Kagoshima Main Line

Kagoshima Main Line
Local train on the Kagoshima Main Line in August 2017
Overview
Status	In operation
Owner	JR Kyushu, JR Freight
Locale	Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima Prefecture
Termini	Mojikō, Sendai Yatsushiro, Kagoshima
Stations	96
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	JR Kyushu, JR Freight, Hisatsu Orange Railway
Rolling stock	415 series, 811 series, 813 series, 815 series, 817 series, 783 series, 787 series, 883 series, 885 series, KiHa 72, Hisatsu Orange Railway HSOR-100
History
Opened	1889; 136 years ago (1889)
Technical
Line length	285.3 km (177.3 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	20 kV AC 60 Hz overhead
Operating speed	130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map

Mojikō station (terminus)

The Kagoshima Main Line (鹿児島本線, Kagoshima-honsen) is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) between Mojikō in Kitakyushu, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu. Until March 13, 2004, it extended 393 km (244 mi) between its two termini; however, with the opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen on March 13, the section between Yatsushiro and Sendai was transferred to the third-sector Hisatsu Orange Railway Company. The line is an important line in Kyushu, connecting Fukuoka (Hakata Station) to many other major cities. It is the main line through the Fukuoka urban district, and as such many long-distance express trains from all parts of Kyushu use the section between Kokura Station (Kitakyushu) and Tosu Station, where the Nagasaki Main Line meets the Kagoshima Main Line.

Operations

Rapid Service

Rapid Service (快速, Kaisoku) operate mainly during the morning and evening rush hours, as well as at night, between Mojikō and Arao. Some trains stop at Takeshita and Sasabaru during the morning rush hour. On weekends and holidays, some trains also stop at Space World.

Regional Rapid Service

Regional Rapid Service (区間快速, Kukan-kaisoku) operate between Mojikō and Yatsushiro. Each train has a designated "rapid section" where it makes the same stops as Rapid Service trains.

Local

Stops at all passenger stations.

Stations

From Mojikō to Hakata

• Stopping petterns
  • Local trains stop at all passenger stations.
  • Rapid Service and Regional Rapid Service:
    • ● : All trains stop.
    • |  : All trains pass.
    • ★  : Trains outside the rapid section stop.
    • ＊  : Some trains stop on weekends and holidays.
    • ▽  : Only the Regional Rapid Service bound for Hakata, departing from Kokura at 6:45 stops.
• All stations are located in Fukuoka Prefecture.

