Hisatsu Line
A train (KiHa 31 series) on the Kuma River bridge in 2007
Overview
Native name肥薩線
StatusIn operation
LocaleKyushu, Japan
Termini
Stations28
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)Logo of the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). JR Kyushu
Rolling stockKiHa 40 series DMU, KiHa 200 series DMU, JGR Class 8620 steam locomotive, JNR 50 series passenger cars
History
Opened15 January 1903 (1903-01-15)
Technical
Line length124.2 km (77.2 mi)
Number of tracksSingle-track
CharacterRural and scenic
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed85 km/h (53 mph)
SignallingSpecial automatic closed block
Route map
↑ Kagoshima Main Line for Kumamoto
Shin-Yatsushiro
↔ Kyushu Shinkansen
← Industrial Railway
← old Yatsushiro Station
0.0
 Yatsushiro
6 m
← Hisatsu Orange Railway Line
for Sendai
↔ Kyushu Shinkansen
5.2
 Dan
16 m
6.6
7.1
10.2
→ Industrial Railway
11.0
 Sakamoto
26 m
12.2
14.3
 Haki
34 m
16.8
 Kamase
38 m
17.1
 Kuma River
Route 219
19.6
 Setoishi
42 m
→ old Track
23.4
 Kaiji
53 m
26.6
 Yoshio
56 m
29.8
 Shiroishi
63 m
32.0
33.1
33.6
34.5
34.5
34.9
 Kyūsendō
73 m
36.9
39.4
39.8
 Isshōchi
86 m
40.9
42.4
 Naraguchi
91 m
44.3
 Kuma River
178 m
45.2
 Watari
95 m
Route 219
46.2
48.4
 Nishi-Hitoyoshi
111 m
49.1
51.7
 Hitoyoshi
107 m
52.6
→ Yunomae Line
53.8
 Kuma River
170 m
Route 219
59.9
61.1
 Yokohira Tunnel
503 m
62.2
 Okoba
294 m
63.0
66.5
68.9
71.1
 Yatake
537 m
Kumamoto ↔ Miyazaki
72.3
 Yatake Tunnel 1
2096 m
75.1
 Yatake Tunnel 2
143 m
75.4
 Yatake Tunnel 3
131 m
75.8
78.5
 Masaki
380 m
79.7
 Yamagami Tunnel 2
618 m
Miyazaki ↔ Kagoshima
→ Kitto Line for Miyakonojō
85.8
 Yoshimatsu
225 m
90.1
92.4
Route 268
93.4
 Kurino
188 m
← old Yamano Line
97.1
99.8
 Ōsumi-Yokogawa
187 m
100.6
102.7
 Uemura
169 m
102.8
105.5
 Kirishima-Onsen
160 m
106.9
107.3
 Akamizu Tunnel
634 m
109.9
111.3
 Kareigawa
167 m
113.4
 Nakafukura
141 m
115.8
 Hyōkiyama
117.4
118.6
Route 223
120.7
 Hinatayama
12 m
→ Nippō Main Line for Miyazaki
123.2
 Hayato
15 m
↓ Nippō Main Line for Kagoshima
A KiHa 140 DMU operating from Hayato to Yoshimatsu

The Hisatsu Line (肥薩線, Hisatsu-sen) is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Yatsushiro on the Kagoshima Main Line to Hayato station, Kirishima on the Nippo Main Line. From 1909 the line was the original rail connection from Yatsushiro to Kagoshima (and via the Kitto Line, Miyazaki) until the Yatsushiro – Kagoshima coastal route via Sendai opened in 1927.

The major part of the line is in the mountainous Kirishima range. No through trains are operated on this line, rather, trains go from Yatsushiro to Hitoyoshi, from Hitoyoshi to Yoshimatsu, and from Yoshimatsu to Hayato. Until 2000, some trains operated direct from Kumamoto to Miyazaki via the Yatsushiro to Yoshimatsu section of the line.

