Tōbu Yaita Line Explained

Tōbu Yaita Line
Stations:9
Open:1 March 1924
Close:30 June 1959
Linelength:23.5km (14.6miles)

The was a 23.5 km railway line in Japan operated by Tobu Railway, which connected on the Tōbu Kinugawa Line to on the Tōhoku Main Line in Tochigi Prefecture. The line opened on 1 March 1924, and closed on 30 June 1959.[1]

Operations

In its final years, there were just five trains in each direction daily, with only three in each direction running over the entire length of the line. Trains were mixed passenger and freight services hauled by 4-4-0 steam locomotives built by Beyer, Peacock & Company in England, with passenger cars converted from former Tobu electric multiple units.

History

The line first opened on 1 March 1924 by the, as a narrow gauge branch line which extended 9.9 km from Takatoku Station (later Shin-Takatoku Station) to .[2] The line was re-gauged to and extended from Tenchō to Yaita on the Tōhoku Main Line, with the 23.5 km line completed in October 1929.[2]

On 1 May 1943, the line was bought by the Tobu Railway, becoming the Yaita Line.[2]

The line closed on 30 June 1959.[2]

See also

References

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

Notes and References

  1. Book: 歴史でめぐる鉄道全路線NO.5 東武鉄道2 . Railway Line History No. 5: Tobu Railway 2 . Asahi Shimbun Publications . September 2010 . Japan . 23 . 978-4-02-340135-8.
  2. Hanai . Masahiro. 東北本線沿線に失われた私鉄の接続駅を訪ねる1 東武鉄道矢板線. Visiting Lost Private Railway Interchange Stations on the Tohoku Main Line (1): Tobu Yaita Line. . 38. 444. 76–81. Kōyūsha Co., Ltd.. Japan . April 1998.