Mine Line

The Mine Line (美祢線, Mine-sen) is a railway line owned and operated by the West Japan Railway Company. It connects San'yō-Onoda to Nagato, both in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.

Mine Line
Overview
Native name美祢線
LocaleYamaguchi Prefecture
Termini
Stations12
Service
Operator(s)Logo of the West Railway Company (JR West) JR West
Rolling stockKiHa 120
History
Opened13 September 1905 (1905-09-13)
Last extension23 March 1924 (1924-03-23)
Technical
Line length46.0 km (28.6 mi)
Number of tracksSingle-track
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed85 km/h (53 mph)
Route map

 San'yō Shinkansen
0.0
 Asa
San'yō Line
2.0
 Kamonosho Signal Station
4.2
 Yunotō
6.6
 Matsugase Signal Station
-1997
 Asa River
10.2
 Atsu
13.2
 Shirōgahara
Shirōgahara Tunnel
140 m (460 ft)
Minami-Ōmine
Ōmine
 -1997
19.4
 Mine
 UBE Corporation only
20.8
 Kamiriyō
-1920
22.3
 Shigeyasu
27.2
 Ofuku
37.1
 Shibuki
41.0
 Nagato-Yumoto
43.3
 Itamochi
 Otobu River
 Nagato Depot
 San'in Main Line
46.0
 Nagatoshi
 San'in Main Line
 San'in Main Line - Senzaki Branch Line

History

The Sanyo Railway Company opened the Asa to Minami-Omine section in 1905 to haul coal. The company was nationalised in 1906, and the Japanese Government Railway (JGR) extended the line to Mine in 1909.

The Mine Light Railway Company opened the Mine to Shigeyasu section in 1916. That company was nationalised in 1920, and the JGR opened the section to Ofuku the same year. The line was extended to Nagato in 1924, completing the line.

Freight services ceased in 1984, except for limestone haulage from Shigeyasu, which ceased in 2009.

All services were suspended after heavy rainstorm flooding in July 2010. Despite estimates that repairs would take up to three years to complete, the Mine Line was restored to full service on 26 September 2011, in time for the 66th National Sports Festival, "Oidemase Yamaguchi Kokutai," which began in October 2011.

Route data
  • Operating Company:
  • Distance:
    • Asa — Nagatoshi: 46 km
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Stations: 12
  • Double-tracking: None
  • Electrification: Not electrified
  • Railway signalling:
    • Automatic occlusive (special)

Stations

All stations are in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Name Distance (km) Connections Location
Asa 厚狭 0.0 JR West: Sanyō Shinkansen, Sanyō Main Line San'yō-Onoda
Kamonoshō S.B. 鴨ノ庄信号 (2.0)  
Yunotō 湯ノ峠 4.2  
Atsu 厚保 10.2   Mine
Shirōgahara 四郎ヶ原 13.2  
Minami-Ōmine 南大嶺 16.9  
Mine 美祢 19.4  
Shigeyasu 重安 22.3  
Ofuku 於福 27.2  
Shibuki 渋木 37.1   Nagato
Nagato-Yumoto 長門湯本 41.0  
Itamochi 板持 43.3  
Nagatoshi 長門市 46.0 JR West San'in Main Line

See also

References

    Media related to Mine Line at Wikimedia Commons


    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.