Karatsu Line

The Karatsu Line (唐津線, Karatsu-sen) is a regional railway line in Saga Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kubota in Saga City to Nishi-Karatsu in Karatsu City, both in Saga Prefecture, Japan.[1] The line was originally constructed to carry coal from the Karatsu coal fields to the Port of Karatsu for export and had many branch lines to coal mines which have since closed.[2][3]

Karatsu Line
Overview
TypeRegional rail
LocaleSaga Prefecture
TerminiKubota
Nishi-Karatsu
Stations13
Operation
OwnerJR Kyushu
Technical
Line length42.5 km (26.4 mi)
Number of tracksSingle
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC, overhead catenary (Karatsu to Nishi-Karatsu)
Route map
Map of Japan with the Karatsu Line highlighted in red

Stations
Station Japanese Distance
(km)		 Connecting lines Location
Kubota 久保田 0.0 Nagasaki Main Line Saga Saga Prefecture
Ogi 小城 5.1   Ogi
Higashi-Taku 東多久 10.6   Taku
Naka-Taku 中多久 13.6  
Taku 多久 15.2  
Kyūragi 厳木 20.8   Karatsu
Iwaya 岩屋 23.3  
Ōchi 相知 26.0  
Honmutabe 本牟田部 30.1  
Yamamoto 山本 32.9 Chikuhi Line (Western section)
Onizuka 鬼塚 36.6  
Karatsu 唐津 40.3 Chikuhi Line (Eastern section)
Nishi-Karatsu 西唐津 42.5  

Rolling stock

History

The Karatsu Kogyo Railway opened a line from Myōken (妙見) (today Nishi-Karatsu to Yamamoto in 1898, on an alignment paralleling the west bank of the Matsuura River, and extended the line to Taku the following year. In 1902, the company merged with the Kyushu Railway Co., which extended the line to Kubota in 1903. The company was nationalised in 1907. From 1898 to 1912, a number of freight only branch lines were also built.[4]

The Chikuhi Line from Higashi-Karatsu was extended to Yamamoto in 1929 on an alignment paralleling the east bank of the Matsuura River.[5][6]

In 1983, the Chikuhi line was rebuilt so it branched at Karatsu,[5] with the Karatsu - Nishi-Karatsu section being electrified at 1,500 V DC at the same time in conjunction with the electrification of the Chikuhi line, together with CTC signalling from Nishi-Karatsu to Kubota.

The last of the freight only branch lines closed in 1982. Freight services ceased in 1986.[4]

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References
  1. "JR Kyushu Route Map" (PDF). JR Kyushu. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  2. JR Kyushu (2013). JR九州のひみつ [Secrets of JR Kyushu] (in Japanese). PHP Institute, Inc. p. 84. ISBN 9784569814933.
  3. Imao, Keisuke (2009). 日本鉄道旅行地図帳 12号 九州 沖縄―全線・全駅・全廃線 [Japan Rail Travel Atlas No. 12 Kyushu Okinawa - all lines, all stations and disused lines] (in Japanese). Mook. pp. 22, 54. ISBN 9784107900302.
  4. Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR] (in Japanese). I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. pp. 223–4. ISBN 4533029809.
  5. Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR] (in Japanese). I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 225. ISBN 4533029809.
  6. Imao, Keisuke (2009). 日本鉄道旅行地図帳 12号 九州 沖縄―全線・全駅・全廃線 [Japan Rail Travel Atlas No. 12 Kyushu Okinawa - all lines, all stations and disused lines] (in Japanese). Mook. pp. 22, 41–2. ISBN 9784107900302.
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