Bingo-Ochiai Station

Bingo-Ochiai Station (備後落合駅, Bingo-Ochiai-eki) is a junction passenger railway station located in Saijō-chō, in the city of Shōbara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West).^[1]

Bingo-Ochiai Station 備後落合駅
Bingo-Ochiai Station in September 2007
General information
Location	1778 Hattori, Saijō-chō, Shōbara-shi, Hiroshima-ken 729-5721 Japan
Coordinates	35°0′4.31″N 133°8′54.15″E / 35.0011972°N 133.1483750°E
Operated by	JR West
Line(s)	P Geibi Line E Kisuki Line
Distance	44.6 km (27.7 mi) from Bitchū-Kōjiro
Platforms	1 side + 1 island platform
Tracks	3
Other information
Status	Unstaffed
Website	Official website
History
Opened	20 December 1935
Passengers
2019	28 daily
Location Bingo-Ochiai Station Location within Hiroshima Prefecture Bingo-Ochiai Station Bingo-Ochiai Station (Japan)

Bingo-Ochiai Station is served by the Geibi Line, and is located 44.6 kilometers from the terminus of the line at Bitchū-Kōjiro and 51.0 kilometers from Niimi. It is also the terminus of the 81.9 kilometer Kisuki Line to Shinji

The station consists of one ground-level side platform and one island platform. The station building is located on next to the side platform used by the Kisuki Line, and is connected to the island platform used by the Geibi Line via a level crossing. There was a footbridge at the time of opening, but it was removed during the Pacific War. The station is unattended.

• The station platforms at Bingo Ochiai (2007-09-26)

• A class 120-300 one-man-operated train at Bingo Ochiai headed for Niimi Station (2006-09-17)

• A class 120-200 one-man-operated train at Bingo Ochiai (2006-09-17)

• Okuizumo Orochi-gō 98 tourist train headed for Bingo Ochiai (2006-06-25)

• Inside station building (2019-08-14)

Bingo-Ochiai Station was opened on December 20, 1935 as the terminus of the Shōbara Line between Bingo-Saijō and Bingo-Ochiai. Upon completion of the extension of the line from Onuka Station on October 10, 1936 it became an intermediary stop on the Sanshin Line between Bitchū Kōjiro and Miyoshi. The line was nationalized on July 1, 1937 and renamed the Geibi Line. On December 12, 1937 it became a junction station between the Kisuki Line and the Geibi Line. Bingo Ochiai Station served as one of the main stations in the Bihoku district, including lodging facilities, track maintenance divisions, and communication divisions were established, and at one point more than 200 employees worked at the station. The station handled locomotive replacement and maintenance, split-merge of carriages, switchbacks, etc. In front of the station were two inns, taxis, restaurants, barbershops and other establishments, such that the area was called "Ochiai Ginza". However, after World War II, the number of employees decreased due to the replacement of steam locomotives with diesel trains, and the number of users decreased due to depopulation and the development of the road network. The station became part of JR West on April 1, 1987 when Japan National Railways was privatized.

In fiscal 2019, the station was used by an average of 28 passengers daily.^[2]

The station is located in a mountainous area and is separated from Japan National Route 183, which runs parallel to the station, by the Hitotobara River, a tributary of the Saijō River. It is connected to the national highway by Hiroshima Prefectural Route 234 Bingo-Ochiai Station Line, but the bridge (Ekimae Bridge) that crosses the Otoriwara River is located about 90 meters to the east, and it slopes gently down toward the bridge. There are no shops in front of the station, and there are many vacant houses due to rural depopulation.

• List of railway stations in Japan

  Media related to Bingo-Ochiai Station at Wikimedia Commons

• Bingo-Ochiai Station from JR-Odekake.net (in Japanese)