Private Freight Lines in Japan

[stevenh]

I've just found a relatively old (2006) page describing the state of Private Railways in Japan and if they carry freight.

The site is here.

 

Anyway, I am hoping to visit a lot of these in the Kansai/Tokai area and, with my trusty 2010 JR Freight Timetable in hand, can confirm that everything listed as functional here still seems to be the case. I will confirm thoroughly when I am over in Japan in September.

 

Anyway, I thought I'd post the listing here just for keep-sake.

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Private railways with freight service (2006)

This list was first compiled in early 2002 and has been continously updated since then. Companies where freight service ended in 2002 or later are marked in red.

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[table]

Company Nameyear of openingline(s) with freight servicekmremarkstrain pairs per daycarried goodscarried

tons (2000)

Kyushu[/td]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heisei Chihoku Tetsudo

 

(1893)

 

Nogata - Kanada*

 

10

 

a,q

 

2

 

Ce

 

474,000

 

Western Honshu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mizushima Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1943

 

Kurashiki - Higashi Mizushima

 

15

 

 

4

 

Ch,Co

 

462,000

 

Tokai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seino Tetsudo

 

1928

 

Mino Akasaka - Saruiwa

 

2

 

b

 

3

 

Li

 

529,000

 

Tarumi Tetsudo

 

(1956)

 

Ogaki - Motosu*

 

16

 

a,s

 

1

 

Ce

 

386,000

 

Sangi Tetsudo

 

1931

 

Tomita - Higashi Fujiwara*

 

23

 

c

 

9

 

Ce,Fa,Po

 

2,059,000

 

Nagoya Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1965

 

Kasadera - Nagoya Minami Kamotsu + 3 branch lines

 

17

 

d

 

9

 

Ch,Co,Li

 

888,000

 

Kinuura Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1975

 

Obu - Handa / Hekinan

 

10

 

d,e

 

3

 

Co,Li,Po

 

288,000

 

Kamioka Tetsudo

 

(1966)

 

Inotani - Kamioka Kazan Mae*

 

17

 

a,f,r

 

1

 

Ch,Co

 

66,000

 

Gakunan Tetsudo

 

1936

 

Yoshiwara - Hina*

 

6

 

c

 

4

 

Ch,Co,Pa

 

146,000

 

Kanto

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shinano Tetsudo

 

(1888)

 

Shinonoi - Nishi Ueda*

 

21

 

g

 

6

 

Pe

 

g

 

Kanagawa Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1969

1964

 

Negishi - Honmokufuto Kawasaki-Chishimacho/Ukishimacho

 

6

8

 

d

 

4

17

 

CoCh,Co,Pe,Ov

 

2,038,000

 

Chichibu Tetsudo

 

1901

 

Kumagaya - Chichibu*

 

38

 

c,h

 

ca. 20

 

Ce,Li,Cl

 

3,052,000

 

Tobu Tetsudo

 

1899

 

Kuki - Kita Tatebayashi Niatsukaijo*

 

30

 

c,p

 

1-2

 

Pe

 

304,000

 

Keiyo Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1963

 

Soga - Keiyo Kubota

 

19

 

d

 

14

 

Ch,Co,Pe

 

2,048,000

 

Kashima Tetsudo

 

1924

 

Ishioka - Kariyado Mae

 

21

 

t

 

1

 

Pe

 

29,000

 

Kashima Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1970

 

Kashima Stadium - Kamisu*

 

10

 

 

3

 

Co,Ch

 

248,000

 

Tohoku

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Niigata Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1970

 

Kuroyama - Niigata Port

 

5

 

d,o

 

2

 

Ch

 

162,000

 

Fukushima Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1907

 

Izumi - Onahama

 

6

 

d

 

4

 

Ch,Co,Or

 

329,000

 

Sendai Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1971

 

Rikuzen Sanno - Sendai Port + 3 branch lines

 

10

 

d

 

9

 

Ch,Co,Pe,Ra

 

998,000

 

Iwate Kaihatsu Tetsudo

 

1950

 

