Accident Overview:
- Date and Time: Around 3:03 AM on December 12, 2024
- Location: Inside Kawachi Station on the Kagoshima Main Line
- Involved Train: Train No. 8097, running from Kumamoto to Kagoshima Freight Terminal, consisting of one locomotive and 11 container freight cars.
- Cause: After departing Kawachi Station, the train operator felt swaying and applied the emergency brakes. Upon inspection, it was confirmed that the locomotive and two container freight cars (the first and second cars) had derailed.
Damage Situation:
- Crew: The JR Freight train operator was unharmed.
- Service Impact: No trains ran between Kawachi and Kumanojo stations from the first train of the day, with services suspended for the entire day. Trains operated by the Hisatsu Orange Railway, which enters this section, were also canceled. It is expected to take some time before service resumes on this route.
- Alternate Transport: Replacement bus services using the Kyushu Shinkansen will operate between Kawachi and Kagoshima Chuo. Services between Kumanojo and Kagoshima Chuo are running as usual.
