Atami Jinsha Tetsudo

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The Atami Jinsha Tetsudo was a man-powered, narrow-gauge railway in Izu, Japan. It ran about 9.5 miles (15.3 km) on a 2-foot (610 mm) track and was in operation around 1900. It began as a 7-mile (11 km) line opened in 1895, connecting Atami and Yoshihama on the Izu Peninsula. The train crew had two men and a boy. The men pushed the car uphill and jumped onto the rear platform when the track was level or downhill. The boy rode at the front, blew a horn to warn of hills and curves, and operated the brakes. The fare for a round trip, including tips, was about 21 cents. In 1896 the line was extended by 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to Odawara. In 1907 the track was re-gauged to 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) and steam locomotives were introduced. The line closed in 1923 after the Great Kanto earthquake.