Shimabara Railway Line

Shimabara Railway Line
A train on the Shimabara line at Shirahama beach in 2008
Overview
LocaleShimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Termini
Stations24
Service
Rolling stockKiha 2500 type
History
Opened20 June 1911; 113 years ago (1911-06-20)
Technical
Line length43.2 km (26.8 mi)
Number of trackssingle
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Route map

elev
in m
0.0
Isahaya
16
0.7
tunnel
42
1.5
Honisahaya
8
2.9
Saiwai
4
3.6
44 m
4.8
Onohonmachi
5
5.5
Kantakunosato
4
7.5
Moriyama
4
9.6
Kamanohana
3
11.4
Isahaya-higashi-kōkōmae
3
11.7
42 m
Unzentetsu Line (
closed
1938
)
12.4
Aino
4
14.4
Abozaki
6
16.6
Azuma
6
19.6
Kobe
5
20.8
Taishō
5
21.7
29 m
23.0
Saigō
8
Japanese National Route Sign 0057.svg National Route 57
25.5
Kōjiromachi
5
29.0
41 m
29.4
Tairamachi
Ariake Ferry
to Nagasu
5
31.6
26 m
31.8
Shimatetsu-yue
8
Japanese National Route Sign 0057.svg National Route 57
34.1
Ōmisaki
5
35.2
Matsuomachi
7
37.5
Mie
6
40.5
Shimabara
4
41.5
Shimatetsu-honshamae
5
42.3
Minami-shimabara
4
Japanese National Route Sign 0057.svg National Route 57
Kyūshū and Kumamoto Ferry
to Kumamoto
43.2
Shimabara-gaikō
Shimatetsu
Ferry to Miike
8
Japanese National Route Sign 0057.svg National Route 57
44.3
Chichibu-ga-ura
12
45.4
Antoku
31
45.4
225
46.3
68 m
47.5
Seno-fukae
33
49.6
Fukae
25
50.0
23 m
Japanese National Route Sign 0251.svg National Route 251
52.0
Futsu-shinden
3
53.9
Futsu
6
Japanese National Route Sign 0251.svg National Route 251
56.9
Dōzaki
6
58.4
Kamaga
8
59.9
Arie
20
60.2
30 m
Japanese National Route Sign 0251.svg National Route 251
61.2
Nishi-arie
9
63.4
Tatsuishi
5
63.5
20 m
Japanese National Route Sign 0251.svg National Route 251
65.3
Kita-arie
5
65.5
61 m
66.1
Jōkōjimae
10
67.1
Uratakannon
6
68.2
Harajō
5
70.6
Arimayoshikawa
8
73.5
272 m
74.6
Higashi-ōya
7
75.8
Kuchinotsu
Shimatetsu Ferry
to Oniike
3
Japanese National Route Sign 0251.svg National Route 251
76.8
Shirahama-kaisui-yokujōmae
11
78.5
Kazusa
7
elev
in m

The Shimabara Railway Line (島原鉄道線, Shimabara Tetsudō-sen) is a Japanese railway line connecting Isahaya Station, Isahaya and Shimabarakō. The line parallels the coast of Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture. The third-sector railway company Shimabara Railway owns the line and also operates buses and ships. The first section of the line opened in 1911. The former line between Shimabarakō and Kazusa had few passengers and closed on 1 April 2008. The line uses 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 private throughout its history.