On the last day of my travel to Okayama, September 1st, I travelled by "Super Hakuto" express on Chizu Express Chizu Line and JR West Sanyo Main Line. It was my first time travelling by "Super Hakuto" and on Chizu Line.
The train I chose, "Super Hakuto No.6", operates only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I could book one of the front seats having the view over the driver's cab.
The train ran at a speed of up to 130-kilometre/80.8-mile per hour. Though Chizu Line is an unelectrified single-track railway, most of the line consists of elevated tracks and tunnels to prepare the atmosphere for the express trains to run at high speed. The carriage on "Super Hakuto" service, HOT7000 Series, equips two 261-kilowatt/350-horsepower diesel engines per carriage and tilting bogies. Because of the many curves on open-air sections of Chizu Line, the carriage tilts its body on the curves to pass there without passengers' discomfort.
At Kuzaki Station, where the train passed first, an opposite-bound train, "Super Inaba" for Tottori, waited. "Super Inaba" also runs at the same speed as "Super Hakuto" on Chizu Line. The carriage on "Super Inaba", JR West Kiha 187 Series, also equips the tilting bogies.
At Kamigori Station, where the train first stops after Sayo, the train driver on JR West took over his work from the driver on Chizu Line. From Kamigori, the train went onto Sanyo Main Line.
Before passing Aboshi Station, the fourth station from Kamigori, I could see the staying carriages at Aboshi Railyard.
I got off the train at Himeji Station. Though I didn't travel this time, the powerful and high-speed specification of HOT7000 Series works farther than Himeji not to slow down other trains, especially the Special Rapid Trains on Sanyo Main Line and Tokaido Main Line.
I felt happy to travel by "Super Hakuto" because HOT7000 Series might be replaced by the newer carriage in a few years.