō. The line parallels the coast of Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture. The third-sector railway company Shimabara Railway owns the line and also operates buses and ships. The first section of the line opened in 1911. The former line between Shimabarakō and Kazusa had few passengers and closed on 1 April 2008. The line uses the older diesel-powered Kiha 20 type train which was developed in the mid-1950s. Because of the line's vintage trains which maintain the old Japanese National Railways colors of red and beige, it remains popular among train enthusiasts. This is the only railway on Kyushu outside the Fukuoka area that has remained privately throughout its history.

History

The Shimabara Railway Co. opened the Isahaya – Aino section in 1911, extending the line to Kojiromachi in 1912 and Minami-Shimabara the following year.

The Kuchinotsu Railway Co. opened the Minami-Shimabara – Dozaki section in 1922, extending the line to Harajo in 1926 and Kazusa two years later.

Diesel power was introduced by the Kuchinotsu Railway Co. in 1930, and by the Shimabara Railway Co. in 1934. In 1943 the two companies merged under the name Shimabara Railway Co.

In 1958 direct services to/from Nagasaki were introduced, operating until 1980.

Former connecting lines

Volcanic disruptions

Services were disrupted for six months in 1991 owing to lava flows from Mount Unzen, which also caused a one-month service disruption the following year.

In 1993 a major lava flow forced the closure of the line between Shimabarakō and Fukae, and services did not resume on that section until 1997.

The Shimabarakō – Kazusa section was closed on 1 April 2008 owing to declining patronage.

Stations

●:Always stops   ▲:Sometimes stops  |:Does not stop

StationJapaneseDistance
(km)
Express
Stops
Connecting linesLocation
諫早0.0JR Kyushu
本諫早1.5
2.9
小野4.8
干拓の里5.5
森山7.5
釜ノ鼻9.6
諫早東高校11.4
愛野12.4
阿母崎14.4
吾妻16.6
古部19.6
大正20.8
西郷23.0
神代25.5
多比良29.4
有明湯江31.8Shimabara
大三東34.1
松尾35.2
三会37.5
島原40.5
霊丘公園体育館41.5
島原船津42.3
島原港43.2
Shimabara-gaikō (now Shimabarakō) – Kazusa: Discontinued on April 1, 2008
Chichibu-ga-ura秩父が浦44.3ShimabaraNagasaki
Prefecture
Antoku安徳45.4
Seno-fukae瀬野深江47.5Minamishimabara
Fukae深江49.6
Futsu-shinden布津新田52.0
Futsu布津53.9
Dōzaki堂崎56.9
Kamaga蒲河58.4
Arie有家59.9
Nishi-arie西有家61.2
Tatsuishi龍石63.4
Kitaarima北有家65.3
Jōkōjimae常光寺前66.1
Uradakannon浦田観音67.1
Harajō原城68.2
Arimayoshikawa有馬吉川70.6
Higashi-ōya東大屋74.6
Kuchinotsu口之津75.8
Shirahama-kaisuiyokujōmae白浜海水浴場前76.8
Kazusa加津佐78.5

See also

References

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

External links