Iwate Ishibashi - Sakari - Akasaki

 

12

 

l,n

 

13

 

Li

 

3,166,000

 

Akita Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1971

 

Akita Port - North Port / South Port

 

8

 

d

 

6

 

Ch,Co

 

486,000

 

Kosaka Tetsudo

 

1908

 

Odate - Kosaka

 

22

 

k

 

2

 

Co,Su

 

242,000

 

Hachinohe Rinkai Tetsudo

 

1966

 

Hachinohe Kamotsu - Kita Numi

 

8

 

d

 

4

 

Co,Pa

 

246,000

 

Hokkaido

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[td]Taiheiyo Sekitan Hanbai Yuso

 

1925

 

Harutori - Shireto

 

5

 

l,m

 

6

 

Cl

 

1,430,000

[/table]

---

* rest of the line/network has passenger service only

a "Third sector company" (former JNR line, privatized in the 1980ies)

b passenger service abandoned in 1945

c electric locomotives in use for freight trains

d no passenger service

e trains operate partly over the JR Taketoyo line (km = own lines)

f freight trains operated with JR locomotives / own staff

g freight service operated by JR Freight

h mostly local freight transport

k passenger service abandoned in 1994

l only local freight transport (no exchange of cars with JR Freight)

m formerly "Kushiro Rinkai Tetsudo" (11.5 km), passenger service abandoned in 1963, most sections of the line (including the connection to JR in Higashi Kushiro) given up in 1986

n exchange of freight cars with JR Freight given up in 1983, passenger service abandoned in 1992

o closed on 30th Sep 2002

p freight service ended in 2003

q freight service ended on 31st Mar 2004

r freight service ended in autumn 2004 due to closure of the Kamioka smelter, line scheduled for closure on 1st Dec 2006

s  

freight service ended on 28th Mar 2006

t scheduled to close on 1st Apr 2007

Goods carried

Ce Cement

Ch Chemicals

Cl Coal

Co Container

Fa Flyash

Li Limestone

Or Ore

Pe Petroleum

Pa Paper

Po Potash

Ra Rail

Su Sulfuric Acid

Ov Oversize goods

[bikkuri bahn]

Steven, I visited the Sangi Railway a few days back.  I recommend it, I saw 4 or 5 freights over a period of about 2 hours, the locomotives are very nice box cab bo bo types, run in pairs.  There is small freight car museum on the railway also at Nyugawa Station, they have one of the ex-Tobu 4-4-0's built by Sharp Stuart. The railway interchanges with JR Freight at JR Tomida Station, I just missed an outbound freight hauled by a JR freight DD51, but I did see some shunting being done by a pair of the electric locomotives.

[westfalen]

The Chichibu is a must for freight fans with an almost constant procession of freights hauled by smart looking blue/white trim boxcabs running between the passenger services.

 

I can confirm the Mizushima Rinkai Tetsudo was still running freight in June 2006, at that time with an JR/exJR DE10.

 

The Taiheiyo Sekitan Hanbai Yuso coal hauler up on Hokkaido is something I wouldn't mind seeing, I'll be spending a couple of nights in Kushiro on my upcoming trip.

[stevenh]

I'm currently planning a day trip from Osaka to visit the 4 railways in the Nagoya/Tokai region.

I need to qualify this with my Freight Timetable... actually, I'll update this post with the actual trains to be seen... but here's the timetable:

---

[table]

Depart       Origin                       Destination              Arrive       Freight Railway + Services

0535Noda JR Loop LineTomida0813Sangi Railway

JR Freight near Shiohama Station

1012TomidaKasadera1115Nagoya Rinkai Railway

Kinuura Rinkai Railway

1427KasaderaMinoakasaka1528Seino Railway

Tarumi Railway

Yoro Railway

1751MinoakasakaNoda JR Loopline2001Wander towards Ajikawaguchi and find the Super Rail Cargo

[/table]

** Note that all times are subject to be updated... since I need to correspond this timetable with actual tabled freight movements.

