Shimabara Railway Line

Shimabara Railway Line
Shimabara Railway Line
	A train on the Shimabara line at Shirahama beach in 2008
Overview
Locale	Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Termini	Isahaya; Shimabarakō; Kazusa (until 31 March 2008);
Stations	24
Service
Rolling stock	Kiha 2500 type
History
Opened	20 June 1911
Technical
Line length	43.2 km (26.8 mi)
Number of tracks	single
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Route map
	elev
	in m
	closed
	1938
	Ariake Ferry
	to Nagasu
	Kyūshū and Kumamoto Ferry
	to Kumamoto
	Shimatetsu
	Ferry to Miike
	Shimatetsu Ferry
	to Oniike
	elev
	in m

The Shimabara Railway Line (島原鉄道線, Shimabara Tetsudō-sen) is a Japanese railway line connecting Isahaya Station, Isahaya and Shimabarakō. The line parallels the coast of Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture. The third-sector railway company Shimabara Railway owns the line and also operates buses and ships. The first section of the line opened in 1911. The former line between Shimabarakō and Kazusa had few passengers and closed on 1 April 2008. The line uses the older diesel-powered Kiha 20 type train which was developed in the mid-1950s. Because of the line's vintage trains which maintain the old Japanese National Railways colors of red and beige, it remains popular among train enthusiasts. This is the only railway on Kyushu outside the Fukuoka area that has remained privately throughout its history.

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