The irony being, that when the KiHa 130 fleet was forced into early retirement between 20, it was the KiHa 40s that once again took charge. Accelerated wear and tear from the salty, coastal, corrosive atmosphere, took its toll on the 130s, and before long they were not up to scratch. While capable of transporting the handful of passengers, and keeping to timetable, the KiHa 130 fleet was short-lived. Called the ‘one-man train’, working the Hidaka Main Line is the ultimate example of Driver Only Operation! While the passenger life on the KiHa 130s was a peaceful one, the job of the driver was two-fold not only did they have to drive the services, they were also in charge of selling tickets and the passengers’ welfare. The small fleet of 11 KiHa 130 DMUs were built to replace the older KiHa 40s, and started work on the Hidaka Main Line in 1988. The line was never a bustling one, it was not that sort of railway and it needn’t be, single diesel railcars formed the backbone of the Hidaka Main Line – including the bespoke KiHa 130 Series. Every May, a special ‘tourist train’ was timetabled as a through connection with the Chitose Line. The Hidaka Main Line was first and foremost a passenger route, linking the nearby towns and communities together with both local, rapid, and even regional services. Further developments would continue, such as the extension of the line to Hidaka-mitsuishi in 1933 and the eventual terminus at Samani in 1937. In 1927, both railway companies were nationalised to form the Hidaka Line, and from 1929 until 1931, the now-unitary coastal route was re-laid using the more commonly used 3 ft 6 in “Cape” gauge. Additionally, there was also a line between Tomikawa and Shizunai, operated by the Hidaka Takushoku Railway. In 1913, the Tomakomai Light Railway opened a 2 ft 6 in gauge rail line between Tomakomai and Tomikawa, running along the south coast of Hokkaido, Japan’s second largest island. The wonderfully scenic Hokkaido region, by Partner Programme developer Union Workshop, brings the coastal Hidaka Main Line to life!
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