*** There also seems to be a JR Oil train down past Sangi and near Shiohama Station. Not strictly private, but well worth a look-see.

---

 

Bikkuri, thanks for the note about Sangi and especially Nyugawa station, I might make the visit to the area include a return trip. I just hate seeing freighters pass whilst stuck in a passenger car :)

 

Westfalen, I definitely will check out the Mizushima Rinkai Tetsudo whilst en-route somewhere west. And also thanks for the pointer for the Chichibu railway... I'll also get to check out the Steam!

[westfalen]

This is the freight I passed on my trip down the Mizushima Rinkai Tetsudo in 2006.

[stevenh]

Westfalen, Nice shot, standing next to the driver? :)

---

Here's the timetable for the Sangi area based around Yokkaichi:

[table]

Service              Direction    Tomida        Yokkaichi    Shiohama    South Yokkaichi    Cargo             Holidays

2089Down00320042-0535[/td]0540Container

2081Down05560606Container

6882->6287Down06250634-07220730Tanker

6361Down06420651Cement

5880->5263Down07250735-08040813TankerSat,Hol

6360Up 08060757Cement

5878->5271Down0733-08430851-09240932TankerSat,Hol

6280Up09110903Tanker

5363Down09390949Cement

2083->2085Down10121021-10511056ContainerSat,Hol

5282<-5875Up 10481038-10341025TankerSat,Hol

5362Up 11091100Cement

5381Down11171127ContainerSun

2082<-2080Up 12521242-11581152ContainerSat,Hol

0251Down12181227ContainerSun

2087Down12121222Container

5284<-5885Up 13521342-12471238TankerSat,Hol

5365Down12421252Other

0183Down13121320TankerSun

3088->0079Down13141324TankerSat,Hol

5364Up 13471339Cement

5380Up 14221412TankerSat,Hol

5367Down14341444Cement

3081<-0072Up15481538-15141504TankerSat,Hol

5366Up15501543Other

0174Up16131605TankerSun

6369Down16481657Cement

2084Up17191709Container

0250Up17131704ContainerSun

3084->0075Down17171727-17291738TankerMon,Hol

6286<-6883Up21192109-18281820Tanker

6368Up18251817Cement

2086Up19131903Container

2088Up20542037-19581950Container

3089<-0078Up22142204TankerSat,Hol

8264Up23192309Tanker

8876Down23172327Tanker

8368Up23492339Other

[/table]

---

And then Tomida to Higashifujiwara: (Note that ** means estimated, as the trains don't stop.)

[table]

Service              Direction    Tomida        Hobo                   Higashifujiwara    Cargo           Holidays

3710Down06180600**0535Cement

0901Up06090641Potash?

3712Down09210856-08580829Other

3711Up08050909-09110939Cement

0501Up10161038-11151145Potash?

2002Down10501027No Idea

3713Up11531211-12121240Cement

3714Down12051044**1114Other

3716Down14131248**1318Cement

0503Up12581325**1355Other

0502Down13171359**1229Other

3715Up14021421-14421538Cement

3718Down16311554-16091527Cement

3717Up16201658**1728Other

3719Up18441903-19091938Cement

0504Down19501924-19311856Coal?

2006Down20512025No Idea

0903Up22012200Potash?

[/table]

---

Ogaki to Minoakasaka (and then to the station of which I can't read):

[table]

Service              Direction    Ogaki    Minoakasaka    Station    Cargo            

5781Up054105482

1021Up060906142

1022Down083308282

5780Down092109142

8785Up110811142

1025Up113411392

1026Down132213172

8784Down140513592

5783Up151315192

1025Up153915442

1024Down180417592

5782Down191919122

[/table]

Here is a fan-site of the railway, with some photography information/guidance for the area. Japanese content!

And another, more modern, fan-site with some great history.

---

[stevenh]

Ok, here's a pop quiz for everyone... I've mislead you all by saying 'Potash', 'No Idea', etc... above...

