ED75's Random Japanese Trip Photos

[ED75-775]

Quite apart from being the railway's administrative headquarters, Mōka Station is also home to the railway's maintenance depot. The origins of this depot date back to the JNR period when it was managed as part of the Mitō engine district, housing both diesel railcars and the occasional locomotive overnight for Mōka Line work.

 

 

The present-day depot is spread out along the western side of the station, starting with the wash racks and inspection stands adjacent to the station platform. I was particularly intrigued by the wash rack for some reason, so snapped this shot to add to the inspiration pile for future reference.

 

 

Slightly further up (and getting ahead of ourselves, as we're on the train again) is the two-road DMU shed. Nothing particularly fancy, but may as well take a photo of it - just because!

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Another attraction of Mōka Station is that it's home to the railway's dedicated museum, the Kyurokukan or '96 Hall'. Opened in April 2013, the museum is named for its star attraction: 9600 class freight locomotive 49671. Although formerly displayed in Igashira Park in Mōka, 49671 during its working life was a Hokkaido-based locomotive and uniquely has a right-hand driving position, which is claimed (possibly spuriously) to have been a result of its use at the Arikawa ferry terminal near present-day Goryokaku Station.

 

 

This not-all-that-great photo taken from the railcar 'home' in 2023 is the best shot I've got of 49671, though what it doesn't really show is that this locomotive is kept in operational condition! Admittedly, it's only running on compressed air provided by a compressor mounted in the former coal bunker on the tender, and it's only running up and down a short length of isolated track, but it's still able to move and for bonus points it's the only 9600 capable of operating in any form - all of the other 9600s in preservation are static displays.

The photo also doesn't show that 49671 was fitted at this point in time with a modified front deck handrail, a feature it bore in ferry terminal shunting service. This was installed in April 2023, just before my visit, in place of a set of Hokkaido-style smoke deflectors; funnily enough, 49671 never had smoke deflectors fitted during its JNR service!

 

 

Since 2015, the museum has also been home to a second steam locomotive, D51 146. This locomotive spent its entire working career in Hokkaido, before being moved to Shizuoka city for static display after retirement in 1976. It fell into disrepair and was at one point consideration was given to scrapping it, but public outcry ensured that it was instead relocated to Mōka. Since 2018 it's been restored to operational condition, though again with an air compressor mounted in the tender.

 

Alastair

Edited March 30 by ED75-775

[ED75-775]

The Kyurokukan isn't the only museum display at Mōka Station - the railway has its own display of historic vehicles preserved on the west side of the yard. Although I think 'preserved' might be a bit misleading given their current condition.

 

 

This string of display vehicles is a bit of an oddball lineup - two ToRa 70000 gondolas, two Yo 5000 brake vans, a WaFu 29500 brake van, diesel locomotive DE10 95, and diesel railcar KiHa 20 213. While they have been maintained in the past, unfortunately that's not so much the case now. During my 2024 trip, the WaFu had the remains of a tarpaulin draped across its roof, a worrying sign that all is not well with this vehicle.

 

 

Looking back across to the Kyurokukan, there's another three wagons - this time preserved and in good order - plus a second KiHa 20, KiHa 20 247. This example is in much better condition as far as I'm aware, as it's actually capable of running within station limits. Based on my limited reading of Japanese Wikipedia, and I may be wrong, these two KiHa 20s were used to run the last JR East passenger service on the Mōka Line on 10 April 1988, the day before the line was handed over to the newly-founded Mōka Railway.

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Also present at Mōka is the railway's third DE10 locomotive, DE10 1014. On my 2024 trip it was parked alongside the station platform which made it possible to get a better photo of it than in 2023 when it had been parked alongside KiHa 20 247.

 

 

This locomotive was purchased in 2010 from its last owner, Kansai Freight Service, with the intention that it would be used both as a parts donor for DE10 1535 and a display at the Kyurokukan. The photo of this locomotive on Japanese Wikipedia suggests that it used to occupy the former freight siding, next to what is now the Kyurokukan, but as of my 2023 trip it had been joined by the KiHa; with that vehicle now in running condition and needing a little room to move around, the DE10 was likely moved to make that possible.

