KiHa 56 series/Alpha Continental Express

The Alpha Continental Express was a charter-only higher-speed service run by a converted KiHa 56 series diesel multiple unit operated initially by the Japanese National Railways and later the Hokkaido Railway Company from December 1985 to October 1994. The set is one of six purpose-built diesel railcars for JR Hokkaido at Naebo Works.
==History==
The Alpha Continental Express was conceived in the 1980s from a cost-reduction standpoint, as it was felt it was likely worth the time to rebuild the KiHa 56 series cars, which were becoming surplus at the time. The cars were intended to be built with a European-like style to them as European-style cars, treated as Green cars (first class), were starting to be built around Honshū. The development for these cars was entrusted to JNR's Naebo Works, who took three KiHa 56 series cars, KiHa 56 201, KiRo 26 201 and KiHa 56 209, and rebuilt them into a European-styled train.
The set was thus named the Alpha Continental Express, with the name being a reference to two hotels in Hokkaido: the Hotel Alpha Tomamu (now Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) and the Karikatsu Continental Hotel (now Sahoro Resort). This name however was difficult for the Japanese to pronounce, hence for most conversations the train was named Alcon (a contraction of "Alpha Continental"). The set was initially entered into service as a three-car train on 21 December 1985 to great fanfare due to its "stunning design and high-quality facilities"; the set was immediately popular. In fact, the Alcon was so popular that surplus KiHa 56 series cars KiRo 26 202 and KiHa 56 213 were repainted into the Alcon livery and inserted into sets as auxiliary cars if the set ever got too crowded.
However, the surplus cars were not well-liked as they did not feature the lavish interiors of the other cars, and as such a proper car had to be manufactured with a similarly lavish interior. In 1986, another surplus KiHa 56 series car KiRo 26 201 was converted into KiHa 29 1 and added to the set, making it a four-car set; this car featured a lavish interior. The set was then used on the Sekishō Line on various services; it has to be noted however that the Alpha Continental Express name was only used when the train ferried passengers between those two hotels, with other names such as Furano Express, JTB Panorama Express, Resort Express and Peppermint Express used for other situations. After KiHa 29 1 was added to the set, both surplus KiHa 56 series cars were withdrawn from service, although KiHa 56 213 was used for regular service with the Alcon livery for some period of time.
As the set saw more use, and with newer trains such as the Furano Express entering service, the cars began to show some shortcomings; they were slower than most newer trains, had rougher rides due to their use of spring-based suspension and that the set was beginning to show its age. Despite this, the set remained popular. However, due to age catching up with the train and the other factors mentioned above, JR Hokkaido made the decision to retire the set. As a result, from every Saturday and Sunday starting 1 October 1994, a "retirement" event was held; this ended on 23 October with the retirement of the set. The set was then towed to Naebo Works for scrapping.
Both cab cars are preserved. KiHa 59 2 is located at a ranch in Chitose near the Sekishō Line under a shelter, having been won by the owner of the ranch through an auction while the car was still stored at Naebo Works. The cab of KiHa 59 1 is preserved at the Hokkaido Railway Technology Museum, located next to Naebo Works, without its bogies.
==Design==
The Alcon featured a streamlined design with a backwards-raked front end. The cars featured a "high decker" design with a lowered driver's cab so passengers can see the tracks ahead. The train was painted with a brown base coat with golden accents.
==Specifications==
Construction is of steel. Performance statistics are largely identical to that of the KiHa 56 series cars these were converted from; this article will still detail some additional statistics about the cars.
The front of the set features a design that is extremely similar to that of the Salon Express Arcadia and YUTopia Joyful Train sets. The sets feature an interior with "a classy feel reminiscent of a hotel lounge". KiHa 29 1 features a counter for food, likely in a buffet style; bussing tables and other food-related things were carried out by staff dispatched from both hotels. The cab cars were originally not fitted with coupler covers; these were installed after the dedicated Furano Express set began operation.
Category:Diesel trainsets
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Unique locomotives
Category:Naebo Works locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Passenger locomotives