Nagasaki Main Line

Nagasaki Main Line
Nagasaki Main Line
	Kiha 47, which became the mainstay of the non-electrified section of the Nagasaki Main Line; (Kōhoku Station on September 24, 2022)
Overview
Owner	JR Kyushu
Locale	Saga, Nagasaki prefectures
Termini	Tosu; Nagasaki;
Stations	41
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	JR Kyushu, JR Freight
History
Opened	1891
Technical
Line length	148.8 km (92.5 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	20 kV AC, 60 Hz Overhead catenary (Tosu-Hizen-Hama)
Route map
Route map

Nagasaki Main Line route

Legend

	↑ Kagoshima Main Line for Hakata
0.0	Tosu	17 m
	→ Kagoshima Main Line for Kurume
	Route 34
2.0	Shin-Tosu
2.4	Asahi River 52 m
4.2	Hizen-Fumoto	28 m
8.2	Kansui River 59 m
8.5	Nakabaru	30 m
	old Metabaru Station until 1943
10.0	Kiridōshi River 30 m
13.1	Yoshinogari-kōen	11 m
14.3	Tade River 66 m

15.7	Kanzaki	9 m

16.4	Jōbaru River 117 m
17.4	Ane River No. 1 51 m
19.3	Ane River No. 2 38 m
20.2	Igaya	5 m
21.0
22.0
	Route 34
	→ old Saga Line

25.0	Saga → old Saga Station until 1976

26.3
27.7	Uekari River 119 m
28.0	Nabeshima	5 m
28.3	Shin River 61 m
29.0	Higashi-Ō River 147 m
29.8	Balloon Saga temporary
30.0	Kase River 503 m
30.3	Moat 123 m
30.4	Moat 61 m
31.4	Kubota	5 m
	← Karatsu Line for Karatsu
32.5
33.8	Moat 35 m
35.0	Ushizu River 159 m
	Route 34
39.6	Kōhoku	5 m
	Route 34
	← Sasebo Line for Sasebo
42.5	Rokkaku River 152 m
44.7	Hizen-Shiroishi	4 m
48.8
49.9	Hizen-Ryūō	4 m
	Route 207
52.2	Shiota River 241 m
54.6	Hizen-Kashima	7 m
55.4
57.6	Hizen-Hama	6 m
58.0
61.0	Nishiura Tunnel 180 m
61.5	Hizen-Nanaura	6 m
61.9	Tunnel 90 m
63.6	Hizen-Iida	8 m
63.8
65.6
67.7	Tara	7 m
69.7	Kamezaki Tunnel 175 m
70.7	Tunnel 175 m
71.7	Sato Tunnel 173 m
72.7	Sato Signal Station	9 m
	Route 207
75.6	Hizen-Ōura	17 m
76.9	Route 207 254 m
	Saga ↔ Nagasaki
78.9	Doizaki Signal Station	11 m
81.6	Tunnel 215 m
	Route 207
82.3	Konagai	7 m
82.7	Route 207 219 m
84.4	Tunnel 140 m
84.7	Nagasato	6 m
84.9	Nagasato River 81 m
87.3	Sakai River 65 m
87.6	Yue	14 m
90.9	Oe	10 m
91.6	Shinkai Tunnel 210 m
92.0	Shinkai River 91 m
95.6	Hizen-Nagata	5 m
95.9	Nishinagata River 51 m
97.5	old Higashi-Isahaya Station until 1990
97.8	Higashi-Isahaya	8 m
98.8	Honmyō Tunnel 390 m
99.5	Honmyō River 66 m
	← Ōmura Line for Haiki
100.4	Isahaya	16 m
100.6	Route 207 93 m
	→ Shimabara Railway Line for Kazusa

