Skyliner

The Skyliner (スカイライナー, sukairainā) is a limited-express airport train service between Tokyo and Narita Airport in Japan. It is operated by Keisei Electric Railway and runs on the Narita Sky Access route.

Service

The Skyliner service operates between Keisei Ueno Station and Narita Airport Station, with stops at Nippori Station and Airport Terminal 2 Station.

The one-way ride between Nippori and Narita Airport takes about 36 minutes and costs ¥2,470.

The main competitor for the Skyliner is JR East's Narita Express.

Station stops

History

1972-2010

The Skyliner's predecessor was the Kaiungō express service, which began operation non-stop from Keisei Ueno to Keisei Narita on May 1, 1952, 26 years before the opening of Narita Airport. Seat reservations were mandatory.

The Kaiungō Express service was operated by 1600 series trains from 1953 to 1967. Although the first trains were small, with only two cars, they had reclining seats and televisions, making them luxurious trains for their time. The trains were lengthened to three cars in 1957 (although only one of those cars was an actual Type 1600 car). In 1967, the 1600 series trains were replaced by 3150 and 3200 series trains, fitted with semi-transverse seating in order to comply with subway specifications.

Narita International Airport

Narita International Airport (成田国際空港, Narita Kokusai Kūkō) (IATA: NRT, ICAO: RJAA), also known as Tokyo Narita Airport, formerly and originally known as New Tokyo International Airport (新東京国際空港, Shin Tōkyō Kokusai Kūkō), is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) east of central Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture, straddling the border between the city of Narita and the adjacent town of Shibayama.

Narita is the predominant international airport in Japan, handling around 50% of the country's international passenger traffic and 60% of its international air cargo traffic. As of 2013, Narita was the second-busiest passenger airport in Japan (after Haneda Airport in Tokyo), and was the tenth-busiest air freight hub in the world. Its 4,000-metre (13,123 ft) main runway shares the record for longest runway in Japan with the second runway at Kansai International Airport in Osaka.

Narita serves as the main international hub of Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Nippon Cargo Airlines, and as a hub for low-cost carriers Jetstar Japan, Peach and Vanilla Air. It also serves as an Asian hub for Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

The Skyliners

The Skyliners are an American doo-wop group from Pittsburgh. The original lineup was: Jimmy Beaumont (lead; b. October 21, 1940), Janet Vogel (soprano), Wally Lester (tenor), Jackie Taylor (bass voice, guitarist), Joe Verscharen (baritone).

History

The Skyliners were best known for their 1959 hit "Since I Don't Have You". Covers by the Four Seasons, Trini Lopez, Chuck Jackson, Don McLean, Guns N' Roses, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Ronnie Milsap, Art Garfunkel and Buckaroo Banzai kept the song in the public consciousness. They also hit the Top 40 with "This I Swear" and "Pennies from Heaven". Other classics include "It Happened Today" (1959), "Close Your Eyes" (1961) and "Comes Love" (1962). The original group dissolved in 1963, but re-united eleven years later (without Jack Taylor), for what would become their last charted record, "Where Have They Gone?"

In 1965, Jimmy Beaumont recorded two notable singles for the Bang label: the first, "Tell Me"/"I Feel Like I'm Falling in Love", were medium-tempo soul-styled tracks. For his second Bang 45, "I Never Loved Her Anyway"/"You Got Too Much Going for You", Jimmy transformed into an impressive soul singer, sounding nothing like his previous more pop-styled efforts, leading some to question in later years, if it actually was his singing. These two tracks are now considered Northern Soul collectibles. The second 45 was also issued on UK London HLZ 10059 in 1966.

Neoplan Skyliner

The NEOPLAN Skyliner is a double-deck multi-axle luxury touring coach built by the German coach manufacturer and MAN SE subsidiary NEOPLAN Bus GmbH. It was introduced in 1964.

History

In 1964, the founder's second son, Konrad Auwärter, developed a double-deck design for a service bus as part of his dissertation. The 'Do-Bus' design had extremely low weight, and could carry over 100 passengers. It also featured a low-frame front axle with forward-mounted steering gear that permitted a low flat floor. The double-deck principle was applied to coach design, creating a revolutionary high-capacity comfortable vehicle for touring. This vehicle was known as the Skyliner, and created an image for the company that differentiated the NEOPLAN brand from its competitors, and created interest in its products across Europe.

A second manufacturing facility opened in Pilsting in 1973, and a third opening in Kumasi, Ghana in December 1974 to support a large order.

The double-deck Skyliner concept was taken to its ultimate conclusion in 1975, with the introduction of the Jumbocruiser, a double-deck articulated coach 18 metres (59 ft 1 in) long and 4 metres (13 ft 1 in) high. The Spaceliner, introduced in 1979 took the Cityliner concept of passenger floor level above the driver, and extended the actual floor above the cab. This kept the height of the vehicle lower than a double-decker, at 3.65 metres (12 ft 0 in), but still allowed installation of toilets, kitchens or sleep cabins below the passenger compartment.

Charlie Barnet

Charles Daly "Charlie" Barnet (October 26, 1913 – September 4, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.

His major recordings were "Skyliner", "Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", "In a Mizz", and "Southland Shuffle".

Early life

Charlie Barnet was born in New York City. His parents divorced when he was two, and he was raised by his mother and her grandparents. His grandfather was Charles Frederick Daly, a vice-president for the New York Central Railroad, banker, and businessman.

Barnet attended various boarding schools, both in the New York and Chicago areas. He learned to play piano and saxophone as a child. He often left school to listen to music and to try to gain work as a musician.

Career

By sixteen, Barnet had done road work with a Jean Goldkette satellite band and was in New York, where he joined Frank Winegar's Pennsylvania Boys on tenor sax. Always restless, by 1931 he had relocated to Hollywood and appeared as a film extra while trying to interest local bandleaders in hot music, which was increasingly unpopular due to the Great Depression. Late in 1932, he returned east and persuaded a contact at CBS' artist bureau to try him out as an orchestra leader. He was 18 years old.