Twilight Express Mizukaze
87 series Twilight Express Mizukaze | |
---|---|
![]() The JR West KiHa 87 series Twilight Express Mizukaze hybrid DMU cruise train in October 2022 | |
Manufacturer | Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo |
Entered service | 17 June 2017 |
Number built | 10 cars (1 set) |
Formation | 10 cars per set |
Capacity | 34 |
Operators | JR West |
Specifications | |
Car body construction | Steel Aluminium alloy, double-skin(KiSaINe 86-1, 101, 201, 301, 401) |
Car length | 21.24 m (69 ft 8 in) (end cars) 20.8 m (68 ft 3 in) (intermediate cars) |
Width | 2,900 mm (9 ft 6 in) |
Height | 4,070 mm (13 ft 4 in) |
Floor height | 1,220 mm (4 ft 0 in) |
Maximum speed | 110 km/h (68 mph) |
Acceleration | 1.6 km/(h⋅s) (0.99 mph/s) |
Deceleration | 3.9 km/(h⋅s) (2.4 mph/s) |
Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
The 87 series (87
Design
[edit]The train was built jointly by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Kinki Sharyo.[4]
Propulsion
[edit]The train is a ten-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.[5]
Styling
[edit]The train styling was overseen by industrial designer Tetsuo Fukuda (
Logo
[edit]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.[6]
Train formation
[edit]The ten-coach train consists of six sleeping cars, a lounge car, a dining car, and observation cars at either end of the train with open balconies. Five of the sleeping cars have three private suite rooms, while one car has a single luxury suite occupying the entire coach and featuring a bathtub and private balcony. The train formation is as shown below:[3]
Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Car type | Observation car | Sleeping car | Lounge | Dining car | Sleeping car | Observation car | ||||
Designation | MFC2 | TNF1 | TNF3 | TNF4 | ML | MD | TNWF | TNF2 | TNF | MFC1 |
Numbering | KiITe 87-2 | KiSaINe 86-101 | KiSaINe 86-301 | KiSaINe 86-401 | KiRa 86-1 | KiShi 86-1 | KiSaINe 86-501 | KiSaINe 86-201 | KiSaINe 86-1 | KiITe 87-1 |
Weight (t) | 55.2 | 43.8 | 40.3 | 41.6 | 58.3 | 58.1 | 48.7 | 40.5 | 43.8 | 55.3 |
Capacity | 8 | 6 | - | - | 4 | 6 | 8 | |||
Facilities | Observation deck | Twin x 3 | Single x 2, Twin x 1 | Bar counter | Kitchen | Suite x 1 | Twin x 3 | Observation deck |
Cars 1, 5, 6, and 10 are powered.[7] Cars 2, 3, 8, and 9, each have three double-occupancy "Twin" rooms, car 4 has two single-occupancy "Single" rooms and a universal design "Twin" room, and car 7 has one double-occupancy "Suite" room.[3] In addition to the en-suite toilets provided in all rooms, cars 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9 have toilets for use by all passengers.[7]
Catering
[edit]On-board catering will be overseen by food columnist Takeshi Kadokami (
Tour routes
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Twilight_Express_Mizukaze_test_run_20170424.jpg/220px-Twilight_Express_Mizukaze_test_run_20170424.jpg)
The train will initially be used on excursions in the Keihanshin, Sanin, and Sanyo regions of western Japan.[6] The following five tour routes will be offered:[8]
- Sanyo Course (Outbound)
- Two-day tour from Kyoto and Osaka to Shimonoseki via the Sanyo Main Line, stopping off at Miyajimaguchi and Onomichi en route.
- Sanyo Course (Inbound)
- Two-day tour from Shimonoseki to Kyoto and Osaka via the Sanyo Main Line, stopping off at Kurashiki and Iwakuni en route.
- Sanin Course (Outbound)
- 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 (Inbound)
- 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
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Twilight_Express_Mizukaze_test_run_at_Saijo_Station_2017-02-01.jpg/220px-Twilight_Express_Mizukaze_test_run_at_Saijo_Station_2017-02-01.jpg)
JR West first announced its plans to build a new luxury cruising train in May 2014.[9] The name of the train, Twilight Express Mizukaze, and train logo were officially unveiled on 19 February 2015.[6]
The first five intermediate cars of the ten-car trainset were delivered from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe in March 2016.[10] The two end cars, KiITe 87-1 and KiITe 87-2, were delivered from the Kinki Sharyo factory in Osaka in August 2016.[11] Mainline test running commenced in late September, initially with the train formed as four cars.[12]
See also
[edit]- 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 operated by JR East in Japan
References
[edit]- ^ 「トワイライトエクスプレス
瑞 風 」2017年 6月 17日 デビューへ料金 も発表 ["Twilight Express Mizukaze" to debut on 16 June 2017]. tetsudo-shimbun.com (in Japanese). Japan: Tetsudo Shimbun. 29 November 2016. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016. - ^ Friel, Mikhaila (13 January 2024). "The best luxury train rides in 2024". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
34 passengers
- ^ a b c Nabeya, Takeshi (July 2017). 「TWILIGHT EXPRESS
瑞 風 」 87系 寝台 気動車 ["Twilight Express Mizukaze" 87 series sleeping car DMU]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 57, no. 675. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 90–101. - ^ "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. - ^ a b TWILIGHT EXPRESS
瑞 風 [Twilight Express Mizukaze]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 57, no. 671. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. March 2017. pp. 56–61. - ^ "Twilight Express Mizukaze Press Release" (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: West Japan Railway Company. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ 「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. - ^ 「トワイライトエクスプレス
瑞 風 」の先頭 車両 が甲種 輸送 される [Twilight Express Mizukaze end cars delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016. - ^ "
瑞 風 "公式 試運転 開始 [Mizukaze test running starts]. RM News (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 30 September 2016. Archived from the original on 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)