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Back on the train once again, the landscape is still the same mixture of plains and semi-urban areas as before so I won't bore everyone with that. But there's still some interesting points along the way, including this shed. Or rather, it's a lean-to incorporating three WaMu 80000 wagon bodies.

 

 

During my 2024 travelogue, I thought that this might have been between Mashiko and Nanai stations. Turns out I was very wrong - it's actually between Nishidai and Kitayama stations, further back along the line. Not only that, this structure is very visible from a nearby road on Google Maps. Either way, I found it interesting enough to warrant snapping a photo for further 'inspiration' at a later date.

During my travels across Japan I haven't seen as many wagon bodies being used as sheds, which may be solely down to the fact that I've either not been looking out for them or have been looking in the wrong places. One I have seen though, and we're getting a little ahead here (but I have no photos of it either), is the body of a WaRa 1 box wagon at a business in Nagoya, near to and visible from the Aonami Line just before Komoto Station.

 

Alastair

[Tony Galiani]

Great stuff - lots of modeling ideas as well as the fun of sharing your travels.

 

On my last trip, I spotted a few of the 20 foot containers in use as storage sheds.  Off the top of my head I cannot remember where but one was in old blue with white stripe color scheme, though very faded.  Need to do a better job of keeping my phone ready to take pictures!

 

Cheers,

Tony

[cteno4]

Nice scene, just a shed roof over a center area and just up and over the two cars together and the third car L across the end. 

 

I love how little agricultural areas are not just all fields but there are houses, small businesses small farms, green houses all over

 

Also nice little solar farm there, perfect thing to put in an odd spot just off the tracks where things are usually cleared from trees and such.

 

jeff

[ED75-775]

Having passed the stations at Kitayama and Mashiko, we arrive at Nanai Station. Upon opening in 1913 it was the terminus of the Mōka Line, though it would lose that distinction in 1920 with the extension to Motegi and after which it settled into a humdrum existence serving the local community. Like Mashiko, the main station building at Nanai is a replacement, though in Nanai's case it was thanks to an arson attack in March 2000.

 

 

The SL Mōka stops briefly here to meet a Shimodate-bound train before continuing its journey to Motegi. It's not a particularly noteworthy station, other than for the newer main building.

 

 

One thing of note you may see leaving Nanai, and a few other stations along the line, are these switch stands. Based on my own observations, I'd posit that the 'S' mark on the indicator disk denotes a sprung switch that's set in a particular direction and which trains travelling in the opposite direction can just shove through to continue their journeys. Not unlike some model railway switches then!

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

North of Nanai, the Mōka Line starts heading into the hills and thus the scenery starts to vary up a little more. Time for some more rural landscape and house photos for the interested!

 

 

 

 

While I can't recall where the first two photos were taken, I suspect they were taken between Nanai and Tatara stations. The last one however is close to Ichihana station in Ichikai town; just to the right of the house is the torii gate of the shared Hie and Kumano shrines which stand a short distance from the station itself.

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

We're backtracking a little to continue on what has become really just a station tour to view Tatara Station. Both it and Kitamōka stations opened in April 1955 as unmanned stations for railcar passengers, and would be the newest stations on the line until the Mōka Railway took ownership in 1988. It's a lovely little spot here with the waiting room sheltered under the trees.

 

 

 

My suspicions are that this is the original station building from 1955. Yet another one for the inspiration pile!

[ED75-775]

After Tatara, the next station is Ichihana, serving Ichikai town. Its history closely parallels that of Nanai, so I won't dive too deeply into that. This is the SL Mōka's last stop before Motegi, and as before it's to cross a Shimodate-bound train. This gives a great opportunity to check out the little station building, which post-dates the railway's third-sector conversion in 1988 and is uniquely octagonal.

 

 

On my 2023 trip I can recall someone decided to cross the tracks and walk a little way up the lineside to get a better picture of the train. Our conductor happened to be on the platform at that time, and went haring off across the tracks after this photographer to tell him off! That's probably the one time I have ever seen a railfan or photographer behaving badly during all of my Japan trips.

