嵯峨野観光鉄道嵯峨野観光線
( Sagano Scenic Railway )The Sagano Scenic Railway (嵯峨野観光鉄道, Sagano Kankō Tetsudō) or Sagano Sightseeing Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of West Japan Railway Company (JR West) that operates the Sagano Scenic Line (嵯峨野観光線, Sagano Kankō-sen), Sagano Sight-seeing Line, or Sagano Romantic Train (嵯峨野トロッコ列車, Sagano Torokko Ressha, Lit."'Sagano Minecart Train"') in Kyoto.
The line uses superseded tracks of the Sagano Line (officially a portion of the San'in Main Line) of JR West, from Torokko Saga in Arashiyama, and passe...Read more
The Sagano Scenic Railway (嵯峨野観光鉄道, Sagano Kankō Tetsudō) or Sagano Sightseeing Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of West Japan Railway Company (JR West) that operates the Sagano Scenic Line (嵯峨野観光線, Sagano Kankō-sen), Sagano Sight-seeing Line, or Sagano Romantic Train (嵯峨野トロッコ列車, Sagano Torokko Ressha, Lit."'Sagano Minecart Train"') in Kyoto.
The line uses superseded tracks of the Sagano Line (officially a portion of the San'in Main Line) of JR West, from Torokko Saga in Arashiyama, and passes a gorge offering a scenic view along the Hozu River, then enters and terminates in the basin of Kameoka. It is closed on Wednesdays and in the winter.
The line is locally known as "Torokko in Hozu gorge". Torokko is a Japanese word derived from the English "truck" once used for mining cars hauling ore, but presently means rail carriages basic accommodation and open sides.
The line was originally a part of the main line of the Kyoto Railway (京都鉄道, Kyōto Tetsudō) opened in 1899, to connect Kyoto to the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture, or the old province of Tanba. The company adopted the relatively level route through the gorge, avoiding Oinosaka (老の坂) pass which would have required a steep grade. The company was nationalized in 1907. The line became a part of the San'in Main Line.
BypassJR West, succeeding the Japanese National Railways (JNR), built a new, shorter, straighter, electrified double-tracked section of the Sanin Main Line between Saga (present Saga-Arashiyama) and Umahori which opened in 1989, bypassing the original winding route with narrow tunnels.
SuccessJR West utilised the original line for tourism under a subsidiary founded in 1990. JR West used old rolling stock for this purpose; four semi-open coaches hauled by a diesel locomotive.
By 1991, the line was more popular than expected (there had been speculation that the venture would be unsuccessful). As a result, a fifth carriage, nicknamed "The Rich" (ザ・リッチ), was introduced. The car is contrary to its name, converted from an old gondola of JR West to fully open carriage, even the floor and the sides are of fine grills and offers a rough ride.
Combined with rafting on the Hozu River, it is a major tourist attraction in Arashiyama and Sagano.
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