Yunomae Line
{{Short description|Railway line in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
Image:Kinoe-okadomekofuku 1.jpg
The {{nihongo|Yunomae Line|湯前線|Yunomae-sen}} is a railway line in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, connecting Hitoyoshi-Onsen Station in Hitoyoshi and Yunomae Station in Yunomae. It is the only railway line operated by the third sector {{nihongo|Kumagawa Railroad|くま川鉄道|Kumagawa Tetsudō}}. As the company name suggests, the line parallels the Kuma River. The company is also called {{nihongo|Kumatetsu|くま鉄}}. The company took over the former JR Kyushu line in 1989.
History
The entire line was opened by the then Japanese Government Railways in 1924.
Freight services ceased beyond Taragi in 1974, and completely in 1980.
Kumagawa Railroad, a third sector company, took over the line from JR Kyushu in 1989.{{cite book |editor-last=Bushell |editor-first=Chris |title=Railway Directory 2006 |edition=111th |page=121 |language=English |date=2006 |publisher=Reed Business Information |isbn=0-617-01031-5}}
On 6 July 2020, all services were suspended until further notice, due to severe damage caused by the rainfall, including the complete destruction of a large bridge over the Kuma River. In May 2021, it was officially announced that the line would be restored as a railway. Restoration work is estimated to cost around 4.6 billion yen, with the national government paying 97.5% of it, with the remaining 2.5% being paid by local governments.
Kumagawa Railway announced on 9 November 2021 the planned resumption of services starting from 28 November 2021 between Yunomae Station and Higo-Nishinomura Station. Trial runs will be conducted between 19 and 21 November, and training runs will be conducted between 22 and 27 November.{{cite web |url=https://sddc0d3d0b40b18cb.jimcontent.com/download/version/1636513390/module/13292696231/name/%E8%A9%A6%E9%81%8B%E8%BB%A2%E3%83%BB%E8%A8%93%E7%B7%B4%E9%81%8B%E8%BB%A2%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8A%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%89%E3%81%9B.pdf|script-title=ja:くま川鉄道湯前線（肥後西村～湯前間）での試運転・訓練運転について（お知らせ）|trans-title=Notice: Trial and Training Operation on Kumagawa Railway Yuzen Line (between Higo Nishimura and Yuzen) |date=9 November 2021 |work=www.kumagawa-rail.com|publisher= Kumagawa Tetsudo|location= Japan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112074822/https://sddc0d3d0b40b18cb.jimcontent.com/download/version/1636513390/module/13292696231/name/%E8%A9%A6%E9%81%8B%E8%BB%A2%E3%83%BB%E8%A8%93%E7%B7%B4%E9%81%8B%E8%BB%A2%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8A%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%89%E3%81%9B.pdf|language= ja|access-date= 12 November 2021|archive-date=12 November 2021}} Services resumed between Yunomae Station and Higo-Nishinomura Station on 28 November 2021.
Basic data
- Distance: 24.8 km / 15.4 mi.
- Gauge: {{RailGauge|1067mm}}
- Stations: 14
- Double-track line: None
- Electric supply: Not electrified
- Railway signalling
- Hitoyoshi-Onsen – Asagiri: Tablet token
- Asagiri – Yunomae: Staff token
- Stations with passing loops: 1 (Asagiri Station)
Stations
| class=wikitable |
| No.
!Station !Japanese !Distance !Notes !colspan=2|Location |
|---|
| 1
|人吉温泉 |style="text-align:right;"|0.0 |formerly Hitoyoshi |rowspan=2|Hitoyoshi |rowspan=14|Kumamoto |
| 2
|相良藩願成寺 |style="text-align:right;"|1.5 |formerly Higashi-Hitoyoshi |
| 3
|川村 |style="text-align:right;"|4.4 | |
| 4
|肥後西村 |style="text-align:right;"|5.8 | |rowspan=3|Nishiki |
| 5
|一武 |style="text-align:right;"|9.2 | |
| 6
|木上 |style="text-align:right;"|11.3 | |
| 7
|おかどめ幸福 |style="text-align:right;"|13.0 | |rowspan=3|Asagiri |
| 8
|あさぎり |style="text-align:right;"|15.0 |formerly Menda |
| 9
|東免田 |style="text-align:right;"|17.4 | |
| 10
|公立病院前 |style="text-align:right;"|18.5 | |rowspan=4|Taragi |
| 11
|多良木 |style="text-align:right;"|19.8 | |
| 12
|東多良木 |style="text-align:right;"|21.7 | |
| 13
|新鶴羽 |style="text-align:right;"|23.3 | |
| 14
|湯前 |style="text-align:right;"|24.8 | |
Financial situation
Rolling stock
As of June 2012, the company operates a fleet of eight diesel cars. With the exception of two tourist trains, these were scheduled to be replaced by five new diesel cars between fiscal 2013 and 2014. The new trains were designed by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka.{{cite web|url= http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20120628003.shtml|script-title= ja:水戸岡さんデザイン最後の車両に？ くま川鉄道|trans-title= Kumagawa Railroad - Last trains to be designed by Eiji Mitooka?|date= 28 June 2012|work= Kumanichi.com|publisher= Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun|location= Japan|language= ja|access-date= 29 June 2012|archive-date= 4 July 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120704080826/http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20120628003.shtml|url-status= live}} The new trains are now in service.
All five diesel cars were inundated at Hitoyoshi Onsen Station during torrential rains on 4 July 2020.{{cite web|url=http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13520048|title=Heavy rain halts Kumamoto railway, flooding trains|date=6 July 2020|access-date=6 July 2020|archive-date=6 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706072931/http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13520048|url-status=live}}
See also
References
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.kumagawa-rail.com}} {{in lang|ja}}
{{Specified local lines|state=collapsed}}
Category:Railway lines in Japan
Category:Rail transport in Kumamoto Prefecture