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.
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.
The Sangi Line (ä¸Âå²Âç·Â) runs from Kintetsu-Tomida Station in Yokkaichi to Nishi-Fujiwara Station in Inabe.
The Hokusei Line (Ã¥ÂÂå¢ç·Â) runs from Nishi-Kuwana Station in Kuwana to Ageki Station in Inabe.
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.