No.	Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Stop		Transfers	Location
			Between stations	Total	Regional Rapid	Rapid
JA  31	Mojikō	門司港	-	0.0	●	●	Mojikō Retro Scenic Line (Kyushu Railway History Museum)	Moji Ward	Kitakyushu City
JA  30	Komorie	小森江	4.0	4.0	●	●
JA  29	Moji	門司	1.5	5.5	●	●	JA San'yō Main Line
	Kitakyūshū Freight Terminal	（貨）北九州貨物ターミナル	1.4	6.9	|	|
	Higashi-Kokura Freight Terminal	（貨）東小倉	2.5	9.4	|	|		Kokurakita Ward
JA  28	Kokura	小倉	1.6	11.0	●	●	San'yō Shinkansen JASan'yō Main Line JF Nippō Main Line JI Hitahikosan Line Kitakyushu Monorail
JA  27	Nishi-Kokura	西小倉	0.8	11.8	●	●	JF Nippō Main Line JI Hitahikosan Line
	Hama-Kokura Freight Terminal	（貨）浜小倉	1.6	13.4	|	|
JA  26	Kyūshūkōdai-mae	九州工大前	1.9	15.3	●	|		Tobata ward
JA  25	Tobata	戸畑	1.9	17.2	●	●
JA  24	Edamitsu	枝光	2.8	20.0	●	|		Yahatahigashi ward
JA  23	Space World	スペースワールド	1.1	21.1	●	＊
JA  22	Yahata	八幡	1.1	22.2	●	●
JA  21	Kurosaki	黒崎	2.7	24.9	●	●	JA Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (Kagoshima Main Line) CK Chikuhō Electric Railroad Line	Yahatanishi ward
	Higashi-Orio Yard	東折尾信号場	-	26.8	|	|
JA  20	Jinnoharu	陣原	2.2	27.1	●	|
JA  19	Orio	折尾	3.0	30.1	●	●	JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (Chikuhō Main Line) JE Wakamatsu Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
JA  18	Mizumaki	水巻	2.1	32.2	★	|		Mizumaki Town	Onga District
JA  17	Ongagawa	遠賀川	2.1	34.3	★	|		Onga Town
JA  16	Ebitsu	海老津	5.1	39.4	●	●		Okagaki Town
JA  15	Kyōikudai-mae	教育大前	5.2	44.6	★	|		Munakata City
JA  14	Akama	赤間	1.9	46.5	●	●
JA  13	Tōgō	東郷	4.2	50.7	●	●
JA  12	Higashi-Fukuma	東福間	3.2	53.9	★	|		Fukutsu City
JA  11	Fukuma	福間	2.7	55.6	●	●
JA  10	Chidori	千鳥	1.9	58.5	▽	|		Koga City
JA  09	Koga	古賀	2.1	60.6	●	●
JA  08	Shishibu	ししぶ	1.4	62.0	▽	|
JA  07	Shingū-Chūō	新宮中央	1.4	63.4	▽	|		Shingū Town, Kasuya District
JA  06	Fukkōdai-mae	福工大前	1.7	65.1	●	●		Higashi Ward	Fukuoka City
JA  05	Kyūsandai-mae	九産大前	3.0	68.1	▽	|
JA  04	Kashii	香椎	1.7	69.8	▽	●	JD Kashii Line
JA  03	Chihaya	千早	1.2	71.0	●	●	NK Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line (Nishitetsu Chihaya)
	Chihaya Yard	千早操車場	-	71.3	|	|
	Kaizuka-Shin[* 1]	貝塚新（仮称）	-	73.3	|	|	Expected to open in 2027
JA  02	Hakozaki	箱崎	4.0	75.0	▽	|
JA  01	Yoshizuka	吉塚	1.4	76.4	●	●	JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (Sasaguri Line)	Hakata Ward
00	Hakata	博多	1.8	78.2	●	●	Kyūshū Shinkansen San'yō Shinkansen JB Kagoshima Main Line JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (Sasaguri Line)      Hakataminami Line Kūkō Line Nanakuma Line

1. Tentative name

From Hakata to Arao

• Stopping petterns
  • Local trains stop at all passenger stations.
  • Rapid Service and Regional Rapid Service:
    • ● : All Trains stop.
    • |  : All Trains pass.
    • ★  : Trains outside the rapid section stop.
    • 〇  : Some trains stop during the morning rush hour.

No.	Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Stop		Transfers	Location
			Between stations	Total	Regional Rapid	Rapid
00	Hakata	博多	-	78.2	●	●	Kyūshū Shinkansen San'yō Shinkansen JA Kagoshima Main Line JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (Sasaguri Line)      Hakataminami Line Kūkō Line Nanakuma Line	Hakata Ward	Fukuoka City	Fukuoka Prefecture
JB  01	Takeshita	竹下	2.7	80.9	★	〇
JB  02	Sasabaru	笹原	2.4	83.3	★	〇		Minami Ward
JB  03	Minami-Fukuoka	南福岡	1.6	84.9	●	●		Hakata Ward
JB  04	Kasuga	春日	1.2	86.1	|	|		Kasuga City
JB  05	Ōnojō	大野城	1.3	87.4	●	●		Ōnojō City
JB  06	Mizuki	水城	1.4	88.8	|	|
JB  07	Tofurōminami	都府楼南	2.2	91.0	|	|		Dazaifu City
JB  08	Futsukaichi	二日市	1.4	92.4	●	●		Chikushino City
JB  09	Tempaizan	天拝山	1.9	94.3	★	|
JB  10	Haruda	原田	3.6	97.9	●	●	JG Haruda Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
JB  11	Keyakidai	けやき台	2.0	99.9	★	|		Kiyama Town, Miyaki District		Saga Prefecture
JB  12	Kiyama	基山	1.5	101.4	●	●	Amagi Railway Amagi Line
JB  13	Yayoigaoka	弥生が丘	2.1	103.5	★	|		Tosu City
JB  14	Tashiro	田代	2.1	105.6	★	|
	Tosu Freight Terminal	（貨）鳥栖貨物ターミナル			|	|
JB  15	Tosu	鳥栖	1.2	106.8	●	●	JH Nagasaki Main Line
JB  16	Hizen-Asahi	肥前旭	3.6	110.4	★	|
JB  17	Kurume	久留米	3.5	113.9	●	●	Kyūshū Shinkansen ■ Kyūdai Main Line (Yufu Kōgen Line)	Kurume City		Fukuoka Prefecture
JB  18	Araki	荒木	4.9	118.8	●	●
JB  19	Nishimuta	西牟田	3.8	122.6	★	|		Chikugo City
JB  20	Hainuzuka	羽犬塚	3.5	126.1	●	●
JB  21	Chikugo-Funagoya	筑後船小屋	3.6	129.7	●	●	Kyūshū Shinkansen
JB  22	Setaka	瀬高	2.5	132.2	●	●		Miyama City
JB  23	Minami-Setaka	南瀬高	3.0	135.2	★	|
JB  24	Wataze	渡瀬	3.9	139.1	★	|
JB  25	Yoshino	吉野	2.8	141.9	★	|		Ōmuta City
JB  26	Ginsui	銀水	2.4	144.3	★	|
JB  27	Ōmuta	大牟田	3.2	147.5	●	●	T Tenjin Ōmuta Line
JB  28	Arao	荒尾	4.1	151.6	●	●	■ Kagoshima Main Line	Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture

