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13Sep/180

Osaka Higashi Line Update!

I was just browsing satelite maps of Osaka and found that they'd expanded the bridge! (Previously reported here)

From above, you can see the western on/off ramps are complete. The eastern side of the bridge has also now completely crossed the river. Actually, the construction equipment has also been removed!

The tracks were also re-aligned down at Shin-Osaka station...

You can see a whole lot of over-ballasted track in the bottom-to-mid-right of the image above. That's where the tracks will merge in from the above ramps.

The railway was 'optimistically' meant to open last financial year... so we're already 2 months behind... but the construction is looking very promising!

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27Oct/172

Shin-Osaka Webcam – More Randomness

I was randomly viewing the Shin-Osaka Webcam this morning and came across a DD51, with another in-tow, heading through Shin Osaka towards Osaka itself. Excuse the crappy quality of the video... screen-capturing live YouTube isn't fun and the sun was still rising in the land of the rising sun.

It occurred to me that there could be other webcams down near Umeda to get a better idea of where these movements end up, so I started searching. I had no luck finding anything in the middle of Osaka with a railway view, but did find something in North Kansai.

It turns out that there is a webcam facing the southern end of Toyooka Station, attached to the North Kansai IIT Media Center. The camera is even controllable? I can't imagine that this is meant to actually be publicly facing... but... it is.

So, what goes up that far north? Turns out the Konotori and Hamakaze services do! Here's the Hamakaze entering Shin Osaka Station...

And then, 3 hours later at 12:18 (on the dot, timetable-wise), here it is arriving at Toyooka!

It then returned to Osaka at 14:26...

Now to find more webcams to stalk more trains...

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12Oct/170

Virtual Train Trip – Osaka Station to Shin-Osaka Station

For those who don't know, suburban Japanese passenger trains, more often than not, have front windows of which passengers can actually see out of. This is very unheard of in Australia, as the driver's cabin is usually separated from the dangerous passengers by opaque walls.

Therefore in Japan, if you get into the front car of a passenger consist, not only can you see the driver and watch his every move.. you can see out the front of the train and watch as you drive along the tracks!

It's totally mesmerising. Of course, you can then also watch all the gauges and other instrumentation that the driver must control to keep the whole system functioning.

I hereby present a video I took by suction-cupping a GoPro to the front window inside a 223-Series EMU from Osaka to Shin-Osaka.

What you're seeing here is the view on the 'conductors' side of the cabin. When the train is running in the opposite direction, this is the area where the conductor usually works from as the doors switches and guard light controls are all on the wall. It's also a good shelf to store your work bag.

The trip starts with the curve out of Umeda, crossing the Yodogawa before quickly arriving at Shin-Osaka Station. If you want to then see the area afterwards, check out my Shin-Osaka Webcam sightings here.

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27Sep/170

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)

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26Jul/150

Osaka Freight: Suita to Umeda Freight Terminal

REALLY BIG UPDATE: As of ... god knows when ... this yard has been entirely removed! Here I was, 2 weeks ago, at Shin Osaka station, waiting for a train from Umeda to pass but, alas, nothing came through. Turns out that, upon cruising past on the Haruka, the Umeda Freight Yards no longer exist! The timetables below are still valid but all traffic terminates at Suita.

Any mention of Umeda below is historical. The timetables have been updated to show Osaka... This yard is located right next to the Shinkansen Depot to the south-east of Senrioka.

Buried in upper-central Osaka is Umeda, home of the Hep-5 ferris wheel, the Umeda Sky building, the amazingly-new Osaka station and a relic: The Umeda Freight yards. Very easy to access, these yards' time has to be limited. The yard is situated on a prime development location and the surrounding buildings have slowly been creeping in.

In the yard you'll usually find any number of EF66s, EF81s, EF210s and DE10s for the shunting. There was a rake of WAMUs in there when I checked it out 10years ago, but recently it's been only container traffic. There is a large shed at the southern end which restricts visibility. You'll also find a very long passenger tunnel under the width of the yard. It connects the Umeda Sky Building to Yodobashi Camera. I really do wish this was an overpass!

I'd previously walked around the area and took a few photographs. The album is here if you want to check it out.

This yard is on the 'Osaka Station Bypass' that the high-speed trains to Wakayama and the Airport use. Also the Super Rail Cargo to Ajikawaguchi and the freight trains I'll mention in this post.

