Shigaraki Kohgen Railway Co., Ltd. (信楽高原鐵道株式会社, Shigaraki Kōgen Tetsudō Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese third-sector railway company funded by Shiga Prefecture and the city of Koka.
The railway operates the Shigaraki Line, a former JR West line that was transferred to the third sector in 1987. The Shigaraki Line connects Kibukawa on the JR West Kusatsu Line with Shigaraki.
As of February 2017[update], the company operates a fleet of four diesel railcars: SKR310 series cars SKR311 and SKR312, SKR400 series car SKR401, and SKR500 series car SKR501.[1] The two SKR310 series diesel railcars were introduced in 2001, based on the earlier SKR300 series design but with more powerful engines.[2] SKR400 series diesel railcar SKR401 was delivered to the line in September 2015. This replaced car SKR301, which was withdrawn from service on 3 October 2015.[3] New SKR500 series diesel railcar SKR501 entered revenue service on the line from 5 February 2017.[4] This replaced SKR205, which made its last run on 4 February 2017.[5] While similar in design to the earlier SKR400 series car SKR401, SKR501 has transverse seating, whereas SKR401 has longitudinal bench seating.[6]
An SKR310 series diesel car
SKR401 in January 2017
SKR501 in March 2017
Former rolling stockedit
SKR200 series (x5, from 1987 until February 2017)
SKR300 series (x1, from 1995 until October 2015)
Five SKR200 series railcars were introduced between 1987 and 1992.[2] One SKR300 series car was introduced in 1995.[2]
SKR200 series diesel railcar SKR205 in October 2007
The company was established on February 10, 1987, and started the railway operation on July 13, 1987, following the end of the operation by JR West the day before.[7] Originally the company owned the railway facilities, but on April 1, 2013, the asset was transferred to the city of Kōka for 10-year free lease to the company as a part of the restructuring.[8]
Service disruptionsedit
The line has an unfortunate record in this regard, with services suspended between 1943 and 1947 due to it being deemed non-essential during World War II and the track was removed. The citizens' volunteer work contributed to the reopening of the line on July 25, 1947.[7]
A bridge was washed out in 1953, and the line was out of service for a year whilst it was rebuilt.[citation needed]
The 1991 collision (see below) resulted in the suspension of services for six months.[7]
The line was out of service from September 16, 2013, to November 29, 2014, as a result of another bridge washout caused by Typhoon Man-yi.[9][10][11]
Accidentsedit
A train passing the memorial at the site of the 1991 crash
The Shigaraki train disaster happened on the line in May 1991, when a through train from JR West collided head-on with a Shigaraki Kohgen Railway train, killing 42 people.
^私鉄車両編成表 2016 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 25 July 2016. p. 116. ISBN978-4-330-70116-5.
^ abcTakai, Kunpei (30 June 2014). Morokawa, Hisashi; Hattori, Akihiro (eds.). 全国私鉄超決定版電車・機関車・気動車1700 [Nationwide Private Railway Ultimate Edition: 1700 EMUs, Locomotives, and DMUs] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Sekaibunka-sha. p. 224. ISBN978-4-418-14219-4.
^ [Shigaraki Kogen Railway introduces SKR401]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
^ [Shigaraki Kohgen Railway SKR501 enters revenue service]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 6 February 2017. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
^信楽高原鐵道 SKR205 さよならHM掲出 [Shigaraki Kohgen Railway SKR205 carried "Sayonara" headboard]. RM News (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 31 January 2017. from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
^ 信楽高原鐵道SKR500形 [Shigaraki Kohgen Railway SKR500 series]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 57, no. 672. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. April 2017. p. 79.