From Arao to Yatsushiro

• Stopping petterns:
  • Local and Regional Rapid Service trains stop at all passenger stations in this section.
  • All stations are located in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
		Between stations	Total
Arao	荒尾	4.1	151.6	JB Kagoshima Main Line	Arao City
Minami-Arao	南荒尾	3.2	154.8
Nagasu	長洲	4.6	159.4		Nagasu Town, Tamana District
Ōnoshimo	大野下	4.7	164.1		Tamana City
Tamana	玉名	4.5	168.6
Higo-Ikura	肥後伊倉	4.2	172.8
Konoha	木葉	3.9	176.7		Gyokutō Town, Tamana District
Tabaruzaka	田原坂	3.5	180.2		Kita Ward	Kumamoto City
Ueki	植木	4.4	184.6
Nishisato	西里	4.2	188.8
Sōjōdaigakumae	崇城大学前	2.9	191.7		Nishi Ward
Kami-Kumamoto	上熊本	1.6	193.3	Kumamoto City Tram Kami-Kumamoto Line Kumamoto Electric Railway Kikuchi Line
Kumamoto	熊本	3.3	196.6	Kyūshū Shinkansen ■ Hōhi Main Line Kumamoto City Tram Trunk Line Kumamoto City Tram Tasaki Line
Nishi-Kumamoto	西熊本	3.2	199.8		Minami Ward
Kawashiri	川尻	2.1	201.9
Tomiai	富合	3.4	205.3
Uto	宇土	2.2	207.5	■ Misumi Line (Amakusa Misumi Line)	Uto City
Matsubase	松橋	4.8	212.3		Uki City
Ogawa	小川	6.2	218.5
Arisa	有佐	5.0	233.5		Yatsushiro City
Senchō	千丁	4.1	227.6
Shin-Yatsushiro	新八代	1.9	229.5	Kyūshū Shinkansen
Yatsushiro	八代	2.8	232.3	■ Hisatsu Line (Ebino Kōgen Line) Hisatsu Orange Railway Line

From Sendai to Kagoshima

• Stopping petterns:
  • Trains stop at all passenger stations in this section.
• Track:
  • || : Double-track section
  • | : Single-track section
  • ◇ : Single track section (Passing loop available)
  • ∨ : Double-track section ends
  • ∧ : Double-track section begins
• All stations are located in Kagoshima Prefecture.

