Minamiaso Railway Takamori Line

The Takamori Line (高森線, Takamori-sen) is a Japanese railway line in Kumamoto Prefecture, between Tateno Station, Minamiaso, and Takamori Station, Takamori. This is the only railway line Minamiaso Railway (南阿蘇鉄道, Minamiaso Tetsudō, "South Aso Railway") operates. As the company name suggests, the line traverses the south part of Mount Aso caldera.

Takamori Line
Tateno Bridge with a scenic view
Overview
Native name高森線
LocaleKumamoto Prefecture, Japan
TerminiTateno Station
Takamori Station
Stations9
Service
Operator(s)Minamiaso Railway
History
Opened1928
Technical
Line length17.7 km (11.0 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Following the damage from severe earthquakes in April 2016, the entire Takamori Line was shut down.[1] A section of the line between Nakamatsu and Takamori resumed service in July of the same year.[2] As of September 2019, the section between Tateno and Nakamatsu are still closed. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism estimates that a complete restoration will cost between 6.5 to 7 billion yen.[1][3]

A station on the line, Minamiaso Mizu-no-Umareru-Sato Hakusui-Kōgen Station, is tied with Chōjagahamashiosaihamanasukōenmae Station in Ibaraki Prefecture as the longest station name in Japan, with 22 kana.[4]

Basic data

History

The entire line was opened by the then Japanese Government Railways in 1928.

Freight services ceased in 1984. The third-sector company took over the former JNR line in 1986. The MLIT tested a DMV railbus on the line in November, 2007.

Proposed connection

After the Takachiho line opened in 1972, construction of the 23 km section to Takamori continued until 1975, when flooding in the 6,500 m Takamori tunnel (7 km north of Takamori) resulted in work being suspended. Construction was formally abandoned in 1980.

Stations

All stations are within Kumamoto Prefecture. Stations with a gray background are damaged from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and are not in operation.[2]

Name Distance (km) Connections Location
Tateno 立野 0.0 JR Kyushu: Hōhi Main Line Minamiaso
Chōyō 長陽 4.7  
Kase 加勢 5.7  
Aso-Shimodajō-Fureai-Onsen 阿蘇下田城ふれあい温泉 7.2  
Minamiaso Mizu-no-Umareru-Sato Hakusui-Kōgen 南阿蘇水の生まれる里白水高原 9.1  
Nakamatsu 中松 10.5  
Aso-Shirakawa 阿蘇白川 13.5  
Minamiaso-Shirakawasuigen 南阿蘇白川水源 14.3  
Miharashidai 見晴台 16.1  
Takamori 高森 17.7   Takamori

See also

References
  1. "南阿蘇鉄道の全線復旧は「5年程度」「65億円」…国交省が試算". レスポンス（Response.jp） (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-09-18.
  2. "南阿蘇鉄道が一部再開 全線復旧のめどは立たず：朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-09-18.
  3. "南阿蘇鉄道の災害復旧調査結果について" (PDF). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. April 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  4. 茨城県. "情報016：大野村の村長が名付けた、日本一長～い駅名". 茨城県 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-09-18.
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