【グレードアップあずさ　辰野駅で幕回し！！】～１８９系で行く中央線の旅～

On December 6, 2014, a special group train for the "Chuo Line Trip on the Upgraded Azusa-Colored 189 Series," organized by View Plaza, ran between Tachikawa and Matsumoto. This train took a route not normally used, via the Tatsuno branch line, to Matsumoto. A photo session was held along the way, and there was a "desk-turning" service at Kai-Yamato Station and Tatsuno Station. The train used was the 189 series Tota M52, which had been repainted from its original JNR (Japanese National Railways) livery to a nostalgic white, and further enhanced with a new "limited express symbol mark," thus reborn as the "Upgraded Azusa." This was its first official run, and perhaps because it had only recently been repainted, the pristine whiteness of the train gave it a dignified appearance. These steel trains from the JNR era are becoming increasingly rare, and we hope they will continue to play an active role in special and group train services in the future.