Kagoshima Main Line

Kagoshima Main Line
Local train on the Kagoshima Main Line in August 2017
Overview
Owner	JR Kyushu, JR Freight
Locale	Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima Prefecture
Termini	Mojikō, Sendai Yatsushiro, Kagoshima
Stations	90
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 (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へるつ overhead
Operating speed	130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map

Mojikō station (terminus)

The Kagoshima Main Line (鹿児島本線かごしまほんせん, 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.

Stations

Mojikō – Arao

Numbering	Station name	Japanese	Total distance (km)	Semi rapid	Rapid	Transfers	Location
JA  31	Mojikō	門司もじ港こう	0.0	+	+	Mojikō Retro Kankō Line (Kyushu Railway History Museum)	Moji-ku, Kitakyushu	Fukuoka
JA  30	Komorie	小森江こもりえ	4.0	+	+
JA  29	Moji	門司もじ	5.5	+	+	JA San'yō Line
	Kitakyūshū Freight Terminal	北九州きたきゅうしゅう貨物かもつターミナル	6.9	-	-
	Higashi-Kokura Freight Terminal	東小倉ひがしこくら(貨)	9.4	-	-		Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu
JA  28	Kokura	小倉おぐら	11.0	+	+	San'yō Shinkansen JF Nippō Main Line Kitakyushu Monorail
JA  27	Nishi-Kokura	西小倉にしおぐら	11.8	+	+	JF Nippō Main Line
	Hama-Kokura Freight Terminal	浜小倉はまこくら(貨)	13.4	-	-
JA  26	Kyūshūkōdai-mae	九州きゅうしゅう工大こうだい前まえ	15.3	-	-		Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu
JA  25	Tobata	戸畑とばた	17.2	+	+
JA  24	Edamitsu	枝光えだみつ	20.0	-	-		Yahata Higashi-ku, Kitakyushu
JA  23	Space World	スペースワールド	21.1	*	*
JA  22	Yahata	八幡やはた	22.2	+	+
JA  21	Kurosaki	黒崎くろさき	24.9	+	+	Chikuhō Electric Railroad Line JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line	Yahata Nishi-ku, Kitakyushu
	Higashi-Orio Yard	東折尾ひがしおりお(信しん)	26.8	-	-
JA  20	Jinnoharu	陣原じんのはる	27.1	-	-	JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line
JA  19	Orio	折尾おりお	30.1	+	+	JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (Chikuhō Main Line) JE Wakamatsu Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
JA  18	Mizumaki	水巻みずまき	32.2	+	-		Mizumaki, Onga
JA  17	Ongagawa	遠賀川おんががわ	34.3	+	-		Onga, Onga
JA  16	Ebitsu	海老津えびつ	39.4	+	*		Okagaki, Onga
JA  15	Kyōikudai-mae	教育きょういく大だい前まえ	44.6	+	-		Munakata
JA  14	Akama	赤間あかま	46.5	+	+
JA  13	Tōgō	東郷とうごう	50.7	+	+
JA  12	Higashi-Fukuma	東福間ひがしふくま	53.9	-	-		Fukutsu
JA  11	Fukuma	福間ふくま	56.6	+	+
JA  10	Chidori	千鳥ちどり	58.5	-	-		Koga
JA  09	Koga	古賀こが	60.6	+	+
JA  08	Shishibu	ししぶ	62.0	-	-
