Yunomae Line

The 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 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 Kumatetsu (くま鉄). The company took former JR Kyushu line in 1989.

Kumagawa Railroad local train

History

The entire line was opened by the then Japanese Government Railways in 1924.

Freight services ceased beyond Taragi in 1974, and on the balance of the line in 1980.

The third sector company took over the former JNR line in 1989.

Basic data
  • Distance: 24.8 km / 15.4 mi.
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • 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
Station Distance
(km)		 Notes Location
Hitoyoshi-Onsen Station 0.0 formerly Hitoyoshi
Connection to JR Kyushu Hisatsu Line (Hitoyoshi Station)		 Hitoyoshi Kumamoto
Sagarahan-Ganjōji Station 1.5 formerly Higashi-Hitoyoshi
Kawamura Station 4.4 Sagara
Higo-Nishinomura Station 5.8 Nishiki
Ichibu Station 9.2  
Kinoe Station 11.3  
Okadome-Kōfuku Station 13.0 Asagiri
Asagiri Station 15.0 formerly Menda
Higashi-Menda Station 17.4  
Kōritsubyōinmae Station 18.5 Taragi
Taragi Station 19.8  
Higashi-Taragi Station 21.7  
Shin-Tsuruba Station 23.3  
Yunomae Station 24.8   Yunomae

Financial situation

The company's railway operations have not produced an operating profit since its creation in 1989, and in fiscal 2011, it had operating profit losses of 120.76 million yen.[1]

Rolling stock

As of June 2012, the company operates a fleet of eight diesel cars. With the exception of two tourist trains, these are scheduled to be replaced by five new diesel cars between fiscal 2013 and 2014. The new trains will be designed by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka.[1]

All five diesel cars were inundated on Hitoyoshi Onsen Station during torrential rains on July 4 2020[2]. As of July 6th 2020, all services are suspended until further notice.

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See also

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

  1. 水戸岡さんデザイン最後の車両に？　くま川鉄道 [Kumagawa Railroad - Last trains to be designed by Eiji Mitooka?]. Kumanichi.com (in Japanese). Japan: Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  2. "Heavy rain halts Kumamoto railway, flooding trains". 6 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.

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