The SL Hitoyoshi (SL 人吉) is a named

steam Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...

hauled

excursion train An excursion train is a chartered train run for a special event or purpose. Examples are trains to major sporting event, trains run for railfans or tourists, and special trains operated by the railway company for employees and prominent customer ...

operated by the

Kyushu Railway Company The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait ...

( JR Kyushu) on the

Kagoshima Main Line The is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) between Mojikō in Kitakyushu, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu. Until March 13, 2004, it extended 393 km between its two ...

and the

Hisatsu Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Yatsushiro, Kumamoto, Yatsushiro on the Kagoshima Main Line to Hayato station, Kirishima, Kagoshima , Kirishima on the Nippo Main Line. Fro ...

since April 2009.

Overview

The SL Hitoyoshi runs a return journey between

Kumamoto is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a population of 1,461,000, ...

and Hitoyoshi once a day on weekends and national holidays from March to November. The train was inaugurated to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Hisatsu Line. A reserved seat must be made prior to boarding. The train stops at Shin-Yatsushiro,

Yatsushiro is a city located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Geography Located at the geographic center of Kyushu, Yatsushiro City is situated on the aptly named Yatsushiro Sea in between Kumamoto and Ashikita City. Climate Yatsushiro has a humid subtro ...

, Sakamoto, Shiroishi, Isshōchi, and Watari. Since the damage of the

2020 Kyushu floods The 2020 Kyushu floods were a series of floods in July 2020 brought on when record-breaking heavy rain hit the prefectures of Kumamoto and Kagoshima, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, on 4 July 2020 in the middle of the East Asian rainy ...

to the Hisatsu Line, the SL Hitoyoshi now temporarily runs between Kumamoto and Tosu Station.

Rolling stock

The SL Hitoyoshi consists of an 8620 (8620形) Class steam locomotive and three specially modified OHa 50 series (オハ50系) carriages. The interior design of the carriages was done by industrial designer

Eiji Mitooka is a Japanese industrial designer, illustrator, and managing director of the industrial design company . He also works as a design consultant for Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). Biography Mitooka graduated from Okayama Technical High Sch ...

. On occasion the train is assisted or hauled by a Class

DE10 The is a class of Japanese C-B wheel arrangement diesel-hydraulic locomotives. 708 locomotives were built between 1966 and 1978. , 138 locomotives remained in operation. Variants DE10-0 subclass 158 DE10-0 locomotives were built with steam h ...

(DE10形) diesel locomotive. File:JRK Ohafu50-701.jpg File:JRK Oha50-701.jpg File:JRK Ohafu50-702.jpg File:JRK Ohafu50-701 inside.jpg, JR Kyushu Ohafu50-701 inside File:JRK Ohafu50-702 inside.jpg, JR Kyushu Ohafu50-702 inside File:Ohafu50-701 Prospects Lounge.jpg, Ohafu50-701 Prospects Lounge File:JRKyushu PC SL Hitoyoshi.jpg, JR Kyushu PC SL Hitoyoshi

Exterior

The train livery is painted chocolate with grey roofs and SL Hitoyoshi motifs and lettering in gold. In 2020, JR Kyushu repainted the SL Hitoyoshi black to replicate the Mugen Train from the anime film '' Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train'' for a limited run from

Kumamoto Station is the main railway terminal of the city of Kumamoto, Japan. It is located in Nishi-ku, Kumamoto, and is operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). In front of the station is a tram stop of the tram operated by Kumamoto City Transportation ...

Hakata Station is a major railway station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the largest and busiest railway terminal in Kyushu, and is a gateway to other cities in Kyushu for travelers coming from Honshu by rail travel. The San'yō Shinkansen from Osaka end ...

from 1 to 26 November.

References

External links

*
The Japanese Railway Society: Steam in Japan
* ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efH4Azvbup0 Steam Train Hitoyoshi - YouTube {{JR Kyushu trains Kyushu Railway Company Named passenger trains of Japan Railway services introduced in 2009

Overview

Rolling stock

Exterior

See also

References

External links