The Wakashio (わかしお) is a limited express train service in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It runs from Tokyo to Kazusa-Ichinomiya and Awa-Kamogawa on the Bōsō Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture.
 An E257-500 series unit on a Keiyo Line Wakashio service | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Limited express |
| Locale | Chiba Prefecture |
| First service | 15 July 1972 |
| Current operator(s) | JR East |
| Former operator(s) | JNR |
| Route | |
| Termini | Tokyo Awa-Kamogawa |
| Distance travelled | 132.5 km (82.3 mi) |
| Service frequency | 12 return trips daily |
| Line(s) used | Keiyo Line, Sotobo Line |
| On-board services | |
| Catering facilities | Trolley service |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | E257-500 series EMU |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC overhead |
| Operating speed | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
Station stops
editWakashio services operate over the Keiyo Line and Sotobo Line, stopping at the following stations.[1] Some services terminate at Kazusa-Ichinomiya, and some services operate as "Local" all-stations services between Katsuura and Awa-Kamogawa.[2] From March 2018, all trains pass through Ubara and Awa-Amatsu stations.[3]
Tokyo -
Shin-Kiba※-
Kaihimmakuhari※ - Soga - Toke※ - Ōami - Mobara - Kazusa-Ichinomiya - Ōhara - Onjuku - Katsuura - Kazusa-Okitsu※ - Awa-Kominato - Awa-Kamogawa
※:Some trains pass through these stations.
Shinjuku Wakashio services, operating mainly on weekends only, stop at the following stations between Shinjuku and Soga.[1]
Shinjuku - Akihabara - Kinshichō - Funabashi - Tsudanuma - Chiba - Soga ... Awa-Kamogawa
Rolling stock
edit- E257-500 series 5/10-car EMUs (since 16 October 2004)
Wakashio services are operated using Makuhari-based 5-car E257-500 series EMU formations. The E257-500 series formations have no Green (first class) cars.[2]
Past
edit- 183 series 9-car EMUs (15 July 1972 – October 2004)
- 255 series 9-car EMUs (since 2 July 1993 – 15 March 2024[4])
-
A 183 series EMU in May 2002
Formations
editTrains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo end.[1][5][6]
9-car 255 series
edit| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuHa 254 | MoHa 254 | MoHa 255 | SaRo 255 | SaHa 254 | SaHa 255 | MoHa 254 | MoHa 255 | KuHa 255 |
| Accommodation | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Green | Reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved |
5-car E257 series
edit| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuHa E256-500 | MoHa E257-1500 | MoHa E256-500 | MoHa E257-500 | KuHa E257-500 |
| Accommodation | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved |
5+5-car E257 series
edit| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuHa E256-500 | MoHa E257-1500 | MoHa E256-500 | MoHa E257-500 | KuHa E257-500 | KuHa E256-500 | MoHa E257-1500 | MoHa E256-500 | MoHa E257-500 | KuHa E257-500 |
| Accommodation | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved |
Past formations
editTrains were originally formed of 9-car 183 series EMUs with formed as shown below, including one Green car, as shown below.[7]
9-car 183 series
edit| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Green | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved |
- All cars except the Green car were non-reserved for Ohayo Wakashio and Hometown Wakashio services.[7]
History
editThe Wakashio service commenced on 15 July 1972, using 183 series EMUs.[8] Evening Hometown Wakashio services for commuters were introduced from 16 March 1991, operating from Tokyo to Kazusa-Ichinomiya.[9] New 255 series EMUs were introduced from 2 July 1993, initially branded as View Wakashio.[9] Morning Oyaho Wakashio services for commuters were introduced from 3 December 1994, operating from Kazusa-Ichinomiya to Tokyo.[9] New E257-500 series EMUs were introduced from 16 October 2004, displacing the remaining 183 series trainsets.[2] From the start of the revised timetable on 10 December 2005, Wakashio services were made entirely no-smoking.[5]
The opening of the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line road across the Tokyo Bay in 1997 saw increased competition from long-distance bus services offering cheaper fares, resulting in decreasing ridership figures on the Wakashio services.[10] From the start of the 15 March 2014 timetable revision, the number of services was reduced from 15 to 13 return workings daily.[10]
With the timetable revision on 16 March 2024, the number of Wakashio services is scheduled to reduce again and all remaining regular services will only operate as 5-car formations using E257 series trains. As a result, 9- and 10-car trainsets will cease to run on these services. In addition, services to/from Shinjuku will only operate on selected Saturdays and holidays.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c JR Timetable. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. April 2016. pp. 95–95, 984.
- ^ a b c JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. p. 66. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
- ^ Information about schedule change in March 2017- EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY Chiba branch、2017-12-15
- ^ a b "2023【ダイヤ改正日】 2024年3月16日（土） - JR東日本 (PDF)" [2023[Timetable revision date] Saturday, March 16, 2024 - JR East] (PDF) (in Japanese). JR East. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ a b JR電車編成表 2012冬 [JR EMU Formations - Winter 2012]. Japan: JRR. October 2011. pp. 50–51. ISBN 978-4-330-25611-5.
- ^ 千葉を走る列車＞わかしお：EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY Chiba branch (Japanese)
- ^ 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. pp. 84–85. ISBN 4-87149-284-2.
- ^ 列車名鑑1995 [Train Name Directory 1995]. Japan: Railway Journal. August 1995. p. 130.
- ^ a b c 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. 608–609. ISBN 4-88732-093-0.
- ^ a b 房総特急 引き潮 高速道充実で利用者減少 [Boso limited expresses ebbing: Passenger numbers falling due to improved expressway network]. Tokyo Shimbun Web (in Japanese). Japan: The Chunichi Shimbun. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
External links
edit
- JR East 255 series Shiosai/Wakashio/Sazanami (in Japanese)
- JR East E257 series Wakashio/Sazanami/Shiosai/Ayame (in Japanese)