Here's the Kanji I really don't know about:

[westfalen]

Westfalen, Nice shot, standing next to the driver? :)

Is there anywhere else to stand when you ride trains in Japan?

 

The Kanji in No.1 looks like the character for coal, the katakana say 'ka ru', could be a translation of 'coal cars'?

[stevenh]

That was my guess too... but we're both wrong... see post below.

Meanwhile, 2 has to be Limestone.

[bikkuri bahn]

A shot from the Nyugawa Station area, a freight bound for the interchange at JR Tomida (Sangi Rlwy).

 

[stevenh]

Ok, here's the translations:

[table]

[石油]返空Return Empty [Oil]

石油Oil

炭Coal

炭カル'Calcium Carbonate' [Potash? I can't find anyone that says it is.] (...or so Google says)

石灰石Limestone

石炭灰'Coal ash' or 'Flyash'

単機Light Engine

紙返空Return empty paper

化学薬品Chemicals

甲種車両First Class Car movement

[/table]

 

I've posted the timetables on my new blog-page: Japan Private Freight Railways.

[Nick_Burman]

In Kyushu there is also the short Mitsui Miike line outside Omuta. Nifty operation, even if it is the mere shadow of itself. The elderly 4-wheel steeplecabs with battery "tenders" are unmissable.

 

Cheers NB

[westfalen]

In Kyushu there is also the short Mitsui Miike line outside Omuta. Nifty operation, even if it is the mere shadow of itself. The elderly 4-wheel steeplecabs with battery "tenders" are unmissable.

 

Cheers NB

Is this the line seen on Google Earth branching off the main line at Shinsakaemachi? I'll have a day in northern Kyushu during my trip in a couple of weeks.

[bikkuri bahn]

In Kyushu there is also the short Mitsui Miike line outside Omuta. Nifty operation, even if it is the mere shadow of itself.

 

 

 

*no longer technically the Mitsui Miike Railway, it now serves as the connecting railway between the former Asahimachi Station (now called the Kariyagawa Yard) and Mitsui Chemical's Omuta Plant.

[Nick_Burman]

In Kyushu there is also the short Mitsui Miike line outside Omuta. Nifty operation, even if it is the mere shadow of itself. The elderly 4-wheel steeplecabs with battery "tenders" are unmissable.

 

Cheers NB

Is this the line seen on Google Earth branching off the main line at Shinsakaemachi? I'll have a day in northern Kyushu during my trip in a couple of weeks.

 

Exactly. The line starts in a interchange yard north of the Nishitetsu station, goes past the back of the station parking lot, across a busy avenue and then on to a yard next to the Mitsui Chemicals plant. From the yard a spur reverses into the plant, this is were the battery tenders come into action as there are no wires into the plant.

 

Once upon a time MM's operations were much larger - the main line started at the north end of Omuta docks, crossed over JNR and Nishitetsu tracks at Shinsakaemachi, ran past the chemical plant yard and then described a great arc around the east and south sides of the city until it reached the south side of  the docks. There was another interchange with JNR north of Arao station and several branches spun off the main belt line to serve coal mines (the raison d' être for the railway). The trackbed of the main line is still visible almost in its entirety on GE.

 

Cheers NB

[westfalen]

In Kyushu there is also the short Mitsui Miike line outside Omuta. Nifty operation, even if it is the mere shadow of itself. The elderly 4-wheel steeplecabs with battery "tenders" are unmissable.

 

Cheers NB

Is this the line seen on Google Earth branching off the main line at Shinsakaemachi? I'll have a day in northern Kyushu during my trip in a couple of weeks.

 

Exactly. The line starts in a interchange yard north of the Nishitetsu station, goes past the back of the station parking lot, across a busy avenue and then on to a yard next to the Mitsui Chemicals plant. From the yard a spur reverses into the plant, this is were the battery tenders come into action as there are no wires into the plant.

