Horonai Railway
Encyclopedia
The Horonai Railway was a Japanese government-managed railway which was among the first to be built in Hokkaidō
. Established in 1869, it was sold off to the private sector twenty years later. Some of the infrastructure of the Horonai Railway remains in use today, as the Temiya Line
and Horonai Line, connecting Minami-Otaru Station
and Iwamizawa Station
; these began operations in the 1980s.
sought to take advantage of the natural resources of the island. The American engineer Horace Capron
, invited to Hokkaidō by the government for this purpose, determined the presence of a sizable coal deposit in the upper reaches of the Horonai River. Another American engineer, Benjamin Smith Lyman
, was invited to plan the establishment and operations of a new coal mine.
Capron suggested the construction of rails from Horonai to the port of Muroran
, as part of a plan to ship the coal from there; meanwhile, Lyman's plan involved the construction of rails instead to Horomuibuto (today Ebetsu
), and intended to use a system of river boats on the Ishikari River
for shipping the coal to Otaru
, where they could be transferred to a larger ship. The government decided Lyman's plan was cheaper, and in March 1878, they invited yet another American engineer, to begin land surveys in preparation for construction. Crawford quickly determined that much of the land, being swampy, was not suitable for rails, stations, or other buildings, and that the river would freeze over in winter, rendering this shipping plan feasible for only around 150 days each year. His suggestion to extend the rail lines from Horomui Futoshi to Otaru, and to build rails straight to the piers, was approved by the Settlement Envoy, Kuroda Kiyotaka
.
Construction began in January 1880; a test run was done in October from Temiya to Zenibako
, and regular operations began at the end of November, running from Temiya to Sapporo. While the first railways in Japan, in the Keihin
and Hanshin regions, were designed on English models, this was the first railway in Japan to be designed by Americans. Though the American engineers suggested the use of 914 mm (3 ft) gauge track, as was standard in the United States, Kuroda thought ahead and it was decided that use of the British standard of 1067 mm (3 ft 6 in) would allow the Hokkaidō system to be compatible with, and perhaps in the future connected to, the Honshū
network.
Fifteen kilogram per meter iron rails were used, with a minimum of wood and gravel on the rail bed. Though the Temiya factory and railyard was established by now, the stations in Otaru (now Minami-Otaru Station) and Sapporo were still temporary constructs; Asari
, Asakawa
, and Kotoni Station
s were made "flag stops", in the American style. Two steam locomotive
s were imported from H. K. Porter, Inc
along with eight passenger cars from Harlan and Hollingsworth
, both American firms. These locomotives, dubbed Benkei and Yoshitsune
, were the first of what would later be termed the 7100 series
of locomotives. Each locomotive in the series would be named after a figure from Japanese history. The following year, Emperor Meiji
made his way to Hokkaidō on his national tour, rode the line from Otaru to Sapporo, and gave his approval.
In February 1882, the Colonization Office was abolished, and the railway and coal mine came under the jurisdiction of the construction bureau. The Sapporo-Ebetsu route was opened provisionally in June, and by November the line was completely operational from Temiya to Horonai. The official opening ceremonies were held on September 17, 1883, and were attended by members of the royal family, the military, and Inoue Masaru
, chief of the Railroad Office. Passenger service was run for free to the local citizens for the entire day.
However, it was soon decided that the railway was not doing well. In the six years from 1880 to 1885, it produced roughly two years' worth of profit. The construction bureau turned over control of the railroad, and the coal mine, to the Hokkaidō Government Office in January 1886. The following year, the two were split into separate offices, and the railroad began to be administered from Temiya instead of Sapporo, but before the end of the year, the Horonai Railway came to be contracted by the head of the Rails & Coal Mine Office, Murata Tsutsumi, to aid in the completion of the Ikunshunbetsu Line. This operation would not be profitable for the Horonai Railway, but Murata took these risks on himself, and explained to the Hokkaidō Government Office that this work was necessary in order to get the Ikushunbetsu coal mine operational, and that initial expenditures were necessary in such a venture. He hoped the expenses could be compensated for somewhat by the rents and taxes paid by the citizenry. Murata's scheme was approved in 1888, and he formed the Hokuyūsha (Northern Property Company) to manage the railroad contracts. For the next fifteen years, the Hokuyūsha paid the Horonai Railroad 5000 yen every year in return for using their trains and rails, and took on the responsibility of maintenance and all other fees; this revived the railroad's revenues.