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)			Transfers	Track	Location
		Between stations	Total
			From Sendai	From Mojikō
Sendai	川内	-	0.0	349.2	Kyūshū Shinkansen Hisatsu Orange Railway Line	◇	Satsumasendai City
Kumanojō	隈之城	2.6	2.6	351.8		◇
Kobanchaya	木場茶屋	3.1	5.7	354.9		∧
Kushikino	串木野	6.3	12.0	361.2		∨	Ichikikushikino City
Kamimuragakuenmae	神村学園前	2.2	14.2	-		|
Ichiki	市来	2.4	16.6	365.8		◇
Yunomoto	湯之元	3.8	20.4	369.6		◇	Hioki City
Higashi-Ichiki	東市来	2.5	22.9	372.1		∧
Ijūin	伊集院	5.9	28.8	378.0		||
Satsuma-Matsumoto	薩摩松元	5.3	34.1	383.3		||	kagoshima City
Kami-Ijūin	上伊集院	2.4	36.5	385.7		||
Hiroki	広木	5.0	41.5	-		||
Kagoshima-Chūō	鹿児島中央	4.6	46.1	395.3	Kyūshū Shinkansen ■ Ibusuki Makurazaki Line ■ Nippō Main Line Kagoshima City Tram Dai-Niki Line Kagoshima City Tram Toso Line	||
Kagoshima	鹿児島	3.2	49.3	398.5	■ Nippō Main Line Kagoshima City Tram Dai-Ikki Line	∨
Kagoshima Freight Terminal	（貨）鹿児島貨物ターミナル

Former Yatsushiro – Sendai section

This section was transferred to the Hisatsu Orange Railway Line from March 13, 2004. Some through services operate over this section.

Yatsushiro - Higo-Kōda - Hinagu (Hinagu-Onsen) - Higo-Futami - Kami-Tanoura - (Tanoura-Otachimisaki-Kōen) - Higo-Tanoura - Uminoura - Sashiki - Yunoura - Tsunagi - (Shin-Minamata) - Minamata - Fukuro - Komenotsu - Izumi - Nishi-Izumi - Takaono - Nodagō - Origuchi - Akune - Ushinohama - Satsuma-Ōkawa - Nishikata - Satsuma-Taki - Kusamichi - Kami-Sendai - Sendai

• Names in brackets are stations newly built or renamed after the line was transferred.

History

Okura line arch bridge remains over 100 years since the line closed

Chikugogawa Bridge on the Saga line in 1981

The heritage listed Chikugogawa Bridge, Saga line

Kumamoto Light Railway

Satsuma Nagano station on the Miyanojo line, a reversing (or dead end) line arrangement

The Kyushu Railway opened the 197 km Mojiko - Hakata - Kumamoto section between 1889 and 1891, extended the line south to Yatsushiro by 1896 and the company was nationalised in 1907.^[1]

At the southern end the line from Kagoshima to Hayato (now part of the Nippo Main Line) opened as part of the Hisatsu Line in 1901. The Hayato to Yoshimatsu section of the Hisatsu line opened in 1903, the Yatsushiro to Hitoyoshi section opened in 1908, and the Hitoyoshi to Yoshimatsu section in 1909, providing the original connection from Kagoshima to Yatsushiro.

The Kagoshima to Sendai line opened between 1913 and 1914, and the Sendai to Yatsushiro section opened between 1922 and 1927, at which time this route replaced the Hisatsu Line to become the southern part of the Kagoshima Main Line.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, following the opening of the Kagoshima to Shin-Yatsushiro section of the Kyushu Shinkansen, the Yatsushiro to Sendai section was transferred to the third-sector Hisatsu Orange Railway.

Duplication

The Moji to Kokura section was double-tracked in 1897. The 14 km Kokura to Kurosaki section (on a new alignment to the west of the original line) opened in 1908, and was completed to Hakata by 1913. The line was double-tracked south of Hakata to Tosu between 1917 and 1921, with Tosu to Hizen Asahi opening 1934, and to Kurume in 1942.^{[citation needed]}

The next section to Araki was double-tracked in 1961, to Kumamoto in 1968 and Yatsushiro in 1970. The Yunoura to Tsunagi section was double-tracked between 1966 and 1968. The line was double-tracked from Kagoshima to Higashichiki between 1969 and 1980.^{[citation needed]}

