International Railroad Discussion > Random Freight Trains in Japan (2025)

With the year 2025 coming to a close in less than 2 months, I figure this is a good time to post this.

I inadvertently caught JR Freight #4081 near Awazu while walking to the Ogoya Railway time machine to document the Kiha 1 railcar. Awazu is the next station from Komatsu on the ex-JR West, IR Ishikawa Railway going SW (inbound toward Osaka). This was in May. #4081 changes numbers 3 times - #88 --> #4081 --> #81.

TO member erielackawanna has shown considerable interest in JR Freight's operational details. So allow me to ramble in case other TO members are interested now, or in the future.

#88 starts at Osaka Freight Terminal, located adjacent to Tokaido Shinkansen's main yard east of Shin Osaka. This is the area where Doctor Yellow "takes a break" in the middle of its runs. #88 goes to Suita Freight Terminal next, railroad west and "inbound" in the Osaka direction, hence the even number.

#88 has work (likely a pick up) then 6 hours and 33 minutes later, changes direction and departs Suita as #4081. Since its routing is Japan Sea side and avoids Tokyo, it is considered "outbound" away from Osaka - odd number.

Trains departing Suita toward Tokyo on the Tokaido route would be even numbered instead.

#4081 changes to #81 at Kanazawa Freight Terminal - it has work there. #81 terminates at Toyama Freight Terminal.

The reason for the switch to #81 is unclear. There are other trains numbered #81 in the JR Freight system, and it seems Osaka to Himeji #81 might "conflict", so #4081 is used until it is well away from the Osaka Metro area?

My infomation and guess is obtained from the JR Freight Timetable published annually. Further research on the Internet was needed to enhance my guess on why #4081 becomes #81.

Anyway, #4081 is the train in the first clip, pulled by dual mode AC/DC EF510 locomotive. Only one pantograph up - running in 20,000 V AC territory.

- Japan's version of K-Line/ONE "Power Pak" in green.
- Video of "random" JR Freight trains in 2025.

(more next)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/25 18:37 by cchan006.

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I was loitering around the Chiba area in July, and realized I had a chance to intercept #1094, one of very few freights that run on the Sobu Line. Lazy intercept would have been to wait at JR Chiba Station platform, but I took the risk and rode northeast (outbound) away from Chiba, in hopes of finding a new location + better light. The risk was that #1094 might show up before I could find a good location - it was my first time scouting the route.

Kashima Soccer Stadium --> Tokyo Freight Terminal #1094, second clip, at Tsuga Station platform, north end. I'm preparing a separate report on Sobu Line freights, so I hope to discuss the train's interesting routing in the near future.

In the third clip, I caught the 2025 version of the Toyota Long Pass Express at Kuroiso, the northern division border separating Tokyo and Tohoku area service divisions ("locomotive districts"). Train #4052/2051, Morioka to Kasadera (Nagoya).

Kuroiso used to be a busy place railfan-wise, as this was where crew changes and locomotive changes took place and catenary changed from 20,000 VAC to 1,500 VDC. I visited there in 2014 to witness that. Two years later, JR East implemented a new "catenary change zone" where dual mode locomotives like EH500 would simply stay in the zone, switch from AC to DC mode, and continue on with a new crew, no locomotive changes.

Note the empty ROW with tracks pulled out to the right of the EH500 in the third clip. There used to be pair of tracks for moving locomotives back and forth. No more.

The blue 31' container with "TOYOTA" lettering is no more, another sign of the times. Instead, similar-colored "ECOLINER" and darker "Nippon Express" containers are now used on the Toyota Long Pass. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/25 21:21 by cchan006.

A freight train I like to catch when I have free time in a jet-lagged morning is #4072, Utsunomiya --> Tokyo Freight Terminal, fourth clip. This is one of the few trains in Japan that regularly carry 20' and 40' marine boxes for overseas shipping. Seen on this particular train was a green 12' box possibly containing a "Power Pak" to keep a ONE box refrigeration unit running...? Rest of the train is quite interesting, too: tanktainers, green gondola, 20' boxes of both domestic and international types, and the domestic 31' and 12' boxes.

EF210 locomotive is assigned to #4072 now, but in the past EH500, EF66, and EF65 have been assigned, and I have documented all those before. The location is at Nishi-Kokubunji along the Musashino Line. This is also a Chuo Line stop (lower level) so it's easily accessed from central Tokyo, hence my tendency to visit here often.

A typhoon was approaching later in the day, so I planned a trip to ride some trains "around" the storm: Chuo --> Koumi Lines, then a Hokuriku Shinkansen from Sakudaira --> Karuizawa for some non-railfan tourism. Japan's weather forecasting is quite good, so I anticipated the storm to "miss" Karuizawa based on the typhoon route predictions seen on mainstream media and on various web sites.

I squeezed in two intercepts before riding a Class E353 Azusa Limited Express to Kobuchizawa, #4072 and #2083, Tokyo Freight --> Minami Matsumoto, fifth clip. EH200 locomotives are normally assigned to Chuo Line freights. The location is on a station platform at Hachioji. There are tank cars in the background, as Hachioji is a tank car terminal.

There was considerable rain at Hachioji, but I got some sunshine at Karuizawa several hours later - thank you, accurate weather forecast. 

Thank you for this, I also find it interesting.