Undersea Stations in Seikan Tunnel to close

[cteno4]

Emergency depots to be closed to excursion trains.

 

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000432421

 

cheers

 

jeff

[nscalestation]

That's too bad, but I can understand the need once the Shinkansen service starts.

 

Back in 1999 we rode the train to Hokkaido and went through the tunnel.  The train stopped at one of the undersea stations and we were able to get out for a few minutes.  It was an interesting experience.

 

The train we rode on was older coaches with cartoon characters on the sides pulled by an electric loco.  I suppose it was what you'd call a Joyful Train. I've attached some photos below from my old Sony floppy disk camera that I took of the train.  I guess I didn't take any of the station ?  or maybe they didn't come out very well. 

 

They've been waiting for a long time in Hokkaido to get the Shinkansen service going and it sounds like that time is close.

 

Thanks for sharing this Jeff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Davo Dentetsu]

Oh look, it's that bloody cat again!  :P

[Sacto1985]

What do you expect when Doraemon characters are seen on the side of trains and local trams all the time? 

[Davo Dentetsu]

What do you expect when Doraemon characters are seen on the side of trains and local trams all the time? 

 

No complaints from me.  ;)

[JR 500系]

The Seikan Tunnel~ Brings back memories... I took the Super Hakucho through the tunnel last year.. The train did stop in the tunnel station, but we couldn't get out to see as the door was not opened. We did see the station physically, and it's kinda errie with its long tunnels and rather creepy feeling... Like the places where zombies spawn..

 

Nonetheless it will be great to be able to take the shinkansen and fly past the underwater tunnel soon! 

[houari]

As the underground station(s?) is now closed, is there any other things to see around the Seikan Tunnel? I read the webpage of the Seikan Tunnel Museum, but I am not sure what do they have now (due to lack of Japanese...). Can I see a train get in/out the tunnel ?

[kvp]

The seikan tunnel museum was usually accessed through an elevator from one of the closed stations. Since it's on the coast and not at the tunnel's entry point, you can't really see anything from there except the sea and the top of the access shaft used for constructing the tunnel. According to wikipeida, the station levels of the museum is closed and used for construction work. Imho, this means they probably closed the surface level building too, or at least the area used by the workers. The area is now only accessible through the local bus service. They also have a really old lighthouse, which was already famous before the tunnel was built.

[westfalen]

On Google Earth it looks like you can get pretty close to the southern portal, about a 1.5 km walk from Tsugaruhamana station on the JR Tsugaru Line.

[Mudkip Orange]

it will be great to be able to take the shinkansen and fly past

I think I read that the shinkansen is going to be limited to 130km within the tunnel.

[westfalen]

I think I read that the shinkansen is going to be limited to 130km within the tunnel.

Yes, they are scared higher speeds would blow containers off passing freight trains.

 

130kph means you will get more time to enjoy the tunnel.

[houari]

thanks, @kvp and @westfalen, I think try to get the photo of a train get in/out of the tunnel is good enough :)

[Sacto1985]

According to what I've read, the top speed for the H5 trainsets through the Seikan Tunnel is 140 km/h (87 mph) to maintain compatibility with the JR Freight trains that also use this tunnel. However, JR Freight plans to operate in the future faster trains through the tunnel using (I think) locomotives and container-carrying flat cars gauged for 1435 mm that could reach 200 km/h (124 mph), allowing Shinkansen trainsets to transit the Seikan Tunnel also at 200 km/h.