^"信楽高原鐵道、4月から「上下分離」経営に" [Shigaraki Kogen Railway Management to be Owner-Operator Separated from April]. March 15, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
^Kusamachi, Yoshikazu (August 22, 2014). "信楽高原鐵道、11月29日に再開へ…昨秋の台風で不通" [Shigaraki Kogen Railway to Resume on November 29, Suspended Due to Typhoon of Last Fall]. Response. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
^"信楽鉄道再開待つ秋…台風１８号１年" [Fall to Wait Resumption of Shigaraki Railway, One Year from Typhoon No. 18]. Yomiuri Shimbun. September 15, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
^小川勝也; 和野康宏 (December 13, 2014). 赤字・大事故・豪雨被害、それでも立ち上がった"幸運な鉄道"…住民らが支えた苦難の８０年 [Despite Deficit, Disaster, Flood the Lucky Railway Rises—Residents Supported 80 Years of Hardship]. Sankei West. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shigaraki Kogen Railway.
Official website(in Japanese)
December 20, 2023
shigaraki, kohgen, railway, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Shigaraki Kohgen Railway news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message Shigaraki Kohgen Railway Co Ltd 信楽高原鐵道株式会社 Shigaraki Kōgen Tetsudō Kabushiki gaisha is a Japanese third sector railway company funded by Shiga Prefecture and the city of Koka Shigaraki Kohgen Railway Co Ltd Headquarters adjacent to Shigaraki StationOverviewMain region s Shiga Prefecture JapanStations called at6Parent companyKōka 55 1 Shiga Prefecture 34 5 Ohmi Railway 5 3 Kōka City Mayor Liaison Council Shigaraki Area Mayor Association 2 9 Shiga Bank 1 0 As of 31 March 2019Dates of operationFebruary 10 1987 1987 02 10 presentPredecessorJapanese National Railways JNR TechnicalTrack gauge1 067 mm 3 ft 6 in Electrificationnot electrifiedLength14 7 km 9 1 mi OtherWebsitekoka skr co jpRoute mapLegendOhmi Railway Main Line0 0 Kibukawa 貴生川 Kusatsu Line9 6 Shigarakigushi 紫香楽宮跡 10 2 Kumoi 雲井 12 4 Chokushi 勅旨 13 4 Gyokukeijimae 玉桂寺前 14 7 Shigaraki 信楽 The railway operates the Shigaraki Line a former JR West line that was transferred to the third sector in 1987 The Shigaraki Line connects Kibukawa on the JR West Kusatsu Line with Shigaraki Contents 1 Route data 2 Stations 3 Rolling stock 3 1 Former rolling stock 4 History 4 1 Service disruptions 4 2 Accidents 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksRoute data editOperating Company Shigaraki Kohgen Railway Co Distance Kibukawa Shigaraki 14 7 km Gauge 1 067 mm 3 ft 6 in Stations 6 Double track None Electrification Not electrifiedStations edit nbsp Shigaraki Kohgen Railway network Station Japanese Distance km Transfers LocationBetween stations TotalKibukawa 貴生川 0 0 nbsp nbsp JR West Kusatsu Line nbsp Ohmi Railway Main Line Kōka ShigaPrefectureShigarakigushi 紫香楽宮跡 9 6 9 6Kumoi 雲井 0 6 10 2Chokushi 勅旨 2 2 12 4Gyokukeijimae 玉桂寺前 1 0 13 4Shigaraki 信楽 1 3 14 7Rolling stock editSKR310 series since 2001 SKR400 series since 2015 SKR500 series since 5 February 2017 As of February 2017 update the company operates a fleet of four diesel railcars SKR310 series cars SKR311 and SKR312 SKR400 series car SKR401 and SKR500 series car SKR501 1 The two SKR310 series diesel railcars were introduced in 2001 based on the earlier SKR300 series design but with more powerful engines 2 SKR400 series diesel railcar SKR401 was delivered to the line in September 2015 This replaced car SKR301 which was withdrawn from service on 3 October 2015 3 New SKR500 series diesel railcar SKR501 entered revenue service on the line from 5 February 2017 4 This replaced SKR205 which made its last run on 4 February 2017 5 While similar in design to the earlier SKR400 series car SKR401 SKR501 has transverse seating whereas SKR401 has longitudinal bench seating 6 nbsp An SKR310 series diesel car nbsp SKR401 in January 2017 nbsp SKR501 in March 2017Former rolling stock edit SKR200 series x5 from 1987 until February 2017 SKR300 series x1 from 1995 