 

 

From Ichihana we're now well and truly into the hills and the tracks start to visibly climb a little. With no other trains to worry about, we'll pass through the small wayside stations of Sasawarada and Tenyaba before pulling into Motegi, our journey's end.

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Just before the train arrives at Motegi, it passes the Michinoeki Motegi roadside station on a sweeping right-hand curve, which is the spot in Motegi to photograph the SL Mōka. Back in 2023 I never thought to photograph this, but in 2024 I was prepared and snapped a quick shot of the photographers waiting for us to pass.

 

 

According to the Japanese-language reviews on Tripadvisor and Japanese Wikipedia, the roadside station is known for selling products featuring yuzu citrus, including yuzu salt ramen, yuzu soba and yuzu baumkuchen cake. There are also a few other shops there too. It might well be worth a stop if you're ever in the area.

 

Alastair 

Edited April 2 by ED75-775

[kuro68000]

Random factoid: These road side service areas are called "道の駅" (michi no eki), with "駅" (eki) as in the same word used for train stations.

 

I thought that was a white dome in the background, but it's actually just a quarter of a dome taken at just the right angle. There's a park with what looks like a nice little walk behind it, leading to a water wheel.

[ED75-775]

A short distance beyond the roadside station, we arrive at Motegi Station, the terminus of the Mōka Line. Located on the western side of Motegi town and 49.1 kilometres from Shimodate, it also serves as a station for JR Bus Kanto services from Utsunomiya.

 

 

 

Japanese Wikipedia doesn't have much to say about this station, which may either be the original or a newer-build structure - I can't actually tell. For those disembarking here, there's also a small soba restaurant and public lavatories, as well as a public viewing terrace looking out over the railway yard. Otherwise, there really isn't much to do here.

 

 

Other than the Mōka Railway, Motegi is also home to the Mobility Resort Motegi motorsports circuit and complex, including the Honda Collection Hall museum. It's located on the opposite side of town to the railway station, so isn't really practical to get to unless you have a car. Though it's worth noting, in 2003 the Haga Tourism Association put forward a request for the Mōka Line be extended from Motegi Station to the circuit. While this might have made access for fans a little easier, the lack of action by the railway suggests that the idea wasn't practical.

 

Alastair

 

Edited April 2 by ED75-775

[ED75-775]

Remember how I mentioned that there were plans to build the Nagakura Line from Motegi to present-day Hitachiōmiya? You can still see where the the line would have continued through Motegi from the station platform:

 

 

According to an online article about the railway's remains, the Nagakura Line would have resulted in a further twelve kilometres of track being laid between Motegi and Hitachiōmiya. By 1941, the formation had been completed as far as the future Shimotsuke-Nakagawa Station in Kawai village, about six kilometres from Motegi and track laying had already begun when a Imperial metal recovery decree was passed to support the war effort, resulting in construction being terminated and the track laid to date being removed. In more recent times the trackbed beyond Motegi to Shimotsuke-Nakagawa has been turned into a hiking trail, and a small historic display has been set up at the Shimotsuke-Nakagawa station site featuring a restored Yo 5000 brake van.

 

Meanwhile in Motegi, the embankment leading from the station to Yokomachi Street - where a bridge would have been built to cross both the street and a tributary branch of the Sakasa River - was still in place as late as 2004. Within a decade however it had been removed and turned into a grass verge which can just be seen beyond the end of the line.

 

Alastair

Edited April 2 by ED75-775

[Kamome]

1 hour ago, ED75-775 said:

A short distance beyond the roadside station, we arrive at Motegi Station, the terminus of the Mōka Line. Located on the western side of Motegi town and 49.1 kilometres from Shimodate, it also serves as a station for JR Bus Kanto services from Utsunomiya.

Also a short hop over to Motegi circuit if you wanted to watch Moto GP or the Super GT racing. 

[ED75-775]

If wandering into town or heading to the motorsports circuit isn't really your thing, it's well worth taking the time to watch C12 66 being turned on the Motegi turntable. It may be surprising to know, but the turntables at both Motegi and Mōka weren't installed until 1996 - two years after the SL Mōka commenced operation. In the case of the Motegi 'table, it was installed in the former goods yard, and is easily accessible thanks to a special footpath built off the northern end of the platform.

