| Ginga | |
 |
|
|---|---|
| Ginga train headed by an EF65 locomotive | |
| Service type | Express |
| Operator | JR West |
| Line used | Tōkaidō Main Line |
| Started | 1949 |
| Ended | 2008 |
The Ginga (銀河?) was an overnight express sleeper train operating on the Tōkaidō Main Line between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. The is the busiest trunk line of Japan Railway (JR connecting Tokyo Station and Kobe Station. The is the busiest trunk line of Japan Railway (JR connecting Tokyo Station and Kobe Station. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. is a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. It was operated by Japanese National Railways and, after its privatization in 1987, by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). abbreviated or "JNR" was the national Railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987 ( also referred to as, is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group companies and operates in western Honshū.
The Ginga followed a similar route to the much faster Tōkaidō Shinkansen high-speed line, and filled the overnight gap in the Shinkansen's timetable. is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen line opened in 1964 between Tokyo and Shin-Ōsaka. While the last Osaka-Tokyo Shinkansen trains departed at 21:20 (in either direction, as of 2008), Ginga departed Osaka at 22:30 and Tokyo at 23:00, and arrives over an hour before the first Shinkansen arrival the next morning. This made it somewhat popular among business travelers who needed a later departure or earlier arrival than the Shinkansen could provide.
However, the numerous overnight buses on the Tokyo-Osaka route largely captured the budget traveler market, while late evening and early morning flights to Kansai Airport (which opened in 1994 and does not have the noise restrictions facing Osaka Airport) were now used by many business travelers who would otherwise have used Ginga. is the primary domestic Airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. As a result, Ginga's ridership had fallen dramatically in recent years and finally the train was discontinued upon the March 15, 2008 timetable revision. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common [1]
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Rolling stock
Ginga trains in 2008 consisted of an EF65-1000 electric locomotive, one "A-class" (first class) sleeper car, and seven "B-class" (second-class) sleeper cars. Type 24 sleeping cars were used on this train.
Stations
The westbound Ginga (train No. 101) stopped at Tokyo, Shinagawa, Yokohama, Ōfuna, Odawara, Atami, Shizuoka, Gifu, Maibara, Ōtsu, Kyoto, Shin-Ōsaka and Osaka. is a Train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the is the first major station south of Tokyo Station and isa major interchange for trains operated by JR East, JR Central and Keikyū. is a main interchange station located in Nishi-ku Yokohama, Japan. Ōfuna Station (大船駅 Ōfuna Eki) is a Train station in Kamakura Kanagawa, Japan. Odawara Station (小田原駅 is a Train station in Odawara Kanagawa, Japan. is a Train station in Atami Shizuoka, Japan. Lines This station is served by the following lines is a railway station located in Shizuoka, Japan, on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Tōkaidō Main Line. is a train station operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central and is located in the heart of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. is a Train station in Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It is the southern terminus of the West Japan Railway Company (JR West Hokuriku is a railway station of West Japan Railway Company on its Tōkaidō Main Line ( Biwako Line) in Kasuga-cho Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture is the most important transportation hub in Kyoto, Japan. It has Japan's second-largest Train station building (after Nagoya Station) and is one of is a train station in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, Japan. It is the western terminus of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, and the eastern terminus of the Sanyō Shinkansen Ōsaka Station (大阪駅 Ōsaka eki) is a station on the West Japan Railway Company (JR West located in the Umeda district in Kita-ku,
The eastbound Ginga (train No. 102) stopped at Osaka, Shin-Osaka, Kyoto, Ōtsu, Maibara, Nagoya, Fuji, Numazu, Atami, Odawara, Ōfuna, Yokohama, Shinagawa, and Tokyo. is a train station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. is a railway station operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East in Numazu Shizuoka, Japan.
History
The name "Ginga" was first carried from the start of the 15 September 1949 timetable revision by the overnight sleeper train departing from Tokyo at 20:30 to Osaka (arriving at 07:54) and the opposite working from Osaka (21:00) to Tokyo (07:30). Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Other overnight trains between Tokyo and Osaka were named Myōjō and Ryūsei. Initially formed of first and second class cars only, third class seating cars were added to the Ginga formation from 24 September the same year. Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina.
11 November 1953 timetable revision
With the completion of electrification to Inazawa, overnight trains between Tokyo and Osaka were increased to four return workings nightly: Myōjō, Ginga, Suisei, and Gekkō. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. From this date, the Ginga operated from Tokyo (20:30) to Kobe (08:25), with the opposite working from Kobe (20:10) to Tokyo (07:53). From 20 March 1956, third-class sleeping cars were included in the train formations. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
19 November 1956 timetable revision
With the completion of electrification on the Tōkaidō Mainline, journey times were reduced, and the Ginga timings became Tokyo (21:00) to Kobe (08:20), with the opposite working from Kobe (21:10) to Tokyo (09:03). Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
1 October 1957 timetable revision
This timetable revision saw the emergence of the Akatsuki limited express night train, and the Ginga timings became Tokyo (21:00) to Kobe (07:57), with the opposite working from Kobe (20:50) to Tokyo (08:02). Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Train formation was MaNi + MaRoNe40 + MaRoNe41 + SuRo54 x3 + NaHaNe10 x4 + SuHa x4 + OHaFu.
1 October 1961 timetable revision
With an increase in daytime limited express trains between Tokyo and Osaka, the Ginga became all sleeping car accommodation from this timetable revision. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Timings became Tokyo (20:40) to Kobe (07:45), with the opposite working from Kobe (20:40) to Tokyo (07:40).
1 October 1968 timetable revision
This major timetable revision known as yon-san-tō saw the Ginga and Myōjō services combined to become Ginga 1 and Ginga 2. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Timings for Ginga 1 were Tokyo (21:45) to Osaka (07:17), with the opposite working from Osaka (21:30) to Tokyo (07:05). Timings for Ginga 2 were Tokyo (22:40) to Himeji (09:29), with the opposite working from Himeji (21:05) to Tokyo (09:39).
10 March 1975 timetable revision
With the completion of the Sanyo Shinkansen, the Ginga 1 and Ginga 2. Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The is one of the lines of the Shinkansen High speed rail network in Japan. services were cut back to one return working between Tokyo and Osaka. Timings were Tokyo (22:45) to Osaka (08:00), with the opposite working from Osaka (23:10) to Tokyo (09:36).
Rolling stock upgrades
From 20 February 1976, the ageing rolling stock was replaced by more modern 20 series "Blue Train" sleeping cars cascaded from the Tsurugi service between Osaka and Niigata, which had been upgraded to 24 series sleeping cars. Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Haulage was by JNR Class EF58 electric locomotives until September 1980, when these were replaced by JNR Class 65 locomotives. The EF58 is a class of Japanese 2Co-Co2 wheel arrangement electric locomotives From 14 March 1985, the Ginga 20 series rolling stock was replaced by 14 series sleeping cars displaced by the use of 583 series EMUs on Kitaguni services. Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The following year, from the 1 November 1986 timetable revision, the 14 series rolling stock was replaced by 24/25 series sleeping cars. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar)
References
- "Saraba Ginga", Tetsudō Fan Magazine, April 2008 issue, p8-15
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