JA  07	Shingū-Chūō	新宮しんぐう中央ちゅうおう	63.7	-	-		Shingū, Kasuya
JA  06	Fukkōdai-mae	福ぶく工大こうだい前まえ	65.1	+	+		Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
JA  05	Kyūsandai-mae	九きゅう産さん大前おおまえ	68.1	-	-
JA  04	Kashii	香椎かしい	69.8	+	+	JD Kashii Line Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line (Nishitetsu Kashii)
JA  03	Chihaya	千早ちはや	71.0	+	+	Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line (Nishitetsu Chihaya)
	Chihaya Yard	千早ちはや操車そうしゃ場じょう	71.3	-	-
JA  02	Hakozaki	箱崎はこざき	75.0	-	-
JA  01	Yoshizuka	吉塚よしづか	76.4	+	+	JC Sasaguri Line (Fukuhoku Yutaka Line)	Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
00	Hakata	博多はかた	78.2	+	+	Kūkō Line Nanakuma Line Kyūshū Shinkansen San'yō Shinkansen JC Fukuhoku Yutaka Line      Hakata-Minami Line
JB  01	Takeshita	竹下たけした	80.9	-	-
JB  02	Sasabaru	笹原ささはら	83.3	-	-		Minami-ku, Fukuoka
JB  03	Minami-Fukuoka	南福岡みなみふくおか	84.9	+	+		Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
JB  04	Kasuga	春日しゅんじつ	86.1	-	-	Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Kasugabaru)	Kasuga
JB  05	Ōnojō	大野城おおのじょう	87.4	+	+		Ōnojō
JB  06	Mizuki	水城みずき	88.8	-	-
JB  07	Tofurōminami	都府楼南とふろうみなみ	91.0	-	-		Dazaifu
JB  08	Futsukaichi	二日ふつか市し	92.4	+	+	Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Nishitetsu Futsukaichi)	Chikushino
JB  09	Tenpaizan	天拝山てんぱいざん	94.3	-	-	Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Asakuragaidō)
JB  10	Haruda	原田はらだ	97.9	+	+	JG Haruda Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
JB  11	Keyakidai	けやき台だい	99.9	-	-		Kiyama, Miyaki	Saga
JB  12	Kiyama	基山きやま	101.4	+	+	Amagi Railway Amagi Line
JB  13	Yayoigaoka	弥生やよいが丘おか	103.5	-	-		Tosu
JB  14	Tashiro	田代たしろ	105.6	-	-
	Tosu Freight Terminal	鳥栖とす貨物かもつターミナル	105.6	-	-
JB  15	Tosu	鳥栖とす	106.8	+	+	JH Nagasaki Line
JB  16	Hizen-Asahi	肥前旭ひぜんあさひ	110.4	-	-
JB  17	Kurume	久留くる米よね	113.9	+	+	Kyushu Shinkansen      Kyūdai Main Line (Yufu Kōgen Line)	Kurume	Fukuoka
JB  18	Araki	荒木あらき	118.8	+	+
JB  19	Nishimuta	西牟田にしむた	122.6	-	-		Chikugo
JB  20	Hainuzuka	羽犬塚はいぬづか	126.1	+	+
JB  21	Chikugo-Funagoya	筑後ちくご船せん小屋こや	129.7	+	+	Kyūshū Shinkansen
JB  22	Setaka	瀬高せだか	132.2	+	+		Miyama
JB  23	Minami-Setaka	南瀬のうぜ高だか	135.2	-	-
JB  24	Wataze	渡瀬わたせ	139.1	-	-
JB  25	Yoshino	吉野よしの	141.9	-	-		Ōmuta
JB  26	Ginsui	銀ぎん水すい	144.3	-	-	Nishitetsu Tenjin-Ōmuta Line (Nishitetsu Ginsui)
JB  27	Ōmuta	大牟田おおむた	147.5	+	+	Nishitetsu Tenjin-Ōmuta Line
JB  28	Arao	荒尾あらお	151.6	+	+		Arao	Kumamoto

