Hankyû trains view from Umeda Sky Building, Ôsaka.

[bill937ca]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/AZd3sFcayt8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/AZd3sFcayt8</a>

3 Lines, 3 Trains

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wu-7erhPHxE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Wu-7erhPHxE</a>

[Mudkip Orange]

Notice how one of the bridges doesn't match the other two? That's the one Keihan built, the one Hankyu "forgot" to give back after the companies ended their government-imposed WWII merger.

[Shashinka]

Sigghhh... thanks Bill, now I have one more stop to make while fanning in two weeks. Argh! 

[bill937ca]

Sigghhh... thanks Bill, now I have one more stop to make while fanning in two weeks. Argh! 

Isn't it better to know now than after you come back?

[Shashinka]

Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. 

[bikkuri bahn]

I recommend the observation deck of the Umeda Sky Building, its location allows you too see a good amount of railways from above, especially now with the Osaka Station redevelopment and the (possible?) reduction/elimination of the Umeda Freight Depot.  Went there on a late summer afternoon, and was treated also to a nice thunderstorm show off in the distance.

[Shashinka]

Oh, crap, there's construction at Osaka Station. #%$#! This was going on at Tokyo Station two years ago and was a headache then. 

[bikkuri bahn]

Oh, crap, there's construction at Osaka Station. #%$#! This was going on at Tokyo Station two years ago and was a headache then. 

Yes, but it didn't affect my train watching very much when I was there in January.  Outside the station though, it can be a mess.  This blog has some pictures of the construction:

http://potaphoto.blog78.fc2.com/blog-entry-161.html

[Shashinka]

I was so depressed I couldn't get any decent pix of the building at Tokyo during the construction, though Osaka Station I think I got some shots of five years ago.

[bikkuri bahn]

When the construction is finished at both stations (at Tokyo currently the Marunouchi Side towers are completely sheathed in some kind of scaffolded covering), they will certainly be more attractive and better destinations, so the wait will be worth it, IMO.  Osaka is looking to be a potential stunner with a half trainshed and upper concourse with views of the tracks and platforms below, plus better shopping and services.  I hope the messy connection with the Hankyu Dept. Store and station will be fixed too.