Cassiopeia (train)
A Cassiopeia service hauled by EF510-509 in August 2010
|
|
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Limited express |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Locale | Japan |
| First service | July 1999 |
| Last service | March 2016 |
| Former operator(s) | JR East |
| Route | |
| Start | Ueno |
| End | Sapporo |
| Average journey time | Approx. 16½ hours |
| Service frequency | 3 times weekly |
| On-board services | |
| Seating arrangements | Lounge car |
| Sleeping arrangements | Compartments and suites |
| Catering facilities | Dining car |
| Observation facilities | Observation lounge at end of train |
| Technical | |
| E26 series sleeping cars | |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC / 20 kV AC (50Hz) |
| Operating speed | 110 km/h (70 mph) |
The Cassiopeia (カシオペア Kashiopea?) was a luxury overnight limited express train service in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) from July 1999 until March 2016. It ran between Ueno Station in Tokyo and the city of Sapporo in the northern island of Hokkaido. The one-way journey took approximately 16½ hours.
The Cassiopeia ran on the following rail lines:
JR East
IGR Iwate Ginga Railway
Aoimori Railway
JR East
JR Hokkaido
The train changed direction at Aomori and Hakodate.
Northbound trains to Sapporo departed from Ueno after 16:00, and called at Ōmiya, Utsunomiya, Kōriyama, Fukushima, Sendai, Ichinoseki, and Morioka. The first stop in Hokkaido was at Hakodate at 05:00 the following day, with arrival in Sapporo around 09:30. Southbound trains to Ueno departed from Sapporo after 16:00; the first stop after leaving Hokkaido was at Sendai, around 04:30 the following day, and the arrival time at Ueno Station around 09:30.
Trains departed three times per week, with more departures during holiday periods.
The train was formed of twelve E26 series sleeping cars, including a lounge car at the Sapporo end and a deluxe suite at the Ueno end. The train was hauled by a JR East Tabata-based Class EF510-500 dual-voltage electric locomotive between Ueno and Aomori, by a JR Hokkaido ED79 AC electric locomotive between Aomori and Hakodate, and by a pair of JR Hokkaido DD51 diesel locomotives between Hakodate and Sapporo. Prior to June 2010, the services were hauled by JR East Class EF81 dual-voltage electric locomotives.
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Wikipedia