TheInaho(いなほ)is alimited expresstrain service in Japan operated byEast Japan Railway Company(JR East), which runs fromNiigatatoSakataandAkita.[1]The train runs along theUetsu Main Linewith views on the coast andDewa Range.[2]
 E653-1000 series EMU set U104 onInahoin 2022 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Limited express |
| Status | In operation |
| Locale | Hakushin Line,Uetsu Main Line,Ōu Main Line |
| First service | 1 October 1969 |
| Current operator(s) | JR East |
| Former operator(s) | JNR |
| Route | |
| Termini | Niigata Akita |
| Stops | 16 |
| Distance travelled | 271.7 km (168.8 mi) |
| Average journey time | Approx. 3 hours 40 minutes |
| Service frequency | 7 return services daily |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | Green + standard |
| Disabled access | Yes |
| Sleeping arrangements | None |
| Observation facilities | None |
| Entertainment facilities | None |
| Other facilities | Toilets |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | E653-1000 seriesEMUs |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm(3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | Yes |
| Operating speed | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Track owner(s) | JR East |
Service pattern
editThree return workings daily operate between Niigata and Akita, with a further four return workings between Niigata and Sakata.[1]
Inahoservices stop at the following stations:
Niigata-Toyosaka-Shibata-Nakajō-Sakamachi-Murakami-Fuya-Atsumi Onsen-Tsuruoka-Amarume-Sakata-Yuza-Kisakata-Nikaho-Ugo-Honjō-Akita.[1]
Rolling stock
editSince 12 July 2014, all regularInahoservices are operated by seven-carE653-1000 seriesEMUs displaced fromFresh Hitachiservices on theJoban Line.[3]The first set was phased in onInahoservices from the start of the revised timetable on 28 September 2013.[4][5]The E653 series trains are modified with the addition of a Green (first class) car and a new livery evoking images of the sunset, rice plants, and the sea.[4]
-
E653-1000 series EMU set U101 on anInahoservice in March 2014
Former rolling stock
editInahoservices were previously operated by six-car485or refurbished 485-3000 serieselectric multiple unit(EMU) trains based at Niigata Depot,[6]but these trains were replaced by E653-1000 series sets from 12 July 2014.[3]
-
A 485 series EMU on anInahoservice in JNR livery in March 2012 -
485 series EMU on anInahoservice in May 2008 -
485-3000 series EMU on anInahoservice in September 2005
Formations
editServices are operated by 7-car E653-1000 series sets, formed as follows, with car 1 at the Akita end and car 7 at the Niigata end. All cars are no smoking.[5]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuRo E652-1000 | MoHa E653-1000 | MoHa E652-1000 | SaHa E653-1000 | MoHa E653-1000 | MoHa E652-1000 | KuHa E653-1000 |
| Accommodation | Green | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved |
Seating in the E653 series Green cars is arranged 2+1, with 18 seats in total.[5]
History
editTheInahowas first introduced from 1 October 1969 as a limited express service operating betweenUenoin Tokyo and Akita via Niigata.[7]Trains were formed of 7-car KiHa 80 seriesDMUs,with one service in each direction daily.[8]
The original schedule was as follows.[8]
- Down: Ueno (dep. 1350) → Sakata (arr. 2028) → Akita (arr. 2200)
- Up: Akita (dep. 0925) → Sakata (arr. 1056) → Ueno (arr. 1740)
From March 1972, train formations were extended to 9 cars to cope with demand.[8]From October of the same year, the original DMUs were replaced by485 seriesEMUs following electrification of the entire route. At the same time, service frequency was increased to two return workings daily, with one service extended toAomori.[8]Electrification enabled journey times between Ueno and Akita to be reduced to approximately 7 hours 30 minutes, and increasing demand resulted in formations being lengthened to 12 cars, with non-reserved seating cars added from October 1978, and a third daily return service added from July 1979.[8]
The typical 12-car formation was as follows, with car 1 at the Ueno end.[9]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Reserved | Green | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Restaurant | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved |
From 15 November 1982, following the opening of theJōetsu Shinkansen,two of the returnInahoservices were discontinued, and the third return service remaining between Ueno and Akita via Niitsu was renamedChōkai(Điểu hải).[8]From this date,Inahotrain services were amended to run as five return workings daily between Niigata and Akita (with one service extended to/from Aomori) using 9-car 485 series EMUs with no restaurant car facilities.[8]