The route from Horonaibuto (today Mikasa Station) to Ikushunbetsu began operations in 1886, and though coal prices dropped soon afterwards, this contract and the ensuing relationship between the Railroad and Murata's ventures helped recoup all the costs of the initial construction.
.
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. Established in 1869, it was sold off to the private sector twenty years later. Some of the infrastructure of the Horonai Railway remains in use today, as the Temiya Line
Temiya Line
The Temiya Line was a local freight narrow gauge railroad in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan, connecting Minami-Otaru Station and Temiya Station...
and Horonai Line, connecting Minami-Otaru Station
Minami-Otaru Station
is a railway station on the JR Hokkaido Hakodate Main Line. It is located in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Station structure:* 2-way, 2-track, 1-Island Platform, below-ground station.Platforms...
and Iwamizawa Station
Iwamizawa Station
is a railway station on the JR Hokkaido. It is located in Iwamizawa, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Station structure:The station has three platforms serving five tracks.PlatformsOrdinary tickets, express tickets, and reserved-seat tickets for all JR lines are on sale....
; these began operations in the 1980s.
History
The Hokkaidō Colonization Office was established in 1869, as the new Meiji governmentMeiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
sought to take advantage of the natural resources of the island. The American engineer Horace Capron
Horace Capron
Horace Capron was an American businessman and agriculturalist, a founder of Laurel, Maryland, a Union officer in the American Civil War, the United States Commissioner of Agriculture under U.S. Presidents Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S...
, invited to Hokkaidō by the government for this purpose, determined the presence of a sizable coal deposit in the upper reaches of the Horonai River. Another American engineer, Benjamin Smith Lyman
Benjamin Smith Lyman
Benjamin Smith Lyman was an American mining engineer, surveyor and amateur linguist and anthropologist.-Biography:Benjamin Smith Lyman was born in Northampton, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1855...
, was invited to plan the establishment and operations of a new coal mine.
Capron suggested the construction of rails from Horonai to the port of Muroran
Muroran, Hokkaido
is a city and port located in Iburi, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Iburi Subprefecture.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 96,724 and a density of 1,210 people per km². The total area is 80.65 km².- History :...
, as part of a plan to ship the coal from there; meanwhile, Lyman's plan involved the construction of rails instead to Horomuibuto (today Ebetsu
Ebetsu, Hokkaido
is a city located in Ishikari, Hokkaidō, Japan.- History :Ebetsu was settled originally by Japanese people in 1871, that came from the Miyagi Prefecture on Honshu Island. In 1878, militia men began moving into the area. When the Meiji Government, in 1878, designated Hokkaido as part of Japan,...
), and intended to use a system of river boats on the Ishikari River
Ishikari River
is a river in Hokkaidō, Japan. At in length, the river is the third longest in Japan and the longest in Hokkaidō. The river has a drainage area of , making it the second largest in Japan, as is its total discharge of around per year....
for shipping the coal to Otaru
Otaru, Hokkaido
is a city and port in Shiribeshi, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination...
, where they could be transferred to a larger ship. The government decided Lyman's plan was cheaper, and in March 1878, they invited yet another American engineer, to begin land surveys in preparation for construction. Crawford quickly determined that much of the land, being swampy, was not suitable for rails, stations, or other buildings, and that the river would freeze over in winter, rendering this shipping plan feasible for only around 150 days each year. His suggestion to extend the rail lines from Horomui Futoshi to Otaru, and to build rails straight to the piers, was approved by the Settlement Envoy, Kuroda Kiyotaka
Kuroda Kiyotaka
, also known as , was a Japanese politician of the Meiji era. He was the second Prime Minister of Japan from 30 April 1888 to 25 October 1889.-As a Satsuma samurai:...
.
Construction began in January 1880; a test run was done in October from Temiya to Zenibako
Zenibako Station
is a train station in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
, and regular operations began at the end of November, running from Temiya to Sapporo. While the first railways in Japan, in the Keihin
Keihin
Keihin may refer to:* Keihin region in Japan* Keihin, a brand of motorcycle and powersports carburetor, common on Japanese and other motorcycles. The brand is manufactured by an epynominous keiretsu group company affiliated with Honda...
and Hanshin regions, were designed on English models, this was the first railway in Japan to be designed by Americans. Though the American engineers suggested the use of 914 mm (3 ft) gauge track, as was standard in the United States, Kuroda thought ahead and it was decided that use of the British standard of 1067 mm (3 ft 6 in) would allow the Hokkaidō system to be compatible with, and perhaps in the future connected to, the Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
network.
