More Shinkansen Lines

[disturbman]

Three Shinkansen extensions approved

 

JAPAN: Three more extensions to the country's expanding high speed rail network have been authorised for construction by the government, under a programme which includes the first commercial application of gauge-changing trainsets which have been under development for the past decade.

 

The biggest of the three schemes announced by Transport Minister Yuichiro Hata on June 29 is the long-planned Hokkaido Shinkansen between Shin-Hakkodate and Sapporo. High speed trains are expected to reach the northern island in 2015, with completion of the link between the Tohoku Shinkansen at Shin-Aomori and Hakodate via mixed-gauge track in the Seikan Tunnel. The 211 km Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo, serving intermediate stations at Shin-Yakumo, Oshamanbe, Kucchian, and Shin-Otaru, is expected to be completed by 2035, offering a journey time of around 5 h.

 

The 125·2 km extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen along the coast of Honshu from Kanazwa to Tsuruga is to be completed by 2024, serving five stations at Komatsu, Kaga-Onsen, Awara-Onsen, Fukui and Nanetsu. The first section as far as Nagano opened in 1997, and the 228 km linking Nagano, Toyama, Isurugi and Kanazawa is scheduled to open by 2014. In the longer term, the Hokuriku Shinkansen is expected to be extended west from Tsuruga to connect with the Tokaido Shinkansen at Maibara or Kyoto, but a preferred route has not yet been announced.

 

The third project to be authorised is a further section of the Kyushu Shinkansen's western branch to Nagasaki, of which an isolated 45·7 km section between Takeo Onsen and Isahaya is already under construction. The government has now given the go-ahead for the 21 km western section between Isahaya and Nagasaki, which is to be completed by 2022. However, as the line will remain isolated from the rest of the network, through services between Hakata and Nagasaki are to be operated by gauge-changing trainsets using the existing line between Takeo-Onsen and a junction with the Kyushu Shinkansen at Shin-Tosu.

 

Estimated to cost ¥3 040bn, the three extensions are to be built by Japan Railway Construction, Transport & Technology Agency using public-sector funding from both national and regional governments. On completion, they will be leased to the JR Group companies to operate, attracting fees of around ¥1bn a year. Following the completion of the Shinkansen routes, the existing 1 067 mm gauge main lines are expected to be downgraded to local routes and transferred to third-sector operators supported by the regional governments.

 

Big news, three extensions and the end of regauging for mini-shinkansen lines with the first gauge changing HS train sets in Japan.

[Densha]

Yesterday I already found a news article which included the three extensions, but not as extensive as this one. Now a few things have been made clear.

But they were already building the Hokkaido Shinkansen right? To me it's not a surprise anyhow.

Take a look at this map. What I think is weird is that it seems to be a full fledged Shinkansen between Takeo Onsen and Isahaya, but two other (I guess not too long) segments not. And I noticed there is already a JR line that uses that route approximately, so why make a separate 45,7km part? Makes me also curious whether it is narrow gauge or normal, probably normal gauge but in that case a train from let's say Hakata to Nagasaki has to transfer gauge three times.

[westfalen]

I'll be 75 years old before I can have the 'benefit' of riding a Shinkansen from Hakodate to Sapporo through endless scenic tunnels and not being able to use my JR pass on an overcrowded one or two car DMU on the now private parallel 3'6" line.

 

I can wait.

[The_Ghan]

Meanwhile ... back in Australia, or Oz (where our Prime Minister burns refugee boats to the waterline on the high-seas and charges householders a carbon tax for the privilege, and our Lord Mayor (Sydney) hands out lollipops at 1:00am to teenage drunks to distract them from brawling) ... yes, that's it ... the "Lucky Country" ... yes ... back in Australia, we continue the 50 year old arguement about whether or not to introduce, yes, introduce high-speed rail ...  :BangHead:

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[Densha]

I'll be 75 years old before I can have the 'benefit' of riding a Shinkansen from Hakodate to Sapporo through endless scenic tunnels and not being able to use my JR pass on an overcrowded one or two car DMU on the now private parallel 3'6" line.

 

I can wait.

Is there no JR from Hakodate to Sapporo?

[bikkuri bahn]

Is there no JR from Hakodate to Sapporo?

