Karatsu Line


The Karatsu Line is a regional railway line in Saga Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by Kyushu Railway Company. It connects in Saga City to in Karatsu City, both in Saga Prefecture, Japan. The line was originally constructed to carry coal from the Karatsu coal fields to the Port of Karatsu for export and had many branch lines to coal mines which have since closed.

Stations

Rolling stock

The Karatsu Kogyo Railway opened a line from Myōken (today to in 1898, on an alignment paralleling the west bank of the Matsuura River, and extended the line to Taku the following year. In 1902, the company merged with the Kyushu Railway Co., which extended the line to Kubota in 1903. The company was nationalised in 1907. From 1898 to 1912, a number of freight only branch lines were also built.
The Chikuhi Line from Higashi-Karatsu was extended to Yamamoto in 1929 on an alignment paralleling the east bank of the Matsuura River.
In 1983, the Chikuhi line was rebuilt so it branched at Karatsu, with the Karatsu - Nishi-Karatsu section being electrified at 1,500 V DC at the same time in conjunction with the electrification of the Chikuhi line, together with CTC signalling from Nishi-Karatsu to Kubota.
The last of the freight only branch lines closed in 1982. Freight services ceased in 1986.