Fifteen kilogram per meter iron rails were used, with a minimum of wood and gravel on the rail bed. Though the Temiya factory and railyard was established by now, the stations in Otaru (now Minami-Otaru Station) and Sapporo were still temporary constructs; Asari
Asari Station (Hokkaidō)
is a train station in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
, Asakawa
Teine Station
is a train station in Teine-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
, and Kotoni Station
Kotoni Station
Kotoni Station is the name of two train stations in Sapporo, Japan:* Kotoni Station * Kotoni Station...
s were made "flag stops", in the American style. Two steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s were imported from H. K. Porter, Inc
H. K. Porter, Inc
H. K. Porter, Inc. manufactured light-duty railroad locomotives in the USA, starting in 1866. The company became the largest producer of industrial locomotives, and built almost eight thousand of them...
along with eight passenger cars from Harlan and Hollingsworth
Harlan and Hollingsworth
Harlan & Hollingsworth was a Wilmington, Delaware, firm that constructed ships and railroad cars during the 19th century and into the 20th century.-Founding:...
, both American firms. These locomotives, dubbed Benkei and Yoshitsune
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura...
, were the first of what would later be termed the 7100 series
7100 steam locomotive
The JGR Class 7100 was a Japanese steam locomotive was first used in Hokkaido, upon the establishment of the government-sponsored Horonai Railway in 1880. The locomotives were imported from the United States....
of locomotives. Each locomotive in the series would be named after a figure from Japanese history. The following year, Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
made his way to Hokkaidō on his national tour, rode the line from Otaru to Sapporo, and gave his approval.
In February 1882, the Colonization Office was abolished, and the railway and coal mine came under the jurisdiction of the construction bureau. The Sapporo-Ebetsu route was opened provisionally in June, and by November the line was completely operational from Temiya to Horonai. The official opening ceremonies were held on September 17, 1883, and were attended by members of the royal family, the military, and Inoue Masaru
Inoue Masaru
Viscount was the first `Director of Railways` in Japan and is known as the "father of the Japanese railways".He was born into the Chōshū clan at Hagi, Yamaguchi...
, chief of the Railroad Office. Passenger service was run for free to the local citizens for the entire day.
However, it was soon decided that the railway was not doing well. In the six years from 1880 to 1885, it produced roughly two years' worth of profit. The construction bureau turned over control of the railroad, and the coal mine, to the Hokkaidō Government Office in January 1886. The following year, the two were split into separate offices, and the railroad began to be administered from Temiya instead of Sapporo, but before the end of the year, the Horonai Railway came to be contracted by the head of the Rails & Coal Mine Office, Murata Tsutsumi, to aid in the completion of the Ikunshunbetsu Line. This operation would not be profitable for the Horonai Railway, but Murata took these risks on himself, and explained to the Hokkaidō Government Office that this work was necessary in order to get the Ikushunbetsu coal mine operational, and that initial expenditures were necessary in such a venture. He hoped the expenses could be compensated for somewhat by the rents and taxes paid by the citizenry. Murata's scheme was approved in 1888, and he formed the Hokuyūsha (Northern Property Company) to manage the railroad contracts. For the next fifteen years, the Hokuyūsha paid the Horonai Railroad 5000 yen every year in return for using their trains and rails, and took on the responsibility of maintenance and all other fees; this revived the railroad's revenues.
The route from Horonaibuto (today Mikasa Station) to Ikushunbetsu began operations in 1886, and though coal prices dropped soon afterwards, this contract and the ensuing relationship between the Railroad and Murata's ventures helped recoup all the costs of the initial construction.
Steam locomotives
The Horonai railroad operated eight steam locomotives: six of the 7100 series, and two, called "Murata No. 1" and "Murata No. 2," of the 7170 series7170 steam locomotive
The Japanese Class 7170 steam locomotive was among the first trains to be used in Hokkaidō, and was utilized alongside the JNR Class 7100 on the Horonai Railway....
.