Seto (train)

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Seto was a Japanese overnight sleeping-car train, known as a Blue Train, that ran from Tokyo to Takamatsu in Shikoku. It was operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later by JR West, and it ran until July 1998. The service began on 1 April 1950 as an express between Tokyo and Uno in Okayama Prefecture. In 1956 the name was written in kanji as 瀬戸. On 15 March 1972 it was upgraded to a limited express. In 1977 the train switched from 20-series to 24/25-series sleeping cars. On 10 April 1988 the route was extended to Takamatsu via the Great Seto Bridge. The train was hauled by a JR East EF65-1000 DC electric locomotive based at Tabata, Tokyo, and in its later years used 24/25-series sleeping cars. The Seto covered about 805 km (500 mi) and took around 10 hours 35 minutes. It ran once daily as a return service. It was retired on 10 July 1998 and replaced by the Sunrise Seto, which runs together with Sunrise Izumo using 285-series EMUs.