A man has been arrested for cutting down trees beside the JR Senmo Line in Kushiro, Hokkaido, because he wanted a better photograph of a retiring sightseeing train, Yomiuri TV reported. Police suspect the felled trees endangered train operations.
The Norokko, a sightseeing train long popular with visitors, was nearing the end of its run, and rail fans had come to Hokkaido from across the country to see it. Along about 1 kilometer of track, trees had been cut down. Four posts carrying communications cables bore deep cuts of up to 10 centimeters, apparently made with a sharp blade.
The area is a favored spot for photographing the Norokko against the Kushiro wetland. A local resident said many people with cameras were waiting near the tracks for a chance to shoot.
Tires had been left in the muddy ground, apparently to stand on while taking pictures.
Arrest on suspicion of endangering train traffic
On September 30, with the Norokko's retirement imminent, the man, 23, traveled to Hokkaido from Kanagawa Prefecture. Police say he entered the grounds beside the track and used a chainsaw he had brought with him to fell a tree.
The tree hit communications cables used to switch signals, and he was arrested and sent to prosecutors on suspicion of endangering train traffic, an offense covering acts that put trains at risk.
“The weather was good, and it was my last chance to photograph the Sunset Norokko. If I was going to do it, I wanted good photos. I wanted to improve the conditions even a little, so I cut the tree.”the man told police, according to Yomiuri TV
Trouble involving rail fans has not stopped there. Past cases include trains being brought to emergency stops.