100.8	Tunnel ↓ 52 m
100.9	Route 207 ↑ 183 m / ↓ 337 m
101.4	Isahaya Tunnel No.2 ↓ 138 m


	Route 34
103.2	Nishi-Isahaya	6 m
103.4	Higashi-Ō River 128 m
105.2
105.8	Hisa Mountain Tunnel 56 m
106.9	Kikitsu	3 m
107.2
	← Old Line via Nagayo
107.5	Tunnel 765 m
108.7	Kajiki Tunnel 374 m
109.4	Ichinuno	28 m
110.0	Tunnel 1249 m
3.5	← Higashi-Sono	7 m
111.4	Koga Tunnel 558 m
112.1
112.3	Hizen-Koga	45 m
112.6
112.8	Enoki Tunnel 1515 m
7.2	← Ōkusa	7 m
114.8	Utsutsugawa	67 m
115.1	Nagasaki Tunnel 6173 m
10.5
118.5	Hizenmigawa Signal Station	30 m
12.3	← Honkawachi	69 m
15.4	← Nagayo	15 m
16.4	← Kōda	21 m
18.9	← Michinō	52 m
20.6	← Nishi-Urakami : Sumijoshi →	23 m
	↔ Nagasaki Tramway

122.2	Ō River 79 m
123.7	Urakami	3 m
	→ Urakami-eki-mae
125.3	Nagasaki	3 m
131.3	→ Nagasaki-eki-mae

Sources:^[1]

The Nagasaki Main Line (長崎本線, Nagasaki-honsen), or simply Nagasaki Line, is a railway line owned by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) connecting Tosu Station in Saga Prefecture to Nagasaki Station in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. There is a separate branch of this line from Kikitsu Station to Urakami Station by way of Nagayo Station and the Nagasaki Tunnel, avoiding a long detour.^[2]

Route data

Operators and route length:
- JR Kyushu (services and tracks)
  - Tosu - Nagasaki: 125.3 km (77.9 mi)
  - Kikitsu - Nagayo - Urakami: 23.5 km (14.6 mi)
- JR Freight (services)
  - Tosu - Nagasaki: 125.3 km (77.9 mi)
Stations: 41 (including seasonal stations)
Double-tracking:
- Tosu - Kōhoku
- Isahaya - Kikitsu
- Urakami - Nagasaki
Electrification: Tosu - Hizen-Hama (20kV AC 60 Hz)
Railway signalling: Automatic
CTC center: Hakata Integrated Operations Center

Route description

The line is single-tracked between Kōhoku and Isahaya stations due to the coastal geography of the area making double-tracking prohibitively expensive. The "old route" (旧線) is the branch of the Nagasaki Main Line between Kikitsu and Urakami via Nagayo that existed before the opening of the new route. Prior to the opening of the new route, express and limited express trains ran on this section. Vestiges of this can be seen at Michinoo and other stations along the route. The "new line" (新線) is the branch of the Nagasaki Main Line between Isahaya and Urakami via Ichinuno through the Nagasaki Tunnel. The line was electrified in 1976, however due to the lack of freight trains running beyond Nabeshima and low population along the line, the section between Hizen-Hama and Nagasaki is scheduled to be de-electrified after the opening of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen.

Services

Limited express

As of 23 September 2022, the Relay Kamome limited express operates on the Nagasaki Main Line until Kōhoku before splitting off to Takeo-Onsen where passengers can board the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen to Nagasaki. The merged Midori/Huis Ten Bosch limited express operates east of Kōhoku Station with some services operating additionally as a Relay Kamome until Takeo-Onsen. Prior to the opening of the new Shinkansen line, limited express trains travelled over the new route between Isahaya and Urakami stations. Limited Express Relay Kamome trains are operated by JR Kyushu using the 6-car 885 series and 8-car 787 series. ^[3] A new limited express service Kasasagi was introduced between Hizen-Kashima and Hakata with through services to Mojiko to make up for the loss of the Kamome along the line using the 6-car 885 series, 8-car 787 series, and 8-car 783 series EMU's. ^[4]

Overnight sleeper trains, such as the Sakura (between Tokyo and Nagasaki) and Akatsuki (between Kyoto and Nagasaki), were discontinued in 2008.

