This site is an online media that delivers all sorts of trivia about the six Tohoku prefectures, from sightseeing and gourmet spots to local customs, history, and more
This time,the Japan Sea Main Linewe will introduce express trains that ran on the section ofwhich were operated using diesel railcars (DMUs) instead of electric trains, even though the entire section from the starting station to the terminal station was electrified. Note that there were many cases where DMUs were used for special trains, and it is difficult to research them all, so we will only introduce regular trains.
Furthermore, cases where only a portion of a train set runs under overhead wires for its entire route, even if the train has multiple starting and ending stations, are excluded. (In this case, the express train "Senshu" is excluded. While "Senshu" trains had a set connecting Sendai Station and Aomori Station, as well as aset connecting Yonezawa Station and Aomori Station, the former set runs on the non-electrified Rikuu East Line.)
For details on what "diesel railcars" and "electrification" are, please refer to the first installment of this series, "Tohoku Main Line Edition." The previous articles are listed below.
The Japan Sea Main Lineis a collective term for several railway lines and is not an official line name. primarilythe group of lines connecting Osaka Station in Osaka Prefecture to Aomori Station in Aomori Prefecture, running along the Sea of Japan coastrefers to Because it is the shortest route connecting the Kinki region with Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido, it has long played a vital role in freight transport. Furthermore, passenger trains that ran the entire length of the Japan Sea Main Line also existed in the past, such as the "Hakucho" limited express train that operated between Osaka Station and Aomori Station from 1961 to 2001.
Of the routes included in the Japan Sea Longitudinal Line, the following two routes pass through the Tohoku region
Uetsu Main Line: From Niitsu Station in Akiha Ward, Niigata City, Niigata PrefectureAkita Stationto
Ou Main Line(partial):Akita Stationin Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture.Aomori Stationto
On the long journey from Niitsu Station to Aomori Station, the train passes through stations such as Shibata, Sakamachi, and Murakami in Niigata Prefecture; Nezugaseki, Amarume, and Sakata in Yamagata Prefecture; Ugo-Honjo, Akita, and Odate in Akita Prefecture; Ikarigaseki, Owani Onsen, Hirosaki, Kawabe, and Shin-Aomori in Aomori Prefecture
The Uetsu Main Line runs through the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture
On the Uetsu Main Line and the Ou Main Line,numerous express and limited express trainshave long operated to connect the prefectures along the Sea of Japan coast. As there are no parallel Shinkansen lines, limited express trains such as the "Inaho" connecting Niigata Station to Sakata Station and Akita Station, and the "Tsugaru" and "Super Tsugaru" connecting Akita Station to Aomori Station still operate today.
It should be noted that Niigata Station, the central station of Niigata City, is not located on the Uetsu Main Line. Trains that depart from or arrive at Niigata Station, such as the "Inaho,"the Hakushin Line, and then enter the Uetsu Main Line from Shibata Station (they do not pass through the section between Niitsu Station and Shibata Station).
The Ou Main Lineelectrified in August 1971.was alsoelectrified in August 1972waselectrified at the same time). With the electrification of the Uetsu Main Line, the electrification of the entire Japan Sea Main Line between Osaka Station and Aomori Station was completed.
The Uetsu Main Line is electrified with 1,500V DC from Niitsu Station to Murakami Station, and 50Hz/20,000V AC from Murakami Station (excluding the station premises) to Akita Station. Therefore, to operate electric trains and electric locomotives through this section, it is necessary to use rolling stock compatible with both electrification systems. On the other hand, the Ou Main Line from Akita Station to Aomori Station uses 50Hz/20,000V AC.
Express "Shimokita" (express trains operated under the overhead wires from Morioka Station to Hirosaki Station and from Owani Station to Morioka Station)
which debuted in July 1959.Hakkoda," It connected Morioka Station in Iwate Prefecture and Owani Station (now Owani Onsen Station) in Aomori Prefecture via the Tohoku Main Line (now the Iwate Galaxy Railway Line and Aoimori Railway Line) and the Ou Main Line. Although Aomori Station, which the train passes through along the way, is a dead-end station, the direction of travel of the train changes there, even though it is not the final destination for the "Hakkoda."
