Japanese limited express train service
The
Lilac
(
ライラック
,
Rairakku
)
is a
limited express
train service operated by
Hokkaido Railway Company
(JR Hokkaido) between
Sapporo
and
Asahikawa
in
Hokkaido
via the
Hakodate Main Line
since 4 March 2017. The
Lilac
train service name was also formerly used for express and limited express services operated by
Japanese National Railways
(JNR) and later by JR Hokkaido between 1963 and 2007.
[1]
Stations
[
edit
]
Services stop at the following stations.
Rolling stock
[
edit
]
Services are normally formed of six-car
789 series
electric multiple unit
(EMU) trains.
[2]
All cars are no-smoking.
[2]
Up until 2007,
Lilac
services were normally formed of 4-car
781 series
EMUs based at Sapporo. All cars were non-reserved except for car 4.
[3]
History
[
edit
]
1963-1968
[
edit
]
The
Lilac
was first introduced on 1 June 1963 as an express service operating between
Hakodate
and
Sapporo
via
Otaru
. This service was discontinued from 1 October 1968 when it was merged with the
Niseko
express.
[4]
1980-2007
[
edit
]
The
Lilac
name was revived from 1 October 1980 as a limited express service operating between
Muroran
and
Asahikawa
via
Sapporo
, replacing previous
Ishikari
(Sapporo – Asahikawa) limited express and
Chitose
(Chitose and Muroran Main Line) express services.
[4]
From 1 July 1992, with the opening of
New Chitose Airport
,
Lilac
services were changed to operate between New Chitose Airport and Asahikawa via Sapporo, where trains reversed. Between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, trains operated as the
Airport
rapid service. At the same time, the services to Mururan were split off to become the
Suzuran
limited express.
[5]
The
Lilac
services supplemented the
Super White Arrow
services between Sapporo and Asahikawa, which stopped at fewer stations. The
Lilac
services operated hourly, departing from Sapporo and Asahikawa at 30 minutes past the hour, taking 1 hour 30 minutes.
[3]
Trains were repainted from the original JNR livery into a new livery based on that of the
Super Tokachi
between February 1992 and March 1993.
[6]
Improved "u-Seat" reserved seating accommodation (rows 1 to 7) was added to half of car 4 between March and June 2001.
[6]
Lilac
services were discontinued from the start of the 1 October 2007 timetable revision, when they were merged and replaced together with the former
Super White Arrow
services to become
Super Kamui
services, and the 781 series EMUs were retired.
[7]
-
781 series EMU in original JNR livery, 1986
-
781 series on a
Lilac
service at Asahikawa Station, showing the modified livery applied to the "u-Seat" car, November 2006
2017-
[
edit
]
From the start of the revised timetable on 4 March 2017,
Lilac
limited express services were reintroduced between
Sapporo
and
Asahikawa
using six-car
789-0 series
EMUs previously used on
Super Hakucho
services until March 2016. These services complement the
Kamui
services using five-car 789-1000 series EMUs.
[8]
References
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Lilac
.
- ^
Haraguchi, Takayuki (2009).
Encyclopedia of JR's Railway Cars: JR全車?
. Japan: Sekai Bunka. p. 220.
ISBN
978-4-418-09905-4
.
- ^
a
b
"JR Hokkaido Train Guide"
(in Japanese). Japan: Hokkaido Railway Company. 2017.
Archived
from the original on 6 March 2017
. Retrieved
6 March
2017
.
- ^
a
b
こだわりの新幹線&特急列車ガイド
[
In-depth Shinkansen & Limited Express Guide
]. Japan: Ikaros Publishing. August 2000.
ISBN
4-87149-284-2
.
- ^
a
b
列車名鑑1995
[
Train Name Directory 1995
]. Japan: Railway Journal. August 1995. pp. 25, 130.
- ^
最新特急大カタログ
[
Modern Limited Express Catalogue
]. Japan: JTB. November 1992.
- ^
a
b
JR電車編成表 '05冬?
[
JR EMU Formations - Winter 2005
]. Japan: JRR. January 2005. p. 3.
ISBN
4-88283-042-6
.
- ^
JR新幹線&特急列車ファイル
[
JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File
]. Japan: K?ts? Shimbun. 2008. p. 84.
ISBN
978-4-330-00608-6
.
- ^
平成29年3月ダイヤ改正について
[March 2017 timetable revision]
(PDF)
.
News release
(in Japanese). Japan: Hokkaido Railway Company. 16 December 2016. p. 3.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on 16 December 2016
. Retrieved
17 December
2016
.
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