 

 

Of course, if you prefer a little height when taking photos, passing through the ticket gates gives you access to the rooftop terrace on the station building which gives you a better overview of the former railway yards and station. Today there's just the platform road and the loop serving the turntable; at its height though there was another loop in the yard plus possibly a dock siding at the southern end of the platform. I haven't seen any track plans though so I may be wrong about any of this, so if anyone knows where I can find one please do let me know!

 

 

Once turned, the locomotive heads over to the water column for a drink before backing across the turntable again and parking next to the viewing area to wait. While it waits, three local train services will come in - in this shot, the 12:23 is just arriving - one minute late, shock horror! - and will lay over here for twenty minutes before departing again as the 12:43. Since this is our train back to Shimodate, we'll have to hurry along and get our last photos before then.

 

Alastair

Edited April 2 by ED75-775

[ED75-775]

As we head downstairs, time for another quick photo of that turntable. It's not all that long - at a guess no longer than forty-two feet long - but then again, it doesn't have to be all that long, given the largest locomotive it's had to turn, C11 325 was only forty-one feet and six inches long. By way of comparison, C12 66 is thirty-seven feet and two-and-three-quarter inches long, so fits quite comfortably on the 'table. To the right you can just see the railings of the viewing area where people can watch the locomotive being turned.

 

 

Although Mōka Railway has been quite happy with their C12 and previously the C11, apparently it wasn't the only locomotive they looked at - in fact, they went through a number of candidates. If the video they've posted to the SL Mōka's introductory webpage is to be believed, the railway assessed multiple candidates across classes C12 and C56 before plumping for C12 66. I'm glad they picked the engine they did though; as I've previously mentioned elsewhere I'm rather fond of C12s.

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

Time to buy our return ticket and head back through the ticket gates again - note that the ticket machine here is strictly cash only, no cards please!

 

 

Having had a drink and a quick going-over by the crew, the C12 now parks up by the viewing area where it'll remain until it's time to collect the coaches again and back them into the platform for a 2:28 departure to Shimodate. It's a great spot to get a close-up photo of the locomotive, and the few times I've been, there's been next to no crowds so it's very well worth the effort to hang around.

 

 

Note the crew member working on the locomotive - he's adjusting the wicks on the oilers on the locomotive's rods and valve gear. I spent a little time watching him as he went over a few, re-twisting them as necessary.

 

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

It's closing in on 12:43 and we need to board Train 124, the return railcar to Shimodate which stops at all stations along the way. Local trains like this are great fun to ride - and being a weekend day, passenger numbers aren't ridiculous unless some event is on.

 

 

There's time enough for a quick farewell photo of C12 66 through the windows of the railcar before we take off punctually - the crew are wrapping up the adjustments to the oilers and will probably go for their lunch in a moment. As my railcar had bench seating rather than box seats, a feature exclusive to the first two only, I feel like I had to twist around to snap this shot, or walk down to the end of the railcar with my camera. There's room next to the driver's cabs for standing passengers, and I can attest that it's great fun to stand next to the driver and watch the track ahead.

 

 

As we bounce back down the line, one of the more interesting features I noted about this train is that it has a digital fare indicator mounted on the bulkhead of the driver's cab. Having until that time stayed in metropolitan areas and never witnessing this, even during my 2019 adventure on the Yamaguchi Line, I was intrigued by these devices to say the least.

 

 

Having departed Motegi at 12:43, we'll arrive back into Shimodate at 1:51, a journey time of one hour and eight minutes. But before that, a few more photos before we jump back onto the Mitō Line heading for Oyama.

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

I've already mentioned that it's great fun to ride next to the driver and watch the track ahead on trains like these, and here's a few photos just to prove it. The right hand one is a favourite of mine with the way the light interplays with the trees. Simply magical in my opinion!