 

There is now, but once the shinkansen line is running, the parallel 1067mm line will likely be turned over to a third sector operator (heavily subsidized by local and prefectural govt.) which will continue to serve the elderly and high school students, as the money-making business and tourist traffic will all go to the shinkansen.  As a resident of Sapporo, I welcome the shinkansen, it will give me a viable alternative to flying down to Honshu.  Only because I'm a railfan do I even attempt to take the train now (very occasionally) from Sapporo to Tokyo.  I will definitely take the overnight express Hamanasu a few more times before it is inevitably axed once the shinkansen arrives in Shin-Hakodate.

[Densha]

It seems to be the Hakodate main line, right? It is a (double tracked) main line, so it makes me doubt it that going to a different operator is really going to happen. Makes me curious what's going to happen with all the trains on it now, because I guess at least most of the express trains will be cut.

Actually, what is the reason why they go to a different operator? I mean, I assume there's nothing wrong with JR and it only costs the local governments a lot of money.

[3railgreg]

Meanwhile ... back in Australia, or Oz (where our Prime Minister burns refugee boats to the waterline on the high-seas and charges householders a carbon tax for the privilege, and our Lord Mayor (Sydney) hands out lollipops at 1:00am to teenage drunks to distract them from brawling) ... yes, that's it ... the "Lucky Country" ... yes ... back in Australia, we continue the 50 year old arguement about whether or not to introduce, yes, introduce high-speed rail ...  :BangHead:

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

 

Not much different than here in the USA, where we talk high speed to death, but cannot give up our love of traffic gridlock, and major airport delays....  The insanity of it all! My thanks to Japan for another Shinkansen!!

[Densha]

I don't understand the US talk about high speed trains too, and I don't want to either.

[Guest ___]

Ghan, it's not that we do not want to give up the gridlock and the airport TSA molestation, it's a matter of who is going to pay for it? And everyone from the rescue and protective services to public education, historic preservation and the arts community has a hand out waiting for a blank check. Wheels of progress are greased with the green stuff. Sadly the rail sector just doesn't have as much of it as let's say the defense or telcom industries.

 

In the past year of being one of only a couple of NARP Ambassador at Washington Union Station, I could go on and on about the need for HSR in this country. Probably make a full time career out of it considering what typical lobbyists makes on the Hill, might actually make a decent living out of it. So, please for the love of Satoshi Seino, don't get me started on HSR. I literally could turn this post in to one of Jeff's 20 page thesis-grade replies (Not that we don't value all the information is all, but they are not all that great if you suffer from low-grade narcolepsy or SAS).

[cteno4]

Aaron,

 

hey go ahead and write a thesis on this, some of us would love to see more info that you may have. those that dont want to read or are narcoleptic or ADD can just skip it.

 

jeff

[Guest ___]

I don't have THAT much free time ^_^

[cteno4]

Well you've had plenty of time posting polls, how about some more on this subject of us HSR for discussion?

 

Jeff

[westfalen]

It seems to be the Hakodate main line, right? It is a (double tracked) main line, so it makes me doubt it that going to a different operator is really going to happen. Makes me curious what's going to happen with all the trains on it now, because I guess at least most of the express trains will be cut.

Actually, what is the reason why they go to a different operator? I mean, I assume there's nothing wrong with JR and it only costs the local governments a lot of money.

The equally, if not busier, double tracked Tohoku Mainline north of Morioka to Aomori was given over to private operators as sucessive sections of Shinkansen opened, so I wouln't be surprised to see the same thing happen in Hokkaido.

[disturbman]

I would agree, instead of posting polls you should write a thesis on HSR. I'd like to read that. :)

[keitaro]

Meanwhile ... back in Australia, or Oz (where our Prime Minister burns refugee boats to the waterline on the high-seas and charges householders a carbon tax for the privilege, and our Lord Mayor (Sydney) hands out lollipops at 1:00am to teenage drunks to distract them from brawling) ... yes, that's it ... the "Lucky Country" ... yes ... back in Australia, we continue the 50 year old arguement about whether or not to introduce, yes, introduce high-speed rail ...  :BangHead:

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

 

Yes they argue about more airports needed but what about the fing high-speed rail.

 

You forgot the fact that they send out distress signals and cost tax payers 1 million dollars every time they do (daily almost now)

 

Mean while tony abbot (the pied piper) is waiting to lead them over the cliff... Australia! Lol

 

Btw that's some great news looking forward to trying some of the lines.