From March 1985, train formations were reduced to 6-car monoclass sets, although from November 1986, service frequency was increased from five to seven return workings daily.[8]
Green (first class) car accommodation was added to half of one car following privatization ofJNRto becomeJR East.[8]
From the start of the 4 December 2010 timetable revision, services were further shortened to operate between Niigata and Akita, with some trains terminating at Sakata. Former operations between Akita and Aomori were covered instead by extendedTsugaruservices.[10]
By 2012, services formed of 6-car 485 series sets were formed as follows, with car 1 at the Sakata end and car 6 at the Niigata end. All cars were no smoking.[1][11]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuRoHa 481 | MoHa 484 | MoHa 485 | MoHa 484 | MoHa 485 | KuHa 481 | |
| Accommodation | Green | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved |
| Facilities | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Toilet | Phone | Toilet | |
From 28 September 2013, refurbishedE653-1000 series7-car sets formerly used onFresh Hitachiservices were phased in onInahoservices, initially on just one return working a day.[5]
From the start of the revised timetable on 15 March 2014, a further four return workings daily were operated by refurbished E653-1000 series EMUs, leaving 485 series sets on two return services between Niigata and Sakata.[12]From 12 July 2014, all regularInahoservices were operated by E653-1000 series EMUs.[3]
Accident
editOn 25 December 2005, the train executing theInaho14 service from Akita to Niigata was derailed and overturned by strong winds in the vicinity of the No. 2 Mogami River bridge betweenKita-AmarumeandSagoshistations while travelling at a speed of approximately 100 km/h. The front three cars overturned and rolled down the embankment, hitting a concrete structure below. The rear three cars were also derailed but remained upright. A total of 46 people were aboard the train, including three staff members. Five passengers were killed in the accident, and 33 people sustained injuries (including two staff members).[13][14]Heavy snow and winds hampered recovery efforts, and the train was not removed from the accident scene until 1 January 2006. The line was reopened to traffic on 19 January 2006.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcdJR Timetable, March 2012 issue, p.101/1003
- ^"TrainReview's guide to the Limited Express Inaho".
- ^abcĐặc cấp “いなほ", 485 hệ の định kỳ vận dụng chung liễu[Regular 485 series "Inaho" workings end].Japan Railfan Magazine Online(in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 2014.Retrieved14 July2014.
- ^abĐặc cấp “いなほ” の xa lạng を nhất tân します.News release(in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company - Niigata Division. 26 June 2013. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 July 2013.Retrieved26 June2013.
- ^abcd２０１３ niên ９ nguyệt ダイヤ cải chính について[September 2013 timetable revision details](PDF).News release(in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company - Niigata Division. 5 July 2013. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 20 March 2014.Retrieved9 July2013.
- ^JR tân càn tuyến ＆ đặc cấp liệt xa ファイル[JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. p. 78.ISBN978-4-330-00608-6.
- ^Liệt xa danh giam 1995[Train Name Directory 1995]. Japan: Railway Journal. August 1995.
- ^abcdefghiTeramoto, Mitsuteru (July 2001).Quốc thiết ・ＪＲ liệt xa danh đại từ điển[JNR & JR Train Name Encyclopedia]. Tokyo, Japan: Chuoshoin Publishing Co., Ltd. pp.106–107.ISBN4-88732-093-0.
- ^Kuribayashi, Nobuyuki (December 2012). "Toàn thịnh kỳ の quốc thiết đặc cấp を toát る! その22" [Photographing JNR limited expresses in their heyday - Part 22].Japan Railfan Magazine.Vol. 52, no. 620. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. p. 125.
- ^JR Timetable, December 2010 issue, p.100
- ^JR điện xa biên thành biểu 2012 hạ[JR EMU Formations - Summer 2012]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. May 2012. pp.34–35.ISBN978-4-330-28612-9.
- ^3 nguyệt 15 nhật ダイヤ cải chính と các địa の thoại đề[15 March timetable revision and topics from around the regions].Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine(in Japanese). Vol. 43, no. 361. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. May 2014. p. 15.
- ^Japan Transport Safety Board accicent report[permanent dead link]Retrieved 21 December 2009.(in Japanese)
- ^Japan Science & Technology Agency accident case studyArchived10 February 2009 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 21 December 2009.(in Japanese)
External links
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