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Kyūdai Main Line

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Kyūdai Main Line
KiHa 58 DMU between Yufuin and Minami-Yufu
Overview
StatusIn operation
OwnerLogo of the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). JR Kyushu
LocaleKyushu
Termini
Stations37
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR Kyushu
Rolling stockKiHa 71 series DMU, KiHa 72 series DMU, KiHa 185 series DMU, KiHa 40 series DMU, KiHa 200 series DMU, KiHa 125 series DMU, DF200 Diesel locomotive, DE10 Diesel locomotive, 77 series passenger cars
History
Opened30 October 1915; 108 years ago (30 October 1915)
Technical
Line length141.5 km (87.9 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterMostly rural with a few urban areas
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed95 km/h (59 mph)
SignallingAutomatic block signaling
Route map
Kyūdai Main Line

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.

Stations

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Station Distance
(km)
Transfers Location
Kurume 久留米 0.0 Kagoshima Main Line, Kyushu Shinkansen Kurume Fukuoka
Kurume-Kōkōmae 久留米高校前 3.4  
Minami-Kurume 南久留米 4.9  
Kurume-Daigakumae 久留米大学前 6.8  
Mii 御井 8.0  
Zendōji 善導寺 12.6  
Chikugo-Kusano 筑後草野 15.7  
Tanushimaru 田主丸 20.8  
Chikugo-Yoshii 筑後吉井 26.4   Ukiha
Ukiha うきは 30.0  
Chikugo-Ōishi 筑後大石 33.0  
Yoake 夜明 39.1 Hitahikosan Line (No service since July 2017 due to rainstorm damage, was replaced by bus rapid transit in August 2023) Hita Ōita
Teruoka 光岡 45.2  
Hita 日田 47.6  
Bungo-Miyoshi 豊後三芳 49.4  
Bungo-Nakagawa 豊後中川 55.3  
Amagase 天ケ瀬 59.5  
Sugikawachi 杉河内 63.6   Kusu
Kita-Yamada 北山田 67.8  
Bungo-Mori 豊後森 73.2  
Era 恵良 77.3   Kokonoe
Hikiji 引治 80.7  
Bungo-Nakamura 豊後中村 83.1  
Noya 野矢 88.2  
Yufuin 由布院 99.1   Yufu
Minami-Yufu 南由布 102.5  
Yunohira 湯平 109.6  
Shōnai 庄内 114.5  
Tenjinyama 天神山 118.1  
Onoya 小野屋 119.6  
Onigase 鬼瀬 124.6  
Mukainoharu 向之原 127.7  
Bungo-Kokubu 豊後国分 131.7   Ōita
Kaku 賀来 133.9  
Minami-Ōita 南大分 136.6  
Furugō 古国府 138.9  
Ōita 大分 141.5 Nippō Main Line, Hōhi Main Line

History

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In 1915, the Daito 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.[citation needed]

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

Typhoon damage

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In 2012, a landslide disrupted services for 6 weeks.

On 5 July 2017, torrential rainfall washed out the bridge over the Oita River between Chikugo Oisha and Teruoka, resulting in the closure of the section. According to the Japanese language Wikipedia article, the line was fully re-opened on 14 July 2018.

Previous connecting/transfer lines

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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

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