Sangi Railway

Sangi Railway Co., Ltd. is a private railway company in Mie Prefecture, Japan, which also operates bus lines. The company was founded in 1928 and its initial line, the Sangi Line, originally functioned as a freight line transporting cement, but later developed into an important commuter railway line for Yokkaichi. The Hokusei Line was transferred from Kintetsu ownership in 2003 when Kintetsu abandoned the line. Whereas the Sangi Line has a track gauge of, the Hokusei Line is one of only a few narrow gauge lines remaining in the country.

History

The Sangi Line was opened by Onoda Cement in 1931 as a freight-only line to service its cement plant at Nishi-Fujiwara. Passenger services were introduced in 1952, and in 1954, the line was electrified at 1,500 V DC, and the company purchased an electric locomotive from JNR to haul its cement trains. CTC signalling was commissioned on the line in 1974.

Class ED45: Since 1954
Class ED301: Former Nankai Class ED5201 acquired in 1984
Class DeKi 200: Former Chichibu Railway Class DeKi 200 acquired in July 2000 and withdrawn in March 2011

The Hokusei Line runs from Nishi-Kuwana Station in Kuwana to Ageki Station in Inabe.