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26Jul/150

Osaka Freight: Suita to Ajikawaguchi (Super Rail Cargo)

This line is an extension of the Suita to Umeda freight/express-train line that runs from Shin-Osaka Station to the Umeda Freight Yards.

suita-to-ajikawaguchi

This line continues further south-west, rising back up to the height of the kanjosen and then branching off on the Yumesaki Line to Universal Studios Japan. Before this though, is Ajikawaguchi freight yards. The home of Sagawa Transport's M250!

This freight train is famous... it's actually an EMU high-speed express freight service that runs through the night to get your urgent deliveries to Tokyo. The opposing service departs Tokyo at the same time and they pass somewhere half-way along the Tokaido Main Line in the middle of the night.

Due to its timetable, you'll really only ever see it resting in the Ajikawaguchi yard. Sometimes I've seen it photographed in the early morning at the Tokyo end, but never really in daylight when moving.

Due to this, I still haven't managed to properly photograph this train. I've seen it depart Ajikawaguchi once and you can find a post with a movie of the departure over here.

Rail-set Train

The last column on each table is a rail-set train. I've seen this pass before from an assortment of locations.

EF210-5 with two flatbeds EF210 departs Umeda Yards Freight from Sakurajima
Freight heading to Sakurajima Station Freight approaching Noda Station Freight approaching Noda Station

Ajikawaguchi

This area is difficult to photograph, but there is a large level crossing on which you can gently walk into the middle of and take photos. Just be very considerate and respect the requests of staff if they ask you to get out of the way!

Super Rail Cargo in Sakai Yards EF210 in Sakai Yards Sesame Street 103 Series to Universal Studios

Timetables

As per previous Osaka timetables, all times are up until Suita. I'll look into extending the SRC through to Tokyo at a later date.

Southbound Suita Ajikawaguchi
Service Origin Arrive Depart Arrive Comments
▲51 Tokyo –– 0511 0526 ▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
▲59 Tokyo –– 0451 0510 ▲ = 土 or 休日運休 (Not Saturdays or Holidays)
(4078) ~ (1081) ~ 91 Sendai ºº0723 0833 0900 ºº = ??
▲93 Osaka 1102 1111 1157 ▲ = 月曜日運休 (Not Mondays)
(1881) ~ 1883 Kyoto 1447 1603 1628 Rail-set or 'other' cargo.
Northbound Ajikawaguchi Suita
Service Depart Arrive Depart Destination Comments
▲50 2309 –– 2324 Tokyo ▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
▲58 2259 2320 2328 Tokyo ▲ = 土 or 休日運休 (Not Saturdays or Holidays)
▲90 1703 1739 1742 Osaka ▲ = 日曜日運休 (Not Sundays)
5088 ~ (3089) 1818 ºº1851 1944 Sendai ºº = ??
1180 ~ (1182) 1040 ºº1127 1225 Kyoto ºº = ??
Rail train or 'other' cargo.

I will go back and get the Super Rail Cargo once more!

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.

suita-to-osaka

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.

JR Freight Yards Umeda EF66-29 stabled EF200-14 stabled

DE10-1527, DE10-1575, EF210-9 Previous gantry? Kyoto-bound Haruka passes

Timetables

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

Southbound Suita Osaka
Service Origin Arrive Depart Arrive Comments
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
Northbound Osaka Suita
Service Depart Arrive Depart Destination Comments
▲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!

21Jan/150

Battered EF66s at Suita, Osaka

Continuing the trend of top-rated pictures, here's a couple of EF66s (one of my favourite japanese locomotives) light-engine through Suita Depot in NE Osaka.

EF66s at Takatsuki