Regional trains

Other than trains that are operated on the entire Nagasaki Line, there are trains which operate in specific sections, such as from Tosu to Hizen-Kashima, and trains which continue on to other lines. From of 23 September, all electric trains are slated to be replaced by DMUs and hybrid diesel-electric trains between Hizen-Hama and Nagasaki.

In the morning, from Hizen-Nanaura Station, there is a direct train to Mojikō Station (on the Kagoshima Main Line).
The new line from Isahaya to Nagasaki uses EMUs, but the old line, including direct trains to the Omura Line, uses DMUs. However, the rapid service train Seaside Liner, despite being a DMU, uses the new line.
Between Hizen-Nanaura Station and Yue Station, because it is a relatively inactive part of the line, local trains only run for about five hours into the daytime after the morning rush.
Wanman Driver-only operation trains are operated on the entire Nagasaki Line. On the new line, the 817 series EMU is used, and on the old line, the KiHa 66, 67, and 200 DMUs are used.

Freight

Freight trains are operated between Tosu and Nabeshima. High-speed freight trains make three round trips a day from Tosu Freight Terminal to Nabeshima. The electric locomotive used is the Class ED76. Freight trains only arrive and depart from Nabeshima station.

Stations

Legend

All trains stop at stations marked "●", some stop at stations marked "▲". All trains pass stations marked "｜".
Double-tracked sections are marked "∥", single-tracked sections where trains may pass are marked "◇", and single-tracked sections where trains cannot pass are marked "｜".
"^" and "∨" indicate a boundary between single- and double-track sections.

New route (via Ichinuno)

"Rapid" refers to the Seaside Liner rapid service.
Local trains make all stops. For information on the Relay Kamome, Midori and Huis Ten Bosch limited express services consult their respective articles.

Numbering	Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		36 plus 3	Futatsuboshi 4047	Rapid	Transfers		Location (Town \| Prefecture)
Numbering	Station	Japanese	Between Stations	Total	36 plus 3	Futatsuboshi 4047	Rapid	Transfers		Location (Town \| Prefecture)
JH 01	Tosu	鳥栖	-	0.0	Through train from Hakata	Through train from Takeo-Onsen		Kagoshima Main Line	∥	Tosu	Saga
JH 02	Shin-Tosu	新鳥栖	2.0	2.0				Kyushu Shinkansen	∥
JH 03	Hizen-Fumoto	肥前麓	2.2	4.2					∥
JH 04	Nakabaru	中原	4.3	8.5					∥	Miyaki, Miyaki District
JH 05	Yoshinogari-Kōen	吉野ヶ里公園	4.6	13.1					∥	Yoshinogari, Kanzaki District
JH 06	Kanzaki	神埼	2.6	15.7					∥	Kanzaki
JH 07	Igaya	伊賀屋	4.5	20.2					∥	Saga
JH 08	Saga	佐賀	4.8	25.0	●				∥
	Nabeshima	鍋島	3.0	28.0	\|				∥
	Balloon Saga (seasonal)	バルーンさが	1.8	29.8	\|				∥
	Kubota	久保田	1.6	31.4	\|			Karatsu Line^{[* 1]}	∥
	Ushizu	牛津	2.8	34.2	\|				∥	Ogi
	Kōhoku	江北	5.4	39.6	\| (through train to Takeo-Onsen)	▲		Sasebo Line (some trains through to/from Tosu)	∨	Kōhoku, Kishima District
	Hizen-Shiroishi	肥前白石	5.1	44.7	\|	\|			◇	Shiroishi, Kishima District
	Hizen-Ryūō	肥前竜王	4.7	49.4	\|	\|			◇	Shiroishi, Kishima District
	Hizen-Kashima	肥前鹿島	5.2	54.6	\|	\|			◇	Kashima
	Hizen-Hama	肥前浜	3.0	57.6	● (switch-back operation)	▲			◇
	Hizen-Nanaura	肥前七浦	3.9	61.5		\|			◇
	Hizen-Iida	肥前飯田	2.1	63.6		\|			◇
	Tara	多良	4.1	67.7		▲			◇	Tara, Fujitsu District
	Hizen-Ōura	肥前大浦	7.9	75.6		\|			◇	Tara, Fujitsu District
	Konagai	小長井	6.7	82.3		▲			◇	Isahaya	Nagasaki
	Nagasato	長里	2.4	84.7		\|	To/from Ōmura Line		◇
	Yue	湯江	2.9	87.6		\|			◇
	Oe	小江	3.3	90.9		\|			◇
	Hizen-Nagata	肥前長田	4.7	95.6		\|			◇
	Higashi-Isahaya	東諫早	2.2	97.8		\|			◇
	Isahaya	諫早	2.6	100.4		● (through train to Takeo-Onsen via Ōmura Line)	●	Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen Ōmura Line (through to/from Nagasaki) Shimabara Railway Line	^
	Nishi-Isahaya	西諫早	2.8	103.2		\|	▲		∥
	Kikitsu	喜々津	3.7	106.9		\|	●	Nagasaki Main Line (old route) (through to/from Isahaya)	∨
	Ichinuno	市布	2.5	109.4		\|	▲		◇
	Hizen-Koga	肥前古賀	2.9	112.3		\|	▲		｜	Nagasaki
	Utsutsugawa	現川	2.5	114.8		\|	▲		◇
	Urakami	浦上	8.9	123.7		\|	●	Nagasaki Main Line (old route) (through to/from Nagasaki) Nagasaki Electric Tramway: Main Line (Urakami-Ekimae)	^
	Nagasaki	長崎	1.6	125.3		●	●	Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen Nagasaki Electric Tramway Main Line Sakuramachi Branch (Nagasaki-Ekimae)	∥

