Kagoshima Main Line

File:Moji-ko station.jpg

Mojikō station (terminus)

The Template:Nihongo 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 Template:Cvt 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<ref group="Note" name="rapid">All trains stop at stations marked "+". Some trains stop at "*". Most trains do not stop at "-". Some rapid/semi rapid trains, however, make stop at all the stations northward from Hakata or Minami-Fukuoka, or southward from Hakata, Futsukaichi, or Kurume.</ref>	Rapid<ref group="Note" name="rapid"/>	Transfers	Location
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	門司港	0.0	+	+	Mojikō Retro Kankō Line (Template:STN)	Moji-ku, Kitakyushu	Fukuoka
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	小森江	4.0	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	門司	5.5	+	+	Template:JRKSN Template:Lnl
	Kitakyūshū Freight Terminal	北九州貨物ターミナル	6.9	-	-
	Higashi-Kokura Freight Terminal	東小倉(貨)	9.4	-	-		Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	小倉	11.0	+	+	Template:Ric Template:JRKSN Template:Lnl Template:Ric
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	西小倉	11.8	+	+	Template:JRKSN Nippō Main Line
	Hama-Kokura Freight Terminal	浜小倉(貨)	13.4	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	九州工大前	15.3	-	-		Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	戸畑	17.2	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	枝光	20.0	-	-		Yahata Higashi-ku, Kitakyushu
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	スペースワールド	21.1	*	*
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	八幡	22.2	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	黒崎	24.9	+	+	CK Chikuhō Electric Railroad Line Template:JRKSN Template:Lnl	Yahata Nishi-ku, Kitakyushu
	Higashi-Orio Yard	東折尾(信)	26.8	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	陣原	27.1	-	-	Template:JRKSN Fukuhoku Yutaka Line
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	折尾	30.1	+	+	Template:JRKSN Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (Chikuhō Main Line) Template:JRKSN Wakamatsu Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	水巻	32.2	+	-		Mizumaki, Onga
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	遠賀川	34.3	+	-		Onga, Onga
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	海老津	39.4	+	*		Okagaki, Onga
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	教育大前	44.6	+	-		Munakata
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	赤間	46.5	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	東郷	50.7	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	東福間	53.9	-	-		Fukutsu
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	福間	56.6	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	千鳥	58.5	-	-		Koga
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	古賀	60.6	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	ししぶ	62.0	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	新宮中央	63.7	-	-		Shingū, Kasuya
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	福工大前	65.1	+	+		Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	九産大前	68.1	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	香椎	69.8	+	+	Template:JRKSN Template:Lnl NK Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line (Template:STN)
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	千早	71.0	+	+	NK Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line (Template:STN)
	Chihaya Yard	千早操車場	71.3	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	箱崎	75.0	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	吉塚	76.4	+	+	Template:JRKSN Template:Lnl (Fukuhoku Yutaka Line)	Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Template:STN	博多	78.2	+	+	Template:Ric Template:Ric Template:Ric Template:Ric Template:JRKSN Fukuhoku Yutaka Line Template:Rcb
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	竹下	80.9	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	笹原	83.3	-	-		Minami-ku, Fukuoka
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	南福岡	84.9	+	+		Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	春日	86.1	-	-	T Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Template:STN)	Kasuga
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	大野城	87.4	+	+		Ōnojō
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	水城	88.8	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	都府楼南	91.0	-	-		Dazaifu
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	二日市	92.4	+	+	T Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Template:STN)	Chikushino
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	天拝山	94.3	-	-	T Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line (Template:STN)
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	原田	97.9	+	+	Template:JRKSN Haruda Line (Chikuhō Main Line)
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	けやき台	99.9	-	-		Kiyama, Miyaki	Saga
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	基山	101.4	+	+	Template:Background color Amagi Railway Amagi Line
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	弥生が丘	103.5	-	-		Tosu
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	田代	105.6	-	-
	Tosu Freight Terminal	鳥栖貨物ターミナル	105.6	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	鳥栖	106.8	+	+	Template:JRKSN Template:Lnl
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	肥前旭	110.4	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	久留米	113.9	+	+	Template:Ric Kyushu Shinkansen Template:Rcb (Yufu Kōgen Line)	Kurume	Fukuoka
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	荒木	118.8	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	西牟田	122.6	-	-		Chikugo
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	羽犬塚	126.1	+	+
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	筑後船小屋	129.7	+	+	Template:Ric
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	瀬高	132.2	+	+		Miyama
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	南瀬高	135.2	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	渡瀬	139.1	-	-
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	吉野	141.9	-	-		Ōmuta
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	銀水	144.3	-	-	T Nishitetsu Tenjin-Ōmuta Line (Template:STN)
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	大牟田	147.5	+	+	T Nishitetsu Tenjin-Ōmuta Line
Template:JRKSN	Template:STN	荒尾	151.6	+	+		Arao	Kumamoto

