Lilac (train)

Lilac

781 series EMU on a Lilac service, September 2007
Overview
Service type Limited express
First service 1 June 1963 (Express)
1 October 1980 (Limited express)
Last service October 2007
Current operator(s) JR Hokkaido
Route
Line used Hakodate Main Line
Technical
Rolling stock 781 series EMUs

The Lilac (ライラック Rairakku) was a limited express train service in Hokkaido, Japan, operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) between 1980 and 2007.[1]

Rolling stock

Services were normally formed of 4-car 781 series EMUs based at Sapporo. All cars were non-reserved except for car 4.[2]

History

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.[3]

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.[3]

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.[4] 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.[2]

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.[5]

Improved "u-Seat" reserved seating accommodation (rows 1 to 7) was added to half of car 4 between March and June 2001.[5]

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.[6]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lilac.
  1. ↑ Haraguchi, Takayuki (2009). Encyclopedia of JR's Railway Cars: ＪＲ全車輌. Japan: Sekai Bunka. p. 220. ISBN 978-4-418-09905-4.
  2. 1 2 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.
  3. 1 2 列車名鑑1995 [Train Name Directory 1995]. Japan: Railway Journal. August 1995. pp. 25, 130.
  4. ↑ 最新特急大カタログ [Modern Limited Express Catalogue]. Japan: JTB. November 1992.
  5. 1 2 JR電車編成表 '05冬号 [JR EMU Formations - Winter 2005]. Japan: JRR. January 2005. p. 3. ISBN 4-88283-042-6.
  6. ↑ JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. p. 84. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
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