KATO 10-2112 10-2114　Cassiopeia Cruise

E26 Series "Cassiopeia Cruise" 

The E26 series was introduced in 1999 and served as a luxury sleeper train under the nickname Cassiopeia for many years.
However, with the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen between Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto in March 2016, its regular operations were discontinued. Since then, the train has mainly been used for tour trains that circle Hokkaido and the Tohoku region and thus was fitted with the Shinkansen-type wireless communication equipment for its operation in the Seikan Tunnel. After the discontinuation of its service in Hokkaido, it currently operates as a special charter train under the names Cassiopeia Cruise and Cassiopeia Kiko, exclusively within the JR East network.