Arao – Yatsushiro

Station name	Japanese	Total distance (km)	Rapid Kumamoto Liner	Rapid Super Orange	Transfers	Location
Arao	荒尾あらお	151.6	+			Arao	Kumamoto
Minami-Arao	南荒尾みなみあらお	154.8	-
Nagasu	長洲ながす	159.4	+			Nagasu, Tamana
Ōnoshimo	大野下おおのしも	164.1	-			Tamana
Tamana	玉名たまな	168.6	+
Higo-Ikura	肥後ひご伊倉いくら	172.8	-
Konoha	木葉このは	176.7	+			Gyokutō, Tamana
Tabaruzaka	田原たはら坂ざか	180.2	-			Kita-ku, Kumamoto
Ueki	植木うえき	184.6	+
Nishisato	西里にしざと	188.8	-
Sōjōdaigakumae	崇たかし城じょう大学前だいがくまえ	191.7	+			Nishi-ku, Kumamoto
Kami-Kumamoto	上熊本かみくまもと	193.3	+		■ Kumamoto City Tram Route 3; Kumamoto City Tram Kami-Kumamoto Line Kumamoto Electric Railway Kikuchi Line
Kumamoto	熊本くまもと	196.6	+	+	Kyushu Shinkansen      Hōhi Main Line (Aso Kōgen Line) ■ Kumamoto City Tram Route 2; Kumamoto City Tram Tasaki Line and Kumamoto City Tram Trunk Line (Kumamoto-Ekimae)
Kumamoto Freight Terminal	熊本くまもと(貨)	197.9	-	-
Nishi-Kumamoto	西にし熊本くまもと	199.8				Minami-ku, Kumamoto
Kawashiri	川尻かわじり	201.9	+	-
Tomiai	富合とみあい	205.3	+	-
Uto	宇土うと	207.5	+	-	Misumi Line	Uto
Matsubase	松橋まつはし	212.3	+	-		Uki
Ogawa	小川おがわ	218.5	+	-
Arisa	有佐ありさ	223.5	+	-		Yatsushiro
Senchō	千せん丁ちょう	227.6	+	-
Shin-Yatsushiro	新しん八はち代だい	229.5	+	-	Kyushu Shinkansen
Yatsushiro	八はち代だい	232.3	+	+	Hisatsu Orange Railway Line      Hisatsu Line (Ebino Kōgen Line)

Sendai – Kagoshima

Station name	Japanese	Total distance (km)	Rapid:	Liners	Transfers	Location
Sendai	川内かわうち	0.0	+	+	Hisatsu Orange Railway Line Kyūshū Shinkansen	Satsumasendai	Kagoshima
Kumanojō	隈之城くまのじょう	2.6	-	+
Kobanchaya	木場茶屋こばんちゃや	5.7	-	-
Kushikino	串木野くしきの	12.0	+	+		Ichikikushikino
Kamimuragakuenmae	神村学園かみむらがくえん前まえ	14.2	-	-
Ichiki	市来いちき	16.6	-	+
Yunomoto	湯之元ゆのもと	20.4	-	+		Hioki
Higashi-Ichiki	東市来ひがしいちき	22.9	-	-
Ijūin	伊集院いじゅういん	28.8	+	+
Satsuma-Matsumoto	薩摩松元さつままつもと	34.1	-	-		Kagoshima
Kami-Ijūin	上うえ伊集院いじゅういん	36.5	-	-
Hiroki	広木ひろき	41.5	-	-
Kagoshima-Chūō	鹿児島かごしま中央ちゅうおう	46.1	+	+	Ibusuki Makurazaki Line Kyūshū Shinkansen ■ Kagoshima City Tram Route 2; Kagoshima City Tram Dai-Ni-Ki Line and Kagoshima City Tram Toso Line
Kagoshima	鹿児島かごしま	49.3			Nippō Main Line ■ Kagoshima City Tram Route 1 and ■ Kagoshima City Tram Route 2; Kagoshima City Tram Dai-Ikki Line

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

• 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.
• 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.
• Futsukaichi Station: A 26 km light railway to Amagi operated between 1908 and 1940.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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. 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.
• Arao Station: A 5 km line to Midorigaoka, electrified at 500 V DC, operated from 1949 until 1964.
• Ueki Station: A 20 km line to Yamaga operated from 1917 until 1965.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.