KiHa 58 series/Aqua Express

The Aqua Express was a charter-only service run by a converted KiHa 58 series diesel multiple unit operated by the Kyushu Railway Company from July 1988 to 2002.
==History==
The Aqua Express was an early Joyful Train consisting of a two-car set converted from JR Kyushu KiHa 58 and 28 series cars, intended for use to transport passengers to the Umi no Nakamichi park along the Kashii Line. The cars selected for the conversion were KiHa 28 2445, 58 702 and 58 723; after conversion the cars were renumbered to 7001, 7003 and 7004 respectively. 
The set entered service on 30 July 1988 and would be used for special services and similar events until June 1994 when all Joyful Train operation on the JR Kyushu network was terminated. The set would then be used for regular services from then on; in 1998, the intermediate car, 58 7003, was scrapped, followed by 58 7004 in March 2001 and finally 28 7001 in 2002, leaving no cars for preservation. The set was originally based at Hakata Depot but was later moved to Kumamoto; in its final years it was used for general service on the Hōhi Main Line.
==Design==
The Aqua Express featured a unique frontal design featuring a heavily raked front end with a large windshield and twin headlights. The car featured a front pilot which gave the train a clean image while not exposing any jumper plugs and plug sockets. The cars featured a monochrome white paintscheme with black highlights to give a calm image. The overall design of the cars was overseen by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka, in what would be his first design for a railway.
==Specifications==
Construction is of steel. Performance statistics are largely identical to that of the KiHa 58 series and KiHa 65 series cars these were converted from; this article will still detail some additional statistics about the cars.
The cars featured tinted windows and a karaoke machine situated in each car. The interior is similarly monochrome, with a white and black color scheme for a similar color scheme. Most seats are convertible abreast seats which can be arranged into bench seating; these seats feature black moquette with white dots and could not recline. The seats in the observation areas could be removed to create an event space. A semi-circular table with a karaoke machine installed is located at one corner of the cars. At the front of the cab cars, a glass partition was added to allow passengers to view the tracks ahead.
Category:Diesel trainsets
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Unique locomotives
Category:Kokura Works locomotives