Spartan mag lev stations planned

[cteno4]

Rather a surprise for what will be high class rail, but probably just politics going on...

 

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/05/17/new-shinkansen-to-use-revolutionarily-simple-stations-cuts-include-ticket-booths-waiting-rooms-humans/

 

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/views/vox/AJ201306130048

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[Densha]

I recently posted a link in the maglev topic with a pdf from JR Central on the station design but I thought it was only a basic sketch as it was so simple.

[miyakoji]

Jeff, what do you mean about politics?  They're making it look not very good so that local governments put some money in?

[miyakoji]

That Asahi article is pretty good.  It touches on the human aspect of public transportation that I like.  Honestly, I'm skeptical about the Chuo Shinkansen, and although this isn't critical to its functionality, usefulness, and profitability, even if the stations don't really turn out like this, it doesn't help I don't think.

 

Also, Uchida Hyakken, the author of the book mentioned in the article, sounds interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyakken_Uchida

[Ochanomizu]

It is not yet time to make such decisions as station amenity.  The weather is so cold through that route that better amenity must be provided, I believe.  I would consider the article with a grain of salt.

[KenS]

I think the first article had it: this is a negotiating tactic to get the local governments to pay a portion of the costs for larger/fancier stations.  They benefit from local jobs and revenue if there are arcades or vending kiosks. And if they don't want that, all JR needs is a place to board the train.

[keitaro]

your forgetting that almost every local council is in bucket loads of debt right now.

 

There going to find themselves hard pressed to get money from many places. In the end JR know they will upgrade after completion to fill their bowsers with there own malls and arcades.

 

this whole project is squezed in and i would not be surprised if the route takes much longer to reach osaka than mentioned.

 

decreasing population, massive national debt, next gen running low on their parents funds.

[E6系]

Mr Keitaro,

 

Such a bleak picture, you paint.  Rest assured, mainstream Japan continues to work and prosper.  I look forward to riding the world's finest maglev, but perhaps let's hope the stations are wheelchair friendly.

[bikkuri bahn]

It was only recently (say the last 15 years) that shinkansen stations were designed with any aesthetics in mind (though the Shin-Osaka Station is good example of functionality also being quite pleasing, IMO) .  Given that JR Tokai is building this line pretty much on their own dime, and that it's intended as an efficient, no frills relief line for the Tokaido shinkansen, I see no big drawbacks to this.

[Mudkip Orange]

If anything I gotta give 'em props for building only what's needed rather than dropping millions on an "architecturally unique canopy" for, say, a bus transfer stop...