JR Tokai takes wraps off new maglev

[cteno4]

i think ugly is too harsh, not horrible, but to each his own. im sure further refinements will happen with the testing.

 

jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

Those blue stripes on the bonnet and going up to the roof make it look a bit weird, and the lack of windshield is also a little unnatural in a way, but I don't think it's ugly as such.

[cteno4]

these things are becoming different beasties than trains really. new world some new getting use to things! 

 

jeff

[Minelayer]

I'm trying to think of a good word to describe this thing....and ugly keeps coming to mind.

[bill937ca]

I'm trying to think of a good word to describe this thing....and ugly keeps coming to mind.

 

Worm?

[KenS]

It doesn't have a driver's window?  I wonder if that's to avoid turbulance around the frame/wiper, or simply because at that speed it's "drive by instrument" anyway. Jets have windows, but those are mostly for taxiing on the ground.  I wonder if they have an external camera for the driver.

 

I'm no fan of the duck-bill look, but it's inevitable given Japan's infrastructure (small tunnels, and lots of them, next to residences).  This one looks worse than most, not just because of the extreme slope, but also the paint scheme. The E5/E6 were saved by an interesting livery. This looks like the wrapper to a bar of soap. It may not be ugly, but it sure is uninspired.

[cteno4]

Another article

 

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/12/national/jr-tokai-to-kick-off-trials-for-ultrafast-maglev-train-system-in-september/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jr-tokai-to-kick-off-trials-for-ultrafast-maglev-train-system-in-september#.UbiH-oy9KSM

 

Jeff