Kyūdai Main Line

Kyūdai Main Line

KiHa 58 DMU between Yufuin and Minami-Yufu

The Kyūdai Main Line (久大本線, Kyūdai-honsen) is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kurume Station, Kurume in Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Station, Ōita in Ōita Prefecture. It is also known as the Yufu Kōgen Line.

The line crosses the whole of Kyushu, approximately paralleling the Chikugo River and its tributary the Kusu River near Kurume, and along the Ōita River close to Ōita. It also traverses popular tourist resorts such as Hita (known as Little Kyoto) and spa resorts around Yufu.

Line data

• Operator: JR Kyushu
• Distance: 141.5 km
• Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Stations: 36
• Multiple track section: None
• Electrification: None
• Railway signalling: Automatic
• Maximum service speed: 95 km/h (60 mph)

Stations

Station	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Kurume	0.0	Kagoshima Main Line, Kyushu Shinkansen	Kurume	Fukuoka
Kurume-Kōkōmae	3.4
Minami-Kurume	4.9
Kurume Daigaku-mae	6.8
Mii	8.0
Zendōji	12.6
Chikugo Kusano	15.7
Tanushimaru	20.8
Chikugo Yoshii	26.4		Ukiha
Ukiha	30.0
Chikugo Ōishi	33.0
Yoake	39.1	Hitahikosan Line	Hita	Ōita
Teruoka	45.2
Hita	47.6
Bungo Miyoshi	49.4
Bungo Nakagawa	55.3
Amagase	59.5
Sugikawachi	63.6		Kusu
Kita Yamada	67.8
Bungo Mori	73.2
Era	77.3		Kokonoe
Hikiji	80.7
Bungo Nakamura	83.1
Noya	88.2
Yufuin	99.1		Yufu
Minami Yufu	102.5
Yunohira	109.6
Shōnai	114.5
Tenjinyama	118.1
Onoya	119.6
Onigase	124.6
Mukainoharu	127.7
Bungo Kokubu	131.7		Ōita
Kaku	133.9
Minami Ōita	136.6
Furugō	138.9
Ōita	141.5	Nippō Main Line, Hōhi Main Line

History

In 1915, the Oyu Railway Co. opened the 22 km Oita - Onoya section. The company was nationalised in 1922, and westerly extensions were undertaken in stages from 1923 until Amagase was reached in 1933. The Kurume - Chikugoyoshi opened in 1928, and easterly extensions to Amagase opened between 1931 and 1934.

CTC signalling was commissioned over the entire line in 1984, and freight services ceased in 1987.

In 2012, a landslide disrupted services for 6 weeks.

Previous connecting/transfer lines

Higo-oguni station, ~1962

• Era Station: the 27 km Miyanoharu Line to Higo-oguni opened between 1937 and 1954. Freight services ceased in 1971, and the line closed on 1 December 1984.
• Kurume Station: the 46 km 3 ft (914 mm) gauge Chigoku Line to Mameda opened between 1904 and 1916, and was electrified at 600 V DC in 1919. It had three short branch lines (1 to 4 km long). The entire system closed in 1929.

References

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