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]
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
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]
Trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Kōriyama end. Cars 5 and 6 are reserved-seating cars.[1]
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 |
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 |
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]