Hisatsu Orange Railway

Last updated
Hisatsu Orange Railway Line
HSOR-115.jpg
Hisatsu Orange Railway 100 series train
Route map

Contents



km
elev (M)
or length (m)
in metres
BSicon CONTg.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
0.0
Yatsushiro
6 M
BSicon v-SHI2gr.svg
BSicon vSTRl-STRo.svg
BSicon CONTf@Fq.svg
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
2.6
Kuma River
528 m
BSicon BHF.svg
4.8
Higo-Kōda
6 M
BSicon BHF.svg
10.1
Hinagu-Onsen
6 M
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
10.9
Hinagu tunnel
219 m
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
13.7
Higo-Futami
2 M
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
14.1
Futami River
58 m
BSicon BHF.svg
18.0
Kami-Tanoura
4 M
BSicon TUNNEL2.svg
18.4
Hatajiri tunnel
85 m
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
20.7
Tanoura tunnel
757 m
BSicon BHF.svg
22.1
Tanoura-
Otachimisaki-Kōen
4 M
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
22.5
Tanoura River
51 m
BSicon BHF.svg
23.6
Higo-Tanoura
2 M
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
25.8
Uminoura tunnel
307 m
BSicon BHF.svg
26.7
Uminoura
27 M
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
26.8
Sashiki tunnel
1,501 m
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
29.2
Sashiki River
63 m
BSicon BHF.svg
29.8
Sashiki
2 M
BSicon BHF.svg
33.7
Yunoura
7 M
BSicon hkSTRc2.svg
BSicon MSTR3+l.svg
BSicon hkSTR3+l.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon hCONTfq.svg
BSicon hkLLSTR+1.svg
BSicon hkSTR-c4.svg
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
BSicon MASKr.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
35.2
Yunoura River
41 m
BSicon SPLa.svg
BSicon tldNULf.svg
BSicon vTUNNEL1.svg
BSicon tldNULg.svg
37.1
Tsunagi tunnel
↑ 1,416 m
↓ 1,348 m
BSicon SPLe.svg
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
40.1
BSicon hLSTR2.svg
BSicon hSTRc3.svg
BSicon TUNNEL2.svg
41.8
BSicon hSTRc1.svg
BSicon KRZ2+4h.svg
BSicon hSTRc3.svg
BSicon PORTALf.svg
BSicon hSTRc1.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon hSTR+4.svg
42.4
Tsunagi
9 M
BSicon hSTRc2.svg
BSicon tSTR2e.svg
BSicon hSTR3.svg
42.7
BSicon MASKl.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon MSTR+1.svg
BSicon hSTR+1.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon hSTRc4.svg
BSicon WKRZq+4u.svg
BSicon hBHF2.svg
BSicon HUBa.svg
BSicon STR3uh.svg
BSicon BHF+1.svg
BSicon hSTRc1.svg
BSicon HUBe.svg
BSicon hLSTR+4.svg
45.8
Shin-Minamata
32 M
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
46.9
Minamata River
123 m
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
48.3
BSicon BHF.svg
49.6
Minamata
2 M
BSicon SKRZ-G4o.svg
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
54.0
Fukuro River
46 m
BSicon BHF.svg
55.4
Fukuro
41 M
BSicon SKRZ-G4o.svg
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
56.0
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
57.1
BSicon hSTRc2.svg
BSicon BHF2.svg
BSicon hLSTR3.svg
61.3
Komenotsu
4 M
BSicon hSTR+1.svg
BSicon STR+4uh.svg
BSicon hBHF2.svg
BSicon HUBa.svg
BSicon STR3uh.svg
BSicon BHF+1.svg
BSicon hSTRc1.svg
BSicon HUBe.svg
BSicon hLSTR+4.svg
65.6
Izumi
14 M
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
66.2
BSicon BHF.svg
68.3
Nishi-Izumi
41 M
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
71.0
Takaono River
79 m
BSicon BHF.svg
72.1
Takaono
46 M
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
74.2
Nodagō River
134 m
BSicon BHF.svg
75.3
Nodagō
26 M
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon BRUCKE2.svg
80.2
BSicon BHF.svg
80.7
Origuchi
5 M
BSicon dSIGNALg white.svg
BSicon dSTR.svg
BSicon dSIGNALf white.svg
83.1
Akasegawa signal box
19 M
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
86.2
Akune
5 M
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
86.8
BSicon BHF.svg
92.2
Ushinohama
13 M
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
93.9
Ōkawa tunnel
253 m
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
94.2
Ōkawa River
35 m
BSicon BHF.svg
95.7
Satsuma-Ōkawa
9 M
BSicon exSTRc2.svg
BSicon eABZg3.svg
original line
BSicon exSTR2+1.svg
BSicon exSTRc34.svg
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
95.8
Shin-Shirinasi tunnel
413 m
BSicon exSTRc1.svg
BSicon eABZg+4.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4o.svg
BSicon RP4+r.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon RP4rf.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
99.6
Nishikata
7 M
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
100.4
Nishikata tunnel
129 m
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
101.6
BSicon BHF.svg
102.3
Satsuma-Taki
9 M
BSicon bWBRUCKE1.svg
102.4
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
103.0
Sayama tunnel
207 m
BSicon BHF.svg
107.3
Kusamichi
3 M
BSicon SKRZ-G4u.svg
BSicon BRUCKE2.svg
111.4
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon LSTR.svg
113.7
Kami-Sendai
7 M
BSicon MASKl.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
BSicon hKRZW.svg
115.0
BSicon MASKl.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
BSicon hKRZW.svg
116.0
Sendai River
244 m
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon hBHF.svg
116.9
Sendai
9 M
BSicon CONTf.svg
BSicon hCONTf.svg
km


