Aru Ressha


The Aru Ressha is a two-car deluxe excursion train operated by Kyushu Railway Company in Japan since August 2015.

Overview

Details of the planned excursion train, provisionally called the "Sweets Train", were first announced in January 2014.
The train entered service on 8 August 2015.
The name "Sweets Train" derives from the sweets served on board. They are designed and created in a Japanese-French style by Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa, who owns an eponymous restaurant in Tokyo.

Design

The train is formed of two modified former KiHa 47 diesel cars, renumbered KiRoShi 47 9176 and KiRoShi 47 3505 and the car was never put into service.
The rebuilding project was overseen by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka, using scale models of the original coaches built by the railway modeller Nobutaro Hara.

Operations

Between April and September, the train runs a daily round trip between and, and is intended for the revival of tourism and the local economy.
The train runs a daily round trip from Sasebo to Nagasaki between July of one year to March of the following year, mostly on weekends.

Individual car details

Car 1 (KiRoShi 47 9176)

This car was formerly numbered KiHa 47 176, and was previously operated by JR Shikoku until it was withdrawn from service on 30 April 2011. Rebuilding work was carried out at JR Kyushu's Kokura General Rolling Stock Centre, and included removal of the original toilet.

Car 2 (KiRoShi 47 3505)

This car was formerly numbered KiHa 47 1505, and was previously operated by JR Shikoku until it was withdrawn from service on 30 April 2011. Rebuilding work was carried out at JR Kyushu's Kokura General Rolling Stock Centre, and included addition of a new toilet.