Aoba (train)

Aoba (あおば(青葉), green leaves) is the name of a number of train services that formerly operated in Japan by Japanese National Railways (JNR), and most recently an all-stations service operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) until September 1997 on the high-speed Tōhoku Shinkansen in Japan.

Aoba

Overview
Service type	Shinkansen
Locale	Tōhoku region
First service	20 November 1945 (Express) 20 March 1971 (Limited express) 23 June 1982 (Shinkansen)
Last service	30 September 1997
Successor	Nasuno, Yamabiko
Former operator(s)	JNR JR East
Route
Start	Tokyo
End	Sendai
Distance travelled	325.4 km (202.2 mi)
Service frequency	Hourly
On-board services
Class(es)	Standard + Green
Technical
Rolling stock	200 series, E1 series
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in)
Electrification	25 kV AC overhead
Operating speed	240 km/h (150 mph)

History

Express

The name Aoba (written as "青葉" - green leaves) was first used from 20 November 1945 on an express (急行, kyūkō) service between Ueno in Tokyo and Sendai on the Tōhoku Main Line. This continued until the train was renamed Kitakami (きたかみ) on 1 October 1965.[1]

Limited express

The Aoba name (written as "あおば") was reintroduced from 20 March 1971 on Limited express services between Sendai and Akita. These services were discontinued on 24 November 1975.[1]

Shinkansen

From the start of services on the newly opened Tōhoku Shinkansen on 23 June 1982, Aoba was the name used for the all-stations shinkansen services operating initially between Ōmiya and Sendai, later between Ueno and Sendai, and eventually between Tokyo and Sendai.[1] Services initially used 200 series 12-car "E" sets with a Green (first class) car as car 7, and a buffet counter in car 9.[2] Services later used 8-car 200 series "G" sets with a Green (first class) car as car 5, and a buffet counter in car 7.[3]

12-car E sets

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Numbering	221	226	225	226	225-400	226	215	226	237	226	225	222
Class	Standard	Standard	Standard	Standard	Standard	Standard	Green	Standard	Buffet counter	Standard	Standard	Standard

8-car G sets

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Numbering	221	226	225-400	226	215	226	237	222
Class	Standard	Standard	Standard	Standard	Green	Standard	Buffet counter	Standard

The number of Aoba services was reduced from 1 December 1995, following the introduction of the Nasuno all-stations service, and the name was finally discontinued from 1 October 1997 when the remaining trains were integrated with Yamabiko services.[3]

See also

• List of named passenger trains of Japan

References

1. 列車名鑑1995 [Train Name Directory 1995]. Japan: Railway Journal. August 1995.
2. 国鉄電車編成表１９８５年版 [JNR EMU Formations - 1985]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. October 2010. ISBN 978-4-330-17610-9.
3. Yamanouchi, Shūichirō (2002). 東北・上越新幹線 [Tōhoku & Jōetsu Shinkansen]. Tokyo, Japan: JTB Can Books. ISBN 4-533-04513-8.