JR West - Katamachi/Gakkentoshi Line, Kyobashi to Kizu

[miyakoji]

I'm not sure I've seen another good video of this run, and there's a lot of scenery for modelers to have a look at (urban, suburban, and almost rural looking), so I thought I'd post it. Courtesy of YT uploader seishun18kinkippu.

 

[POMU]

Thanks Miyakoji

  Liked very much

[cteno4]

Miyakoji,

 

Thanks, another excellent video! Always amaze how much w/in arms reach of the rail and how fast things can change.

 

More fodder for the single track modules for me!

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

Edited April 22, 2013 by cteno4

[Densha]

I like the competition with the Kintetsu train and the zigzagging through half-rural neighbourhoods towards the end.

[Sacto1985]

This same YouTube member did a great video of riding a local train on the San'yō Main Line from Shimonoseki all the way east to Fukuyama--it was so interesting to see the scenery along the San'yō Main Line, especially the occasional factory near the tracks.

[bikkuri bahn]

Good video, miya.  I hope people noticed the Kinki Sharyo factory off to the right starting at about 6:17.  Also the three arch aqueduct at 39:17 (the Umasaka Kosen Suirokyou) which was built in 1898 (Meiji 31) to carry a river over the railway line.

 

The line itself has a midday service pattern of 2 tph from Kizu, increasing to 4 tph from Doshishamae, and finally 8 tph from Nagao just on the edge of Osaka Prefecture.  All trains between Kizu and Nagao are rapids, the locals start at Nagao. The trains go on to destinations such as Nishi Akashi (for the locals) and Takarazuka or Shin Sanda (for the rapids) via the cross-city Tozai Line. The 8 tph at Nagao gives an alternating service pattern on the inner portion of the line of local train followed by a rapid at more or less 7 minute headways. It's a pretty straightforward service, but it does hold a surprise- one early morning service, train 5733C/4433C, starts in Nara (dep 5:39) bound for Nishi Akashi (arr. 8:13) These cross country services are a charming aspect of JR West operations, and echo some of the similar multi-line services provided by express and semi-express trains in JNR days.

 

http://www.ekikara.jp/newdata/detail/2701141/1602.htm

[bikkuri bahn]

A blast from the past- the Katamachi Line in 1988, just a couple of years post-JNR, and 101 series ruled the roost on this line:

 

At 2:21 we see the Kinki Sharyo factory again, and the rolling stock fresh out of the plant is state of the art for Showa 63-  JRE 205's, JR Tokai 211's and JR Kyushu's 783 series.  This was before the Tozai Line connection was built, so trains ended at the Katamachi terminus, just a few hundred meters past Kyobashi Station (starting at around 4:50). Some of the cars are still not airconditioned, and one bears a builders plate (at 6:33) from Kisha Seizo Rolling Stock Corp. (Tokyo) dated Showa 38 (1963)

[miyakoji]

I was reading the wikipedia page on the Tozai Line, but the whole 'opened in 1997' thing didn't register and I was surprised to see that station there. Here's a webpage about it: http://senrohaisenzu.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2008/09/1978314_750a.html . This guy visited in October of last year, is this site really still open? http://www.geocities.jp/tetsu_ori/haisen/katamachi.html . I'd have thought there would be some structure crammed in there for a long time already. And another one: http://music.geocities.jp/dangb5x33128/katamachi.html .

 

Also, interesting information on the English wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JR_T%C5%8Dzai_Line)

The line was initially proposed in 1971 by JNR as a link between the Katamachi Line... and Fukuchiyama Line... Osaka's municipal government had maintained tight controls over transportation within the city, and most intercity lines terminated outside the city center... A permit to lay the track was given 10 years later, but the project stopped because of JNR's financial problems... In 1988, after JNR privatized and split into Japan Railway companies, West Japan Railway Company formed a private-public entity called Kansai Rapid Railway Co., Ltd. with the prefectural governments of Osaka and Hyōgo, and the cities of Osaka and Amagasaki.

I agree that early morning run from Nara is cool, it does seem like one of the JNR (non-limited) express services. I'll watch the video again for that aqueduct, the only such thing I'm aware of is the one near Kusatsu Station in Shiga prefecture.

[bikkuri bahn]

According to the website you linked to, the site of the former Katamachi Station and yards is being used as a parking lot.  As for redevelopment plans, it seems a mystery at this point.

[E6系]

I never appreciate the 101 and 103 series.  So sorry.  It reminds me that form must not always be compromised on account of function.