The traffic mentioned is fun to photograph and the lighting at any time of day provides great opportunities. Below are some shots of the area. Note that the first photo below was taken from the Heart-Inn hotel just south of the yard and walking distance from Osaka Station.

Timetables

Times listed are between Suita and Osaka and don't relate to the map above :) I'll update that soon!

Service	Origin	Arrive	Depart	Arrive	Comments
Southbound		Suita		Osaka
1069	Niiza	0616	0656	0705
3050	Fukuoka	0721	0742	0754
▲4058	Niigata	0654	0732	0741	▲ = 休日運休 (Not Holidays)
(2060) ~ 4060	Sapporo	2026	2054	2103
▲5066	Hiroshima	ºº1446	1533	1545	▲ = 火曜日運休 (Not Tuesdays) Has ºº, define this.
▲56	Tosu	0506	0516	0528	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
(3072) ~ 72	Matsuyama	1002	1034	1045
(3076) ~ 76	Niihama	0329	0433	0445
84	Hirano	1700	1705	1717
86	Himeji	ºº1747	1838	1850	(Timetable has ºº. Define this.)
▲90	Ajikawaguchi	1739	1742	1754	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
(4088) ~ 1085	Sendai	0458	0536	0545
1089	Tokyo	0527	0605	0614
2074	Kagoshima	ºº1248	1319	1330	(Timetable has ºº. Define this.)
3094	Kanazawa	0430	0508	0517
8098	Aomori	0039	0422	0433
1392	Hirano	1459	1501	1515	配給 = Light Engine Movement
1476	Suita	––	0926	0937	配給 = Light Engine Movement

Service	Depart	Arrive	Depart	Destination	Comments
Northbound	Osaka	Suita
▲57	2043	2056	2058	Tosu	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
1066	2024	2033	2117	Tokyo
▲4059	2232	2241	2319	Niigata	▲ = 休日運休 (Not Holidays)
4061	2324	2333	0011	Sapporo
73	0824	0836	0848	Takamatsu
75	1547	1600	1630	Takamatsu
81	1112	1124	1126	Himeji
83	1124	1138	1212	Hirano
85	2105	2117	2127	Himeji
▲93	1049	1102	1111	Ajikawaguchi	▲ = 月曜日運休 (Not Mondays)
▲1080	1924	1934	2017	Niiza	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
1084 ~ (4089)	1829	1839	1925	Sendai
▲2081	1230	1243	1256	Fukuoka	▲ = 月曜日運休 (Not Mondays)
2089	1211	1224	1226	Okayama
3095	1333	1343	1425	Kanazawa
62 ~ (3051)	1640	ºº1651	2029	Fukuoka	Define ºº on stop at Suita.

All traffic above is containerised. Also note that the yard can only be entered from the north. Hence trains to Ajikawaguchi (which is further down the line) have to be accessed by running around at Suita!

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24Jul/150

Osaka Freight: Suita to Hirano (Kudara Terminal)

There are three ways for freight to be delivered into Osaka by rail. The first is into Ajikawaguchi located to the west of the city near Universal Studios, The second is into Umeda Freight Terminal, right in the heart next to Osaka Station, and the third is to take the Osaka Higashi Line to the east and arrive at Hirano Station. The latter service is the one we'll be investigating today.

The freight line itself runs south out of Suita Terminal, over the Yodogawa (Yodo River) and then wraps around the city, clockwise from Shigino to Hirano. This used to be freight only, or for movements to dead-head electric stock, but it currently being upgraded to a passenger line. The line was originally to be called the 'Osaka Outer Loop Line', but is now to be known as the Osaka Higashi Line. At Suita, the freight approaches from Suita in the east, whereas the passenger services will approach from Shin-Osaka in the west. Likewise, at the end of the line the passenger services will take the triangle to the west and arrive at Shinkami/Kyuhoji, whereas the freight ventures west to Hirano Freight Yard.

Currently there is no passenger service between Shigino and Shin-Osaka, but this is expected to start by 2018. There seems to have been an illegal site occupation on the former alignment near the triangle at Suita.

Seen to the left is the map of the line from both Google and Yahoo respectively. As you can see, the blue line highlights the path which crosses the river and then heads around lower Osaka.

There are no yards in between Suita and Hirano, so the freight will proceed as quickly as possible south, slotting in to the passenger traffic at the junction north of Shigino.

