Wakashio

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Wakashio
Series-E257-500-NB18.jpg
An E257-500 series unit on a Keiyo Line Wakashio service
Overview
Service type Limited express
Locale Chiba Prefecture
First service15 July 1972
Current operator(s) JR East
Former operator(s) JNR
Route
Termini Tokyo
Awa-Kamogawa
Distance travelled132.5 km (82.3 mi)
Service frequency12 return trips daily
Line(s) used Keiyo Line, Sotobo Line
On-board services
Catering facilitiesTrolley service
Technical
Rolling stock E257-500 series EMU
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 1,500 V DC overhead
Operating speed120 km/h (75 mph)

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.

Contents

Station stops

Wakashio 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] As of 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, which operate to/from Shinjuku instead of Tokyo, operate on weekends "when there is heavy use". [4] As of March 2024, trains no longer stop at Akihabara or Tsudanuma. [5] Trains now stop at the following stations: [4]

Shinjuku - Kinshichō - Funabashi - Chiba - Soga ... Awa-Kamogawa

Shinjuku wakashio 2024-12-01.png

From April 2016 until March 2024, Shinjuku Wakashio services, operating mainly on weekends, stopped at the following stations between Shinjuku and Soga. [1]

Shinjuku - Akihabara - Kinshichō - Funabashi - Tsudanuma - Chiba - Soga ... Awa-Kamogawa

Rolling stock

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

Formations

Trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo end. [1] [7] [8]

5-car E257 series

Car No.12345
NumberingKuHa E256-500MoHa E257-1500MoHa E256-500MoHa E257-500KuHa E257-500
AccommodationReservedReservedReservedNon-reservedNon-reserved

Past formations

Trains were originally formed of 9-car 183 series and 255 series EMUs and 10-car E257-500 series EMU with formed as shown below, including one Green car, as shown below. [9]

9-car 183 series

Car No.123456789
AccommodationReservedReservedReservedGreenNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reserved

9-car 255 series

Car No.123456789
NumberingKuHa 254MoHa 254MoHa 255SaRo 255SaHa 254SaHa 255MoHa 254MoHa 255KuHa 255
AccommodationReservedReservedReservedGreenReservedNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reserved

5+5-car E257 series

Car No.12345678910
NumberingKuHa E256-500MoHa E257-1500MoHa E256-500MoHa E257-500KuHa E257-500KuHa E256-500MoHa E257-1500MoHa E256-500MoHa E257-500KuHa E257-500
AccommodationNon-reservedNon-reservedNon-reservedReservedReservedReservedReservedReservedNon-reservedNon-reserved

History

The Wakashio service commenced on 15 July 1972, using 183 series EMUs. [10] Evening Hometown Wakashio services for commuters were introduced from 16 March 1991, operating from Tokyo to Kazusa-Ichinomiya. [11] New 255 series EMUs were introduced from 2 July 1993, initially branded as View Wakashio. [11] Morning Oyaho Wakashio services for commuters were introduced from 3 December 1994, operating from Kazusa-Ichinomiya to Tokyo. [11] 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. [7]

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. [12] From the start of the 15 March 2014 timetable revision, the number of services was reduced from 15 to 13 return workings daily. [12]

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. [6]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 JR Timetable. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. April 2016. pp. 95–95, 984.
  2. 1 2 3 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.
  3. ↑ Information about schedule change in March 2017- EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY Chiba branch、2017-12-15
  4. 1 2 "20231215_c01.pdf" (PDF). East Japan Railway Company. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  5. ↑ "「特急 新宿わかしお号」から「特急 新宿わかしお1・2号」＆秋葉原・津田沼は通過へ(2024.3.17)". 列車とともに「こぼれ話」. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  6. 1 2 "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.
  7. 1 2 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.
  8. ↑ 千葉を走る列車＞わかしお：EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY Chiba branch (Japanese)
  9. 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. pp. 84–85. ISBN   4-87149-284-2.
  10. ↑ 列車名鑑1995[Train Name Directory 1995]. Japan: Railway Journal. August 1995. p. 130.
  11. 1 2 3 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.
  12. 1 2 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.
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