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Akita Relay

KiHa 110-300 series DMU on an Akita Relay service at Akita Station, January 1997
Overview
Service type	Limited express
Status	Discontinued
Locale	Tohoku region, Japan
Predecessor	Tazawa
First service	30 March 1996
Last service	21 March 1997
Successor	Komachi
Former operator(s)	JR East
Route
Termini	Tokyo Akita
Line(s) used	Kitakami Line, Ōu Main Line
On-board services
Class(es)	Standard class only
Technical
Rolling stock	KiHa 110-300 series DMU
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	100 km/h (60 mph)

The Akita Relay (秋田リレー) was a limited express train service operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan between March 1996 and March 1997.

Engineering work to convert the Tazawako Line between Morioka and Ōmagari from 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge for use by Akita Shinkansen services entailed the complete closure of the line between March 1996 and March 1997. The Tazawa limited express services that previously linked Morioka with Akita and Aomori were curtailed to run between Akita and Aomori only, and temporary Akita Relay limited express diesel services were operated instead between Kitakami on the Tōhoku Shinkansen and Akita via the Kitakami Line and Ōu Main Line.

Services commenced on 30 March 1996, with 10 "down" services and 11 "up" services operating daily using a specially built fleet of KiHa 110-300 series DMUs mostly in 4-car formations, but with some 3- or 7-car formations. These trains featured 2+2 abreast unidirectional limited express style seating identical to the seating used in E217 series EMU Green cars.

The Akita Relay services ended on 21 March 1997, the day before Akita Shinkansen Komachi services commenced between Morioka and Akita. The KiHa 110-300 series DMUs were subsequently refitted with standard seating, renumbered as KiHa 110-200 series, and reassigned for use on other lines such as the Iiyama Line.

Schedules

Down (Kitakami → Akita)

Up (Akita → Kitakami)

(Source:)

See also

• List of named passenger trains of Japan

References

1. ^ JR特急10年の歩み [10 Years of JR Limited Express Trains]. Japan: Kousai Shuppansha. May 1997. p. 131. ISBN 4-330-45697-4.
2. ^ Yamanouchi, Shūichirō (2002). 東北・上越新幹線 [Tōhoku & Jōetsu Shinkansen]. Tokyo, Japan: JTB Can Books. ISBN 4-533-04513-8.
3. ^ JR全車輛ハンドブック1997 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 1997]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 1997.
4. "新幹線開業前夜" [The Eve of Shinkansen Openings]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 50, no. 590. Japan: Koyusha. June 2010. p. 35.

v t e Named trains of East Japan Railway Company
Shinkansen	Asama Hakutaka Hayabusa Hayate Kagayaki Komachi Nasuno Tanigawa Toki Tsubasa Yamabiko
Limited express (daytime)	Akagi Azusa Fuji Excursion Hachiōji Hitachi Inaho Kaiji Kinugawa Kusatsu/Shima Narita Express Nikkō Odoriko Ōme Sazanami Shiosai Shirayuki Shōnan Spacia Kinugawa Saphir Odoriko Tokiwa Tsugaru Wakashio
Rapid	Banetsu Monogatari Holiday Rapid Okutama/Akigawa Holiday Rapid View Yamanashi Resort Shirakami Shimokita Bay Liner (Odakyu)
Local	Musashino Shimōsa
Excursion	TRAIN SUITE Shiki-shima Cassiopeia SL Gunma Minakami
Discontinued Shinkansen	Aoba Asahi
Discontinued Limited express (Daytime)	Akita Relay Ayame Fresh Hitachi Hakuchō Hatsukari Hokuetsu Hometown Tochigi Kamoshika Komakusa Kusatsu Minakami Minori Ohayō Tochigi Soyokaze Super Azusa Super Hakuchō Super Hatsukari Super Hitachi Swallow Akagi Tazawa
Discontinued Limited express (overnight)	Akebono Hokuriku Hokutosei Nihonkai Yume Kūkan
Discontinued Express	Noto
Discontinued Rapid	Airport Jōban Airport Narita Kubikino Moonlight Echigo Myōkō Aizu Liner Moonlight Shinshu Moonlight Nagara
Discontinued Liner	Chūō Liner Ōme Liner Home Liner Chiba Home Liner Odawara Home Liner Zushi Ohayō Liner Shinjuku Ohayō Liner Zushi Shōnan Liner
Discontinued Excursion	SL Ginga

• East Japan Railway Company
• Shinkansen
• Named passenger trains of Japan
• Kitakami Line
• Ōu Main Line
• Railway services introduced in 1996
• Railway services discontinued in 1997
• 1996 establishments in Japan
• 1997 disestablishments in Japan