*The Iwate Galaxy Railway Line (Morioka Station to Meji Station) and the Aoimori Railway Line (Meji Station to Aomori Station) were both sections of the Tohoku Main Line (now Tokyo Station to Morioka Station) at the time
The "Hakkoda" train was renamed the semi-express "Shimokita" in 1961. It's called "Shimokita" for some reason, even though it doesn't run on the Ōminato Line that passes through the Shimokita Peninsula.
In October 1965, the semi-express "Shimokita" was discontinued. However, in October of the following year, 1966,as an express train with two routes: one from Morioka to Ikarigaseki and another from Owani to Moriokawas revived It was an unusual train in that its starting and ending stations on the Aomori Prefecture side were different. Also, the train bound for Ikarigaseki was treated as a local train, not an express, from Hirosaki Station to its final destination, Ikarigaseki Station. Furthermore, from the beginning, it was operated by diesel railcars, not by locomotives pulling passenger cars.
Of the routes used by the "Shimokita" train, the Tohoku Main Line was electrified in August 1968, and the Ou Main Line was electrified in August 1971. However, the trains were not replaced with electric trains, so from then on, ita diesel express train that ran under overhead wires for the entire routebecame
According to the March 1972 timetable, the trains operated on the following schedule: The journey from Morioka Station to Hirosaki Station (241.3 km) took 3 hours and 50 minutes, and the journey to Ikarigaseki Station (261.2 km) took 4 hours and 20 minutes. The journey from Owani Station to Morioka Station (253.1 km) took 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Shimokita: 113D (Local train 332D from Hirosaki Station) Departs Morioka Station at 17:55 Arrives Aomori Station at 21:00 (connects to the Seikan Ferry arriving at 20:50) Departs Aomori Station at 21:10 Arrives Hirosaki Station at 21:45 Arrives Ikarigaseki Station at 22:15
Shimokita: 112D Departs Owani Station at 6:10, arrives Aomori Station at 7:04 (connects to the Seikan Ferry departing at 7:30), departs Aomori Station at 7:25, arrives Morioka Station at 10:40
(The Seikan Ferry was a ferry that connected the railway lines between Aomori Station and Hakodate Station in Hokkaido.)
The style of one round trip per day by diesel railcar express train remained completely unchanged thereafter. Presumably, they were unable to procure an express electric train capable of running on AC electrified sections.
In November 1982, with the opening of the Tohoku Shinkansen, the express train "Shimokita"to the limited express train "Hatsukariwas discontinued and upgraded " Simultaneously with the upgrade to a limited express, the line was also electrified with the introduction of the 485 series electric trains.
Limited express "Hatsukari" operated by 485 series electric trains (photo taken after the launch of JR)
The upgraded "Hatsukari" train primarily operated between Morioka Station and Aomori Station, but on Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays, one round trip train per dayextended its service to Hirosaki Station, suggesting it was a successor to the express train "Shimokita" (although its operating times were completely different from those of the express train "Shimokita"). However, the November 1986 timetable does not mention the extended service of "Hatsukari" between Aomori Station and Hirosaki Station, so it is thought to have ended with that revision.
Its successor, the Hatsukari, was discontinued in December 2002 when the Tohoku Shinkansen was extended from Morioka Station to Hachinohe Station
Currently, JR East operates a train called the "Shimokita" rapid service. This train runs between Noheji Station, the starting point of the Ōminato Line, or Hachinohe Station on the Aoimori Railway Line, and Ōminato Station, the terminal station of the Ōminato Line. As the name suggests, this train runs through the Shimokita Peninsula.
Ominato Line Rapid "Shimokita"
Express "Uetsu" (Niigata Station - Akita Station)
In March 1962, the semi-express train "Uetsu" began operation between Niigata Station and Akita Station. Although the "Uetsu" service was discontinued in 1965, an irregular express train called "Uetsu" reappeared in October 1967 between Niigata Station and Sakata Station.
