Hisatsu Line

Hisatsu Line
Hisatsu Line
	A train (KiHa 31 series) on the Kuma River bridge in 2007
Overview
Native name	肥薩線
Status	In operation
Locale	Kyushu, Japan
Termini	Yatsushiro; Hayato;
Stations	28
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	JR Kyushu
Rolling stock	KiHa 40 series DMU, KiHa 200 series DMU, JGR Class 8620 steam locomotive, JNR 50 series passenger cars
History
Opened	15 January 1903; 121 years ago
Technical
Line length	124.2 km (77.2 mi)
Number of tracks	Single-track
Character	Rural and scenic
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	None
Operating speed	85 km/h (53 mph)
Signalling	Special automatic closed block
Route map
	Legend

A KiHa 140 DMU operating from Hayato to Yoshimatsu

The Hisatsu Line (肥薩線, Hisatsu-sen) is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Yatsushiro on the Kagoshima Main Line to Hayato station, Kirishima on the Nippo Main Line. From 1909 the line was the original rail connection from Yatsushiro to Kagoshima (and via the Kitto Line, Miyazaki) until the Yatsushiro – Kagoshima coastal route via Sendai opened in 1927.

The major part of the line is in the mountainous Kirishima range. No through trains are operated on this line, rather, trains go from Yatsushiro to Hitoyoshi, from Hitoyoshi to Yoshimatsu, and from Yoshimatsu to Hayato. Until 2000, some trains operated direct from Kumamoto to Miyazaki via the Yatsushiro to Yoshimatsu section of the line.

Stations

Station		Distance (km)	Connections	Location
Yatsushiro	八代	0.0	Kagoshima Main Line Hisatsu Orange Railway Line	Yatsushiro	Kumamoto
Dan	段	5.2
Sakamoto	坂本	11.0
Haki	葉木	14.4
Kamase	鎌瀬	16.8
Setoishi	瀬戸石	19.6
Kaiji	海路	23.5		Ashikata
Yoshio	吉尾	26.7
Shiroishi	白石	29.8
Kyūsendō	球泉洞	34.9		Kuma
Isshōchi	一勝地	39.8
Naraguchi	那良口	42.4
Watari	渡	45.3
Nishi-Hitoyoshi	西人吉	48.4		Hitoyoshi
Hitoyoshi	人吉	51.8	Kumagawa Railway Yunomae Line
Okoba	大畑	62.2
Yatake	矢岳	71.7
Masaki	真幸	79.0		Ebino	Miyazaki
Yoshimatsu	吉松	86.8	Kitto Line (Ebino Kōgen Line)	Yūsui	Kagoshima
Kurino	栗野	94.3		Yūsui
Ōsumi-Yokogawa	大隅横川	100.8		Kirishima
Uemura	植村	102.8
Kirishima-Onsen	霧島温泉	106.5
Kareigawa	嘉例川	112.3
Nakafukura	中福良	114.4
Hyōkiyama	表木山	116.8
Hinatayama	日当山	121.6
Hayato	隼人	124.2	Nippō Main Line

History

The entire line was built by the government railways. The Hayato – Yoshimatsu section was opened in 1903, followed by the Yatsushiro – Hitoyoshi section in 1908. When the line names were officially designated in October 1909, the former became a part of the Kagoshima Main Line and the latter the Hitoyoshi Main Line. In November 1910, with the Hitoyoshi – Yoshimatsu section (which included the Okoba switchback and spiral) opening, both sections were connected and the Hitoyoshi Main Line was merged to the Kagoshima Main Line.^[1]

In 1927, following the opening of the current 'west coast' Kagoshima Main Line via Sendai, the line was renamed the Hitatsu Line.^[1]

Freight services ceased the day the line (and the entire JNR system) was privatised in 1987.

Former connecting lines

Kurino station – the Yamano Line junctioned here. The first 24 km section of the Yamano Line was opened to Yamano in 1921. The 14 km Minamata (on the Kagoshima Main Line) – Kugino section opened in 1934, and the 10 km Yamano – Satsuma-Fuke section the following year. In 1937, the 8 km Kugino – Satsuma-Fuke section, including the Okawa spiral opened, connecting the two sections. Freight services ceased in 1986, and the line closed in 1988.^[1]

Flood damage

Since 4 July 2020, no trains have operated on the 86.8 km section of the line between Yatsushiro and Yoshimatsu, due to catastrophic damage caused by the 2020 Kyushu floods, including much of the track being completely destroyed, especially in areas where the line runs directly parallel to the Kuma River.^[2]

JR Kyushu has not announced a set date for resumption of rail service on this section, apart from stating that services would be suspended for an indefinite period. JR Kyushu's president Toshihiko Aoyagi has stated that the restoration cost can not be determined until agreements have been made amongst local communities, prefectures and the national government, regarding management of the Kuma River. On 17 March 2022, the restoration cost was estimated to be about 23 billion yen.^[2]

In popular culture

The track section between Yatsushiro and Yoshimatsu was featured in Microsoft Train Simulator. A Hisatsu Line-based layout is available for the Japanese model train simulator VRM.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c 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). Vol. I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 222. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
^ ^a ^b "肥薩線の復旧費230億円ＪＲ九州試算熊本地震被害を大きく上回る" [23 billion yen for restoration of the Hisatsu Line - JR Kyushu estimate, damage from the Kumamoto earthquake far exceeds the cost of restoring the line]. kumanichi.com (in Japanese). 17 March 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022. ２０２０年７月豪雨で被災し、熊本県内の全区間が不通になっているＪＲ肥薩線の復旧費について、ＪＲ九州が概算で２３０億円と試算していることが１７日、関係者への取材で分かった。豊肥線などが被災した１６年の熊本地震時の総額約９０億円を大きく上回り、同社の災害復旧費としては過去最大となる ["On July 17, JR Kyushu estimated the cost of restoring the JR Hisatsu Line, which was damaged by the July 2020 torrential rains and has been closed for the entire length of the line in Kumamoto Prefecture, to be 23 billion yen. On July 17, we learned from an interview with an official that JR Kyushu estimates the cost of restoring the JR Hisatsu Line, which was damaged by the July 2020 torrential rains that have crippled all sections in Kumamoto Prefecture, at 23 billion yen. This is significantly higher than the 9 billion yen spent at the time of the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2004, when the Hohi Line and other lines were damaged, and is the largest ever spent by the company for disaster restoration."]
^ "うつみさん「肥薩線レイアウト」". Archived from the original on 2009-01-09. Retrieved 2009-03-27.