The was a limited express

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 :...

 train service operated by East Japan Railway Company

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

 (JR East) in Japan between March 1996 and March 1997.

Engineering work to convert the Tazawako Line

Tazawako Line

The is a railway line connecting Morioka Station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan....

 between Morioka

Morioka Station

Morioka Station is a railway station located in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.-History:The station was opened on November 1, 1890, by Japan's first private railway company, Nippon Tetsudō.-Station layout:...

 and Ōmagari

Omagari Station (Akita)

is a train station located in Daisen, Akita prefecture, Japan.-Lines:*East Japan Railway Company **Ōu Main Line**Tazawako Line**Akita Shinkansen-Layout:...

 from 1,067 mm narrow gauge

Narrow gauge

A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...

 to 1,435 mm standard gauge

Standard gauge

The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...

 for use by Akita Shinkansen

Akita Shinkansen

The is a Mini-shinkansen high-speed rail line in Japan. Serving the Kantō and Tōhoku Regions of the country, it links Tokyo and Akita in Akita prefecture with direct service. From Tokyo to Morioka in Iwate prefecture, it operates on the Tōhoku Shinkansen tracks. From there to Ōmagari, it uses the...

 services entailed the complete closure of the line between March 1996 and March 1997. The Tazawako limited express

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 :...

 services that previously linked Morioka with Akita

Akita Station

is a railway station in Akita, Akita, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company .-Platforms:- Limited express trains :* Komachi * Tsugaru * Inaho * Akebono * Nihonkai -Surrounding area:...

 and Aomori

Aomori Station

is a railway station located in Aomori, Aomori, Japan. The station opened on 1 September 1891.-Lines:Aomori Station is served by the following lines.*Ōu Main Line *Tsugaru-Kaikyō Line *Aoimori Railway Line...

 were curtailed to run between Akita and Aomori only, and temporary Akita Relay limited express diesel services were operated instead between Kitakami

Kitakami Station

is a railway station of the JR East. It is located in Kitakami, Iwate, Japan.-Lines:*JR East**Tōhoku Shinkansen**Tōhoku Main Line**Kitakami Line-Station structure:...

 on the Tōhoku Shinkansen

Tohoku Shinkansen

The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...

 and Akita via the Kitakami Line

Kitakami Line

The Kitakami Line is a rail line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Kitakami Station in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture to Yokote Station in Yokote, Akita Prefecture, acting as a connecting line between the Ōu Main Line to the Tōhoku Main Line...

 and Ōu Main Line

Ou Main Line

The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It runs from Fukushima Station in Fukushima, Fukushima through Akita Station in Akita, Akita to Aomori Station in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture...

.

Services commenced on 30 March 1996, with 10 "down"

Railroad directions

Railroad directions are used to describe train directions on railroad systems. The terms used may be derived from such sources as compass directions, altitude directions, or other directions...

 services and 11 "up"

Railroad directions

Railroad directions are used to describe train directions on railroad systems. The terms used may be derived from such sources as compass directions, altitude directions, or other directions...

 services operating daily using a specially built fleet of KiHa 110-300 series

KiHa 100 series

The is a series of diesel multiple unit trains operated since 1990 by East Japan Railway Company on non-electrified local lines in Japan.A total of 247 vehicles were built between 1989 and 1999 by Fuji Heavy Industries and Niigata Transys....

 DMUs

Diesel multiple unit

A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...

 mostly in 4-car formations, but with some 3- or 7-car formations. These trains featured unidirectional limited express style seating identical to the seating used in E217 series

E217 series

The is a suburban electric multiple unit train type operated by East Japan Railway Company in the Kantō region of Japan since 1994.-Design:...

 EMU Green cars

First class travel

First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...

.

The Akita Relay services ended on 21 March 1997, the day before Akita Shinkansen

Akita Shinkansen

The is a Mini-shinkansen high-speed rail line in Japan. Serving the Kantō and Tōhoku Regions of the country, it links Tokyo and Akita in Akita prefecture with direct service. From Tokyo to Morioka in Iwate prefecture, it operates on the Tōhoku Shinkansen tracks. From there to Ōmagari, it uses the...

 services commenced between Morioka and Akita. The KiHa 110-300 series DMUs were subsequently refitted with standard seating, renumbered as KiHa 110-200 series, and reassigned for use on other lines such as the Iiyama Line

Iiyama Line

The is a railway line in Japan linking Toyono Station in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture and Echigo-Kawaguchi Station in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture. It is operated by East Japan Railway Company .- Stations :-External links:*...

.

Schedules

Down (Kitakami → Akita)

Service	Train No.	From	Depart	To	Arrive
Akita Relay 1	3001D	Kitakami	09:26	Akita	11:31
Akita Relay 3	3003D	Kitakami	10:22	Akita	12:35
Akita Relay 5	3005D	Kitakami	11:24	Akita	13:38
Akita Relay 7	3007D	Kitakami	13:12	Akita	15:18
Akita Relay 9	3009D	Kitakami	14:18	Akita	16:46
Akita Relay 11	3011D	Kitakami	15:20	Akita	17:42
Akita Relay 13	3013D	Kitakami	16:17	Akita	18:35
Akita Relay 15	3015D	Kitakami	17:15	Akita	19:31
Akita Relay 17	3017D	Kitakami	18:57	Akita	21:10
Akita Relay 19	3019D	Kitakami	20:21	Akita	22:14

Up (Akita → Kitakami)

Service	Train No.	From	Depart	To	Arrive
Akita Relay 2	3002D	Akita	07:10	Kitakami	09:03
Akita Relay 4	3004D	Akita	08:04	Kitakami	10:05
Akita Relay 6	3006D	Akita	08:55	Kitakami	11:00
Akita Relay 8	3008D	Akita	10:04	Kitakami	12:06
Akita Relay 10	3010D	Akita	11:50	Kitakami	13:58
Akita Relay 12	3012D	Akita	12:51	Kitakami	14:58
Akita Relay 14	3014D	Akita	13:56	Kitakami	16:01
Akita Relay 16	3016D	Akita	14:48	Kitakami	16:57
Akita Relay 18	3018D	Akita	15:59	Kitakami	18:06
Akita Relay 20	3020D	Akita	17:00	Kitakami	19:14
Akita Relay 22	3022D	Akita	17:53	Kitakami	20:05

(Source: )