Arao – Yatsushiro

Station name	Japanese	Total distance (km)	Rapid Kumamoto Liner<ref group="Note">All the trains stop at stations marked "+". Some trains stop at "*". Most trains do not stop at "-". Some Kumamoto Liner rapid trains, however, make stop at all the stations southward from Kumamoto.</ref>	Rapid Super Orange<ref group="Note">Through service to Hisatsu Orange Railway Line.</ref>	Transfers	Location
Arao	荒尾	151.6	+			Arao	Kumamoto
Template:STN	南荒尾	154.8	-
Template:STN	長洲	159.4	+			Nagasu, Tamana
Template:STN	大野下	164.1	-			Tamana
Template:STN	玉名	168.6	+
Template:STN	肥後伊倉	172.8	-
Template:STN	木葉	176.7	+			Gyokutō, Tamana
Template:STN<ref group="Note">Some local trains do not stop at Tabaruzaka.</ref>	田原坂	180.2	-			Kita-ku, Kumamoto
Template:STN	植木	184.6	+
Template:STN	西里	188.8	-
Template:STN	崇城大学前	191.7	+			Nishi-ku, Kumamoto
Template:STN	上熊本	193.3	+		■ Kumamoto City Tram Route 3; Kumamoto City Tram Kami-Kumamoto Line Kumamoto Electric Railway Kikuchi Line
Template:STN	熊本	196.6	+	+	Template:Ric Kyushu Shinkansen Template:Rcb (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(貨)	197.9	-	-
Template:STN	西熊本	199.8				Minami-ku, Kumamoto
Template:STN	川尻	201.9	+	-
Template:STN	富合	205.3	+	-
Template:STN	宇土	207.5	+	-	Template:Rcb	Uto
Template:STN	松橋	212.3	+	-		Uki
Template:STN	小川	218.5	+	-
Template:STN	有佐	223.5	+	-		Yatsushiro
Template:STN	千丁	227.6	+	-
Template:STN	新八代	229.5	+	-	Kyushu Shinkansen
Template:STN	八代	232.3	+	+	Hisatsu Orange Railway Line Template:Rcb (Ebino Kōgen Line)

Sendai – Kagoshima

Station name	Japanese	Total distance (km)	Rapid:<ref group="Note" name="liner">All the trains stop at stations marked "+". Some trains stop at "*". No trains (other than local) stop at "-". Rapid trains always run from Kagoshima-Chūō to Sendai, never the opposite direction. "Liners" here refers to Sawayaka Liner and Ohayō Liner.</ref>	Liners<ref group="Note" name="liner"/>	Transfers	Location
Template:STN	川内	0.0	+	+	Hisatsu Orange Railway Line Template:Ric	Satsumasendai	Kagoshima
Template:STN	隈之城	2.6	-	+
Template:STN	木場茶屋	5.7	-	-
Template:STN	串木野	12.0	+	+		Ichikikushikino
Template:STN	神村学園前	14.2	-	-
Template:STN	市来	16.6	-	+
Template:STN	湯之元	20.4	-	+		Hioki
Template:STN	東市来	22.9	-	-
Template:STN	伊集院	28.8	+	+
Template:STN	薩摩松元	34.1	-	-		Kagoshima
Template:STN	上伊集院	36.5	-	-
Template:STN	広木	41.5	-	-
Template:STN	鹿児島中央	46.1	+	+	Template:Rcb Template:Ric ■ Kagoshima City Tram Route 2; Kagoshima City Tram Dai-Ni-Ki Line and Kagoshima City Tram Toso Line
Template:STN	鹿児島	49.3			Template:Rcb ■ 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

File:Okura Line ruin01.jpg

Okura line arch bridge remains over 100 years since the line closed

File:JNR Saga Line Chikugogawa Bridge.jpg

Chikugogawa Bridge on the Saga line in 1981

File:Chikugo River Lift Bridge UP 20110914.jpg

The heritage listed Chikugogawa Bridge, Saga line

File:Kumamoto Light Railway.JPG

Kumamoto Light Railway

File:Satsuma Nagano scissorscross.jpg

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.<ref name="free2008">Template:Cite book</ref>

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.Template:Citation needed

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.Template:Citation needed

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.Template:Citation needed

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.Template:Citation needed 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.Template:Citation needed

• Ongagawa Station: An 11 km line to Muroki operated between 1908 and 1985. A 6 km Template:Track gauge gauge line to Nishiashiya operated from 1915 to 1932. The Ashiya airfield was occupied by the USAF in 1945, and a Template:Track gauge 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.Template:Citation needed
• 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.Template:Citation needed
• Futsukaichi Station: A 26 km light railway to Amagi operated between 1908 and 1940.Template:Citation needed
• Hainuzuka Station: The 20 km Yabe Line to Kuroki opened as a Template:Track gauge 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.Template:Citation needed
• 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 Template:Track gauge gauge line to Yanagawa line operated from 1911 until 1932.Template:Citation needed
• 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.Template:Citation needed 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.Template:Citation needed
• Arao Station: A 5 km line to Midorigaoka, electrified at 500 V DC, operated from 1949 until 1964.Template:Citation needed
• Ueki Station: A 20 km line to Yamaga operated from 1917 until 1965.Template:Citation needed
• Kamikumamoto: The 22 km Template:RailGauge 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 Template:RailGauge gauge and electrify it, the anticipated development of the area did not occur at an acceptable rate and the line was closed in 1921.Template:Citation needed
• 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.Template:Citation needed
• 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.Template:Citation needed
• 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.Template:Citation needed