^ Karatsu Line trains run through to Saga Station

Old route (via Nagayo)

All stations located within Nagasaki Prefecture.
All trains make all stops.

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers		Location
Station	Japanese	Between Stations	Total	Transfers		Location
Kikitsu	喜々津	-	0.0	Nagasaki Main Line (new route) (through to/from Isahaya)	◇	Isahaya
Higashisono	東園	3.5	3.5		｜
Ōkusa	大草	3.7	7.2		◇
Honkawachi	本川内	5.1	12.3		｜	Nagayo, Nishisonogi District
Nagayo	長与	3.1	15.4		◇
Kōda	高田	1.0	16.4		｜
Michinoo	道ノ尾	2.5	18.9		｜
Nishi-Urakami	西浦上	1.7	20.6		｜	Nagasaki
Urakami	浦上	2.9	23.5	Nagasaki Main Line (new route) (through to/from Nagasaki) Nagasaki Electric Tramway Main Line (Urakami-Ekimae)	◇	Nagasaki

Rolling stock

885 series (Relay Kamome,Kasasagi,Midori)
783 series (Midori, Huis ten Bosch)
787 series (Relay Kamome, Midori)
811 series (Between Tosu and Hizen-Ōura)
813 series (Between Tosu and Hizen-Ōura)
817 series
415 series
KiHa 66/67 DMUs (Seaside Liner)
KiHa 200 DMUs (Seaside Liner)

History

The Kyushu Railway Co. opened the Tosu - Saga section in 1891, extending it to Nagasaki via Haiki in 1898.

In 1907, the Railway Nationalization Act was passed in Japan, nationalising all major railways. The Hizen-Yamaguchi - Isahaya direct line was opened in 1934, with the Hizen-Yamaguchi - Haiki section being renamed the Sasebo Line and the Haiki - Isahaya section the Omura Line.

The Saga - Nabeshima section was the first to be duplicated in 1966, and by 1969 the Tosu - Hizen-Yamaguchi and Isahaya - Kikitsu sections were duplicated. The Urakami-Nagasaki section was duplicated in 1990.

The 6173m Shin-Nagasaki tunnel and associated Kititsu - Urakami deviation opened in 1972, and the entire line was electrified in 1976. Freight services beyond Nabeshima ceased in 1999.