In October 1968, the "Uetsu" train became a regular daily service, and its routebetween Niigata Station and Akita Stationwas extended to run Some say it returned to its original configuration.
Even after the Hakushin Line and Uetsu Main Line were electrified in August 1972, the "Uetsu" remained a diesel-poweredexpress train, operating entirely under overhead wires. In October 1972, the "Uetsu" service was increased to two round trips per day. The additional trains also remained diesel-powered.
According to the October 1978 timetable, the schedule was as follows: The journey time from Niigata Station to Akita Station (273.0 km) was approximately 4 and a half hours. Currently, the limited express "Inaho" takes about 3 hours and 35 minutes.
Uetsu 1: 811D Departs Niigata Station at 7:19, arrives Sakamachi Station at 8:08 (separates Asahi 2 bound for Sendai), departs Sakamachi Station at 8:12, arrives Sakata Station at 10:18, arrives Akita Station at 12:04
Uetsu 3: 813D Departs Niigata Station at 15:31 Arrives Sakamachi Station at 16:20 (separates Asahi 4 bound for Sendai) Departs Sakamachi Station at 16:27 Arrives Sakata Station at 18:20 Arrives Akita Station at 20:03
Uetsu 2: 812D Departs Akita Station at 7:33, arrives Sakata Station at 9:06, arrives Amarume Station at 9:18 (couples Gassan 1, which departs from Yamagata), departs Amarume Station at 9:24, arrives Nezumigaseki Station at 10:15 (detaches Gassan 1), departs Nezumigaseki Station at 10:20, arrives Niigata Station at 11:56
Uetsu 4: 814D Departs Akita Station at 12:35 Arrives Sakata Station at 14:16 Arrives Niigata Station at 17:04
The "Uetsu" train was operated in conjunction with another diesel express train. Since electric and diesel trains cannot be coupled together with a few exceptions, the "Uetsu" continued to be operated by diesel trains, even though its entire route was electrified.
The explanation of which trains the "Uetsu" trains were coupled with is a bit complicated. As of October 1978, the "Uetsu No. 1from its starting station, Niigata, to Sakamachi station,Asahi No. 2bound for Akita was coupled withUetsu No. 3"Asahi No. 4was coupled with The "Asahi" was a train that connected Niigata station to Sendai station via the Hakushin Line, Uetsu Main Line, Yonesaka Line, Ou Main Line, and Senzan Line (via Sakamachi, Yonezawa, and Yamagata stations). Since the Yonesaka Line was not electrified, the "Asahi" had to be operated by diesel railcars.
— Narumaru🌠Poporon (@tokimekupoporon) July 5, 2023
bound for NiigataUetsu No. 2the express train "Gassan No. 1was coupled with Nezugaseki Station. "Gassan No. 1" was a train that ran from Yamagata Station to Nezugaseki Station via the Ou Main Line, Rikuu West Line, and Uetsu Main Line (via Shinjo Station and Amarume Station), and since the Rikuu West Line is not electrified, it also needed to be operated by diesel railcars.
In addition to the Yamagata-bound trains to Nezugaseki (Nos. 1 and 5), the "Gassan" also had trains to Sakata (No. 3), Sakata (No. 5), Yamagata (Nos. 2 and 4), Sendai (No. 4), Sendai (No. 4), and Yamagata (No. 6) (you might think this is confusing, but even I don't understand it as I'm writing this). Trains departing from and arriving at Sendai Station were coupled with the "Asahi" train mentioned earlier between Sendai Station and Yamagata Station (the Senzan Line section), and then coupled with a "Gassan" train with the same number but a different destination between Yamagata Station and Amarume Station. I think this was quite confusing.
In 1982 (probably June), the train it was coupled with, "Asahi,"Benibanawas renamed was because "Asahi" was to be used as one of the names for trains on the Joetsu Shinkansen line, which was to open in November, so the express train "Asahi" changed its name.