Stations

Station Distance
(km)		 Connections Location
Yatsushiro 八代 0.0
Yatsushiro Kumamoto
Dan 段 5.2  
Sakamoto 坂本 11.0  
Haki 葉木 14.4  
Kamase 鎌瀬 16.8  
Setoishi 瀬戸石 19.6  
Kaiji 海路 23.5   Ashikata
Yoshio 吉尾 26.7  
Shiroishi 白石 29.8  
Kyūsendō 球泉洞 34.9   Kuma
Isshōchi 一勝地 39.8  
Naraguchi 那良口 42.4  
Watari 渡 45.3  
Nishi-Hitoyoshi 西人吉 48.4   Hitoyoshi
Hitoyoshi 人吉 51.8 Kumagawa Railway Yunomae Line
Okoba 大畑 62.2  
Yatake 矢岳 71.7  
Masaki 真幸 79.0   Ebino Miyazaki
Yoshimatsu 吉松 86.8 Kitto Line (Ebino Kōgen Line) Yūsui Kagoshima
Kurino 栗野 94.3  
Ōsumi-Yokogawa 大隅横川 100.8   Kirishima
Uemura 植村 102.8  
Kirishima-Onsen 霧島温泉 106.5  
Kareigawa 嘉例川 112.3  
Nakafukura 中福良 114.4  
Hyōkiyama 表木山 116.8  
Hinatayama 日当山 121.6  
Hayato 隼人 124.2 Nippō Main Line

History

The entire line was built by the government railways. The Hayato – Yoshimatsu section was opened in 1903, followed by the Yatsushiro – Hitoyoshi section in 1908. When the line names were officially designated in October 1909, the former became a part of the Kagoshima Main Line and the latter the Hitoyoshi Main Line. In November 1910, with the Hitoyoshi – Yoshimatsu section (which included the Okoba switchback and spiral) opening, both sections were connected and the Hitoyoshi Main Line was merged to the Kagoshima Main Line.[1]

In 1927, following the opening of the current 'west coast' Kagoshima Main Line via Sendai, the line was renamed the Hitatsu Line.[1]

Freight services ceased the day the line (and the entire JNR system) was privatised in 1987.

Former connecting lines

Kurino station – the Yamano Line junctioned here. The first 24 km section of the Yamano Line was opened to Yamano in 1921. The 14 km Minamata (on the Kagoshima Main Line) – Kugino section opened in 1934, and the 10 km Yamano – Satsuma-Fuke section the following year. In 1937, the 8 km Kugino – Satsuma-Fuke section, including the Okawa spiral opened, connecting the two sections. Freight services ceased in 1986, and the line closed in 1988.[1]

Flood damage

Since 4 July 2020, no trains have operated on the 86.8 km section of the line between Yatsushiro and Yoshimatsu, due to catastrophic damage caused by the 2020 Kyushu floods, including much of the track being completely destroyed, especially in areas where the line runs directly parallel to the Kuma River.[2]

JR Kyushu has not announced a set date for resumption of rail service on this section, apart from stating that services would be suspended for an indefinite period. JR Kyushu's president Toshihiko Aoyagi has stated that the restoration cost can not be determined until agreements have been made amongst local communities, prefectures and the national government, regarding management of the Kuma River. On 17 March 2022, the restoration cost was estimated to be about 23 billion yen.[2]

The track section between Yatsushiro and Yoshimatsu was featured in Microsoft Train Simulator. A Hisatsu Line-based layout is available for the Japanese model train simulator VRM.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory – JNR/JR] (in Japanese). Vol. I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 222. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
  2. 1 2 "肥薩線の復旧費230億円 ＪＲ九州試算 熊本地震被害を大きく上回る" [23 billion yen for restoration of the Hisatsu Line - JR Kyushu estimate, damage from the Kumamoto earthquake far exceeds the cost of restoring the line]. kumanichi.com (in Japanese). 17 March 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022. ２０２０年７月豪雨で被災し、熊本県内の全区間が不通になっているＪＲ肥薩線の復旧費について、ＪＲ九州が概算で２３０億円と試算していることが１７日、関係者への取材で分かった。豊肥線などが被災した１６年の熊本地震時の総額約９０億円を大きく上回り、同社の災害復旧費としては過去最大となる ["On July 17, JR Kyushu estimated the cost of restoring the JR Hisatsu Line, which was damaged by the July 2020 torrential rains and has been closed for the entire length of the line in Kumamoto Prefecture, to be 23 billion yen. On July 17, we learned from an interview with an official that JR Kyushu estimates the cost of restoring the JR Hisatsu Line, which was damaged by the July 2020 torrential rains that have crippled all sections in Kumamoto Prefecture, at 23 billion yen. This is significantly higher than the 9 billion yen spent at the time of the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2004, when the Hohi Line and other lines were damaged, and is the largest ever spent by the company for disaster restoration."]
  3. ↑ "うつみさん 「肥薩線レイアウト」". Archived from the original on 2009-01-09. Retrieved 2009-03-27.

Bibliography

Route diagram: Nippon Rettō - Tetsudō-kigen (にっぽん列島 - 鉄道紀元) pp. 12–14, Vol. 14, October 25, 2006 - JTB Publishing.

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