Tateyama Sabō Erosion Control Works Service Train. The , commonly called , is a Japanese,  narrow gauge 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 River, 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  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 Monument of Japan.

History

Jōganji River, flowing from the Tateyama Mountains to the Toyama Bay, was known as a river with frequent floods and debris flows. In 1926, the Home Ministry started to construct erosion control facilities for the river, including the railway line. The narrow gauge railway line between Senjugahara and Kanbadaira opened in 1929. A funicular was built between Kanbadaira and Mizutani in 1930, and a railway between Mizutani and Shiroiwa in the next year. The rail system stopped its operation during 1944 and 1948, because of World War II. During that period the funicular section collapsed and an aerial lift for the same section was built in 1951. In 1965, the same section was replaced by a normal railway, with 18 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: 

Rails: 15 kg/m
Maximum speed: 18 km/h (uphill), 15 km/h (downhill)
Vertical interval: 
Liaison offices: 6
Double-track line: None
Electric supply: Not electrified
Average gradient: 3.5 %
Maximum gradient: 5.0 %
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

: Near Tateyama Station of Toyama Chihō Railway Tateyama Line and Tateyama Cable Car. Altitude .

: Altitude .

Rolling stock

Diesel locomotives: 9
Work trains: 4
Passenger cars: 16
Freight cars: 104

Services

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

The line is normally closed to the 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, which is often cancelled due to bad weather. In 2006, 16 tours were planned per day with 720 participants in total. Applications were 1.83 to 5.55 times more than the places available, and 69% of the planned tours were executed in reality.

See also
Kurobe Senyō Railway
Tateyama Cable Car
Industrial railway

References

External links

Tateyama Mountain Area Sabō Office official website
 Tateyama Mountain Area Sabō Office official website
 Tateyama Caldera Sabō Museum official website, a museum which hosts the study tour.

Railway lines in Japan
Rail transport in Toyama Prefecture
2 ft gauge railways in Japan
Railway lines opened in 1929
Registered Monuments of Japan
Tateyama, Toyama
Railways with Zig Zags