(charter) Diesel express "Hikari" arrival at Hakata

[bikkuri bahn]

@Hakata today 8/28. Last run will be tomorrow.  Kiha 65+Kiha 58+Kiha 66+Kiha 67

 

 

(this is the train Westfalen photographed at Mojiko)

[miyakoji]

That's gotta be one of the last JR kyuko services nationwide.  I remember the Kasuga (Nagoya - Nara) being discontinued while I was in Japan, and more recently I think the Tsuyama (Okayama - Tsuyama) was discontinued.  The existence of the Tsuyama service always confused me considering they've got the Rapid Kotobuki serving almost the same stations.

 

I never understood the distinction between kyuko and tokubetsu kyuko, nor L-tokkyu, for that matter.

[bikkuri bahn]

I never understood the distinction between kyuko and tokubetsu kyuko, nor L-tokkyu, for that matter.

 

Kyuko is an express service, with fewer stops than local stopping trains, but with passenger amenities basically the same as locals.  The express surcharge is rather minimal.  Kyuko services, if not completely eliminated, have been replaced for the most part by the kaisoku (rapid) services, which as you probably know have no extra fare (and are quite excellent- such as JR West's shin-kaisoku services).  Tokubetsu kyuko are the limited expresses, with ltd. express surcharges and upgraded (reclining seats) passenger amenities.  The L-tokkyu trains were introduced in the 70's, and were the designation for high frequency limited expresses (i.e. every hour or two hours, though some L-tokkyu I believe have/had as few as 3 or 4 round trips/day). The L tokkyu trains (and the regular tokkyu) had their peak in the late seventies, before the opening of the Joetsu and Tohoku Shinkansen routes.

 

For those interested, here is a classic L-tokkyu service, the Raicho (Osaka-Kanazawa) in its original JNR colors, though this service is down to just 2 RT/day, and will likely be axed in the near future, with the retirement of the 485 series trainsets. I love the sound of the 485 series motors and electrical equipment whine on the runbys.