I have got on because the regular operation of "Kyutaku Express" which has been running Hokuriku more than half a century has ended

By the revision of the diamond on March 17, 2012Regular service is overTo "Quickly"Began operation in Niigata, Kanazawa in 1961, the route was extended to Osaka from 68 in 1968, and continued running as a night train connecting Tokyo and Osaka to Tohoku. However, in recent years, it seems that passengers have decreased as people have come to use Shinkansen and air travel, and it has decided to retire substantially due to aging of train facilities.

So, I decided to actually experience what the journey of a sleeping train which has been going on for nearly half a century was what I was going to experience.

Purchase tickets at Midori window. The "upper berth stage" from Osaka to Nagaoka in Niigata was 14,490 yen. Furthermore, since reservation can not be done by the net or telephone, it is necessary to go directly to a station with a window.


Take the train from JR Osaka station.


Departure schedule is 23: 27.


I will head to No. 11 home.


In the guide version, it is 10-car train, but it was 12 when riding.


Waiting for the arrival of "Express Quickly" home.


Since the railroad fans gather at home for shooting after the announcement of the end of periodic operation, JR's people stretch the ropes to prevent accidents such as falling.


"Kyuden as soon as possible" will slide into the home with lights on it.


Arrived at home with a roaring sound.


In the surrounding area, railroad fans are cutting the camera shutter all at once.


Passengers get on the train.


Looking from "front of express" as seen from the front like this.


Horizontal is like this.


"SaboIt's like this.


The entrance of the leading car.


It is a pantograph.


Display of the side of the vehicle.


There is also an alphabetical notation "Kitaguni Express".


On the plate attached to the vehicle, the letters of "Japan National Railway" remained, too.


The specifications of the vehicle look like this. Weight is 48.3 tons.


This is inside of the free seat.



The seat is green, and there is no armrest that forms a partition between the seats.


Looking from the outside like this.


A shelf on which you can put your luggage.


There is also a washroom at the end of the car.



Let's also enter a designated seat vehicle (green car).



Unlike the free seat, each seat has an armrest.


It is the leading car.


driving seat.


People gathered for shooting are crowded with surroundings.


People at JR who prepared a rope and was alert.



Since it is a twelve-car train, it is so long that the end can not be seen from the side.


The entrance of the B bed actually got on.


Let's go inside.


The door that separates the vehicles is like this.


Because I reserved "upper stage of B bed 4", the display of "4 top" written on the curtain is a landmark.



I climb this ladder and enter the bed.


Bet is like this.


There was a yukata. There is no toothbrush, so you need to prepare yourself.


Only the fluorescent light at the bedside is lighting.


There is a small corner beside you and you can see the outside.




This part visible from the outside of the vehicle is the window.


There is a curtain beside the bed, so close it when you go to bed.


There was a label "This part can be opened for ventilation".


When you can peel off Velcro and open it, it feels like this. Because there is an air conditioner at the side of the head of a head, I hear a little sound.


The height of the ceiling of the bed is about this. It's a tough size for sitting only around the space of three 12-inch notebook screens.


When stopping on the way, the vehicle shakes, there are people coming and going, so it is not possible to sleep well if you are not used to it.

Arrived at Nagaoka station in Niigata prefecture around 7:00 the next morning.


Snow is piled up at home.


As soon as the express train goes on a regular flight, as other sleeping trains, it runs from Tokyo station to Takamatsu station "Sunrise Seto"And Ueno station to Sapporo station"Cassiopeia"From Osaka Station to Sapporo station"Twilight ExpressIt seems that there are such things as those who want to travel a night train please check.