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Fukushima Station, Osaka, Japan – July 2017

Welcome back to Osaka. This time it was an airbnb apartment (red marker) right in town near Fukushima Station. This area is of note as it's where the limited express/freight line from Shin Osaka connects to the loop line to continue west/south (green marker). There's also the continuation of the Tokaido Main Line west of Osaka through to Amagasaki (blue marker).

This location would've also been in good proximity to the Umeda freight yards, if only they still existed! Instead the freight that comes through proceeds down to Ajikawaguchi, just before Universal Studios, Japan.

Note that standard east-west freight between Suita and Kobe uses the shortcut from Shin Osaka to the triangle just south of Kashima Station. Not the line shown on the map above; their line follows under the Shinkansen tracks via the passenger staging yards just adjacent to Shin Osaka Station.

The arrows in the freight schedules (further below) indicate the direction of travel. This is directly related to the map above: being Westbound and being Eastbound.

Tokaido Main Line

This is the continuation of the line that originates in Tokyo. The final station is Kobe, just west of Osaka, where it becomes the Sanyo Main Line.

The apartment mentioned above has a view of this line from the balcony...

With the best view being from the fire-escape's top platform...

From here, you'll be able to see all of the standard Tokaido-Sanyo Line EMUs...

Plus a view extra express trains. For example, here's the Super Hakuto...

And the Hamakaze...

And even a dead-heading Thunderbird!

You can even see out to Osaka station, amongst the other delights of the neighbourhood.

There's more to see down on the ground-level... but before that, here's the timetable of trains you can expect to see. Note that the dead-headings aren't listed... I have no idea how to find those! (You could probably guess that if a Thunderbird arrived at Osaka and had no return service then it might come past 10-20 minutes after it arrived?)

Tokaido Line Timetable

The table below describes all the services that will traverse point A on the map above. Note that the time here indicates the action as Osaka Station. Therefore, if it's heading to Osaka (Arriving), then it's going to be ~1 minute prior to the time listed. Likewise, if departing, it'll be ~1 after the time. Regardless, I'd be in position ~5 pre/post any scheduled time.

Direction	Arrive/Depart Osaka	Service
	0034	Sunrise Seto/Izumo
	0737	Super Hakuto #1
	0812	Kounotori #1
	0910	Kounotori #3
	0919	Super Hakuto #2
	0924	Super Hakuto #3
	0938	Hamakaze #1
	1001	Hamakaze #2
	1012	Kounotori #5
	1119	Super Hakuto #4
	1124	Super Hakuto #5
	1211	Kounotori #9
	1222	Hamakaze #3
	1223	Kounotori #12
	1320	Super Hakuto #6
	1324	Super Hakuto #7
	1411	Kounotori #13
	1423	Kounotori #14
	1511	Kounotori #15
	1519	Super Hakuto #8
	1524	Super Hakuto #9
	1622	Kounotori #16
	1705	Hamakaze #4
	1718	Super Hakuto #10
	1720	Kounotori #18
	1726	Super Hakuto #11
	1804	Hamakaze #5
	1820	Kounotori #20
	1931	Super Hakuto #12
	1949	Kounotori #24
	2005	Hamakaze #6
	2006	Super Hakuto #13
	2101	Kounotori #26
	2104	Super Hakuto #14

Ground Level - Fukushima Station and the Express Line

A short walk south will get you to point B on the map right up top. This is the ground-level-crossing of the 'express line' that bypasses Osaka station from Shin-Osaka. Here'll you'll get all the south-bound express trains and a bit of freight!

First up, that perpetual impossibility! The M250 Super Rail Cargo!

The Haruka will take you to Kansai International Airport...

And the Kuroshio (ex Ocean Arrow series as well!) will take you to Shingu/Wakayama...

You'll also see the new 'Osaka Power Loop' EMUs running up above...

Osaka Loop Line / Wakayama Line Timetable

All passenger trains listed below depart/arrive at Shin Osaka. Therefore, the time needs to be adjusted by +/- ~4mins depending on direction of travel. Note that these trains approach the Fukushima area via the west side of the old Umeda freight yards! They're still at ground level when they cross the point marked B on the map above! They climb up to the Loop Line level by Noda Station.

I've mapped out the freight train timetable before, but I've also incorporated it into the table below. I've also snapped the Super Rail Cargo once before, but it was much easier this time as I just had to walk over.

Note that the freight times are squiggled. I've estimated when they should pass the area (not the time at Shin Osaka). I've only got the times at Suita and Ajikawaguchi. Check the link above for the more accurate times, or just arrive at the area 10 mins earlier than those times posted below.

Direction	Arrive/Depart Osaka	Service
	~0505	JRF #59
	~0512	JRF #51 (Super Rail Cargo M250)
	0617	Haruka #1
	0648	Haruka #3
	0716	Haruka #5
	0720	Kuroshio #2
	0738	Haruka #2
	0733	Kuroshio #1
	0747	Haruka #7
	0751	Kuroshio #4
	0817	Haruka #9
	0837	Haruka #4
	0846	Haruka #11
	~0850	JRF #91
	0903	Kuroshio #3
	0907	Haruka #6
	0916	Haruka #13
	0922	Kuroshio #6
	0932	Kuroshio #5
	0937	Haruka #8 (And then every 30 mins from here until 2100)
	0950	Kuroshio #8 (And then every hour from here until 2050)
	1000	Haruka #15 (And then every 30 mins from here until 2100)
	1015	Kuroshio #7 (And then every hour until 2115)
	~1048	JRF #1180 (Rail-Set Train)
	~1140	JRF #93
	~1620	JRF #1883 (Rail-Set Train)
	~1715	JRF #90
	~1825	JRF #5088
	~2305	JRF #58
	~2315	JRF #50 (Super Rail Cargo M250)