Atobiki Railway Bridge
Atobiki Railway Bridge
後曳橋
Kurobe, Toyama, Japan
197 feet high / 60 meters high
180 foot span / 55 meter span
1926
The Atobiki Railway Bridge is located deep within the Kurobe Gorge, touted by many sources to be the deepest canyon in Japan. The steel arch truss is the highest structure along the popular 20 kilometer Torokko Railway. Between Unazuki and Keyakidaira the narrow gauge track crosses 21 bridges and travels through 20 tunnels. There are 10 stations along the line with the Unazuki to Nekomata section opening in 1926 with an extension to Keyakidaira in 1937. The line is owned by the Kansai Electric Power Company. Passenger service started in 1953 primarily for tourists. As recently as 2008 the company operated 27 locomotives, 138 passenger carriages and 322 freight cars.
In addition to the Atobiki Railway Bridge the Torokko route also crosses the lower but larger arch of the 50 meter high Shin-Yamabiko Bridge as well as the 34 meter high Okukane Footbridge. Parallel to the Atobiki Railway Bridge is the slightly higher Atobiki Aqueduct Bridge.
Atobiki Railway Bridge satellite image.
Atobiki Railway Bridge location map.