Once at Hirano, the freight is transferred to road vehicles for the rest of the journey.

I believe that both electic and diesel locomotives work over this line, but I've only currently seen DD51s pulling the freight services. Then again, if you look at the an EF66 here on Street View and an EF81. That latter EF81 looks like the locomotive I photographed in Umeda Yard years ago.

Timetables

Thanks to the latest JR Freight Timetable for 2015, I can provide the following timings for the freight services in and out of Hirano. Please do take note of the comments column and ensure that you're ready for disappointment. Not all services run on this line, regardless of the slots available.

Service	Origin	Arrive	Depart	Arrive	Comments
Southbound		Suita		Hirano
▲65	Tokyo	0542	0547	0623	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
1067	Koshigaya	0442	0444	0515
83	Osaka	1138	1212	1251
(▲1077) ~ ▲1079	Niiza	0948	1145	1222	▲ = 新座(夕)-横浜羽沢間稲沢-百済(夕)間日曜日運休 (Not Sundays between Niiza[Evenings]-Yokohama and Inazawwa-Hirano[Evenings])
▲1092	Nabeshima	1311	1350	1422	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
▲4070	Niigata	0625	0637	0719	▲ = 南長岡-百済(夕)間休日運休 (Not Holidays between South Nagaoka-Hirano[Evenings])
(▲4077) ~ ▲4076	Hachinohe	1647	1713	1748	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
(82) ~ (▲3082) ~ ▲5087	Asahikawa	1420	1422	1453	▲ = 青森(信)-百済(夕)間月曜日運休 (Not Mondays between Aomori[Junction]-Hirano[Evenings])
¤7085	Tokyo	0411	0420	0457	¤ = Runs on unknown dates, not regularly.
8096	Sapporo	1352	1404	1440

Service	Depart	Arrive	Depart	Destination	Comments
Northbound	Hirano	Suita
▲64	2129	2201	2232	Tokyo	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
84	1629	1700	1705	Osaka
▲1074 ~ (1076)	1945	2018	2044	Niiza	▲ = 百済(夕)-稲沢間日曜日運休 (Not Sundays between Inazawwa[Evenings]-Hirano)
1078	2044	2144	2128	Koshigaya
▲1093	1929	2002	2043	Fukuoka	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
▲4071	1303	1335	1427	Niigata	▲ = 休日運休 (Not Holidays)
▲4075 ~ (▲4074)	1959	2030	2123	Aomori	▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
▲5086 ~ (▲3083) ~ (83)	2231	2304	2312	Sapporo	▲ = 百済(夕)-青森(信)間日曜日運休 (Not Mondays between Hirano[Evenings]-Aomori[Junction])
¤7082	2150	2222	2240	Tokyo	¤ = Runs on unknown dates, not regularly.
8097	2307	2342	0140	Sapporo
1392	1425	1459	1501	Osaka	配給 = Light Engine Movement

I've translated the comments from the timetable to the best of my ability. From this I've even learnt of new freight yards that I had no idea about. For the comments that also suggest places, I'm a little confused... Should there be a need to state the to/from, when you could just say that the service doesn't run? Or is it part of a greater service where some legs aren't always operating? Does this mean that the consists will be shorter?

I'll find out in a few weeks when I go stalk this service for a morning or two!

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16Jun/150

Taking the long way from Osaka to Kansai Airport

Digging through my backed up iPhoto album, I'd realised that I'd completely failed to upload and blog about my 2013 trip to Japan. I'll be collating (and trying to remember) the photos and trips and hopefully write about them in due course.

This post is about a trip I took from Tennoji to Kansai Airport. Usually you'd just jump on the Nankai Rapi:t or JR West Haruka, but I had time to burn and new places to visit.

Why not take the express?

Scenery from a train window in Japan is, more often than not, impressive. It's not as educational as a TV, but the quality is realistic and the views picturesque. The audio quality is also fantastic and there's often a connection to the soul when one of the clicks or clacks actually physically interacts with you.

Realising this, I had decided to extend what would be a very short and fast trip into a long and thoroughly enjoyable one through the south Osaka countryside.

Kansai Main Line

From Tennoji, I watched the expresses depart southbound towards the airport and realised that 3 or 4 of them would reach my destination before me. I was in for a much longer trip, starting off heading east, instead of south, towards Oji.

