Twilight Express Mizukaze

The 87 series (87系), branded Twilight Express Mizukaze (TWILIGHT EXPRESS 瑞風), is a luxury hybrid diesel multiple unit (DMU) sleeping-car excursion train operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Japan since 17 June 2017.^[1] With a capacity of 34 passengers,^[2] the train is used on excursions in the Keihanshin, Sanin, and Sanyo regions of western Japan.^[3]

87 series Twilight Express Mizukaze
The JR West KiHa 87 series Twilight Express Mizukaze hybrid DMU cruise train in October 2022
Manufacturer	Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo
Entered service	17 June 2017
Number built	10 cars (1 set)
Formation	10 cars per set
Capacity	34
Operators	JR West
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel Aluminium alloy, double-skin(KiSaINe 86-1, 101, 201, 301, 401)
Car length	21.24 m (69 ft 8 in) (end cars) 20.8 m (68 ft 3 in) (intermediate cars)
Width	2,900 mm (9 ft 6 in)
Height	4,070 mm (13 ft 4 in)
Floor height	1,220 mm (4 ft 0 in)
Maximum speed	110 km/h (68 mph)
Acceleration	1.6 km/(h⋅s) (0.99 mph/s)
Deceleration	3.9 km/(h⋅s) (2.4 mph/s)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Design

The train was built jointly by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Kinki Sharyo.^[4]

Propulsion

The train is a ten-car self-propelled hybrid diesel multiple unit (DMU) train combining a diesel generator and battery storage power, allowing it to operate on the non-electrified Sanin Main Line.^[5]

Styling

The train styling was overseen by industrial designer Tetsuo Fukuda (福田 哲夫) and architect and interior designer Kazuya Ura (浦 一也).

Logo

The train's logo design combines a stylized "M" with the angels used in the logo of JR West's Twilight Express sleeping car train, which operated from 1989 until March 2015.^[6]

Train formation

The ten-coach train consists of six sleeping cars, a lounge car, a dining car, and observation cars at either end of the train with open balconies. Five of the sleeping cars have three private suite rooms, while one car has a single luxury suite occupying the entire coach and featuring a bathtub and private balcony. The train formation is as shown below:^[3]

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Car type	Observation car	Sleeping car			Lounge	Dining car	Sleeping car			Observation car
Designation	MFC2	TNF1	TNF3	TNF4	ML	MD	TNWF	TNF2	TNF	MFC1
Numbering	KiITe 87-2	KiSaINe 86-101	KiSaINe 86-301	KiSaINe 86-401	KiRa 86-1	KiShi 86-1	KiSaINe 86-501	KiSaINe 86-201	KiSaINe 86-1	KiITe 87-1
Weight (t)	55.2	43.8	40.3	41.6	58.3	58.1	48.7	40.5	43.8	55.3
Capacity	8	6			-	-	4	6		8
Facilities	Observation deck	Twin x 3		Single x 2, Twin x 1	Bar counter	Kitchen	Suite x 1	Twin x 3		Observation deck

Cars 1, 5, 6, and 10 are powered.^[7] Cars 2, 3, 8, and 9, each have three double-occupancy "Twin" rooms, car 4 has two single-occupancy "Single" rooms and a universal design "Twin" room, and car 7 has one double-occupancy "Suite" room.^[3] In addition to the en-suite toilets provided in all rooms, cars 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9 have toilets for use by all passengers.^[7]

Catering

On-board catering will be overseen by food columnist Takeshi Kadokami (門上 武司), with some of the menus designed by chef Yoshihiro Murata (村田 吉弘), owner of the Kikunoi restaurant in Kyoto, and Hajime Yoneda (米田 肇), owner of the Hajime restaurant.^[6]

Tour routes

The 87 series Twilight Express Mizukaze train on test in April 2017

The train will initially be used on excursions in the Keihanshin, Sanin, and Sanyo regions of western Japan.^[6] The following five tour routes will be offered:^[8]

Sanyo Course (Outbound)

Two-day tour from Kyoto and Osaka to Shimonoseki via the Sanyo Main Line, stopping off at Miyajimaguchi and Onomichi en route.

Sanyo Course (Inbound)

Two-day tour from Shimonoseki to Kyoto and Osaka via the Sanyo Main Line, stopping off at Kurashiki and Iwakuni en route.

Sanin Course (Outbound)

Two-day tour from Osaka and Kyoto to Shimonoseki via the Sanin Main Line, stopping off at Kinosaki Onsen and Higashi-Hagi en route.

Sanin Course (Inbound)

Two-day tour from Shimonoseki to Kyoto and Osaka via the Sanin Main Line, stopping off at Izumoshi and Tottori en route.

Sanin & Sanyo Course

Three-day circular tour from Kyoto and Osaka back to Kyoto via the Sanyo Main Line and Sanin Main Line, stopping off at Okayama, Shinji/Matsue, and Higashihama en route.

History

The 87 series Twilight Express Mizukaze train on a test run in early 2017, running as a 5-car formation with black protective vinyl wrapping

JR West first announced its plans to build a new luxury cruising train in May 2014.^[9] The name of the train, Twilight Express Mizukaze, and train logo were officially unveiled on 19 February 2015.^[6]

The first five intermediate cars of the ten-car trainset were delivered from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe in March 2016.^[10] The two end cars, KiITe 87-1 and KiITe 87-2, were delivered from the Kinki Sharyo factory in Osaka in August 2016.^[11] Mainline test running commenced in late September, initially with the train formed as four cars.^[12]

See also

• List of named passenger trains of Japan
• Joyful Train, the generic name for excursion and charter trains in Japan
• Seven Stars in Kyushu, a luxury cruising train operated by JR Kyushu in Japan
• Train Suite Shiki-shima, a luxury sleeping car excursion train operated by JR East in Japan