Former connecting lines

The original Kokura to Kurosaki alignment avoided the coastline due to the Japanese army expressing concern at the vulnerability of a coastal route to enemy naval gunfire.^{[citation needed]} A 3 km "Kokura Bypass" line (junctioning 2 km north of Kokura) to the Nippo Main Line was opened in 1903 for the same reason. However, following Japan's success in the 1904 Russo-Japanese War, this concern diminished and the Kokura to Kurosaki section was rebuilt (and duplicated) on a new easier (though 3 km longer) alignment to the west of the original line in 1908. The original 11 km section was then renamed the Okura Line and operated until 1911, when it closed together with the Kokura Bypass line.^{[citation needed]}

• Ongagawa Station: An 11 km line to Muroki operated between 1908 and 1985. A 6 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Nishiashiya operated from 1915 to 1932. The Ashiya airfield was occupied by the USAF in 1945, and a 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge line was built on the formation of the 762 mm gauge line to serve the airfield in 1947. Trains were mixed (i.e. freight wagons with a passenger car attached) and only available to US military personnel until 1950. The Korean War extended the use of the airfield by the USAF, and the line closed in 1961.^{[citation needed]}
• Yoshizuka Station: A 14 km line to Chikuzenkatsuta opened between 1918 and 1919, hauling coal until the mine closed in 1965. The line closed in 1985.^{[citation needed]}
• Futsukaichi Station: A 26 km light railway to Amagi operated between 1908 and 1940.^{[citation needed]}
• Hainuzuka Station: The 20 km Yabe Line to Kuroki opened as a 915 mm (3 ft) gauge line in 1903, closing in 1940. The line was rebuilt as a 1,067 mm gauge line in 1945. Freight services ceased in 1978, and the line closed in 1985.^{[citation needed]}
• Setaka Station: A 24 km line to Saga (on the Nagasaki Main Line) opened between 1931 and 1935, and closed in 1987. This line crossed three major watercourses by substantial bridges. The Kyushu Fertiliser Co. operated a 14 km line to Nankan from 1921 until 1938. The 8 km 915 mm (3 ft) gauge line to Yanagawa line operated from 1911 until 1932.^{[citation needed]}
• Omuta Station: The Mitsui Mining Co. opened a 19 km line to Miike-ko coal mine in 1891. Two branch lines, 4 and 3 km long, were subsequently opened, closing in 1985 and 1969 respectively.^{[citation needed]} Passenger services ceased in 1984. The majority of the system closed in 1997, when the coal fired power stations at Omuta supplied by the line converted to oil, with a 2 km section to Miyaura freight yard remaining to serve a chemical plant.^{[citation needed]}
• Arao Station: A 5 km line to Midorigaoka, electrified at 500 V DC, operated from 1949 until 1964.^{[citation needed]}
• Ueki Station: A 20 km line to Yamaga operated from 1917 until 1965.^{[citation needed]}
• Kamikumamoto: The 22 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge Kumamoto Light Railway to Otsu opened between 1907 and 1914, with a 2.4 km branch to Suizenji. Despite proposals to regauge the line to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge and electrify it, the anticipated development of the area did not occur at an acceptable rate and the line was closed in 1921.^{[citation needed]}
• Minamata Station: The first section of the Yamano line was opened from Kurino (on the Hisatsu Line) 24 km to Yamano in 1921. The 14 km Minamata to Kugino section opened in 1934, and the 10 km Yamano to Satsuma section the following year. In 1937, the 8 km Kugino to Satsuma section, including the Okawa spiral opened. Freight services ceased in 1986, and the line closed in 1988.^{[citation needed]}
• Sendai Station: The Kawamiya Railway commenced construction of a line towards Satsumaoguchi (on the Yamano line) in 1917. Construction was suspended in 1921, and the company was nationalised in 1923. Construction (as the Miyanojo Line) recommenced that year, and the 66 km line opened in stages between 1924 and 1937, closing in 1987.^{[citation needed]}
• Kami Ijuin Station: The Kagoshima Prefectural Government opened a 50 km line to Makurazaki between 1914 and 1931. The JR Ibusuki Makurazaki Line connected when it opened in 1963. The line was closed in 1984 following landslides caused by torrential rain. It had two branch lines: the 16 km Ata to Chiran line opened between 1927 and 1930, and closed by landslides in 1965; and the 3 km Kaseda to Satsuma Man-sei line operated between 1916 and 1962.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Free, Dan (2008). Early Japanese Railways 1853–1914: Engineering Triumphs That Transformed Meiji-era Japan. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-4805310069.