Kita-Rias Line The
Japanese National Railways (JNR) opened the Miyako to Taro section in 1972 and the Kuji to Fudai section in 1975. It constructed the Taro to Fudai section, and transferred the entire line to Sanriku on the day it opened in 1984. The line features 42 tunnels, including the Masaki (6,532 m) and Omoto (5,174 m) tunnels, both opened in 1984.
Minami-Rias Line JNR opened the Sakari to Ryori section in 1970, extending the line to Yoshihama in 1973. It constructed the section to Kamaishi and transferred the entire line to Sanriku on the day it opened in 1984. The line features 20 tunnels.
2011 earthquake and tsunami damage Both lines were heavily damaged by the
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The two lines suffered damage at ~300 locations, including damage to station buildings and bridges. The tsunami washed away 5.8 km of railway tracks on the lines. Full restoration of service on the lines was completed in April 2014. Diesel railcars damaged by the earthquake and tsunami were replaced by three new diesel railcars funded by
Kuwait. The new cars were introduced in January 2014. The two sections of the Sanriku Railway were for a long time separated by a destroyed segment of the
Yamada Line. On 23 March 2019, the Yamada Line section from Miyako to Kamaishi was reopened and transferred to Sanriku Railway. This joined up with the Kita-Rias Line on one side and the Minami-Rias Line on the other, which together constitutes the entire Rias Line restored. The result is a resumption of continuous rail service between
Kuji and
Sakari Station where it links with the
Ōfunato Line.
Typhoon Hagibis damage Following the
Typhoon Hagibis in 2019 which caused further damage to the railway, the operator Sanriku Railway Co,.Ltd. have received around ¥40 million in donations to help with repairs. ==See also==