Railway operations 101, or oldtimer 103's "goin' into the hole"

[bikkuri bahn]

For a good primer on passenger railway operations in an urban context, head over to Kansai and check out the Hanwa Line between Tennoji and Hineno.  This is a double track line hosting locals, rapids, and limited expresses.  The locals are slow, so they are required to pull into a station loop to let the faster trains pass- timed overtakes as you have it.   As it's a Kansai JR line, the pace is a little less frenetic than JR East's Kanto area operations, so the train patterns are more varied (and interesting IMO).  The bonus is this line hosts 103 series EMUs on the locals, though these are becoming fewer in number with each timetable revision.  Today, I saw a couple of Osaka Loop Line orange color 103's on local services on this line, also a 113 unit in original Hanwa Line colors, so variety is good too.  Of course, there are many other lines in Japan that use timed overtakes, but this is one of my favorites.  Recommended.

[westfalen]

Something else to do while I'm in Osaka. Good thing I've given myself six days there.

[Guest ___]

Six days is hardly enoguh time in Osaka. I had 12 last year and I still needed another five or six to get the bare basics down.

 

[westfalen]

Six days is hardly enoguh time in Osaka. I had 12 last year and I still needed another five or six to get the bare basics down.

I'll probably be back next year as well, I could spend my entire three weeks in Osaka or Tokyo and not see everything those cities have to offer the railfan but there are other places to see as well. I've always thought you could live in Japan and still not have time to see everything.

[miyakoji]

westfalen, why don't you post here about things you're interested in seeing and we can take a shot at how you can most efficiently use your time

[bikkuri bahn]

This morning I went to Asaka Station on the Hanwa Line to catch the rush hour morning commute trains.  Went early (6:45am) hopefully to get a spot before the other fans on the prime spot overlooking the Yamato River bridge.  Had the spot to myself for about 30 minutes.  Unfortunately the wind and light didn't cooperate as much as I liked, but did get some nice shots of 103's crossing the river, as well as a 113 unit in Hanwa Line colors.  Westfalen, this is one of the prime train watching/photo spots in Kansai, if you don't mind company from other fans (it's a bit cramped), it's worth a look.  

[westfalen]

This morning I went to Asaka Station on the Hanwa Line to catch the rush hour morning commute trains.  Went early (6:45am) hopefully to get a spot before the other fans on the prime spot overlooking the Yamato River bridge.  Had the spot to myself for about 30 minutes.  Unfortunately the wind and light didn't cooperate as much as I liked, but did get some nice shots of 103's crossing the river, as well as a 113 unit in Hanwa Line colors.  Westfalen, this is one of the prime train watching/photo spots in Kansai, if you don't mind company from other fans (it's a bit cramped), it's worth a look.  

I'll check that out.