The is a railway line in Kyushu, southern Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects the west and east coasts of the island. The line originates at Kumamoto Station in Kumamoto and ends at terminal of Ōita Station in Ōita.
Data Gauge: Length: 148.0 km Stations: 37 (including terminals) Track: Single track Electrification: Kumamoto - Higo Ōzu: 20 kV AC (60 Hz) Higo Ōzu - Ōita: None
Maximum service speed: 95 km/h (59 mph)
Stations •: Stops, |: Passes through StationsDistance(km)Rapid Hōhi LinerTransfersLocationKumamoto 熊本0.0• Kagoshima Main Line Kyushu ShinkansenKumamoto City Transportation Bureau: Trunk Line・Tasaki Line (Kumamoto-Ekimae Station) Nishi-ku, KumamotoKumamotoHeisei 平成2.7| Chūō-ku, KumamotoMinami Kumamoto 南熊本3.6| Shin Suizenji 新水前寺5.2•Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau: Trunk Line (Suizenji-Ekidori Station)Suizenji 水前寺5.8• Tōkai Gakuen-mae 東海学園前7.8| Higashi-ku, KumamotoTatsutaguchi 竜田口8.9| Kita-ku, KumamotoMusashizuka 武蔵塚12.9• Hikari no Mori 光の森14.8• Sanrigi 三里木15.8| KikuyōHaramizu 原水18.9| Higo Ōzu 肥後大津22.6• ŌzuSeta 瀬田27.2 Tateno 立野32.3 Minami Aso Railway Takamori LineMinamiasoAkamizu 赤水40.2 AsoIchinokawa 市ノ川42.6 Uchinomaki 内牧46.4 Aso 阿蘇49.9 Ikoi no Mura いこいの村51.2 Miyaji 宮地53.4 Namino 波野64.1 Takimizu 滝水69.0 Bungo-Ogi 豊後荻75.2 TaketaŌitaTamarai 玉来84.9 Bungo-Taketa 豊後竹田88.0 Asaji 朝地93.9 Bungo ŌnoOgata 緒方100.3 Bungo-Kiyokawa 豊後清川105.4 Miemachi 三重町111.9 Sugao 菅尾117.3 Inukai 犬飼125.2 Takenaka 竹中130.8 ŌitaNaka-Handa 中判田136.3 Ōita-Daigaku-mae 大分大学前138.8 Shikido 敷戸140.2 Takio 滝尾142.9 Ōita 大分148.0 Nippō Main Line Kyudai Main Line
History Construction of the line commenced from both Oita and Kumamoto in 1914, with connection being achieved with the opening of the Miyaji - Tamarai section in 1928.
Steam locomotives were withdrawn from the line in 1973, and CTC signalling was commissioned on the entire line in 1983. The 22.5 km Kumamoto - Higoozu section was electrified in 1999.
Damages by natural disasters
In 1990-91, the line was severed for a year by landslides caused by torrential rain, with a further eight-month period of disruption occurring in 1993-94.
A three-month period of disruption occurred in 2004, and the line was severed from July 2012 until August 2013 due to further landslides induced by torrential rainfall.
In 2016, the Kumamoto Earthquakes damage resulted in the closure of the section between Higo Ozu and Aso. The line has been restored since 8 August 2020.
Former connecting lines Minami Kumamoto Station: the 29 km Yūen Railway to Tomochi opened in sections between 1915 and 1932, and closed in 1964. Kamikumamoto Station: the 22 km gauge Kumamoto Light Railway to Otsu opened 1907 and 1914, with a 2.4 km branch to Suizenji. Despite proposals to regauge the line to gauge and electrify it, the anticipated development of the area did not occur at an acceptable rate and the line was closed in 1921.
References