When the Joetsu Shinkansen opened in November, the express train "Uetsu"was discontinued and upgraded to the limited express train "Inahothe rolling stock changed to the 485 series electric train. The express train "Shimokita," which was mentioned earlier, was also discontinued and upgraded to a limited express train. In the late days of Japanese National Railways and the early days of JR, express trains were being upgraded to limited express trains (or downgraded to rapid trains) all over the country.
Limited express "Inaho" when it was operated by 485 series trains
The express train "Benibana," which was coupled with the "Uetsu," continued to operate, but in March 1985, its route was shortened to between Yamagata Station and Niigata Station. Presumably, passengers traveling between Sendai Station and Niigata Station began to use the Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen lines, and there was no longer enough demand to justify running the "Benibana" from Sendai Station.
Subsequently, due to construction work for the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen, the conventional trains could no longer travel between Yonezawa Station and Yamagata Station. As a result, in 1991, the operating section of the express train "Benibana" was further shortened to between Niigata Station and Yonezawa Station, and it was downgraded to a rapid train.
There were no major developments for a while after that, but in August 2022, the Yonesaka Line was damaged by heavy rains, and bus replacement service is being provided in the affected section. The rapid train "Benibana" has been suspended since the disaster and has already been removed from the timetable.
The "Gassan" service also continued, but according to the November 1982 timetable, the "Gassan" service that departed from and arrived at Sendai Station appears to have been discontinued. Furthermore, looking at the November 1986 timetable, trains departing from and arriving at Nezugaseki Station were eliminated, and the service was changed to only run between Yamagata Station and Sakata Station (only Gassan No. 1 bound for Sakata ran as a local train from Sakata Station to Fukiura Station, four stations north). Then, in 1992, after the establishment of JR, it was downgraded to a rapid train, and later the nickname "Gassan" also disappeared.
The rapid train on the Rikuu West Line, which connects Shinjo Station and Sakata Station, was later given the nickname "Mogami River." However, the Rikuu West Line itself has been suspended since May 2022 due to tunnel construction work on a nearby national highway, and bus service is currently being provided as a substitute.
Express "Shirayuki" (Kanazawa Station - Aomori Station)
In April 1963, the express train "Shirayuki" was established, connecting Kanazawa Station in Ishikawa Prefecture with the Tohoku region. The southbound train ran from Kanazawa to Akita, and the northbound train ran from Aomori to Kanazawa. In 1965, the southbound train was also extended to Aomori. It connected two cities in the provinces that were not close to each other and couldwas an unusual express train, even for the JNR era before the establishment of JR (April 1987), as it Most express trains either connect major cities, connect major cities to regional cities, or, like the "Uetsu," connect relatively close regional cities.
Although the electrification of the route was completed in August 1972, the "Shirayuki" remained a diesel multiple unit (DMU). The "Shirayuki" operated over a distance of 772.4 km, making it perhaps-running diesel multiple unit express trainin Japanese railway history that that ran entirely under overhead wireslimited expressThere is an even longer Its route was between Osaka Station and Nishi-Kagoshima Station, now Kagoshima-Chuo Station, exceeding 900 km).
A solitary, long-distance diesel express train running under overhead wires 😍 The "Shirayuki" express train... It's hard to believe it's in the age of the Hokuriku Shinkansen. It used to run from Kanazawa to Aomori during the daytime... A train like a swan. A masterpiece I would have loved to ride all the way to. pic.twitter.com/PePTHRR8Q2
According to the October 1978 timetable, the "Shirayuki" schedule was as follows. A journey covering the 772.4 km from Kanazawa Station to Aomori Station would have been a long one, lasting approximately 12 and a half hours. Furthermore, the schedule was not set to allow for connections with the Aomori-Hakodate Ferry, suggesting that it was primarily a train connecting the Hokuriku, Niigata, and Tohoku regions.
