Tateyama Sabō Erosion Control Works Service Train

The nihongo|Tateyama Sabō Erosion Control Works Service Train|立山砂防工事専用軌道|Tateyama Sabō Kōji Sen'yō Kidō, commonly called nihongo|Tateyama Erosion Control Train|立山砂防軌道|Tateyama Sabō Kidō, is Japanese industrial railway line in Tateyama, Toyama. It is operated by the Tateyama Mountain Area Sabō Office, which belongs to the Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Overview

The line transports materials and workers for the construction/conservation of erosion control facilities of Jōganji Rver, such as dams. Unlike ordinary railways in Japan, the line is not regulated by the Railway Business Law nor the Tram Law, but by the Industrial Safety and Health Law. It means the line is not a public transportation, but solely a construction facility. However, the line is well known among railfans. This is one of few Japanese railways, or possibly the only surviving one, to use RailGauge|24 narrow gauge track. Also, it is one of the lines with the largest number of railway zig zags in the world. Because of its historical significance, the line is registered as a Registered Monument by the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.

History

Jōganji River, flowing from Tateyama Mountains to the Toyama Bay, was known as the river with lots of floods and debris flows. In 1926, Home Ministry started to construct erosion control facilities of the river, including the railway line. The narrow gauge railway line between Senjugahara and Kanbadaira opened in 1929. They built a funicular between Kanbadaira and Mizutani in 1930, and a railway between Mizutani and Shiroiwa in the next year. The line system stopped its operation during 1944 and 1948, because of World War II. Since the funicular section was collapsed during that time, an aerial lift for the same section was built in 1951. In 1965, the same section was replaced by a normal railway, with 18 railway zig zags in a row. The whole route between Senjugahara and Shiroishi became a single railway line. The section between Mizutani and Shiroishi was later abandoned, and the line now operates between Senjugahara and Mizutani. During 1998 and 2007, the line was renovated with newer routes (tunnels), reducing railway zig zags.

Basic data

*Distance: Convert|18|km|0|lk=on|abbr=on
*Gauge: 610 mm / 2 ft. (The line is the only known surviving Japanese railway to use this gauge.)
*Vertical interval: Convert|640|m|0|lk=on|abbr=on
*Liaison offices: 6
*Double-track line: None
*Electric supply: Not electrified
*Average gradient: 35.6 ‰
*Maximum gradient: 83.3 ‰
*Tunnels: 12
*Bridges: 20
*Railway zig zags: 38, concentrated in 8 places
**Until 2005, there were 42 railway zig zags concentrated in 9 places.

Liaison offices

All liaison offices (equivalent to stations) are located in Tateyama, Toyama.
*nihongo|Senjugahara|千寿ヶ原: Near Tateyama Station of Toyama Chihō Railway Tateyama Line and Tateyama Cable Car. Altitude Convert|475|m|0|abbr=on.
*nihongo|Nakagoya|中小屋
*nihongo|Kuwadani|桑谷
*nihongo|Onigajō|鬼ヶ城
*nihongo|Kanbadaira|樺平
*nihongo|Mizutani|水谷: Altitude Convert|1117|m|0|abbr=on.

Rolling stocks

"The data as of May 2006."
*Disel locomotives: 9
*Work trains: 4
*Passenger cabs: 16
*Freight cabs: 104

ervices

Normally, a diesel locomotive tows approximately 3 cabs. The service is fairly frequent. The whole trip takes 1 hour and 45 minutes. Since the area has heavy snowfalls in winter, the line stops its operation from mid-November till June. In winter, some bridges and fences are removed to prevent the destruction by snow.

The line is basically not open to public. However, from 1984, a study tour of the erosion control started to use the line to transport its participants. Nonetheless, railfans still find it difficult to ride the line, since they have to book in advance and win a lottery to join the tour, while the tour is often cancelled under the bad weather. In 2006, they planned 16 tours with 720 participants in total. Applicants were 1.83 to 5.55 times more than the limit, and 69 % of the planned tours were executed in reality.

ee also

*Kurobe Senyō Railway
*Tateyama Cable Car
*Industrial railway

External links

*en icon [http://www.hrr.mlit.go.jp/tateyama/english/toplist.htm Tateyama Mountain Area Sabō Office] official website
*ja icon [http://www.hrr.mlit.go.jp/tateyama/ Tateyama Mountain Area Sabō Office] official website
*ja icon [http://www.tatecal.or.jp/ Tateyama Caldera Sabō Museum] official website, a museum which hosts the study tour.