elev (M)
or length (m)
in metres

Hisatsu Orange Railway Co., Ltd. (肥薩おれんじ鉄道株式会社, Hisatsu Orenji Tetsudō Kabushiki-gaisha) is a third-sector railway company which operates Hisatsu Orange Railway Line in Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures. The line follows the former part of the JR Kyushu Kagoshima Main Line that connected Yatsushiro and Sendai in Kumamoto and Kagoshima Prefectures, known historically as Higo and Satsuma Provinces. The length of the line is 116.9 km.

Hisatsu Orange Railway went into service on March 13, 2004, when ownership was transferred from JR and the high speed Kyushu Shinkansen service began. The Hisatsu Orange Railway runs close to the Yatsushiro Sea and East China Sea and connects to the Kagoshima Main Line on both ends. The route is indirect and winding, but connects several cities along the coast.

Although the line is electrified and used by electric freight trains, due to budgetary limitations passenger service is provided by diesel railcars.

Shareholders in the railway include prefectures of Kumamoto and Kagoshima, cities of Yatsushiro, Minamata, Izumi, Akune and Satsumasendai, towns of Tsunagi and Ashikita, and the Japan Freight Railway Company.

History

The Sendai–Yatsushiro section was built by the (then) Japanese Imperial Railway and opened between 1922 and 1927, at which time this route replaced the Hisatsu Line to become the southern part of the Kagoshima Main Line.

The Yunoura–Tsunagi section was duplicated between 1966 and 1968. CTC signalling was commissioned from Yatsushiro–Sendai in 1969/70, and the line was electrified in 1970.

In 2004, following the opening of the Kagoshima–Shin Yatsushiro section of the Kyushu Shinkansen, operation of the section was transferred under the Third Sector arrangements.

Former connecting lines

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–Kugino section opened in 1934, and the 10 km Yamato–Satsuma section the following year. In 1937 the 8 km Kugino–Satsuma section, including the Okawa spiral opened. Freight services ceased in 1986, and the line closed in 1988.

Hisatsu Orange Railway Line

JR Freight operates Hisatsu Orange Railway Line as a Category-2 operator.

Overview

Hisatsu Orange Railway Line, between Higo-Futami and Kami-Tanoura Hisatsu Orange Railway.jpg
Hisatsu Orange Railway Line, between Higo-Futami and Kami-Tanoura

Stations

No.StationDistance (km)Rapid Express
Super Orange
Rapid Express
Ocean Liner
Satsuma
ConnectionsLocation
Kagoshima Main Line Kumamoto
Prefecture
Yatsushiro
through to  Kumamoto   
Shin-Yatsushiro 新八代2.8  Kyushu Shinkansen, Kagoshima Main Line
Hisatsu Orange Railway Line
OR01 Yatsushiro 八代0.0  Kagoshima Main Line, Hisatsu Line (Ebi-no-kōgen Line)
OR02 Higo Kouda 肥後高田4.8  
OR03 Hinagu Onsen 日奈久温泉10.1  
OR04 Higo Futami 肥後二見13.7  
OR05 Kami Tanoura 上田浦18.0   Ashikita
OR06 Tanoura Otachimisaki Park たのうら御立岬公園22.1  
OR07 Higo Tanoura 肥後田浦23.6  
OR08 Uminoura 海浦26.7  
OR09 Sashiki 佐敷29.8  
OR10 Yunoura 湯浦33.7  
OR11 Tsunagi 津奈木42.4   Tsunagi
OR12 Shin-Minamata 新水俣45.8  Kyushu Shinkansen Minamata
OR13 Minamata 水俣49.6  
OR14 Fukuro 55.4  
OR15 Komenotsu 米ノ津61.3   Kagoshima
Prefecture
Izumi
OR16 Izumi 出水65.6 Kyushu Shinkansen
OR17 Nishi-Izumi 西出水68.3  
OR18 Takaono 高尾野72.1  
OR19 Nodagou 野田郷75.3  
OR20 Origuchi 折口80.7   Akune
OR21 Akune 阿久根86.2  
OR22 Ushinohama 牛ノ浜92.2  
OR23 Satsuma Ohkawa 薩摩大川95.7  
OR24 Nishikata 西方99.6   Satsumasendai
OR25 Satsuma Taki 薩摩高城102.3  
OR26 Kusamichi 草道107.3  
OR27 Kami Sendai 上川内113.7  
OR28 Sendai 川内116.9  Kyushu Shinkansen, Kagoshima Main Line
through to   Kagoshima-Chūō   

Discount tickets

Hisatsu Orange Railway's Orange 18 Free Kippu , priced at 2100 yen, is sold to customers carrying JR's corresponding Seishun 18 Kippu.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minamata Station</span> Railway station in Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uminoura Station</span> Railway station in Ashikita, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higo Tanoura Station</span> Railway station in Ashikita, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higo Kouda Station</span> Railway station in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higo Futami Station</span> Railway station in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsunagi Station</span> Railway station in Tsunagi, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ushinohama Station</span> Railway station in Akune, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan

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References