Shirayuki: 501D Departs Kanazawa Station at 9:49, arrives Itoigawa Station at 11:56 (detaches Hakuba bound for Matsumoto), departs Itoigawa Station at 12:02, arrives Niigata Station at 14:26, arrives Sakata Station at 17:16, arrives Akita Station at 18:56 (couples with Kitakami No. 3 departing from Sendai), departs Akita Station at 19:21, arrives Aomori Station at 22:18
Shirayuki: 502D Departs Aomori Station at 6:50, arrives Akita Station at 9:46 (detaches Kitakami No. 4 bound for Sendai), departs Akita Station at 9:57, arrives Sakata Station at 11:34, arrives Niigata Station at 14:15, arrives Itoigawa Station at 17:04 (couples with Hakuba departing from Matsumoto), departs Itoigawa Station at 17:18, arrives Kanazawa Station at 19:17
The reason it couldn't be replaced with electric trains is likely because they couldn't secure electric trains suitable for express services. The electrification systems from Kanazawa Station to Aomori Station are AC 60Hz, DC, and AC 50Hz from west to east. To operate the express train "Shirayuki" as an electric train,expensive trains compatible with all three electrification systems would be required.
Similar to the "Uetsu," the "Shirayuki" also coupled with other diesel express trains along its route. between Kanazawa Station and Itoigawa Station in Niigata PrefectureHakuba" Furthermore, in the section from Akita Station to Aomori Station, the "Shirayuki" bound for Aomori coupled with the express "Kitakami No. 3," while the one bound for KanazawaKitakami No. 4.coupled with
The "Hakuba" train ran between Kanazawa Station and Matsumoto Station in Nagano Prefecture, via the Hokuriku Main Line (now the IR Ishikawa Railway Line, Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line, and Nihonkai Hisui Line) and the Oito Line. The "Kitakami" train ran between Sendai Station and Aomori Station, via the Tohoku Main Line, Kitakami Line, and Ou Main Line (via Kitakami Station, Yokote Station, and Akita Station). Because some sections of the Oito Line and the Kitakami Line are not electrified, these trains had to be operated by diesel railcars, and as long as they were coupled together, the "Shirayuki" could not be operated by electric trains either.
With the opening of the Joetsu Shinkansen in November 1982, the express train "Shirayuki" was extended to run between Fukui Station and Aomori Station,upgraded to the limited express "Hakucho,"and converted to 485 series electric trains (although departure and arrival times changed significantly). Until its eventual discontinuation, the "Shirayuki" continued to operate only one round trip per day using diesel railcars.
The "Hakuba" train, which was coupled with the "Shirayuki," was discontinued at the same time. In addition, the "Kitakami" was downgraded to a rapid train, and its operating section was shortened to run from Kitakami Station to Yuzawa Station in Akita Prefecture, so it no longer runs on the Japan Sea Main Line.
The "Shiratori," the successor to the "Shirayuki," which operated to and from Fukui Station, was shortened to run only between Fukui Station and Niigata Station in the March 1985 timetable revision, just over two years after its introduction, andalso changed to "Hokuetsu."was
in March 2015when the Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended from Nagano Station to Kanazawa Stationwas discontinued The train that can be called the successor to the "Hokuetsu" is the limited express "Shirayuki," which runs only within Niigata Prefecture, between Arai Station/Joetsu-Myoko Station and Niigata Station (via the Myoko Hanema Line and Shin'etsu Main Line). The limited express "Shirayuki" is the successor to the express "Shirayuki" (Hakucho), which in turn is the successor to the express "Hokuetsu." However, the length of the operating sections is so different that it is debatable whether they can be called trains of the same lineage, even though they have the same nickname.
Limited Express "Shirayuki"
Click here for a separate article about the express train "Shirayuki."
In October 1963,Sendai Station and Aomori Stationvia the Tohoku Main LineMutsu" began operation, In October 1965, the "Mutsu" extended its route from Sendai Station to Akita Station via Aomori Station, becoming a train that toured northern Tohoku. Since the distance from Sendai Station to Akita Station is shorter via the Kitakami Line (a line connecting Kitakami Station in Iwate Prefecture and Yokote Station in Akita Prefecture), it is thought that there were almost no passengers who rode the entire route.
