ekiin - your choice of location

[miyakoji]

So I think I'd do best working at a station, rather than driving the train. Too much stress. My first choice of location would be between Okayama and Onomichi,  I think.  It's a generally nice area.  They've got mountains and the inland sea; Osaka, Shikoku, San'in, and Fukuoka are close; the dialect is colorful; last but certainly not least, the rolling stock is to my taste .  I'll go with Kasaoka.  The station has a whopping 6 trains an hour at some times of day.  Some are even rapids!  Should be plenty of opportunity to divide my time between making announcements, selling tickets, cleaning the waiting room, and picking up cigarette butts on the platforms :).

 

Downside, the town has numerous representations of horseshoe crabs, which freak me out.  I think there's even one inside the station.

 

Please feel free to choose some place not on the list, specify a station, slag off my choices, or tell me how much you hate Cool Japan.  Thanks!

[cteno4]

Downside, the town has numerous representations of horseshoe crabs, which freak me out.  I think there's even one inside the station.

 

Oooh then that's my choice then! How can you be freaked out by something as cute as a horseshoe crab?! I mean it was so cute they used it for the inspiration of the larval Alien! Being 450 million years old is pretty cool as well! Have you ever put a big one on top of your head? It's uber cool feeling and wild self holding hat to boot! Being 450 million years old is pretty cool as well! ;-p

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

 

Ps sorry for the nightmares...

[bikkuri bahn]

No urban lines for me.  I'm not keen on cleaning up platform pizzas left behind by drunks.  Chuo Line has a nice mix of traffic and nice mountain scenery, and not too far from Tokyo.  Uetsu Line was another option, but Japan Sea side weather is not my favorite.  Sanyo Line  is also interesting, but my choice, Mitsuishi Station, was not on the list.  It would be interesting to be a station that has main line traffic but is not plugged into the CTC network (in this case, the Okayama CTC).

[JR 500系]

I would like to go with the Chuo main line too, as there are a number of limited express trains that I like such as Super Azusa, Azusa, Kaiji, NEX etc and I have a special interest with the Chuo main line train.... Perhaps Hachioji station will be nice, since most limited express stops there~

 

How about Hakone Tozan line Gora station? It is connected to a reclining cable car (Cable car to Souzan station) and has a switch back around 500m away, and a rural scenic feel to the station with a fair amount of travellers ~ 

 

Attached picture of Gora station.   :)

[katoftw]

Interesting question.

 

 Should be plenty of opportunity to divide my time between making announcements, selling tickets, cleaning the waiting room, and picking up cigarette butts on the platforms :).

That was my work day yesterday.

 

Having worked in stations that have 100 customers and up to 55,000 customers per day.  Although small still for Japanese standards.  I have worked at both ends of the spectrum.

 

Both a busy urban station and a quite rural station have their appeals for different reasons.  Busy urban station has many different roles.  And different jobs you will do throughout the day.  But you normally specialize in one and own it for that shift.  But as mentioned earlier, sweeping up 100s of cigarette butts and moping up platform pizzas can be a huge con.

 

A smaller rural station has its appeal that you do all jobs in you daily routine.  The station and its surround reflect on you yourself, and you really have to take ownership of it.  If it looks good, it is because of you.  If it look bad, it is because of you.  Being a smaller rural station, then customers tend to be slower moving.  You get to know then, they become part of your life.  Busy urban stations are just process then, get them moving.  Very impersonal.  But then again when I think about it.  Commuters in Japan don't really like chit chat.  They just wanna get from A to B.

 

I have only been to a few stations while on my very short time in Japan.  If I was to pick one station to work at, it would be Hitoyoshi.  Rural and slow, but not too far away from city locations.  You get a steam train 4 days a week.  If I had a second pick, it would be Shinjuku.  It all happens at that place.  Jump in.  The end of your shift would come so fast.

 

edit//  I have also thought of a third option.  Torrokko-Saga.  Clean, perform platform duties every 40 minutes when a train in on the platform.  Go play model trains in my lunch break. haha

Edited June 6, 2015 by katoftw

[ote-m]

Chuo Line is pretty, and loads of cool trains come through. If I'm not mistaken, JRF still runs freight through that corridor. If you feel like a whole lot of variety of rolling stock, I'd go for Otsuki Station, where the Fujikyuko line meets the Chuo. Lots of pretty trains and of course the view of Fuji. Or maybe Sagamiko or Fujino. Both pretty landscapes. If you feel like really going into the Inaka, try Yanagawa. No limited stops there so you'll get lots of high speed passes. Good luck!

 

But seriously, go with Otsuki. Probably one of my all-time favorite stations in Japan.

[E6系]

Chuo Line is the best.  Such a diverse range of rolling stock: 115系, 165系 211系, 215系 183系 189系 ... even more.  JNR colour, grade-up colour, suka colour, Minobu colour, Nagano colour ... even more.  Freight ... and loco EF64-0-37 lives at Kofu sidings.  It was at Kofu sidings 30 years ago when I was at school.  It leaves a warm feeling to know some things haven't changed.

[Sacto1985]

Being on the San'yō Main Line between Okayama and Hiroshima, you will see a LOT of JR Freight traffic at Kasaoka just about around the clock. And 115 Series EMU's going by the station, though that will change when more and more of the new 227 Series EMU's arrive to replace them.

[ToniBabelony]

I'd say Tobanoe sta. On the Kanto Railway Jyoso line. They have a layout space and an active fan club. Other than that, any local station with an empty space for a layout, not too far from an urban area. ^^

[miyakoji]

Other than that, any local station with an empty space for a layout

 

So you want to build stations in the station?

[ToniBabelony]

So you want to build stations in the station?

 

[miyakoji]

exactly