Good spots for viewing JRF / Freight in Kyushu?

[yakumo381]

I will be going to Japan in May and will be spending most of my time this trip in Kyushu.

 

Not having travelled that far around Kyushu in the past (mainly Hakata area, Nagoya and the Shinkansen down to Kagoshima-Chuo) has anyone suggestions for good places to see JRF or privately owned freight at work?

 

Given what I understand is still an ongoing decline in freight operations in Kyushsu then looking to photograph freight yards and from stations on freight routes whilst there is still something to see.

[katoftw]

If you are down in Kagoshima, right on the doorstep of Kagoshima station is a large JRF yard. Sendai also has a small rural yard. Doubtful you'd see much action in the Sendai yard though.

 

Another in south Kumamoto where the Hohi Line break off. And also one is Fukuoka about 1km north of Hakata station.

 

Google maps is your friend. Have a look at the locations you will be at. Most yards are so large that scanning through satelite view, you'll soon locate them.

Edited February 1, 2015 by katoftw

[Nick_Burman]

has anyone suggestions for good places to see JRF or privately owned freight at work?

 

 

Omuta! Mitsui Miike has its interchange yard one stop north of Omuta on the Nishitetsu. From there you can hike to their HQ next to the chemical factory.

 

 

Cheers NB

[westfalen]

Omuta! Mitsui Miike has its interchange yard one stop north of Omuta on the Nishitetsu. From there you can hike to their HQ next to the chemical factory.

 

 

Cheers NB

I did this in 2011.  You have to get there early though to catch all the action at the JR interchange.

[bikkuri bahn]

Looking at railfan sites, there is a spot on the Kagoshima Main Line between Kita-Kyushu and Hakata, near Ebitsu station, that seems to have good vantage points of the main line. It's a road next to a residential neighborhood situated a bit above the line, and on a curve.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8444252,130.6391245,16z

 

*use streetview to get an idea of possible angles

 

Apparently you can get nice pics using smaller zooms, say 80~100mm range, so no need for a bazooka.

 

I often find these lineside locations better than station locations, which often have obstructions or bad camera angles.  It's also fun to hike into a location, as you may make other discoveries, like a nice cafe or restaurant, or rural scenes.

Edited February 2, 2015 by bikkuri bahn

[Sacto1985]

I think if you want to see a lot of JR Freight action in Kyushu, the best place is probably Kagoshima Main Line between Moji Station (just east of Moji is the southern entrance to the Kanmon Railway Tunnel) and Kokura Station, where there is a freight yard just east of Kokura Station.

[katoftw]

 

I think if you want to see a lot of JR Freight action in Kyushu, the best place is probably Kagoshima Main Line between Moji Station (just east of Moji is the southern entrance to the Kanmon Railway Tunnel) and Kokura Station, where there is a freight yard just east of Kokura Station.

It also looks to be the main thoroughfare for all freight in and out of Kyushu. Even if trains dont load and unload here, they will still be passing in their 100s. Also a public vehicle bridge goes over the yard, so may be able to get shots from it.

 

If you google map it and do street view, between the school on the south-east and the yard, you see a 6 car 813 series running through.

Edited February 9, 2015 by katoftw

[yakumo381]

Thanks for the feedback, my draft outline daily trip schedule now looks like this:

 

1 Haruka LEX:
Kansai Airport to Shin-Osaka (Freight)

 

2 Sanyō Shinkansen:
Shin-Osaka to Hakata
Hakataminami Line:
Hakata to Hakata-Minami | Shinkansen Depot then back to Hakata

 

3 Kyushu Shinkansen / Kagoshima Main Line:
Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo | Kagoshima Main Line to Kagoshima | Freight Terminal to Kagoshima-Chuo to Kumaoto | Shin-Tamana | Shin-Omuta | Chikugo-Funagoya | Kurume to Hakata

 

4 Kagoshima Main Line:
Hakata to Tashiro | Tosu Freight Terminal to Tosu to Omuta | Mitsui Miike Freight Terminal to Hakata

 

5 Sanyo Main / San'in / Kagoshima Lines:
Hakata to Shimonoseki | Hatabu Loco Shed | Hatabu to Moji | Kitakyushu Freight Terminal to Hakata

 

6 Kagoshima Main Line / Nippo Line:
Hakata to Oita to Maki | JR Kyushu Plant to Oita to Hakata

 

7 Sanyō Shinkansen / Sanyo Main Line:
Hakata t0 Shin-Yamaguchi to Hiroshima | Freight at Tenjingawa Depot to Okayama | Freight at Okayama Depot to Shin-Osaka

 

8 Kyoto Line:
Shin-Osaka to Kishibe | Kishibe Yard | Suita Depot to Senrioka to Umekoji Steam Loco Museum to Kyoto to Shin-Osaka

 

9 Kuroshio LEX:

Shin-Osaka to Tennōji | Wakayama | Yuasa | Gobo | Dojoji to Shin-Osaka

 

10 Hokuriku Line / Hokuriku Shinkansen:
Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa to Nagano to Kanazawa to  Shin-Osaka

 

11 Haruka LEX:
Shin-Osaka (Freight) to Kansai Airport

Edited March 8, 2015 by yakumo381