Documentary about Japanese Bullet Trains

[JR 500系]

Well i'm not sure if this has been posted before, but i can't seem to find it on the search. Anyway here is a very infomative and interesting video on Japanese Bullet trains (by Richard Hammond) illustrating the technologises and engineering done inside the Bullet train to make it the World's BEST and SAFEST high speed rail:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDjELN3BeTo

 

*Admin pls assist to remove/ merge if this has been posted before. Thanks!*

[Sacto1985]

I've seen this already. :)

 

But anyway, one feature of the N700 and N700A trainsets is air suspension, which allows the train to "tilt" into curves at slight angles to allow for faster operation. That was one failing of the 500 Series trainset--it lacked that feature, so it wasn't much faster than the 100/300 Series trainsets on the more "curvy" Tokaidō Shinkansen line, especially between Shin-Yokohama and Shin-Fuji stations west of Tokyo.

[Densha]

I should have known that this was airing back in 2011, I receive BCC1 and BCC2 too.

[JR 500系]

I've seen this already. :)

 

But anyway, one feature of the N700 and N700A trainsets is air suspension, which allows the train to "tilt" into curves at slight angles to allow for faster operation. That was one failing of the 500 Series trainset--it lacked that feature, so it wasn't much faster than the 100/300 Series trainsets on the more "curvy" Tokaidō Shinkansen line, especially between Shin-Yokohama and Shin-Fuji stations west of Tokyo.

Thanks Sacto1985! I didnt know about that!

 

But i thought the 500 travelled at 300km/h? But i'm sure it's not on the Tokaido, but the Sanyo. This means the N700A has an even more sophisticated air cushioning system, which is really very high tech after watching the video and understanding the concept behind it...

[E6系]

Hello Mr JR500,

 

You are correct.  The 500 series can travel at 300km/h.  However, you must remember that the speed is limited by the design of the line upon which it operates.  For example, Kyushu line operating speed is 260km/h.  On Sanyo shinkansen line the operating speed is 300km/h, but only in certain places.  Currently the 500 series operates across both of those lines, within those speed limits.  The operating speed limit on the Tokaido line is 270km/h for trains with tilt capability.

[Sacto1985]

Hello Mr JR500,

 

You are correct.  The 500 series can travel at 300km/h.  However, you must remember that the speed is limited by the design of the line upon which it operates.  For example, Kyushu line operating speed is 260km/h.  On Sanyo shinkansen line the operating speed is 300km/h, but only in certain places.  Currently the 500 series operates across both of those lines, within those speed limits.  The operating speed limit on the Tokaido line is 270km/h for trains with tilt capability.

 

If I remember correctly, when the Tokaido Shinkansen line was built, it was engineered for a maximum speed of 250 km/h, even though the 0 Series trainsets were limited to a 210 km/h top speed. The N700 Series can reach 270 km/h on the same tracks thanks to the ability of the train to slightly "tilt" to take curves faster. As such, N700 trains blasting by stations west of Shin-Osaka at 300 km/h are common sights (the San'yō Shinkansen line was already running 0 Series trains as high as 230 km/h when the line opened to Hakata in 1975).

 

And now, I've read that E5/E6 trainsets may reach 320 km/h on the Tōhoku Shinkansen line as early as next year. It'll be quite a sight to see Hayabusa trains blasting by Utsunomiya Station at this speed....

[Densha]

Finally watched this one today, I'm good at postponing things. Anyway, the content was very interesting and there were a few things I really didn't know about before. Something that I really had no idea about was the extra rail to prevent derailing.

When I realized that the Shinkansen that derailed some years back was actually a 200 series, I now understand why they have been taken out of service.

And I found this line hilarious: "And it has a feature that probably most model railway enthusiasts don't have on their set at home, an earthquake simulator."

[Davo Dentetsu]

And I found this line hilarious: "And it has a feature that probably most model railway enthusiasts don't have on their set at home, an earthquake simulator."

 

Yeah, give it time though! :D

[bikkuri bahn]

Finally watched this one today, I'm good at postponing things. Anyway, the content was very interesting and there were a few things I really didn't know about before. Something that I really had no idea about was the extra rail to prevent derailing.

When I realized that the Shinkansen that derailed some years back was actually a 200 series, I now understand why they have been taken out of service.

And I found this line hilarious: "And it has a feature that probably most model railway enthusiasts don't have on their set at home, an earthquake simulator."

 

The 200 series were taken out of service due to age, not for earthquake reasons. Actually the heavy carbodies of the 200 series was credited in their ability to remain upright when the Niigata earthquake struck.