The Sagano Scenic Railway (嵯峨野観光鉄道, Sagano Kankō Tetsudō) is a sightseeing railway that uses an abandoned section of the Sanin Main Line originally built in 1897. In 1989, the Sanin Main Line was rerouted between the present day Saga-Arashiyama Station to Umahori to accommodate track duplication and electrification. However the old route which ran along the Hozu River, had been popular with tourists. The Sagano Scenic Railway, an affiliate of JR West and developed jointly with the city of Kameoka, was founded, and the Sagano Scenic Line began operation in 1991.
The track and stations were all formerly used by the Sanin Main Line and still owned by JR West, while the train is composed of a former JR West Class DE10 diesel locomotive and torokko open-sided cars (derived from the English "truck") converted from former freight gondola cars.[1]
The Sagano Scenic Line stations are as follows (Sagano Line station in parentheses):