In October 1968, the section between Sendai Station and Aomori Station, which was supposed to be the origin of the "Mutsu" train, was transferred to the expresstrainKurikoma," and the "Mutsu" was rerouted to run between Akita Station and Aomori Station. Since "Mutsu" mainly refers to the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region, the train became far removed from the original image of the word Mutsu. Incidentallyentirely under overhead wires until it was electrified in March 1972. Thisoperating is introduced in the Tohoku Main Line section.
In October 1970, the "Mutsu" service was increased to two round trips per day. Although the Ou Main Line was electrified in August 1971, the "Mutsu" continued to operate with diesel railcars,a diesel railcar express train that ran under overhead wires for the entire route. This was likely because its coupling partner was also a diesel railcar.
According to the March 1972 timetable, the schedule for the "Mutsu" train at that time was as follows. The journey time for the 185.8km from Akita Station to Aomori Station was 3 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 29 minutes. For comparison, the current "Super Tsugaru" train takes about 2 and a half hours. None of the four trains listed below were scheduled to allow for a connection with the Aomori-Hakodate Ferry at Aomori Station; their sole purpose was to connect Akita and Aomori.
Mutsu No. 1: 615D Departs Akita Station at 7:36, arrives Odate Station at 9:18 (separates from Miyako-bound Yoneshiro No. 1), departs Odate Station at 9:22, arrives Aomori Station at 11:00
Mutsu No. 2: 617D Departs Akita Station at 17:29 Arrives Odate Station at 19:19 Departs Odate Station at 19:21 Arrives Aomori Station at 20:39
Mutsu No. 1: 616D Departs Aomori Station at 8:10, arrives Odate Station at 9:27 (coupled with Yoneshiro No. 1 departing from Morioka), departs Odate Station at 9:34, arrives Akita Station at 11:20
Mutsu No. 2: 618D (coupled with Fukaura departing from Rikuchu-Yagi) Departs Aomori Station at 17:40 (detaches Fukaura bound for Fukaura) Departs Kawabe Station at 18:17 Arrives Odate Station at 19:12 (coupled with Yoneshiro No. 2 departing from Miyako) Departs Odate Station at 19:23 Arrives Akita Station at 21:09
(Currently, outbound trains are odd-numbered and inbound trains are even-numbered, but prior to the timetable revision in October 1978, no such distinction was made.)
"Mutsu No. 1" bound for Aomorifrom Akita Station to Odate StationYoneshiro No. 1was coupled with "Yoneshiro No. 1" was a train that ran from Akita Station to Miyako Station in Iwate Prefecture via the Ou Main Line, Hanawa Line, Tohoku Main Line (now the Iwate Galaxy Railway Line), and Yamada Line (via Odate Station, Komo Station, and Morioka Station). Since the Hanawa Line and Yamada Line were not electrified, it was necessary to operate the train using diesel railcars.
"Mutsu No. 1" bound for Akitafrom Odate Station to Akita StationYoneshiro No. 1was coupled with thefrom Morioka, not Miyako(and did not run on the Yamada Line). The "Mutsu No. 2" bound for Akitaalsodepartedcoupled with the "Yoneshiro No. 2," whichfrom Miyako. Furthermore, the "Mutsu No. 2between Aomori Station and Kawabe StationFukaurawas coupled with
The "Fukaura" train ran from Rikuchu-Yagi Station in Iwate Prefecture to Fukaura Station, via the Hachinohe Line, Tohoku Main Line (now the Aoimori Railway Line), Ou Main Line, and Gono Line (passing through Hachinohe Station, Aomori Station, Kawabe Station, and Goshogawara Station). It was a train that ran from the northeastern tip of Iwate Prefecture, through Aomori Station, to the western tip of Aomori Prefecture—something unimaginable today. Since the Hachinohe Line and Gono Line are not electrified, diesel railcars were necessary for the operation.
