Blue Trains to Hokkaido will be discontinued

[bikkuri bahn]

789 series are JR Hokkaido-owned and are AC only. They will likely be reassigned on Super Kamui and Suzuran services, where they will replace life expired 785 series units.  The 789 series are likely preferred by drivers, as their raised driving position offers better visibility and better protection in grade crossing accidents.

[bronzeonion]

I knew the Akebono was going to be retired but like others I am very surprised that the Hokutosei and Cassiopeia are being retired too! Makes me glad I went on the Akebono last week during my trip to Japan, also getting two iconic locomotives, the EF64 and EF81 for haulage too. Shame we were put on a bus to Aomori after an hour delay at Odate due to a tree falling on the tracks due to heavy snow!

[Keikyu]

I was really hoping to ride on an overnight train there someday. I won't be able to at all at this rate unfortunately.

[westfalen]

The price we pay for having the Shinkansen, there is certainly the 'ooh & ahh' factor when you ride them or watch them pass at speed but they kill off everything else along their routes.

[Densha]

At least there's still the Sunrise Express, but who knows how long it will take till this service will be stopped too. I really want to ride it when I get to Japan, waking up while crossing the Seto Inland Sea sounds amazing.

Even though I haven't seen one in person, I sort of agree with westfalen's opinion too. It just doesn't feel good to continually see all the 'traditional' trains disappearing in favor of the Shinkansen.

[ToniBabelony]

Welcome to progression. The world we create.

[Densha]

True. It's also not only in Japan, it's anywhere in the world. The only thing you can do is enjoying it while it's still there. But I don't really feel like going all philosophic now so I'll leave it at that. ;)

[westfalen]

True. It's also not only in Japan, it's anywhere in the world. The only thing you can do is enjoying it while it's still there. But I don't really feel like going all philosophic now so I'll leave it at that. ;)

So true, all the sleeping cars in Queensland will be dissappearing about the same time, replaced by these. http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Pages/SpiritofQueensland-RailBed.aspx Equal to the best service the airlines can offer say the people who run QR, they don't seem to realise we are a railway and should be offering a better service than the airlines.

 

The Japanese sleepers may well have gone in a few years anyway even without the Shinkansen as part of a world wide trend.  Hopefully we will be on the Sunrise Izumo in a week and a half, so long as we can get berths when we arrive at Kansai Airport next Wednesday night, and my friend and I will be trying for a sleeper trip in Europe when we are there next year too, you never know when discontinance notices will appear, even relatively new locomotives and rollingstock are not a garantee of longevity as the Cassiopia and EF510s show.

Edited November 23, 2013 by westfalen

[bikkuri bahn]

The Japanese sleepers may well have gone in a few years anyway even without the Shinkansen as part of a world wide trend.

As long the market is there, they will have a slim chance.  But that market has been decimated by long distance buses and more recently, LCC airlines, who siphon off the budget travelers.   I figure the Sunrise trains survive by virtue of serving "mid-major" markets, ones that are too marginal for competitors to serve, but draw enough long distance patronage from Tokyo to hang on and cover costs.  But otherwise, most intercity customers from those two areas (San-in and Shikoku) are overwhelmingly Kansai-focused in terms of business and pleasure travel, and likely use daytime services.

Edited November 23, 2013 by bikkuri bahn

[Sacto1985]

I think what finally did in most sleeper train services in Japan was the fact the Shinkansen can go from Tokyo to Hakata (Fukuoka) in five hours and Tokyo to Shin-Aomori in around three hours. Overnight sleepers were still viable when before the early 1990's, it took nearly seven hours for a one-way trip between Tokyo and Hakata on the Hikari train; but once the much faster 300 and 500 Series trainsets dropped that travel time to under six hours and the speed on the Tōhoku Shinkansen increased quite a bit with the arrival of the E2 trainsets, that pretty much ended most overnight trains services in Japan. Indeed, the Sunrise Seto and Sunrise Izumo may be the last stand for overnight trains in Japan, in my humble opinion.

