JR Matsuyama Station to be Demolished

[Guest ___]

Not sure how long its been since an official release, but while in Matsuyama, I got to practice my Japanese, or rather a Japanese station attendant got to practice his English. We were talking while I had a wait for a train to Takamatsu. He was telling me that the decent size yard and shops behind the station are to be torn down when JR Matsuyama-eki is torn down within the year. (I later saw a huge construction board in front of the station showing the new project, pix posted)

 

From what I was told, they plan to tear down the station and build a new elevated viaduct station and eliminate about a dozen plus at-grade crossings in town. They also plan to double track the mainline west an addition 4km to where the double tracking is already in use by Bochan Stadium. As I rode west/south to Uwajima a few days later I noticed the new bridges, canatnary and track work near Ichitsubu Station a few km SW for Matsuyama.

 

I'm not really impressed by the new station drawings, but I think JR-S also really want to draw people to JR Matusyama nd away from Iyotetsu Matsuyamashi who has a pretty good strangle hold on the area.

 

I did find it interesting that the current station has two platforms serving three tracks, (plus an inside middle tack for JR-F trains to switch on), and can accommodate a 16 car train. Because many of the trains terminate here, they double up on the trains at the platform. One morning I was there to have seven trains on the platform. Track three had two single car DMU, and a seven car Apanman train.

[bikkuri bahn]

Here is the pamphlet that has some of those renderings:

http://www.pref.ehime.jp/chu52146/tetsudoukoukahp/tetsudoukouka/pamphlet.html

[kvp]

Here is the pamphlet that has some of those renderings:

This does look like a traffic improvement compared to the current situation and a good source of income from the land, but it's bad from a railfan point and the question remains about where do they going to put the shops, the storage yard that is still full of trains and the apparently still operating freight station?

[bikkuri bahn]

The current freight and rolling stock facilities will be moved to a greenfield location between Kita Iyo Station and Iyo Yokota Station:

http://www.pref.ehime.jp/chu52146/tetsudoukoukahp/tetsudoukouka/2-4.html

[kvp]

Thanks! So this time, they don't just remove railway infrastructure but actually improve it.

[Densha]

Funny that on the right of the map in the first post, you can see a KiHa 181 on the right, though these have been retired already 20 years ago.

[Guest ___]

Sadly, there are a good number of buildings, a shopping arcade, a koban and a pachinko parlor that will be torn down around thestation as well. Personally, I hate viaduct stations, aside from looking gerneic and just so sterile, usually railfanning them are impossible thanks to terrible sightlines, facility infrastructure and so on and so on.

[bikkuri bahn]

usually railfanning them are impossible thanks to terrible sightlines, facility infrastructure and so on

 

I likewise find it so.  For some reason new station facilities tend to have extra poles (for what I can't reckon), storage/equipment sheds on platform ends, and unfortunately placed signals, as well as platform barriers in the urban locations, all absolute disaster when trying to get a clean shot. Elevated lines take away opportunities for lineside shooting, so you are forced to find locations further out in the burbs and boonies- which consumes more time, though that in itself sometimes makes for pleasurable railfanning.

[Sacto1985]

Despite the new station design being not exactly railfan-friendly, it's LONG overdue JR Shikoku finally replaced the station buildings at Matsuyama Station. If the information from the Japanese Wikipedia is correct, the current JR Shikoku building dates from 1953! 

Edited May 24, 2014 by Sacto1985

[miyakoji]

I had a quick look through those pages on the prefectural website, there doesn't seem to be anything about how much this will cost or who's paying for it.  Maybe I'm missing it.  It was discussed either here or on jtrains that JR Shikoku is profitable overall, but the railway operation is not.  Did this idea originate with the city government?  I wonder if JRS is for or against it.  Presumably they'll be the landlord of the new development, maybe it will net more income from the site than what comes in now.  Like Shashinka I don't really care for elevated stations, or lines for that matter, but if dangerous crossings are being eliminated, I can't really argue against it.

[westfalen]

I likewise find it so.  For some reason new station facilities tend to have extra poles (for what I can't reckon), storage/equipment sheds on platform ends, and unfortunately placed signals, as well as platform barriers in the urban locations, all absolute disaster when trying to get a clean shot. Elevated lines take away opportunities for lineside shooting, so you are forced to find locations further out in the burbs and boonies- which consumes more time, though that in itself sometimes makes for pleasurable railfanning.

Although it is good to see new infrastructure I agree with you. I am in Kumamoto at the moment and by the construction going on it looks like the remaining 3'6" tracks are going to be moved up onto the viaduct with the Shinkansen, another classic steam era station with yard and all the trappings turned into a modern but sterile facility.

Edited May 24, 2014 by westfalen

[Mudkip Orange]

Although it is good to see new infrastructure I agree with you. I am in Kumamoto at the moment and by the construction going on it looks like the remaining 3'6" tracks are going to be moved up onto the viaduct with the Shinkansen, another classic steam era station with yard and all the trappings turned into a modern but sterile facility.

 

I once chased a freight from Wenatchee to Spokane, photo'ing it about 20 times. Once out of Crater Coulee, the freight was moving about 65... we could make about 80-90 on the state highways so fairly easy to catch it.

 

Obviously you're not going to pull that off with a Shinkansen, but for 3'6" would be fun to see the equivalent.

[bill937ca]

I had a quick look through those pages on the prefectural website, there doesn't seem to be anything about how much this will cost or who's paying for it.  Maybe I'm missing it.  It was discussed either here or on jtrains that JR Shikoku is profitable overall, but the railway operation is not.  Did this idea originate with the city government?  I wonder if JRS is for or against it.  Presumably they'll be the landlord of the new development, maybe it will net more income from the site than what comes in now.  Like Shashinka I don't really care for elevated stations, or lines for that matter, but if dangerous crossings are being eliminated, I can't really argue against it.

 

Usually these improvements are built by Japan Railway, Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT) with the central share being 2/3 and the local share being 1/3.  JRTT builds and owns the facility and JR Shikoku will lease the facility and pay a lease fee. I haven't found anything specific on this project, but this is how projects work across Japan.

 

Construction of Urban Railways

 

Shinkansen  (page 10)

 

Before anything gets done it has to be approved by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Tranpsort and Tourism, Railway Bureau.

Edited May 26, 2014 by bill937ca

[Guest ___]

I had a quick look through those pages on the prefectural website, there doesn't seem to be anything about how much this will cost or who's paying for it.  Maybe I'm missing it.  It was discussed either here or on jtrains that JR Shikoku is profitable overall, but the railway operation is not.  Did this idea originate with the city government?  I wonder if JRS is for or against it.  Presumably they'll be the landlord of the new development, maybe it will net more income from the site than what comes in now.  Like Shashinka I don't really care for elevated stations, or lines for that matter, but if dangerous crossings are being eliminated, I can't really argue against it.

 

I find it interesting that Takamatsu has a very modern and new station, yet it is ground level.

 

Despite the new station design being not exactly railfan-friendly, it's LONG overdue JR Shikoku finally replaced the station buildings at Matsuyama Station. If the information from the Japanese Wikipedia is correct, the current JR Shikoku building dates from 1953! 

 

I thought it was built much further back than that, and beleived I saw a corner store of Showa Nii, but that the station was rebuilt or renovated in the 50's. I did not see a capacity or facility need to replace the current station. The only reason I see a need would be to cut back o nthe at-grades near the station and to possible redevolp the nearby surrounding property. Iyotetsu is making a killing with their station on the first floor of a huge department store, downtown.

 

According to the plans the hotel I stayed at will be torn down.

[miyakoji]

I find it interesting that Takamatsu has a very modern and new station, yet it is ground level.

Looks like the approach doesn't have any level crossing for about 1km, and then the station itself is a terminal, maybe they didn't think it was worth it.

[Sacto1985]

I thought it was built much further back than that, and believed I saw a corner store of Showa Nii, but that the station was rebuilt or renovated in the 50's. I did not see a capacity or facility need to replace the current station. The only reason I see a need would be to cut back o nthe at-grades near the station and to possible redevolp the nearby surrounding property. Iyotetsu is making a killing with their station on the first floor of a huge department store, downtown.

 

This trend of removing grade crossings by rebuilding the station and elevating the tracks by viaduct has been going on for the last 35 years or so. The ones I know the best are Hanshin Nishinomiya Station (rebuilt in the late 1990's) and JR East/Tobu Isesaki Station (just completed early in 2014). As such, JR Shikoku is rebuilding Matsuyama Station not only to remove at-grade crossings, but also to create a "refreshed" commercial area around the station.

 

It appears one of the very last major stations yet to be renovated is the Hankyu Jūsō Station, but I expect that to undergo renovation in the next decade or so.

[westfalen]

I've just come back from the 'refreshed' commercial area at the new Kochi station, a half hearted attempt at a convinence store that closes at 9pm.  I hope they do better in Matsuyama.

[bikkuri bahn]

I've just come back from the 'refreshed' commercial area at the new Kochi station, a half hearted attempt at a convinence store that closes at 9pm.  I hope they do better in Matsuyama.

I reckon being in a regional city off the beaten track, the main station pretty much shuts down after the daytime trains have come and gone. No hordes of rail commuters here.

[kvp]

It doesn't look like the old Kochi station was a historical landmark either, but i would like to know how many residential buildings had to be torn down to build the new station behind to the old one before removing the old.

And after opening the new station and before tearing down the old one:

[miyakoji]

I kinda like the late-60s/early-70s JNR station buildings. Miyoshi in Hiroshima is a good example, especially the platform side of building. Looks like it's built as modules. I think it's scheduled to be replaced next year, though.

[Guest ___]

The new station at Kochi (two weeks ago) didn't really do anything for me either, but then again, neither did the city of Kochi for that matter.

[westfalen]

Took a few photos at Matsuyama station tonight when I went to watch No.3072 freight to Osaka leave. I might get a few more tomorrow.

 

 

[Guest ___]

Ah, I got a few of her leaving at night. Also note that between 5-6 am she does switching and train building on the center track. Still kills me that we were a week and a half apart on this trip.I'm still going through the 26'000 images taken from the two Fuji cameras, in the meantime here's a couple from the iphone that I had with me that served as GPS unit.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2014 by Shashinka

[westfalen]

Went down to the station again tonight, here's what we are losing in the name of progress.

 

 

[Sacto1985]

westfalen, we're losing an obsolete station building and a railyard that will be moved to a new location anyway.