was a company that built and operated railways in Kyushu, one of four main islands of Japan. Most of its lines came under the control of Japanese Government Railways following nationalization in 1907, and many are now operated by Kyushu Railway Company.
History The company was incorporated on August 15, 1888 in Fukuoka, Fukuoka. The first of the railway, between Hakata Station in Fukuoka and Chitosegawa temporary station in Asahi, Saga (near Kurume, Fukuoka), opened on December 11, 1889 as the first railway in Kyushu.
The company expanded the railway by means of both construction and acquisition of other companies. As of 1907, it operated of railways in Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Ōita and Saga prefectures in northern Kyushu.
On July 1, 1907, the entire operation of the company was purchased by the government of Japan under the Railway Nationalization Act. Consequently, the company was dissolved.
List of lines +Operation of Kyushu Railway as of June 30, 1907Endpoints(Present station names in parentheses)Length(miles)Line names(designated after nationalization)NotesMoji () – 143.4Kagoshima Main Linevia Ōkura – Usa ()42.6Nippō Main Line – 8.8Kagoshima Main Linevia – Kami-Yamada33.3Chikuhō Main Line, Kami-Yamada Line – 7.4Sasaguri Line – 98.6Nagasaki Main Line, Sasebo Line, Ōmura Line – 26.8Karatsu Line – 8.1Matsuura Line – 5.5Sasebo Line – 15.9Misumi Line – Soeda ()23.1Tagawa Line, Hitahikosan Line – Ita ()9.9Ita Line – Kōbukuro3.0Kōbukuro Line – Nagao ()3.6Chikuhō Main LineGotōji () – Miyatoko ()1.9Itoda Line – Kirino (Chikuzen-Miyada)3.2Miyada LineKatsuno – Sugamuta2.7Tagawa LineFreightSoeda () – Shō0.6Tagawa LineFreightKawara () – Natsuyoshi1.5Tagawa LineFreightGotōji (Tagawa Gotōji) – Kigyō0.6Gotōji LineFreightKawasaki () – Daini-Ōtō1.2Hitahikosan LineFreightAzamibaru () – Yunokibaru0.8Karatsu LineFreightŌchi junction – 0.5Karatsu LineFreightŌshima – 0.8Karatsu LineFreight(Overlap of Hakata – )(1.0)Total442.8
Rolling stock
A special coach made by German car manufacturer van der Zypen & Charlier was imported by Kyushu Railway for VIP use in 1891. The coach was improved and designated as the imperial coach in 1902 for use by Emperor Meiji when he visited an army drill in Kumamoto Prefecture. After the nationalization, the coach was called the imperial coach No. 2 but was not used again by the emperor. It was designated a in 1963 and is now exhibited at the Railway Museum in Saitama.
+Fleet of Kyushu RailwayYearSteamlocomotivesPassengercarsFreight cars etc.WagonsTrucks189033810719001593026493,17319062443921,0485,300
Kyushu Railway History Museum
The Kyushu Railway History Museum was established near Mojikō Station in Kitakyūshū in 2003. The red-brick main building of the museum is the former headquarters of Kyushu Railway.
References
External links
Kyushu Railway History Museum website