Aizuwakamatsu to Hachinohe?

[alpineaustralia]

My photos were taken on 8 April (19 days ago). It was spring and there was snow on the mountain peaks with patches of snow on the ground here and there. The train I was on was not the large red one shown in your photos, but rather a small two or three carriage EMU.

[Guest ___]

With spelling correction for Alpine 

 

ROTUE

...I don't think alpine asked for a 'ROTUE'... but probably not the correct spelling either 

 

But Rotue is everybody's favorite malware.

[Guest ___]

Photos atached. Just go to show how out of the way Aizu Wakamutsu is and how much trafiic the banestu line gets. Especially look at the state of Sekito station which is one of the train stations on the way  

 

It's not THAT infrequent: http://www.aizu.com/train/index-e.html

 

 

Aizuwakamatsu -Koriyama Koriyama Tokyo

6:00 7:12 7:18 8:56

6:36 7:51 8:05 9:28

7:36 8:47 8:54 10:24

8:17 9:21 9:34 10:56

9:11 10:11 10:33 11:56

10:02 11:15 11:33 12:56

11:10 12:15 12:33 13:56

12:02 13:15      13:31      14:56

13:04 14:18 14:33 15:56

14:14      15:16 15:33 16:56

15:05 16:17 16:33 17:56

16:20 17:35 18:01 19:24

17:12 18:11 18:34 19:56

18:05 19:19 19:34 20:56

19:05 20:12

 

20:37      21:56

20:16 21:22 21:37 23:00

21:00 22:10 22:21 23:44

 

 

 

 

Tokyo Koriyama Koriyama Aizuwakamatsu

- - 5:56 7:08

- - 6:57 8:08

7:04 8:22 8:31 9:42

8:08 9:30 9:43 10:54

9:00 10:21 10:46 11:52

10:08 11:30 11:44 12:56

11:08 12:30 12:50 13:56

12:08 13:30 13:47 14:55

13:08 14:30 14:45 15:58

14:08 15:30 15:45 16:50

15:08 16:30 16:41 17:56

16:08 17:30 17:43 18:57

16:20 18:03 18:23 19:37

17:08 18:30 19:03 20:14

18:08 19:30 19:41 20:46

19:20 20:41 20:51 22:08

20:16 21:37 21:54 22:56

20:56 22:31 22:43 23:53

[alpineaustralia]

Koriyamo to Aizu is about every hour.

That makes it a 4 hour trip from Tokyo if you miss your connection.

That is why I said it is infrequent.

[scott]

Oh, how I wish we had infrequent service like that. 

[bikkuri bahn]

Actually Aizuwakamatsu has always been somewhat of a backwater, given its highland Tohoku location.  A friend of my mother, who hails from the area, told me in the "old days" (I assume 1950's or earlier) the trip from Tokyo to Aizu was an all-day undertaking- understandable, when you consider no shinkansen, no limited expresses, and the trains were more likely steam hauled than not and stopped at all the stations including the likes of Sekito.

[Guest ___]

Koriyamo to Aizu is about every hour.

That makes it a 4 hour trip from Tokyo if you miss your connection.

That is why I said it is infrequent.

 

Our MARC trains here run south to DC three trips in the morning and 4 trips back in the evening, and 122 minute intervals. One train an hour is pretty frequent to what we have here in suburban Maryland. We only have one Amtrak train a day in each direction. Killing an hour at Koriyama is not really a big deal to me. Might even just spend that hour if I have any light just to shoot.

[bikkuri bahn]

Killing an hour at Koriyama is not really a big deal to me. Might even just spend that hour if I have any light just to shoot.

 

Sounds good to me.  I find these quiet intervals or pauses in the journey to actually be some of the most enjoyable aspects of travel.  And like you said, an opportunity to photograph something- maybe even a rare catch, if you're lucky.

[alpineaustralia]

Our MARC trains here run south to DC three trips in the morning and 4 trips back in the evening, and 122 minute intervals. One train an hour is pretty frequent to what we have here in suburban Maryland.

 

Neither I (nor the JR staff member whose warning I merely relayed in my post) was aware of your definition of frequency when making the comment.

[Guest ___]

Our MARC trains here run south to DC three trips in the morning and 4 trips back in the evening, and 122 minute intervals. One train an hour is pretty frequent to what we have here in suburban Maryland.

 

Neither I (nor the JR staff member whose warning I merely relayed in my post) was aware of your definition of frequency when making the comment.

 

 

I remember while at Miyazaki I was asking about the trains up there to a friend about how often the trains run. Kenichirou replied, "Not often, maybe three an hour." and laughed. "We very rural out here"

 

I've spent days waiting for a single train along the CSX Main Line along the Met Sub, a double track mainline that serves Washington DC to points west.

 

So, I sorta figured Alpine when you said infrequent being a fellow railbuff, you meant that as like one per every six hours or something. 

[Guest ___]

Is it better to stay in, Hachinohe or Aomori from a railway photography standpoint? Since the original thread posted, the routes have changed with the new Aoimori service began.

[bikkuri bahn]

Is it better to stay in, Hachinohe or Aomori from a railway photography standpoint? Since the original thread posted, the routes have changed with the new Aoimori service began.

 

I would say Aomori.  Not only do you have the Tohoku Shinkansen, but also Aoimori Rlwy, also JR Ou main line (a personal favorite), and nearby Hirosaki has rail interest.  Actually, I would stay in Hirosaki, a much more scenic and historic town than Aomori, and the station there in a through type, which I find more interesting than terminal stations such as Aomori.  However, you do get the variety at Aomori, albeit at times it feels deserted between train arrivals/departures.

[Guest ___]

But you can also hit the Aoimori Railway at Hachinohe. I'd also love to stay in Sendai as well. What's the port like in Aomori, and the ability to see the ocean from the rail line itself?

[bikkuri bahn]

Sadly, the port in Aomori no longer has any relation to the railway.  There is a preserved ferry at the far end of the railway station limits, which I believe houses a museum.  There is still a truck ferry in operation, which you can see.  As far as seeing the sea from the rail line, the portion of the former Tohoku Main Line around Asamushi Onsen (hot springs), skirts the coast.

[Fat Al]

If you want to see the ocean, I'd recommend jumping on one of the Resort Liners from Aomori/Hirosaki to Akita, if you haven't considered it already. I missed my opportunity last week, as the Shirakami departs at 1400 from Shin Aomori, which was too late for me.

 

But according to the mag I have, the route is considered to be in the top 50 in Japan in terms of scenic views. And you can reserve the seat with the Rail Pass just like the Shinkansen.

[Guest ___]

Thanks to living in the Obamarama Nation, I have another year of recession before I can go back to Japan. Just heard back from a few agencies I have done work with that the recession is not only in full swing but despite all the happy-good note-fun times about improving economy, we're seeing more jobs cut. I was slated to be in for possibly two job postings only to learn today both were rescinded. One of the two companies went from expansion to closing up shop and relocating to China by the start of Q3. Well, maybe I'll see Hokkaido in 2012

[Guest ___]

But you can also hit the Aoimori Railway at Hachinohe. I'd also love to stay in Sendai as well. What's the port like in Aomori, and the ability to see the ocean from the rail line itself?

 

Back to the drawing board....