JR Hokkaido JR Shikoku to get funding boost from natl. govt.

[bikkuri bahn]

It was announced June 30 that the central government will provide additional aid to regional railways JR Hokkaido and JR Shikoku, to help fund the replacement of aging rolling stock and rail maintenance.  Between FY2016 and FY2018, 120 billion yen(~967 million USD) will be provided to JR Hokkaido in the form of grants and no-interest loans, and similarly 20 billion yen (~163 million USD) to JR Shikoku between FY2016~19.

 

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/economy/20150630-OYT1T50085.html

[miyakoji]

I'm trying to make a JNR joke here, but I'm getting nothing... :rolleyes:

 

Have you seen any specifics on what JR Shikoku will do with the money?  They've been getting those 1500 series DMUs, a few cars at a time (third "batch" was 1 car!) since 2006.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JR_Shikoku_1500_series

 

further edit: interesting, if I'm reading the Japanese page on the 1500s correctly, and I'd like to think that I am , the two 7th generation cars from Kinki Sharyo were the first DMUs they'd built in 53 years, since KIHA81 cars 1 through 3.

Edited July 3, 2015 by miyakoji

[JR 500系]

Interesting... JR East can always proudly say they receive no government funding ~  :) 

 

Just a curious question, if Government funding as a grant for a private rail operator, JR Shikoku or JR Hokkaido in this case, will this still mean that JR Shikoku or JR Hokkaido is still privatised or part government funded?

[bikkuri bahn]

JR Hokkaido and JR Shikoku are not privatised. 

[Sacto1985]

This is why that new hybrid DMU now being planned for JR East could be critical--since this new trainset will probably replace the KiHa 100/110 Series DMU (and especially designed for winter operations in the Tōhoku region), we could see JR Hokkaido could use this funding to buy a number of these new trainsets to replace the increasingly obsolete DMU's running on many JR Hokkaido lines.

[ToniBabelony]

Very good to see investments being done in these struggling JR Group departments. I think, this will do JR Hokkaidō especially some good in combination with more involvement from JR East (maintenance, management, etc.) and the arrival of the Hokkaidō Shinkansen.

 

Have you seen any specifics on what JR Shikoku will do with the money?  They've been getting those 1500 series DMUs, a few cars at a time (third "batch" was 1 car!) since 2006.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JR_Shikoku_1500_series

 

Wow, that does not really reflect good financial health. These trains look however a bit odd, though strangely cute.

[bikkuri bahn]

Data for comparison:

 

JR Shikoku has a relatively small roster- a total of 430 pieces of rolling stock.  JR Hokkaido has more than double that at 1109.  JR Hokkaido also runs rolling stock on longer and more demanding routes.  On average, there are 1041 scheduled passenger services/day on JR Shikoku, 1286/day on JR Hokkaido.  Route mileage is 855.2km for JR Shikoku, 2457.7km for JR Hokkaido. 

 

http://www.jr-shikoku.co.jp/04_company/company/gaiyou.htm

http://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/corporate/company/comtop.html

[miyakoji]

further edit: interesting, if I'm reading the Japanese page on the 1500s correctly, and I'd like to think that I am , the two 7th generation cars from Kinki Sharyo were the first DMUs they'd built in 53 years, since KIHA81 cars 1 through 3.

 

By coincidence I just came across this contradictory information; this is the Hobidas news item for the delivery of 1500 series DMUs 1566 and 1567, the two from Kinki.  It says they were the manufacturer's first diesels in about 30 years, not 50+.

 

http://rail.hobidas.com/rmn/archives/2013/01/jrjr1500_3.html

[kvp]

So it seems most of the losses of the JNR came from these not too profitable areas and the many small lines that have already been turned into 3rd sector railways and/or closed. While i see that the large JR companies are willing to let go of their country lines, if JRH and JRS would do the same, would they still have any? If the answer is no, then why don't they convert these two companies into many 3rd sector ones, so they could be closed in the long term? It's true that Hokkaido and Shikoku would loose almost all of their rail network, but the central government was willing to let this happen on Honshu and even along important freight corridors, so i don't really see the point.

[Sacto1985]

kvp, I think due to the fact the road system on Hokkaido and Shikoku outside of the larger cities aren't that great, that's why many JR Shikoku and JR Hokkaido lines are still operational. JR Hokkaido only closed the Esashi Line west of Kikonai Station because ridership was so extremely low (I've read it was down to 40 riders per day!).