Kurobe Senyō Railway

The
*nihongo|"Asohara"|阿曽原
*nihongo|Sennindani|仙人谷
*nihongo|Kurobegawa No.4 Power Station-mae|黒部川第四発電所前|Kurobegawa Dai-yon Hatsudensho-mae: Altitude Convert|869|m|0|abbr=on. Linked to Incline-Jōbu (altitude 1325m) by a funicular.

ervices

A battery locomotive tows small freight/passenger cabs, a few times a day. Battery locomotives are used because the High Temperature Tunnel may flash off the fuels of engines. Unlike Kurobe Gorge Railway which closes during winter, Jōbu Track operates whole year. This is because the line is almost entirely under a tunnel, so it is not affected by heavy snow.

The actual operation is done by Kurobe Gorge Railway Company, the wholly subsidiary of Kansai Electric Power Company.

A Kurobe Route carriage from Keyakidaira Station, Kurobe Gorge Railway Main Line, runs a short industrial railway line to Keyakidaira-Kabu Station, just Convert|500|m|0|abbr=on away from Keyakidaira. From there, a large elevator takes a carriage to Keyakidaira-Jōbu Station, Convert|200|m|0|abbr=on above. The elevator was made in 1939 by Otis Elevator Company. It is the elevator with the largest maximum loading capacity in Japan, Convert|4.5|t|1|lk=on|abbr=on. Kurobe Senyō Railway (Jōbu Track) begins from Keyakidaira-Jōbu Station, to Kurobegawa No.4 Power Station-mae Station. From there, a funicular goes to Incline Jōbu Station, Convert|456|m|0|abbr=on above. Kurobe Tunnel (for a bus) links Incline Jōbu Station and Kurobe Dam Station of Kanden Tunnel Trolleybus, Convert|10.3|km|1|abbr=on away.

Kurobe Route, including Jōbu Track, is basically not open to public. However, from 1996, participants of a study tour are allowed to take the route. Visitors have to book in advance. In most cases, there are more applicants than the limit, so they have to win a lottery to join the tour. In 2007, they had 34 tours with 2040 participants in total. For each tour, applicants were 2 to 8 times more than the limit.

Kuronagi Branch Line

Kuronagi Branch Line runs between nihongo|Kuronagi|黒薙 of Kurobe Gorge Railway Main Line and nihongo|Kuronagi No.2 Power Station|黒薙第二発電所|Kuronagi Dai-ni Hatsudensho, roughly Convert|1.3|km|1|abbr=on away. The line has very infrequent services. As such, tourists going to the nearby nihongo|Kuronagi Onsen|黒薙温泉 can walk on the line track (tunnel) with permission by a Kuronagi Station attendant. Unlike Jōbu Track, the line is "not" entirely under a tunnel.

ee also

*Tateyama Sabō Erosion Control Works Service Train
*Kurobe Gorge Railway
*Kanden Tunnel Trolleybus
*Kurobe dam
*Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
*Industrial railway

External links

*ja icon [http://www.kepco.co.jp/info/hokuriku/koubo/index.htm Kansai Electric Power Company] official website, explaining the study tour.
*ja icon [http://www.pref.toyama.jp/cms_sec/1002/kj00000094.html Toyama Prefecture] official website, explaining the study tour.