Former connecting lines

Saga station - The 24 km line to Setaka (on the Kagoshima Main Line) opened 1931-35, and closed in 1987. This line crossed three major watercourses by substantial bridges.

Future plans

In January 2022, it was announced that the Nagasaki Main Line would be split into two sections and upper and lower management separation is to be introduced. JR Kyushu will continue to operate trains in the two section as a Type 2 Railway Business while the infrastructure of the 60.8 km (37.8 mi) section between Hizen-Yamaguchi Station and Isahaya Station is to be maintained by Saga-Nagasaki Railway Management Centre as a Type 3 Railway Business.^[5] JR Kyushu is to maintain train operations in this section for the next 23 years after the opening of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen.

On 10 June 2022, JR Kyushu announced further details regarding the section between Hizen-Yamaguchi station and Isahaya Station. The section between Hizen-Hama Station and Nagasaki Station is to be de-electrified with diesel trains replacing all electric trains running in this section. Hizen-Yamaguchi Station is to be renamed to Kohoku Station (江北). To make up for the loss of express trains running in this section, a new express train "Kasasagi" is to operate between Hizen-Kashima Station and Saga Station with services going onwards to Hakata Station. As de-electrification means the joyful train "36 plus 3" will no longer be able to reach Nagasaki Station, a new diesel joyful train "Futatsuboshi 4047" is to operate along the Nagasaki Main Line during the morning run and Omura Line in the afternoon return run.^[6]

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

^ にっぽん列島 - 鉄道紀元 [Nippon Rettō - Tetsudō-kigen]. Vol. 27. JTB Publishing Inc. May 10, 2007. pp. 12–15.
^ "TrainReview's Guide to Limited Express Kamome Trains".
^ "TrainReview". trainreview.com. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
^ "新特急「かささぎ」「リレーかもめ」9月23日デビュー西九州新幹線開業に合わせ誕生（乗りものニュース）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-09-23.
^ "ＪＲ長崎本線（肥前山口～諫早）の鉄道事業許可" [JR Nagasaki Main Line (Hizen Yamaguchi-Isahaya) railway business license] (PDF). mlit.co.jp (in Japanese). 31 January 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
^ "西九州新幹線が開業します在来線各線区でダイヤを見直します" [The Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen will open. We will review the schedule for each conventional line section.] (PDF). jrkyushu.co.jp (in Japanese). 10 June 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.

[5] Karatsu Line trains run through to Saga Station

[1] にっぽん列島 - 鉄道紀元 [Nippon Rettō - Tetsudō-kigen]. Vol. 27. JTB Publishing Inc. May 10, 2007. pp. 12–15.

[2] "TrainReview's Guide to Limited Express Kamome Trains".

[3] "TrainReview". trainreview.com. Retrieved 2020-08-05.

[4] "新特急「かささぎ」「リレーかもめ」9月23日デビュー西九州新幹線開業に合わせ誕生（乗りものニュース）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-09-23.

[6] "ＪＲ長崎本線（肥前山口～諫早）の鉄道事業許可" [JR Nagasaki Main Line (Hizen Yamaguchi-Isahaya) railway business license] (PDF). mlit.co.jp (in Japanese). 31 January 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.

[7] "西九州新幹線が開業します在来線各線区でダイヤを見直します" [The Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen will open. We will review the schedule for each conventional line section.] (PDF). jrkyushu.co.jp (in Japanese). 10 June 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[* 1]

[5]

[6]

v t e JR Kyushu lines
Shinkansen	Kyushu Nishi Kyushu
Main	Chikuhō Hōhi Kagoshima Kyūdai Nagasaki Nippō San'yō
Local	Chikuhi Gotōji Hisatsu Hitahikosan Ibusuki Makurazaki Karatsu Kashii Kitto Misumi Miyazaki Airport Nichinan Ōmura Sasaguri Sasebo
Others	Fukuhoku Yutaka
Past	Amagi Ita Itoda Kagoshima Main (Hisatsu Orange) Kamiyamada Matsuura Miyada Ōsumi Shibushi Tagawa Takachiho Takamori Yamano Yunomae