The Moonlight Nagara (ムーンライトながら) was a seasonal rapid overnight train service operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), which ran from Tokyo to Ōgaki in Gifu Prefecture via the Tokaido Main Line. From 2009, the service had been offered approximately three weeks per year, corresponding to the spring, summer and year-end holiday seasons.
Moonlight Nagara
A 185 series EMU formation on a Moonlight Nagara service, December 2013
On 22 January 2021, both East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) announced the cessation of the Moonlight Nagara services with no replacements offered at the time, due to the increased popularity of highway buses and the ageing trains operated on the line.[1][2] Since the train service had not operated during the summer and winter of 2020 due to the COVID-19 situation, this announcement made 29 March 2020, the last day of operations of the Nagara service. That day also marked the complete cessation of the "Moonlight"-branded services from Japan.
From December 2013, Moonlight Nagara services were formed from 185 serieselectric multiple unit (EMU) 10-car (4+6-car) formations based at Omiya Depot.[3]
Moonlight Nagara 185 Series Formation (4+6 cars)
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Accommodation
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
No smoking for all cars
Passengers were unable to go between cars 4 and 5.
Reserved = "Seat Reservation Ticket" (座席指定券) was required to board the train
From the introduction of the Moonlight Nagara service, trains normally comprised three three-car 373 series EMUs operated by JR Central and based at Shizuoka Depot.[4] Additional Moonlight Nagara 91 and 92 trains also operated during busy seasons, and these comprised ten-car 183 series EMU sets owned by JR East and based at Tamachi Depot.[4]
The Moonlight Nagara service was introduced on 16 March 1996. The name was taken from the Nagara River in Gifu Prefecture, and was formerly used for a semi express service which ran between Tokyo and Ōgaki from 1 June 1960 until 1 October 1965.[7]
Overnight services on the Moonlight Nagara route had existed in various forms since 1899, when through services commenced between Shimbashi in Tokyo and Kobe, extending as far west as Kagoshima in the 1940s. Prior to World War II, as many as seven overnight round-trip services existed on this route.[citation needed] Rail services were cut dramatically in the wake of the war. The line briefly saw three to four daily overnight services in the late 1950s, but electrification of the line, coupled with the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed line in 1964, reduced the need for overnight services.
Initially, cars 4 to 9 were designated as non-reserved seating cars west of Yokohama Station, but from the start of the March 2007 timetable revision, all cars were designated as reserved seating between Tokyo and Toyohashi.[4]
The service's popularity declined in the 2000s due to competition from discounted overnight bus services. From 14 March 2009, the Moonlight Nagara stopped running on a daily basis and became a seasonal train running only during busy periods.[8]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Moonlight Nagara.
^佐藤, 正樹. "「青春18」族に悲報…「大垣夜行」の歴史にピリオド 『ムーンライトながら』運行終了". レスポンス（Response.jp） (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 January 2021.
^"春"の臨時列車の運転計画について" (PDF). JR Central. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
^ DJ時刻表 [DJ Timetable]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 43, no. 357. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. January 2014. pp. 100–101.
^ abc JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. 29 August 2008. p. 138. ISBN978-4-330-00608-6.
^"JR East Timetable (Moonlight Nagara Westbound)". JR East.
^"JR East Timetable (Moonlight Nagara Eastbound)". JR East.
^ 列車名鑑1995 [Train Name Directory 1995]. Japan: Railway Journal. 1 August 1995. p. 128.
^ [Hayabusa and Fuji Blue Trains from Tokyo to be abolished]. MSN Japan (in Japanese). Japan: The Sankei Shimbun & Sankei Digital. 19 December 2008. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
January 01, 1970
moonlight, nagara, ムーンライトながら, seasonal, rapid, overnight, train, service, operated, east, japan, railway, company, east, central, japan, railway, company, central, which, from, tokyo, Ōgaki, gifu, prefecture, tokaido, main, line, from, 2009, service, been, off. The Moonlight Nagara ムーンライトながら was a seasonal rapid overnight train service operated by East Japan Railway Company JR East and Central Japan Railway Company JR Central which ran from Tokyo to Ōgaki in Gifu Prefecture via the Tokaido Main Line From 2009 the service had been offered approximately three weeks per year corresponding to the spring summer and year end holiday seasons Moonlight NagaraA 185 series EMU formation on a Moonlight Nagara service December 2013OverviewService typeRapidStatusSeasonal operationLocaleJapanFirst service16 March 1996Last service29 March 2020 Final operation Current operator s JR East JR CentralRouteTerminiTokyoŌgakiStopsShinagawa Yokohama Odawara Numazu Shizuoka Hamamatsu Toyohashi Nagoya GifuAverage journey time6 40 westbound 6 16 eastboundService frequencySeasonalLine s usedTokaido Main LineOn board servicesCatering facilitiesNoneTechnicalRolling stock185 series EMUTrack