Chikuhō Main Line

Template:Short description Template:Refimprove The is a railway line in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Wakamatsu Station in Kitakyushu with Haruda Station in Chikushino. Between Orio Station and Haruda Station, as well as from Keisen Station via the Sasaguri Line to Yoshizuka Station, the line functions as an alternate route to the Kagoshima Main Line.

Line data

File:Chikuho main line ja.png

Chikuhō Main Line in northern Kyushu

File:Fukuhokuyutaka line.png

Chikuhō Main Line (red) and Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (yellow)

As of 2021, the Chikuho Main Line is the third shortest of all Japan Railways Group lines named Main (or trunk) Line (not counting the JR Shikoku main lines, which were stripped of their designation after JR Shikoku started operating). For comparison, the shortest is Hidaka Main Line (30.5 km), after the closure of 116.0 km due to storm damage in 2015.

The line is divided into three sections. Each section has an alias.

Wakamatsu Line

Wakamatsu–Orio, 10.8 km

Fukuhoku Yutaka Line

Orio–Keisen, 34.5 km

Haruda Line

Keisen–Haruda, 20.8 km

Stations

Wakamatsu–Orio (Wakamatsu Line)

No.	Station		Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Template:STN	若松	0.0		Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyūshū	Fukuoka Prefecture
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Template:STN	藤ノ木	2.9
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Template:STN	奥洞海	4.6
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Template:STN	二島	6.3
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Template:STN	本城	9.3		Yahata Nishi-ku, Kitakyūshū
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Template:STN	折尾	10.8	Kagoshima Main Line

Orio–Keisen (Fukuhoku Yutaka Line)

Some rapid trains pass the stations marked "X".

No.	Station		Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Orio	折尾	0.0		Kagoshima Main Line	Yahata Nishi-ku, Kitakyūshū	Fukuoka Prefecture
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Higashi Mizumaki	東水巻	2.7			Mizumaki, Onga District
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Nakama	中間	4.1			Nakama
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Chikuzen Habu	筑前垣生	5.6
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Kurate	鞍手	7.9			Kurate, Kurate District
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Chikuzen Ueki	筑前植木	10.4			Nōgata
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Shinnyū	新入	12.0
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Nōgata	直方	14.0		Heisei Chikuho Railway Ita Line
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Katsuno	勝野	16.7	X		Kotake, Kurate District
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Kotake	小竹	20.5
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Namazuta	鯰田	23.9	X		Iizuka
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Urata	浦田	25.4	X
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Shin Iizuka	新飯塚	26.8		Gotōji Line
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Iizuka	飯塚	28.6
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Tentō	天道	31.5
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Keisen	桂川	34.5		Sasaguri Line	Keisen, Kaho District

Keisen–Haruda (Haruda Line)

No.	Station		Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Keisen	桂川	0.0	Sasaguri Line	Keisen, Kaho District	Fukuoka Prefecture
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Kami Honami	上穂波	2.8		Iizuka
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Chikuzen Uchino	筑前内野	5.9
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Chikuzen Yamae	筑前山家	16.1		Chikushino
Template:JRK Station Numbering	Haruda	原田	20.8	Kagoshima Main Line

Rolling stock

File:JR Kyushu Dual ENergy CHArge train (DENCHA) Kuha818-1 + Kumoha 819-1.jpg

The first BEC819 series BEMU set undergoing testing in June 2016

A pre-series two-car BEC819 series AC battery electric multiple unit (BEMU) was tested on the line from April 2016, and entered revenue service on 19 October 2016. This will be followed by six more trainsets, entering service in spring 2017.

History

The 39 km Wakamatsu to Iizuka section was built by the Chikuho Kogyo Railway, opening between 1891 and 1893, with the 12 km extension to Chikuzen Uchino opening in 1895. The company was nationalised in 1907, with the 15 km Chikuzen Uchino to Harada section opening in 1929.

The 25 km section from Wakamatsu to Nogata was double-tracked between 1893 and 1896, with the 4 km Nogata to Kotake section double-tracked between 1904 and 1906. The 8 km Kotake to Iizuka section was double-tracked between 1942 and 1944.

The 35 km Orio to Keisen section was electrified in 2001.

Former connecting/transfer lines

• Orio Station: the Nishitetsu Kitakyushu Line, a gauge line electrified at 600 V DC was opened from Orio - Moji (29 km) between 1911 and 1914. It connected to a 10 km loop line opened between 1912 and 1929, and closed in 1985. The Moji - Sunatsu section closed in 1985, the Sunatsu - Kurosaki section closed in 1992, and the remainder (except for the 1 km Kurosaki - Kumanishi section, which is part of the Chikuho Electric Railway line) closed in 2000.
• Nakama Station: the 3.5 km Katsuki Line opened in 1908, with passenger services being introduced in 1912. Freight services ceased in 1974, and the line closed in 1985. A 3.8 km line from Katsuki hauled coal from 1915 until the mine closed in 1954.
• Nogata Station: A 14 km gauge line to Fukumaru operated from 1914 until 1938.
• Katsuno Station: the 5 km Miyata Line opened in 1902. Freight services ceased in 1982, and the line closed in 1989. A 2 km branch to Sugamuta served the Kajima coal mine from 1904 until 1977.
• Kotake Station: the 8 km Kōbukuro Line to Futase opened in 1894 as a horse-drawn line servicing the Tetsuji mine. Steam locomotion was introduced in 1912, and passenger services in 1913. The line closed in 1969.

File:上山田線熊ケ畑トンネル（2013年撮影）.JPG

Kumagahata tunnel on the Kamiyamada line, 2013

• Iizuka Station: the 26 km Kamiyamada Line opened to Shimoyamada in 1898, extended to Kamiyamada in 1929, and to Buzenkawasaki (as a passenger-only section) in 1966. Freight services ceased in 1980, and the line closed in 1988. A 2 km gauge line from Okuma - Okumamachi operated from 1924 until 1933.