Twilight Express Mizukaze
|
Artist's impression published in September 2015 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Excursion train |
| Status | Planned |
| Locale | Japan |
| First service | Spring 2017 (scheduled) |
| Current operator(s) | JR West |
| On-board services | |
| Sleeping arrangements | Private suites |
| Catering facilities | Dining car |
| Observation facilities | Observation cars at each end of train |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | 87 series DMU |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
The Twilight Express Mizukaze (TWILIGHT EXPRESS瑞風) is a deluxe sleeping-car excursion train on order by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Japan for use on services from spring 2017. With a capacity of approximately 30 passengers, the train will be used on excursions in the Keihanshin, Sanin, and Sanyo regions of western Japan.[1]
Design
The train is being built jointly by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Kinki Sharyo.[2]
Propulsion
The train will be a 10-car self-propelled hybrid diesel multiple unit (DMU) train combining a diesel generator and battery storage power, allowing it to operate on the non-electrified Sanin Main Line.[3]
Styling
The train styling is being overseen by industrial designer Tetsuo Fukuda (福田 哲夫) and architect and interior designer Kazuya Ura (浦 一也).
Logo
The train's logo design combines a stylized "M" with the angels used in the logo of JR West's Twilight Express sleeping car train, which operated from 1989 until March 2015.[1]
Train formation
The ten-coach train will consist of six sleeping cars, a lounge car, a dining car, and observation cars at either end of the train with open balconies.[1] Five of the sleeping cars will have three private suite rooms, while one car will have a single luxury suite occupying the entire coach and featuring a bathtub and private balcony. The train formation will be as shown below.[4][5]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car type | Observation car | Sleeping car | Sleeping car | Sleeping car | Lounge | Dining car | Sleeping car | Sleeping car | Sleeping car | Observation car |
| Numbering | KiSaINe 86-101 | KiSaINe 86-301 | KiSaINe 86-401 | KiSaINe 86-201 | KiSaINe 86-1 | |||||
| Facilities | Observation deck | Twin x 3 | Twin x 3 | Single x 2, Twin x 1 | Suite x 1 | Twin x 3 | Twin x 3 | Observation deck |
Cars 2, 3, 8, and 9, will each have three double-occupancy "Twin" rooms, car 4 will have two single-occupancy "Single" rooms and a universal design "Twin" room, and car 7 will have one double-occupancy "Suite" room.[4]
Catering
On-board catering will be overseen by food columnist Takeshi Kadokami (門上 武司), with some of the menus designed by chef Yoshihiro Murata (村田 吉弘), owner of the Kikuoi restaurant in Kyoto, and Hajime Yoneda (米田 肇), owner of the Hajime restaurant.[1]
Tour routes
The train will initially be used on excursions in the Keihanshin, Sanin, and Sanyo regions of western Japan.[1] The following five tour routes will be offered:[6]
- Sanyo Course (Down)
- Two-day tour from Kyoto and Osaka to Shimonoseki via the Sanyo Main Line, stopping off at Miyajimaguchi and Onomichi en route.
- Sanyo Course (Up)
- Two-day tour from Shimonoseki to Kyoto and Osaka via the Sanyo Main Line, stopping off at Kurashiki and Iwakuni en route.
- Sanin Course (Down)
- Two-day tour from Osaka and Kyoto to Shimonoseki via the Sanin Main Line, stopping off at Kinosaki Onsen and Higashi-Hagi en route.
- Sanin Course (Up)
- Two-day tour from Shimonoseki to Kyoto and Osaka via the Sanin Main Line, stopping off at Izumoshi and Tottori en route.
- Sanin & Sanyo Course
- Three-day circular tour from Kyoto and Osaka back to Kyoto via the Sanyo Main Line and Sanin Main Line, stopping off at Okayama, Shinji/Matsue, and Higashihama en route.
History
JR West first announced its plans to build a new luxury cruising train in May 2014.[7] The name of the train, Twilight Express Mizukaze, and train logo were officially unveiled on 19 February 2015.[1]
The first five intermediate cars of the ten-car trainset were delivered from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe in March 2016.[5]
See also
- List of named passenger trains of Japan
- Joyful Train, the generic name for excursion and charter trains in Japan
- Seven Stars in Kyushu, a luxury cruising train operated by JR Kyushu in Japan
- Train Suite Shiki-shima, a luxury sleeping car excursion train planned by JR East in Japan
References
- ↑ "Mizukase Project Story Vol 1" (in Japanese). Japan: West Japan Railway Company. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ↑ 「トワイライト」消えず JR西の豪華寝台列車は「TWILIGHT EXPRESS 瑞風」に [JR West's luxury sleeper train to be "Twilight Express Mizukaze"]. Traffic News (in Japanese). Japan: Mediavague Co., Ltd. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- 1 2 TWILIGHT EXPRESS 瑞風の車両デザインについて [Details of the Twilight Express Mizukaze design]. News release (in Japanese). Japan: West Japan Railway Company. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- 1 2 「トワイライトエクスプレス瑞風」の中間車が川崎重工から出場 [Twilight Express Mizukaze intermediate cars delivered from Kawasaki Heavy Industries]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ↑ "Twilight Express Mizukaze Press Release" (pdf) (in Japanese). Japan: West Japan Railway Company. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
External links
- Official website (Japanese)
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