until October 2015 Five SKR200 series railcars were introduced between 1987 and 1992 2 One SKR300 series car was introduced in 1995 2 nbsp SKR200 series diesel railcar SKR205 in October 2007 nbsp SKR301 in September 2006History edit nbsp A pair of SKR200 series diesel railcars in 1988The line was opened by the Japanese Government Railways on May 8 1933 7 Freight services ceased in 1982 citation needed The company was established on February 10 1987 and started the railway operation on July 13 1987 following the end of the operation by JR West the day before 7 Originally the company owned the railway facilities but on April 1 2013 the asset was transferred to the city of Kōka for 10 year free lease to the company as a part of the restructuring 8 Service disruptions edit The line has an unfortunate record in this regard with services suspended between 1943 and 1947 due to it being deemed non essential during World War II and the track was removed The citizens volunteer work contributed to the reopening of the line on July 25 1947 7 A bridge was washed out in 1953 and the line was out of service for a year whilst it was rebuilt citation needed The 1991 collision see below resulted in the suspension of services for six months 7 The line was out of service from September 16 2013 to November 29 2014 as a result of another bridge washout caused by Typhoon Man yi 9 10 11 Accidents edit nbsp A train passing the memorial at the site of the 1991 crashThe Shigaraki train disaster happened on the line in May 1991 when a through train from JR West collided head on with a Shigaraki Kohgen Railway train killing 42 people See also editList of railway lines in JapanReferences edit 私鉄車両編成表 2016 Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations 2016 in Japanese Japan Kotsu Shimbunsha 25 July 2016 p 116 ISBN 978 4 330 70116 5 a b c Takai Kunpei 30 June 2014 Morokawa Hisashi Hattori Akihiro eds 全国私鉄超決定版電車 機関車 気動車1700 Nationwide Private Railway Ultimate Edition 1700 EMUs Locomotives and DMUs in Japanese Tokyo Japan Sekaibunka sha p 224 ISBN 978 4 418 14219 4 信楽高原鐵道 SKR401を導入 Shigaraki Kogen Railway introduces SKR401 Japan Railfan Magazine Online in Japanese Japan Koyusha Co Ltd 22 September 2015 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 24 January 2017 信楽高原鐵道SKR501が営業運転を開始 Shigaraki Kohgen Railway SKR501 enters revenue service Japan Railfan Magazine Online in Japanese Japan Koyusha Co Ltd 6 February 2017 Archived from the original on 6 February 2017 Retrieved 6 February 2017 信楽高原鐵道 SKR205 さよならHM掲出 Shigaraki Kohgen Railway SKR205 carried Sayonara headboard RM News in Japanese Japan Neko Publishing Co Ltd 31 January 2017 Archived from the original on 31 January 2017 Retrieved 31 January 2017 信楽高原鐵道SKR500形 Shigaraki Kohgen Railway SKR500 series Japan Railfan Magazine in Japanese Vol 57 no 672 Japan Koyusha Co Ltd April 2017 p 79 a b c d 会社沿革 Retrieved September 21 2014 信楽高原鐵道 4月から 上下分離 経営に Shigaraki Kogen Railway Management to be Owner Operator Separated from April March 15 2013 Retrieved September 21 2014 Kusamachi Yoshikazu August 22 2014 信楽高原鐵道 11月29日に再開へ 昨秋の台風で不通 Shigaraki Kogen Railway to Resume on November 29 Suspended Due to Typhoon of Last Fall Response Retrieved September 21 2014 信楽鉄道再開待つ秋 台風１８号１年 Fall to Wait Resumption of Shigaraki Railway One Year from Typhoon No 18 Yomiuri Shimbun September 15 2014 Retrieved September 21 2014 小川勝也 和野康宏 December 13 2014 赤字 大事故 豪雨被害 それでも立ち上がった 幸運な鉄道 住民らが支えた苦難の８０年 Despite Deficit Disaster Flood the Lucky Railway Rises Residents Supported 80 Years of Hardship Sankei West Retrieved December 14 2014 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shigaraki Kogen Railway Official website in Japanese Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shigaraki Kohgen Railway amp oldid 1180779178, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