Edited November 23, 2013 by Sacto1985

[Densha]

For a long time there have been plans to make Shinkansen services branching to Shikoku using this technology but so far I know the plans have been shelved for now. That could have been the end for the Sunrise Seto. Now the fastest daytime route is to use the Shiokaze or Ishizuchi limited express from Okayama to Shikoku.

The Nagasaki Shinkansen will however be using this technology but there aren't any overnight trains left there anyway.

Edited November 23, 2013 by Densha

[Sacto1985]

Now the fastest daytime route is to use the Shiokaze or Ishizuchi limited express from Okayama to Shikoku.

 

If I remember correctly, there are three frequent longer-distance express trains from Okayama to Shikoku island through the Great Seto Bridge:

 

Marine Liner to Takamatsu

Shiokaze to Matsuyama

Nanpū to Kōchi (and sometimes beyond)

[Densha]

The Marine Liner is a rapid, not a express. The Ishizuchi indeed doesn't go to Okayama, I was confused with something else. According to wikipedia the Uzushio lt. exp. service is from Tokushima to Okayama sometimes.

[miyakoji]

The Shiokaze goes from Okayama to Matsuyama, sometimes as far as Uwajima when using DMUs.  When using 8000 series EMUs (not when using DMUs I think, but I could be wrong), the Shiokaze from Okayama and the Ishizuchi from Takamatsu are linked at Utazu and driven on to Matsuyama.

 

It looks like there are two Uzushio round trips per day that serve Okayama.  Tokushima to Okayama are 8:24 to 10:33 and 4:46 PM to 6:46 PM, and the opposite services are 11:05 AM to 1:04PM and 7:05 PM to 9:14 PM.  These are linked with Nanpu services that go down to Kochi.  Again the split/join happens at Utazu.

[Densha]

So basically the through Shiokaze to Uwajima is like the Shiokaze with 8000系 + Uwakai with DMU?

 

Actually quite interesting is that the 285 series used for the Sunrise Express has JNR express colours which are not used on any other JR rolling stock.

[gmat]

Jensen, if you're hanging around Tokyo and have time before heading towards the Tobu Fan Festival this Sunday, I shot the Akebono passing South at Omiya on a Sunday at around 6:31 this January. You should be able to catch it if it passes. Don't know where you live in Japan, so this may not be of use to you. I also have a bunch JR East pamphlets that you can get at the station, most with nice pictures of trains on them, collected over the past few years. Would you like them? I collect them to give to my students, and these are extras. I still have a couple of Macdonald's PlaRail Dvds, a couple from this year and one from perhaps 3 years ago and a few Pla Raii prizes from this year, I think. Nartack, your son is welcome to have a dvd and a couple of trains if he wants. Does he get the Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. Gashapon Thomas, or JR trains? They can be addictive.

 

I be on the lookout for two foreigners with a boy. 

 

Bikkur ibahn, do you think there will be train themed Nengajo cards for sale there?

 

My number is 08030145409. Call when any of you have some free time for a quick meet on Sunday. I'll try to get there at 10:00 and stay until I get tired.

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[yakumo381]

Going through my photos collection, I have a print that I was given many years ago showing EF81 114 at a platform in Hiroshima hauling a Twilight Express set of green coaches and wearing the correct headboard. I have confirmed that it is Hiroshima as I have found a 'posted today' YouTube video showing EF67 102 at exactly the same platform.

 

So my question is, when did the Twilight Express last go as far as Hiroshima?

 

Alternatively, If it didn't, then why would this train be there in this photo?

[miyakoji]

yakumo, even though it's got the headmarks in place, are you sure this isn't an excursion?  I've seen videos of a few special runs west of Osaka.  For example, here are the passenger cars drawn by an EF65 on a "Seto Inland Sea Lunch Cruise" from Okayama to Hiroshima via the Kure Line.  This was just last year.  Looks like a nice ride: