The , and later were

limited express A limited express is a type of express train service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes. Japan The term "limited express" is a common ...

train services operated by

Hokkaido Railway Company The is one of the constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), and is often referred to using its official abbreviation of . It operates intercity and local rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a sm ...

(JR Hokkaido) on the

Hakodate Main Line The is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate and Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawara Line, a 35 km loop line from Ōnuma to Mo ...

between the cities of

Sapporo ( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous city ...

and

Asahikawa is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a core city since April 1, 2000. The city is currently well known for the Asahiy ...

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

, Japan, between 1986 and 2007.

History

''White Arrow'' services began on 3 March 1986 as a new limited express operating between and via the

, supplementing the existing ''

Lilac ''Syringa'' is a genus of 12 currently recognized species of flowering plant, flowering woody plants in the olive family or Oleaceae called lilacs. These lilacs are native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and wid ...

'' services also operating between Sapporo and Asahikawa. From 1 September 1990, the service was renamed ''Super White Arrow'' with the introduction of new

785 series __NOTOC__ Year 785 ( DCCLXXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The article denomination 785 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent met ...

EMUs. Services were discontinued from the start of the 1 October 2007 timetable revision when the ''Super White Arrow'' was combined with the ''Lilac'' service to form the new ''

Super Kamui Super may refer to: Computing * SUPER (computer program), or Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer, a video converter / player * Super (computer science), a keyword in object-oriented programming languages * Super key (keyboard butto ...

'' service.

Service pattern

''White Arrow'' services served the following stations: * - - - ''Super White Arrow'' services operated at hourly intervals, with 13 return workings daily, departing on the hour from Sapporo and Asahikawa, and served the following stations: * - - (some trains only) - (some trains only) - - - The ''Super White Arrow'' services operated at a maximum speed of 130 km/h, with an average speed of 102.6 km/h, completing the 136.8 km journey in 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Rolling stock

781 series The was an Alternating current, AC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type formerly operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) on limited express services in Hokkaido, Japan, between 1980 and 2 ...

4-car EMUs (''White Arrow'') 1986–1990 *

4/6-car (later 5-car) EMUs (''Super White Arrow'') 1990–2007 File:781 white arrow.jpg, 781 series EMU on a ''White Arrow'' service, 1990 File:781 Super White Arrow Asahikawa 20040625.jpg, 781 series substituting on a ''Super White Arrow'' service, June 2004 File:JR Hokaido 785 superwhitearrow.jpg, 785 series on a ''Super White Arrow'' service, 1990

References

External links

{{Hokkaidō transit Hokkaido Railway Company Named passenger trains of Japan Railway services introduced in 1986 Railway services introduced in 1990 Railway services discontinued in 2007