Opened 1911 Line length 78.5 km (48.8 mi) Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | Rolling stock Kiha 20 type Number of tracks single Stations 44 | |
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The Shimabara Railway Line (島原鉄道線, Shimabara Tetsudō-sen) is a Japanese railway line connecting Isahaya Station, Isahaya and Shimabara-gaiko. The line parallels the coast of Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture. This is the only railway line of Shimabara Railway (島原鉄道, Shimabara Tetsudō) (Shimatetsu (島鉄) for short), while the company also operates buses and ships. The first section of the line opened in 1911. The former line between Shimabara-Gaikō and Kazusa had few passengers and closed on April 1, 2008. The line utilizes the older diesel-powered Kiha 20 type train which was developed in the mid-1950s. Because of the line's vintage trains which maintain the old Japanese National Railways colors of red and beige, it remains popular among train enthusiasts. This is the only railway on Kyushu outside the Fukuoka area that has remained privately owned its entire history.
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History
The Shimabara Railway Co. opened the Isahaya - Aino section in 1911, extending the line to Kojiromachi in 1912 and Minami-Shimabara the following year.
The Kuchinotsu Railway Co. opened the Minami-Shimabara - Dozaki section in 1922, extending the line to Harajo in 1926 and Kazusa two years later.
Diesel power was introduced by the Kuchinotsu Railway Co. in 1930, and by the Shimabara Railway Co. in 1934. In 1943 the two companies merged under the name Shimabara Railway Co.
In 1958 direct services to/from Nagasaki were introduced, operating until 1980.
Former connecting lines
Volcanic disruptions
Services were disrupted for 6 months in 1991 due to lava flows from Mount Unzen, which also caused a one-month service disruption the following year.
In 1993 a major lava flow forced the closure of the line between Shimabara-gaiko and Fukae, and services didn't resume on that section until 1997.
The Shimabara-gaiko - Kazusa section was closed due to declining patronage in 2008.