 

 

 

I also took the time to film some video of the track ahead, but those I can't post due to cost reasons (at this point I think it's only fair to thank the admins and particularly @Martijn Meerts for all they do behind the scenes to keep the Forum running for our enjoyment!). I would recommend however that if you do want to film the track ahead, it's best to firstly be holding your camera instead of propping it against the windscreen, and secondly, if in doubt as to whether or not you're allowed to film, take the time to talk to the driver and check. Personal anecdote, in 2024 I think the driver politely asked me not to prop my cellphone against the windscreen to film the run from Tenyaba to Sasawarada. I'm not entirely sure... unlike my friend Mason, I do not speak an awful lot of Japanese.

 

Alastair

Edited April 3 by ED75-775

[ED75-775]

Let's have another gratuitous cab shot just to wrap up with - another favourite with the interplay of light and shadow as we rumble along. And no, before anyone asks, this was taken at a different spot to the one above.

 

 

All too soo, we're back at Shimodate and it's time to say sayonara and arigato to the Mōka Railway for a splendid day out. If you're interested in rural railways, or just steam locomotives in particular, this is a journey I recommend as being well worth while taking the time to come and do. Sure, at just over two hours from Tokyo it's not exactly a quick trip, unless you can get the Shinkansen to Oyama, and it may not be easy to talk to the train staff if you don't speak Japanese, but don't let that put you off a from enjoying a great journey on a fantastic little railway.

 

 

 

I probably should have covered this at the start of our journey, but the Mōka Railway does not have a ticket window at Shimodate Station, but rather a little booth on the platform with a staff member behind it and a desk full of train tickets. Once again, it's cash only so make sure you bring your yen with you to pay your fare. That includes your SL Mōka ticket reservation fee too; while Mōka Railway allows you to reserve a ticket for the train in advance, you can't pay in advance - you must pay at the time of ticket purchase, whether that be at a station or from the conductor if you're boarding at one of the few unstaffed stations where the SL Mōka stops. The reservation fee itself is pretty cheap too, at just ¥500.

 

Alastair

[ED75-775]

ED75's Random Diversions - On the Subject of Ekiben

As we leave the Mōka Railway behind, it's time to settle down for a late lunch. No konbini sandwiches today, tasty as they are (tonkatsu pork or chicken cutlet all the way - oh, or maybe the fruit and cream!), we're settling for the Mōka Railway's Furusato SL Bento purchased on the SL Mōka.

 

 

 

These particular ekiben are produced in conjunction with the Hotel New Tsutaya, which I didn't know is actually just three blocks south of Shimodate Station until I looked it up to write this post. Costing ¥1,200 including tax, they're made using local ingredients and I can vouch that it's very delicious! They also come in a little wooden box with an image of a C11 locomotive on the lid, which is well worth keeping as a souvenir. Unfortunately since my 2023 trip, these ekiben aren't available during the summer months, which is most likely a food safety thing - and in spite of my disappointment, I completely understand and agree why that decision was taken. After all, food safety is a big part of what I do at work.

 

Alastair

Edited April 2 by ED75-775

[Tony Galiani]

Yuzu Baumkuchen!  Yes!  I had some in Kyushu on my last trip - the only problem was that I found it late in the trip so did not get enough of it.

 

@cteno4 and @chadbag - look away now ....

I much prefer that to the offerings at Mister Donut!

 

And I ran into one of those fare indicators for the first time on the Tosaden tram in Kochi.  Had never seen one before but, thankfully, was able to figure it out so we could pay when we got off the tram.

 

Cheers,

Tony

[RS18U]

Great write-ups!  That turntable is the perfect model size.

 

I have taken lots of video and photos from the front of locals since our first trip in 2014.  I even got to the front of a commuter train running into Tokyo Station and the video has the arrival announcement, which always gets questions about how I got permission to be 'in the cab' so I have to explain its OK on some trains since you are not really 'in the cab'.  I find for those you need to hold the camera rather than brace it to get a smoother video.  To date I have not had any issues with taking video/photos from the front but I am respectful, acknowledge the driver with a nod/bow, and unless the train is really full, don't hog the space for too long.

 

My first experience with those fare boards was on the Shimabara Railway on Kyushu last March. As Tony noted it was pretty easy to work out; and that railway was cash only too.