 

I assume they will be running E5 on the hakkodate extension? Sine the E3 is due to retire before then?

[Densha]

It seems to be the Hakodate main line, right? It is a (double tracked) main line, so it makes me doubt it that going to a different operator is really going to happen. Makes me curious what's going to happen with all the trains on it now, because I guess at least most of the express trains will be cut.

Actually, what is the reason why they go to a different operator? I mean, I assume there's nothing wrong with JR and it only costs the local governments a lot of money.

The equally, if not busier, double tracked Tohoku Mainline north of Morioka to Aomori was given over to private operators as sucessive sections of Shinkansen opened, so I wouln't be surprised to see the same thing happen in Hokkaido.

Did they took over the old trains? It's ridiculous not to do so, even if they will be used just for a few years.

[Davo Dentetsu]

I do worry for the future of the current Blue Trains still running.  Is it really the end for them?  I think keeping some sort of iconic express and getting tourists onto it would be their best bet.  But it can never be as big as the Rossiya unfortunately... :(

[linkey]

In Victoria we have got trains that at 30-40yrs old and are still running, sadly our state government are happy to build roads rather than extend rail-lines (in Victorian Rail history up to the 1930's was the biggest rail network, just has now been reduced by 45%) and now they want something to replace the XPT (Victoria-New South Wales-Queensland rail service)

[Densha]

In Victoria we have got trains that at 30-40yrs old and are still running,

For a normal train that's not surprising. In the Netherlands are also many trains at that age running and they do just fine, all of them have had a renewal in the past 10 years. There's even some over 60 years locos still running in regular services here.

[bikkuri bahn]

In the Netherlands are also many trains at that age running and they do just fine, all of them have had a renewal in the past 10 years.

 

I hope the Mat '64's are still around the next time I get around to visiting the Netherlands.

[Densha]

@bikkuri bahn

The old Sprinter trains (Mat'76) have had a complete overhaul in the first half of the last decade, but the Mat'64 haven't. I don't why I wrote "all" though...

Anyway, I already thought the Mat'64 were almost completely gone, but when I recently visited the southern part of the country I suddenly saw quite a lot of them still in service. I don't know when you plan on visiting, but I'm sure they will still be in service early 2013. If I have to believe Wikipedia, 70 Plan V sets are still in service and here is a schedule.

[Kabutoni]

The equally, if not busier, double tracked Tohoku Mainline north of Morioka to Aomori was given over to private operators as sucessive sections of Shinkansen opened, so I wouln't be surprised to see the same thing happen in Hokkaido.

Did they took over the old trains? It's ridiculous not to do so, even if they will be used just for a few years.

 

Rolling stock is mostly taken over form JR, but not necessarily. Most of the companies that take over JR lines that are closed down due to the completion of a Shinkansen line later adapt their own rolling stock, replacing ex-JR trains. From north to south:

- Aoimori Railway (2002, Tohoku main line): ex-JR East 701 Series;

- IGR Iwate Ginga Railway (2002, Tohoku main line): ex-JR East 701 Series;

- Abukuma Express* (1986, Tohoku main line and former Marumori line, runs parallel to the Tohoku main line): ex-JNR 413 and 417 Series;

- Aizu Railway* (1986, Aizu line): mostly owns custom rolling stock, next to one or two ex-JNR DMU cars;

- Yagan Railway* (1986, Aizu Kinugawa line): no-ex JR/JNR trains;

- Shinano Railway (1997, part of the old Shin'etsu main line): ex-JR East 115 and 169 Series;

 

*not sure these were established because of direct Shinkansen influence, or because of JNR/JR transition.

 

I can't think of any other lines for now, but I'm sure there will be cuts in Kyushu sometime soon. Also, the extension of the Joetsu Shinkansen and opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen will produce a few new 3rd sector railway companies. Interesting to see, but you may never know if this will drive up the riding costs for passengers.

[Densha]

but you may never know if this will drive up the riding costs for passengers.

And what will happen to the quality of the service.

[Mudkip Orange]

I'm curious if the 1067 line between Takeo and Hakata is going to be widened to accomodate the standard Shinkansen loading gauge, or if the gauge-changing trainsets will adhere to the same 2950mm width as the mini shinkansens...