This is the Kansai Main Line (the translation could also be "Kansai Original Line") which cuts across the Kii Peninsula from Tennoji through to Tsu. I travelled on the west side of it from Tennoji through to Oji, which uses an assortment of EMUs. Further to the east you switch to a DMU to get over the mountain range to Tsu.

Note that Google Maps correctly shows the name from Kamo to Namba as the Kansai Main Line. JR West has given the stretch from Namba to Kamo the nickname "Yamatoji Line" and runs the "Yamatoji Rapid" on it.

Wakayama Line

This line runs from Oji to Wakayama. From Gojo Station, the track parallels the Kino River (Kinokawa River? Kino River River?) giving the passenger some fantastic views. I was there in early Summer and there were carp kites hanging from cables strung across the breadth of the river. For the life of me I can't believe that I didn't take any photos.

Hanwa Line

This is the stretch of track from Tennoji to Wakayama. Multiple express trains run along here... The Haruka to the airport and the Kuroshio/Ocean Arrow to Shingu. I checked out Wakayama station, a junction for the Kisei Line and the Wakayama Railway Kishigawa Line.

Musota Station

This is the first station north of Wakayama on the Hanwa Line. The expresses don't stop... and there's a sweeping curve and bridge to the south, providing a great spot to get them coming through at full-tilt.

You then get great shots from the north with the mountain range in the background.

Yamanakadani Station

Heading north, the track enters a mountain range just after Kii Station. In the middle of that range is Yamanakadani Town. This little town has a tiny station where the expresses bolt through.

Shinge Station

Further north, after the mountain range, the track makes it way towards the branch to Kansai Airport at Hineno. Two stations before this is Shinge Station. It's extremely urban and sees very much the same traffic. No express trains stop here.

Hineno Station

The branch to Kansai Airport starts here. The Haruka Express trains therefore stop here to allow connecting passengers to continue south to Wakayama.

From here it was a quick transfer and trip through Rinku Town before arriving at Kansai International Airport.

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25Feb/150

JR West Thunderbird

I just happened across an eBay auction for a "Thunderbird" 7-Car consist in JNR red/beige livery which very much looked like a JR West Raichō or Kitakinki. After digging a little deeper, it turns out that the seller actually directly translated the Kanji of 雷鳥 to "Thunder bird". This, whilst literally correct, is a mistranslation of the train name which is, of course, the Raichō.

Little did I know that the JR West Thunderbird actually steals its name from the Raichō, which means "thunder bird" in Japanese. The bird is actually the Rock Ptarmigan, a native to the Tate[yama] Mountain Range of the Toyama region (which is where the train[s] travel to.)

Interesting to know that JR West first called the Express the 'Raichō', then released a 'Super Raichō' and then created a new service to the same area with the same name, but this time in english: the 'Thunderbird'.

Going through my galleries, turns out I have more shots of the Thunderbird than I care to remember!

The Thunderbird just happens to be one of my favourite EMUs. It's colour-scheme is a little dated, but the design and practicality (opening end-vestibules) is awesome. Not surprisingly, it also reminds me of the Dutch NS Koploper.

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2Feb/150

EMU Staging Yards, NE Takatsuki

These photos were taken back in January 2008. I'd hired a bicycle and had been dawdling along the Tokaido Main Line from Shin-osaka through to Takatsuki. I'd made it all the way to the staging yards just north-east of Takatsuki (Google Maps seems to indicate the area is known as 'Amanishinocho') before turning around to return to Osaka.

I stopped and took these shots from the pedestrian crossing visible in the map above. I can't quite believe that it isn't an overpass. I don't know if this crossing still exists today.

Towards Kyoto...

And towards Osaka...

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Osaka Higashi Line Update!

Shin-Osaka Webcam – More Randomness

Virtual Train Trip – Osaka Station to Shin-Osaka Station

Fukushima Station, Osaka, Japan – July 2017

Tokaido Main Line

Tokaido Line Timetable

Ground Level - Fukushima Station and the Express Line

Osaka Loop Line / Wakayama Line Timetable

Osaka Freight: Suita to Umeda Freight Terminal

Timetables

Osaka Freight: Suita to Hirano (Kudara Terminal)

Timetables

Taking the long way from Osaka to Kansai Airport

Why not take the express?

Kansai Main Line

Wakayama Line

Hanwa Line

Musota Station

Yamanakadani Station

Shinge Station

Hineno Station

JR West Thunderbird

EMU Staging Yards, NE Takatsuki

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