The Tsurugi (つるぎ, "sword") is a high-speed shinkansen train service operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Toyama and Tsuruga on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line in Japan. The shinkansen service was introduced on 14 March 2015, but the name was first used for a limited express overnight "Blue Train" sleeping car train service operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later by JR West from 1961 until 1994. It was named after Mount Tsurugi.
 A JR East E7 series train on the Hokuriku Shinkansen | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Shinkansen (Local) |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale | Hokuriku region, Japan |
| First service | 1 October 1961 (Limited express) 14 March 2015 (Shinkansen) |
| Current operator(s) |  JR West |
| Former operator(s) | JNR |
| Route | |
| Termini | Toyama Tsuruga |
| Service frequency | 25 return services daily |
| Line(s) used | Hokuriku Shinkansen |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | Green + Ordinary |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | E7 series, W7 series |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 25 kV AC, 50/60 Hz overhead |
| Operating speed | 260 km/h (160 mph) |
Service outline
editAs of 16 March 2024[update], 25 return Tsurugi services operate daily as a shuttle between Toyama and Tsuruga, with some services stopping at every station en route.[1] Trains operate at a maximum speed of 260 km/h (160 mph).[2]
Rolling stock
edit- E7 series 12-car sets based at Nagano Depot, since 14 March 2015
- W7 series 12-car sets based at Hakusan Depot, since 14 March 2015
Tsurugi services are operated using JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series 12-car train sets based at Nagano and Hakusan depots respectively.[2]
-
JR East E7 series train set F12 on the Hokuriku Shinkansen
Formations
editTsurugi shinkansen services use 12-car JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series trainsets, formed as follows, with car 1 at the Toyama (eastern) end. Cars 1 to 7 are ordinary-class cars with 2+3 seating, car 11 is a "Green" car with 2+2 seating, and cars 8 to 10 and 12 are not available for passenger use. All cars are no-smoking.[3]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Not in use | Not in use | Not in use | Green | Not in use |
| Facilities | Toilets | Toilets, phone | Toilets | Wheelchair space, accessible toilet, phone | Wheelchair space, accessible toilet |
History
editSleeping car Tsurugi
edit
The Tsurugi service was first introduced on 1 October 1961 as a limited express service operating between Osaka and Niigata.[4] Regular Tsurugi services were discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on 4 December 1994.[4]
Shinkansen Tsurugi
editFrom 14 March 2015, the name Tsurugi was reinstated for use on all-stations shuttle services operating between Toyama and Kanazawa following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond Nagano.[2] Services were extended to Tsuruga when the Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended on 16 March 2024.[5][1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "北陸新幹線 金沢—敦賀間が開業". Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ a b c 長野～金沢のあらまし [Outline of Nagano to Kanazawa]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 44, no. 371. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. March 2015. pp. 12–14.
- ^ JR Timetable. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. February 2015. EAN 4910053110259.
- ^ a b Teramoto, Mitsuteru (July 2001). 国鉄・ＪＲ列車名大辞典 [JNR & JR Train Name Encyclopedia]. Tokyo, Japan: Chuoshoin Publishing Co., Ltd. pp. 164–165. ISBN 4-88732-093-0.
- ^ "Hokuriku Shinkansen's Kanazawa-Tsuruga extension set to open Saturday". The Japan Times. 14 March 2024. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
External links
edit
- JR West Tsurugi train information (in Japanese)