I take a train from Hiroshima Station to Hachihommatsu Station every morning to go to my University. When the train approaches to Hachihommatsu Station, the following scenes are seen.

   

There is a high bank along the rail, and the flags of Japan and U.S. are seen beyond the bank.

There was a railroad from Hachihommatsu to this facility. I introduce photos of the rail trail and this "facility" on this page.

Rail trail

   

When we see the forward view from the westbound train from Hachihommatsu Station to Hiroshima Station, a rail trail branching right from the current rail is found.

 

A part of the rail trail is leveled and used for farmwork.

 

There are two ruins of bridges on the trail. They indicate that this is surely a rail trail.

What's there

   

It is an ammunition storage of the U.S. Army that is beyond the end of the rail trail. Japan Imperial Navy evicted the residents there and constructed this storage, and the railroad was also constructed for this. Although the Imperial Navy and the rail road have disappeared now, the storage is still alive.

An aerial photo (Google Map) indicates that the rail trail continues into the strage via the gate shown in the above photo.

The name of a bus stop near the storage is 弾薬庫 which means exactly "ammunition storage." There is an assembly hall supported by 特定防衛施設周辺整備調整交付金事業, which means the financial scheme for maintenance around special defense facilities by Japanese Government.

It is said that this bridge across the railroad at the east side of Hachihommatsu Station was constracted as a military road between the storage and the Navy Base in Kure City.

Appendix. Hachihommatsu Station

   

Hachihommatsu Station is situated at 255 meters above sea level, at the highest point of Japan Rail San'yo main line. The section from Seno Station on the base to Hachihommatsu Station is a continuous steep uphill slope, and it is the only section in Japan where pusher engines are attached to cargo trains.

The photos from the train on the top of this page were taken by using Panasonic Lumix FX500. The other photos were taken by using Canon EOS Kiss X2 with 18-55mm and 75-300mm lenses.