Obasute switchback

Maybe some people noticed when they were keen enough to read the previous post about Shinonoi locomotive base, I visited Obasute as well. Obasute is a 2 next stop from Shinonoi, it was main 3 famous train scenery spot in Japan as well as Karikachi summit in Hokkaido, Okoba loop in Kyusyu.

Obasute is a dead-end station. Now local trains stop here are usually 3 trains car short with 115-1000 series. but the tracks are a lot longer perhaps because some longer freight trains needed to get in here to escape. Luckily local trains for both directions were meeting there when I arrived to escape from Shinano limited express train.



Obasute station house. Probably it was more interesting if I visited here earlier ( perhaps before it was renovated. )




Tracks are located like this. No double crossing is used here. There are other switchbacks in both side of Obasute station at which double crossings are used.


Time for a local train for Nagano to leave Obasute.

It slowly runs across the main track to get in an escaping track at the opposite side, then turn the direction forward Nagano and gets in the main track.
It's interesting that when the train gets in the escaping track, the tail lights are on at the front and the main lights are on at the back.


The main track and escaping tracks. You'll find how steep it is here.



Opposite side.



View of Zenkoji daira hollow from Obasute station. You can click it to see the thumbnail. Since it was a bit misty, the visibility was not so good. :( I would like to ride on a train here to see the scenery.

Hayaokidori website