Furthermore, there was a period when the "Fukaura" was treated as a local train on both the Hachinohe Line and the Gono Line, in which case the sections where it operated as an express train were limited to the Tohoku Main Line and the Ou Main Line. In that sense, the "Fukaura" was a train whose entire express train service was electrified.
In November 1982, the "Mutsu" service was increased by one round trip, bringing the total to three round trips per day. On the other hand, coupled operations with other trains were reduced,with only "Mutsu No. 5" bound for Aomoribeing coupled with "Yoneshiro No. 3" between Odate Station and Hirosaki Station. The operating section of the "Yoneshiro" had changed from before, with one round trip per day from Odate Station terminating at Odate Station instead of continuing on the Ou Main Line towards Akita Station, and one round trip per day continuing north to Hirosaki Station.
In March 1985, the express "Mutsu"
Upgraded to an express train
485 series train
Reduced to one round trip per day
With the above steps taken,the "Mutsu" as a diesel express train ceased to exist.
The "Yoneshiro" train, which was coupled with the express train "Mutsu," was simultaneously downgraded to the rapid train "Hachimantai. " The "Hachimantai" service was discontinued in March 2015.
Then, in November 1986, about a year and a half after the launch of the limited express "Mutsu,"the "Mutsu" limited express was also discontinued.
The Limited Express Mutsu. It was upgraded from an express train, but it had a very short lifespan of less than two years. I guess I was lucky to be able to photograph it 😁 pic.twitter.com/0O5SdnrumR
The role of the Mutsu, which connected Akita Station and Aomori Station, will be taken over by the Inaho limited express, which connects Niigata Station and Aomori Station, and the Tazawa limited express, which connects Morioka Station and Aomori Station via the Tazawako Line and Ou Main Line (via Omagari Station and Akita Station)
Subsequently, with the opening of the Akita Shinkansen in March 1997, the limited express train connecting Akita Station and Aomori StationKamoshikawas named Furthermore, with the extension of the Tohoku Shinkansen from Hachinohe Station to Shin-Aomori Station in December 2010, the limited express train between Akita Station and Aomori Station was renamed "Tsugaruwhich has fewer stopsSuper Tsugaru,, was introduced, bringing us to the present day.
Limited Express "Tsugaru"
Express "Komakusa" (Yamagata Station - Akita Station, Aomori Station)
which ran between Yamagata Station and Aomori Station via the Ou Main Line,Komakusapassing through a section of the Japan Sea Main Linea diesel railcar express train that ran entirely under overhead wires,was This has already been explained in the Ou Main Line/Senzan Line section, so please refer to that.
This will be the final installment in our series on diesel express and limited express trains that ran entirely under overhead wires. Based on the timetables I have, I believe I have introduced all the relevant regular trains in the Tohoku region. I suchtrains existed in the pasthope you enjoyed the surprise of discovering that
As a side note, there are still many diesel railcars that operate entirely under overhead wires, as featured in this series, at least among local trains (there are also several express trains that operate entirely under overhead wires, such as "Rakuraku Biwako No. 4," "Maizuru Nos. 5, 15, 6, and 14," and "Hashidate No. 9"). In particular, on the Uetsu Main Line, which is the subject of this article, all local trains that cross the section between Murakami Station and Majima Station (where the electrification system changes), as well as the temporary rapid train "Kairi" (Niigata Station to Sakata Station), are operated by diesel railcars.
Electric trains aren't the only vehicles used on railways. Diesel railcars also play a wide role, taking advantage of their ability to operate under their own power regardless of whether the line is electrified or the type of electrification used.
![North Rainbow Express](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAJYAAACWAQAAAAAUekxPAAAAAnRSTlMAAHaTzTgAAAAaSURBVEjH7cExAQAAAMKg9U9tDQ+gAACAdwMLuAABXZHjmQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg== "Is it too minor? The special train "Harbor Rainbow" connecting Akita Prefecture and Hokkaido")
![North Rainbow Express](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/28143082_s-150x150.jpg.webp "Is it too minor? The special train "Harbor Rainbow" connecting Akita Prefecture and Hokkaido")
