Hakutaka Explained

Hakutaka
Type:Shinkansen (Semi-express)
Status:Operational
Locale:Japan
First:1 October 1965 (Limited express)
14 March 2015 (Shinkansen)
Operator:JR East/JR West
Formeroperator:JNR, Hokuetsu Express
Line Used:Hokuriku Shinkansen
End:, (some to Kanazawa)
Class:Gran Class + Green + Ordinary
Stock:E7 series, W7 series
El:25 kV AC, 50/60 Hz overhead
Speed:260round=5NaNround=5

The is a high-speed shinkansen train service jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between and 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 service operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) from 1965 until 1982, and later by JR West and Hokuetsu Express between 1997 and March 2015.

Service outline

, the Hakutaka service sections are as follows:[1]

Trains operate at a maximum speed of 260round=5NaNround=5.[2]

Hakutaka services stop at the following stations. Not all trains stop at stations marked with an asterisk.[1]

Rolling stock

Hakutaka 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]

Pre-shinkansen

Limited express services from March 1997 until March 2015 were operated with 6- or 9-car (6+3-car) 681 series or 683-8000 series EMU trains owned by JR West or Hokuetsu Express. Green (first class) car accommodation was provided in car 1.

Formations

Hakutaka shinkansen services use 12-car JR East E7 series and JR West W7 series trainsets, formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo (southern) end. Cars 1 to 10 are ordinary-class cars with 2+3 seating, car 11 is a "Green" car with 2+2 seating, and car 12 is a "Gran Class" car with 2+1 seating. All cars are no-smoking.[3]

Car No.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
AccommodationNon-reserved Non-reserved Non-reserved Non-reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Green Gran Class
FacilitiesToilets   Toilets, phone   Toilets   Wheelchair space, accessible toilet, phone   Toilets   Wheelchair space, accessible toilet Toilets

History

October 1965 – November 1982

The Hakutaka service was first introduced on 1 October 1965 as a limited express service operating between in Tokyo and via . This was discontinued from 15 November 1982.[4]

March 1997 – March 2015

The Hakutaka name was reinstated from 23 March 1997 for use on new limited express services jointly operated by JR West and Hokuetsu Express connecting Kanazawa with on the Joetsu Shinkansen via the newly built Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Line, operating at a maximum speed of 160round=5NaNround=5.[5] Services travelling beyond Naoetsu required a switchback. Hakutaka services operated at approximately hourly intervals between Kanazawa and Echigo-Yuzawa, with one return service daily starting and terminating at Fukui. One return working daily operated between and Echigo-Yuzawa. Services stopped at the following stations.[6]

– – – – – – –

The last Hakutaka limited express service ran on 13 March 2015, replaced by new high-speed shinkansen services from the start of the revised timetable introduced the following day.[7]

Shinkansen Hakutaka, (March 2015 –)

From 14 March 2015, the name Hakutaka was transferred to new shinkansen services operating between Tokyo and Kanazawa following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond Nagano.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 30 August 2023 . 北陸新幹線 金沢—敦賀間の開業日が2024年3月16日に決定 〜運行計画の概要を発表〜 . Hokuriku Shinkansen Extension to Tsuruga to Open on 16 March 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230830213123/https://railf.jp/news/2023/08/31/055500.html . 30 August 2023 . 17 March 2024 . Japan Railfan Magazine Online . ja.
  2. ja: 長野~金沢のあらまし. Outline of Nagano to Kanazawa. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine . 44. 371 . 12–14 . Kōtsū Shimbun . Japan . ja . March 2015.
  3. Book: JR Timetable . Kotsu Shimbunsha . February 2015 . Japan . .
  4. Book: 列車名鑑1995 . Train Name Directory 1995. Railway Journal. August 1995 . Japan. 128.
  5. Book: JR新幹線&特急列車ファイル . JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File. Kōtsū Shimbun . 2008 . Japan . 38. 978-4-330-00608-6.
  6. JR Timetable, October 2013 issue, pp. 123–124
  7. Web site: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20150313/k10010014761000.html. ja: 北陸新幹線開業で2つの特急廃止. 2 limited express services scrapped with opening of Hokuriku Shinkansen. 13 March 2015. NHK News. Japan. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20150315150821/http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20150313/k10010014761000.html. 15 March 2015. 13 March 2015. dead.