 

Once upon a time MM's operations were much larger - the main line started at the north end of Omuta docks, crossed over JNR and Nishitetsu tracks at Shinsakaemachi, ran past the chemical plant yard and then described a great arc around the east and south sides of the city until it reached the south side of  the docks. There was another interchange with JNR north of Arao station and several branches spun off the main belt line to serve coal mines (the raison d' être for the railway). The trackbed of the main line is still visible almost in its entirety on GE.

 

Cheers NB

 

 

 

 

Might be a good place to spend an hour or two wandering around to see what I can see.

[stevenh]

Darn, my timetable does not mention this railway...

 

Here's a few links though with some great pictures:

 

Lots of private railways: http://homepage3.nifty.com/hi-red/index.html

Miike: http://homepage3.nifty.com/hi-red/mitsui1.html, http://homepage3.nifty.com/hi-red/mitsui2.html

 

History of the Miike coal mine: http://www.miike-coalmine.org/index.html

Map: http://www.miike-coalmine.org/tetudo/tetudo.html

 

More:

http://www.geocities.jp/koubou625/625/miike/miike.html

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/tetsudo/miyata/kido/miike/page01.html

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/tetsudo/miyata/kido/miike/page02.html

 

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Milano/7867/yennal/miike.htm

[railzilla]

In Kyushu there is also the short Mitsui Miike line outside Omuta. Nifty operation, even if it is the mere shadow of itself.

 

 

 

*no longer technically the Mitsui Miike Railway, it now serves as the connecting railway between the former Asahimachi Station (now called the Kariyagawa Yard) and Mitsui Chemical's Omuta Plant.

 

I really like how the use an electric locomotive combined with a flatcar loaded with batteries. Cheaper and greener than to buy a diesel engine. Whats the locomotive type. I like it so much, so i want to model this.

[westfalen]

I checked out the Sieno Tetsudo today, JR Freight appear punctual with their side of the service but be aware if you only have time to shoot one train you may miss a shot if you shoot the loco swap, as soon as the Seino crew coupled up they took off for the quarry. I only managed a going away video across the yard.

 

See my trip posts for some photos.

[Nick_Burman]

You mean Seino Tetsudo, right? 

 

 

Cheers NB

[westfalen]

You mean Seino Tetsudo, right? 

 

 

Cheers NB

'i' before 'e' except in Japan.

[bill937ca]

More photos of the Miike Tetsudo steeple cabs.

 

http://aono.homeip.net/photo/data/miike2_en.html

 

http://aono.homeip.net/photo/data/miike_en.html

 

The Kato Pocket Line steeple cab might be a starting point for modeling these locos.

[bikkuri bahn]

I checked out the Sieno Tetsudo today, JR Freight appear punctual with their side of the service but be aware if you only have time to shoot one train you may miss a shot if you shoot the loco swap, as soon as the Seino crew coupled up they took off for the quarry. I only managed a going away video across the yard.

 

See my trip posts for some photos.

 

Thanks for posting the pictures.  I was at Mino Akasaka just this July, unfortunately I visited during the mid-day lull, so no freight trains.  In fact I didn't have the time to wait to catch the branch passenger, so I had to take a taxi from Ogaki (that set me back 2000+ yen- ouch!).  But it was still worth it- I was seeking the branch line terminus atmosphere with freight service, which this particular spot has.  A nice wood passenger station with a single platform facing a single track with loco runaround, several freight tracks and an open freight shed, and the requisite weed overgrown bits, switchstands, etc.  Interestingly, this branch is designated a portion of the Tokaido Main Line (and is indicated as such on timetables), rather than having its own line name.

[westfalen]

When we arrived in Kushiro this afternoon the rest of the tour group did a trip back to Toro on the Norokko sightseeing train. I took a taxi out into the suburbs to see if I could find the 4.4 km long Taiheiyo Sekitan Hanbai Yuso coal hauling railway. I picked up a Japanese map of Kushiro at the tourist office and pointed to the taxi driver where I wanted to go. I arrived in time to see the last run of the day taking loads to the port and returning the empties to the mine. I waited for a while at another location to see if they made another trip but after a while I headed a bit further and found the train parked at the mine.

[westfalen]

Part 2.