gauge1 067 mm 3 ft 6 in Electrification1 500 V DC On 22 January 2021 both East Japan Railway Company JR East and Central Japan Railway Company JR Central announced the cessation of the Moonlight Nagara services with no replacements offered at the time due to the increased popularity of highway buses and the ageing trains operated on the line 1 2 Since the train service had not operated during the summer and winter of 2020 due to the COVID 19 situation this announcement made 29 March 2020 the last day of operations of the Nagara service That day also marked the complete cessation of the Moonlight branded services from Japan Contents 1 Rolling stock 1 1 Past rolling stock 2 Station list 3 History 4 See also 5 ReferencesRolling stock editFrom December 2013 Moonlight Nagara services were formed from 185 series electric multiple unit EMU 10 car 4 6 car formations based at Omiya Depot 3 Moonlight Nagara 185 Series Formation 4 6 cars Car No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Accommodation Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved No smoking for all cars Passengers were unable to go between cars 4 and 5 Reserved Seat Reservation Ticket 座席指定券 was required to board the train Past rolling stock edit 165 series EMUs 373 series EMU 9 car formations 183 189 series EMUs From the introduction of the Moonlight Nagara service trains normally comprised three three car 373 series EMUs operated by JR Central and based at Shizuoka Depot 4 Additional Moonlight Nagara 91 and 92 trains also operated during busy seasons and these comprised ten car 183 series EMU sets owned by JR East and based at Tamachi Depot 4 nbsp 165 series December 2000 nbsp 373 series September 2007 nbsp 183 189 series January 2007Station list editStation Distance km Time Location Remarks Name Japanese Between stations From Tokyo Westbound gt Ōgaki 5 Eastbound gt Tokyo 6 Ward City Prefecture Metropolis Tokyo 東京 0 0 23 10 Departure 5 05 Arrival Chiyoda Tokyo Shinagawa 品川 6 8 6 8 23 17 Arrival 23 18 Departure 4 57 Arrival 4 58 Departure Minato Yokohama 横浜 22 0 28 8 23 35 Arrival 23 36 Departure 4 40 Arrival 4 41 Departure Yokohama Kanagawa Odawara 小田原 55 1 83 9 0 30 Arrival 0 31 Departure Odawara Westbound First stop after midnight 12am Numazu 沼津 42 3 126 2 1 07 Arrival 1 08 Departure 3 05 Arrival 3 19 Departure Numazu Shizuoka Shizuoka 静岡 54 0 180 2 1 48 Arrival 1 50 Departure 1 52 Arrival 1 55 Departure Shizuoka Hamamatsu 浜松 76 9 257 1 2 46 Arrival 3 15 Departure 0 46 Arrival 0 55 Departure Hamamatsu Westbound 29 minutes stop Eastbound 9 minutes stop Toyohashi 豊橋 36 5 293 6 0 15 Arrival 0 18 Departure Toyohashi Aichi Eastbound First stop after midnight 12am Nagoya 名古屋 72 4 366 0 5 19 Arrival 5 21 Departure 23 18 Arrival 23 20 Departure Nagoya Gifu 岐阜 30 3 396 3 5 40 Arrival 5 41 Departure 22 58 Arrival 22 59 Departure Gifu Gifu Ōgaki 大垣 13 7 410 0 5 50 Arrival 22 48 Departure ŌgakiHistory editThe Moonlight Nagara service was introduced on 16 March 1996 The name was taken from the Nagara River in Gifu Prefecture and was formerly used for a semi express service which ran between Tokyo and Ōgaki from 1 June 1960 until 1 October 1965 7 Overnight services on the Moonlight Nagara route had existed in various forms since 1899 when through services commenced between Shimbashi in Tokyo and Kobe extending as far west as Kagoshima in the 1940s Prior to World War II as many as seven overnight round trip services existed on this route citation needed Rail services were cut dramatically in the wake of the war The line briefly saw three to four daily overnight services in the late 1950s but electrification of the line coupled with the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen high speed line in 1964 reduced the need for overnight services Initially cars 4 to 9 were designated as non reserved seating cars west of Yokohama Station but from the start of the March 2007 timetable revision all cars were designated as reserved seating between Tokyo and Toyohashi 4 The service s popularity declined in the 2000s due to competition from discounted overnight bus services From 14 March 2009 the Moonlight Nagara stopped running on a daily basis and became a seasonal train running only during busy periods 8 See also editList of named passenger trains of JapanReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Moonlight Nagara 佐藤 正樹 青春18 族に悲報 大垣夜行 の歴史にピリオド ムーンライトながら 運行終了 レスポンス Response jp in Japanese Retrieved 22 January 2021 春 の臨時列車の運転計画について PDF JR Central Retrieved 22 January 2021 DJ時刻表 DJ Timetable Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine in Japanese Vol 43 no 357 Japan Kōtsu Shimbun January 2014 pp 100 101 a b c JR新幹線 特急列車ファイル JR Shinkansen amp Limited Express Train File Japan Kotsu Shimbun 29 August 2008 p 138 ISBN 978 4 330 00608 6 JR East Timetable Moonlight Nagara Westbound JR East JR East Timetable Moonlight Nagara Eastbound JR East 列車名鑑1995 Train Name Directory 1995 Japan Railway Journal 1 August 1995 p 128 東京発ブルトレ終焉 はやぶさ 富士 廃止へ Hayabusa and Fuji Blue Trains from Tokyo to be abolished MSN Japan in Japanese Japan The Sankei Shimbun amp Sankei Digital 19 December 2008 Archived from the original on 1 February 2009 Retrieved 28 January 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Moonlight Nagara amp oldid 1208503396, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
