Aizu Liner
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 Refurbished 485 series set G55/58 on an Aizu Liner service, March 2012 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Rapid |
| Locale | Fukushima Prefecture |
| Current operator(s) | JR East |
| Route | |
| Termini | Kōriyama Aizu-Wakamatsu |
| Average journey time | 1 hour |
| Service frequency | 3 return services daily |
| Line(s) used | Banetsu West Line |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | Standard only |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | 485 series/583 series EMUs |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | 20,000 V AC overhead |
| Operating speed | 95 km/h (60 mph) |
The Aizu Liner (あいづライナー) was a limited-stop "Rapid" train service in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) between Kōriyama and Aizu-Wakamatsu on the Banetsu West Line in Fukushima Prefecture.[1]
Station stops
Services consist of three trains in each direction daily. Some trains are extended to run to and from Kitakata during busy seasons.[2]
Services stop at the following stations. Not all services stop at Kikuta Station.[2]
Kōriyama - Kikuta - Bandai-Atami - Inawashiro - Bandaimachi - Aizu-Wakamatsu
Rolling stock
Services are normally formed of a 6-car 485 series limited express-type electric multiple unit (EMU) set number G55/58 based at Sendai Depot, sometimes substituted by a 6-car 583 series EMU (set N1/2).[1][3] Prior to 25 February 2012, services were normally operated by Sendai-based 6-car 485 series set A1/2.[3][4]
485 series set A1/2 in "Akabē" livery on an Aizu Liner service, May 2010
485 series set A1/2 repainted in JNR livery on an Aizu Liner service, June 2011
583 series EMU set N1/2 on an Aizu Liner working, September 2008
Formations
Trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Kōriyama end. Cars 5 and 6 are reserved-seating cars.[1]
485 series
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuHa 481 | MoHa 484 | MoHa 485 | MoHa 484 | MoHa 485 | KuHa 481 |
| Accommodation | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved | Reserved |
583 series
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbering | KuHaNe 583 | MoHaNe 582 | MoHaNe 583 | MoHaNe 582 | MoHaNe 583 | KuHaNe 583 |
| Accommodation | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved | Reserved |
Interior of a 583 series set, with fixed 4-seat bays, May 2008
History
In June 2011, the Sendai-based 6-car 485 series EMU set A1/2 normally used on Aizu Liner services was repainted from its previous "Akabē" livery into JNR beige and maroon, returning to service from 2 June 2011.[5]
From 25 February 2012, set A1/2 was replaced by 6-car set 485 series set G55/58, a refurbished set, transferred from Oyama Depot and previously used on Nikkō and Kinugawa services.[3]
Regular Aizu Liner services were discontinued from the start of the revised timetable introduced on 14 March 2015.[6] Seasonal rapid services, named simply Aizu operate during busy holiday periods, which used six-car 485 series EMU trainsets until the timetable revision in March 2020, at which point the service began to be operated with E721 series EMUs equipped with a reserved seat section.[7]
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